When you think about tablets that are currently up for sale at many retailers, you might think of an iPad or an Android device, but don't feel limited to just those. While Chromebooks used to just be traditional clamshell laptops, many of the best Chromebooks are now also considered tablet devices, too. That includes the tablet form factor where you can detach the screen, as well as the 2-in-1 form factor where you can convert that Chromebook over to use in various modes.
This is exactly why we've put together this buying guide. We'll be looking at some of the best ChromeOS tablets from HP, as well as Acer, and Samsung. We've also divided the devices into various categories for your convenience. Check it out and navigate with the guide below.
Navigate this article:
- Best overall traditional tablet: Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5
- Best overall 14-inch convertible: Asus Chromebook Flip CX5400
- Best detachable for younger kids: Lenovo Chromebook Duet
- Best for business: HP Dragonfly Chromebook
- Best daily driver: Galaxy Chromebook 2
- Best 11-inch tablet: HP Chromebook x 11
- Best for education: Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3
- Honorable mention: Google Pixel Slate
Best overall traditional tablet: Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5
Our first Chromebook tablet is one that's quite popular with a lot of people. It is similar to an iPad Pro or a Surface Pro, too. It's the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5. This Chromebook tablet packs some really good specifications, an amazing display, portability, and speakers. Best of all, it's readily available at most retailers that also sell competing products like iPads. Here's a bit more on why we like the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 so much.
We'll get into the technical specifications of this Chromebook tablet first. Under the hood of the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 is the second-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c processor. If you're not familiar with Chromebook specs, then this is a special processor when you consider the rest of our picks on this list. While most Chromebooks come with Intel or AMD chips, this is an Arm-based Soc from Qualcomm. While not as powerful as what you'll find in an M1 iPad, or even an Android tablet, with this tablet, you'll be able to run Android apps without worry and enjoy games, as well as streaming multimedia. You'll also be able to browse the web and multitask without issue, too. We really enjoyed it during our review period.
The other special part of this tablet has a lot to do with this display. Instead of using an LCD or IPS panel, this Chromebook tablet has an OLED display. OLED displays can produce much more vibrant colors and hit higher levels of brightness. Whatever you end up watching on the display of this tablet will end up looking very life-like, probably better than on an iPad Air, or similar $500 tablet that you will end up buying. Oh, and flanking that display are amazing quad-array speakers. This only helps with making movies sound better.
And do note that this tablet comes with a keyboard included. With an iPad or Surface, these are usually extra purchases, but with this Chromebook, you get it in the box. You can attach the keyboard to the bottom of the screen and pull out the kickstand from the case, and prop it in your lap. Then you can type up your favorite documents, or fully enjoy browsing the web. It isn't a cheap keyboard, either, as when we reviewed the device, we were able to get to work and type up posts without issue.
In terms of portability and battery life, this tablet is great, too. We don't like the fact that it only has 2 USB-C ports, but that's still one more than what you'll find on an iPad or even a Samsung tablet. We also love the battery life, as, despite the power-hungry OLED panel, we got through a full day of work.
Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5
With a vibrant OLED display, spacious keyboard, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet is a road warrior of a ChromeOS tablet
Best overall 14-inch convertible: ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 CX5400
As we said at the top of this piece, you can count a Chromebook 2-in-1 as a tablet, too. These now come in all shapes and sizes, from 11 inches to 14-inches and 15-inches. We opted to pick out the best 14-inch we can find right now, and it is the Asus Chromebook Flip CX5400. It has modern Intel CPUs, comes with stylus support, and is pretty stylish for the price of close to $1,000. Here's the scoop on why this device has our eyes.
Starting first with the design, this tablet is one that's built tough and is very stylish. The stylish aspect is thanks to the "All Blue" color, which is stand-out when compared to the black and silver iPads you might see everywhere. Plus, tablets go through a lot more wear and tear, especially when you account for the 360-degree hinges on board that allow for conversion. Well, this tablet is actually rated for military-grade durability. It's also very premium and has an all-metal chassis. But when with those tough specs, it's still plenty portable. The tablet is 0.62 inches thick and weighs 3.09 pounds. The other design aspect that we like? It's the new "Ergolift Hinge." This hinge can tilt the keyboard up to a more comfortable typing angle so you can put less stress on your wrists.
