ASUS’ Chromebook C203XA is not only the least expensive Chromebook we’re recommending, but it’s also the smallest and lightest. Despite its compact size, this laptop has a lot to like because ASUS didn’t cut corners. The biggest surprise is that this Chromebook’s 11.6-inch display is HD, so videos, text, and photos will look very sharp. Similarly, the C203XA has an HDMI port, allowing you to easily connect the cheap Chromebook to an external monitor at a desk.
This machine’s HDMI port is complemented by one USB-A port, one USB-C port, and a full-sized SD Card slot. You’ll want to use the SD card slot to increase the machine’s storage because it only comes with a 32GB SSD. This won’t be a problem if you’re all-in on cloud-based storage and applications but may be a problem if you want to download files to work on them locally. Additionally, this cheap Chromebook supports WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 4.
All of these are reasonable compromises considering the ASUS C203XA’s price is just $170 right now—roughly half the cost of our top recommendation. Considering you can fix two of this Chromebook’s biggest weaknesses, that’s an especially good deal.Chromebooks are known for their comparatively low prices, but it’s possible to pick up a higher-specced model if you prefer the technically lightweight ChromeOS to Windows and macOS. If that’s the case,is our top Chromebook recommendation.