I’ve tested dozens of Chromebooks, and these are the ones I’d actually recommend buying this Black Friday

If you’re in the market for a new laptop this Black Friday, it’s worth considering one of the best Chromebooks. These Google-powered laptops use cloud computing and the lightweight ChromeOS to keep component costs down, typically making them cheaper than laptops running Windows or macOS – and they’re even better value at this time of year.

Take the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go, a sleek and lightweight laptop that’ll currently only cost you $179 (was $299) at Amazon. Or if you’re looking for a laptop for a younger (or much older!) user who isn’t as tech-savvy and doesn’t need to run any demanding software, the Asus Chromebook CX15 for just $139 (was $219) at Walmart could be a perfect choice.

Today’s best Black Friday Chromebook deals

I’ve already talked about how Chromebooks are among the best laptops for kids, but their usefulness doesn’t stop with younger users. The familiar, smartphone-like user interface of ChromeOS means that they’re great for anyone who isn’t familiar with laptops, with an easy-to-navigate design and a great degree of customizability.

You’ll also find several Chromebooks in our guide to the best student laptops, since they’re typically great value for money (a must-have for new students, since a new laptop is often the biggest one-off expense for teenagers heading off to university or college) while also being lightweight and offering good battery life.

Of course, the affordable nature of the Chromebooks above does mean that they’re ill-suited to demanding workloads; think stuff like video editing, 3D rendering, and running scientific modeling software. If you think you’re going to need to do more than straightforward everyday tasks with your laptop, head over to our Black Friday laptop deals live hub to check out some more powerful hardware.

Shop more of today’s best US Black Friday sales

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $119
• Best Buy: $1,000 off TVs, laptops & headphones
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lenovo: 45% off laptops & tablets
• Lowe’s: up to 30% off appliances, holiday decor & tools
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off appliances, TVs & phones
• Target: 40% off Christmas decor, clothing & furniture
• T-Mobile: up to $1,100 off latest iPhone 17
• Walmart: furniture, cheap TVs & vacs from $69
• Wayfair: 54% off Christmas, furniture & decor

Christian is TechRadar’s UK-based Computing Editor. He came to us from Maximum PC magazine, where he fell in love with computer hardware and building PCs. He was a regular fixture amongst our freelance review team before making the jump to TechRadar, and can usually be found drooling over the latest high-end graphics card or gaming laptop before looking at his bank account balance and crying.

Christian is a keen campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights and the owner of a charming rescue dog named Lucy, having adopted her after he beat cancer in 2021. She keeps him fit and healthy through a combination of face-licking and long walks, and only occasionally barks at him to demand treats when he’s trying to work from home.