Now for the most important part, which is performance. You'll likely want the latest and greatest in a Chromebook, and on this front, the Asus Chromebook Flip CX5400 does not disappoint. It is powered by 11th-generation Intel Core processors. That's now the last generation, but there are two options for the Intel Core i3-1115G4 or the Intel Core i7-1165G7. Both of these CPUs are plenty fast. You'll be able to blow through simple things in Google Workspace and multitask with ease in Chrome. And do note, this 2-in-1 has 8GB of RAM, and a traditional 128GB SSD. This combination helps make the system feel a lot more efficient.
Of course on a 2-in-1 tablet, the display is important. You don't want a low-resolution screen, and you want support for things like a stylus. In these cases, this Asus passes our standards. It has a 1920 x 1080 resolution Full HD display. It also has a garaged stylus, which tucks into the side of the device for use with drawing apps or note-taking apps. You'll be able to enjoy every crisp detail on web pages, flip the device into a tent or tablet mode and sit back and enjoy your favorite movies and other content.
Even as a tablet, there are still a lot of ports, too. This Asus comes with a USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, Thunderbolt 4, a MicroSD card reader, and a headphone jack. This is a great modern mix, but you'll still end up needing to use a dongle for connection to displays.
ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 (CX5400)
With a study design, 11th gen Intel CPUs, and a garaged pen, the Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 is the best ASUS Chromebook you can buy in 2022.
Best detachable for younger kids: Lenovo Chromebook Duet
We highlighted the best overall Chromebook tablet you can buy to begin this piece, but there's still a second choice we want to mention. It's the smaller sibling to the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 and a really good device for younger kids. This Chromebook tablet is compact, comes with a keyboard, has optional pen support, and is really portable. It's also great for running Android apps, too.
Let's start first with the overall design. This device can be used with a full-sized, comfortable, and responsive keyboard, or detached for use as a 10.1-inch tablet. The five-point pogo pin and magnet design make it easy to connect and detach, and it’s thin and light in either mode, from 0.29 inches and less than 1 pound as a tablet and 0.71 inches and 2.03 pounds with the keyboard. We think that a small and compact design is great for younger kids who might have smaller hands. It's also great as an adult with a kid as you can carry this tablet in your bag or in a stroller and hand it to that kid when you see fit. It's not that heavy! Other than that, the tablet features a unique dual-tone Ice Blue & Iron Grey design, with a sophisticated fabric texture on the stand cover. It looks so much more stylish than the plain aluminum iPads.
As for what's powering this tablet, on the inside, the Duet is powered by a MediaTek Helio P60T Processor. This processor isn't all too bad, as an Arm-based Soc. It runs at 2.00 GHz and has 8 Cores and 8 Threads. There's also 4 GB LPDDR4 RAM soldered on board, and 64 GB eMMC storage. That's a lot of technical jargon, but trust us when we say it. We think that these Arm-based Soc are great for running Android apps and playing Android games. This is what the typical child might end up doing anyway. Plus, thanks to the included keyboard case, your child can also use this for schoolwork and browsing Google Chrome to use education apps like Google Workspace.
On the display of this tablet, we find it very hard to complain. Yes, the display is quite small at 10-inches, but for kids, that's perfect. They won't be doing much multitasking anyway, and it's more than likely that they'll just want to watch a movie or stream content. With 1920 x 1080 FHD resolution, this is great.
Lenovo Chromebook Duet
The Lenovo Chromebook Duet is a great option if you want a Chromebook that can convert into a true tablet experience. Unlike other 2-in-1 designs, the keyboard detaches entirely for a slim and light tablet experience.
Best for business: HP Dragonfly Chromebook
Now, we get to Chromebook tablets for business. Yes, that's right. Chromebook tablets can be used for business too. HP recently made one of the best Chromebooks that money can buy, and we're suggesting it as the best business tablet. From the screen to the specs, this HP Dragonfly Chromebook is hard to pass up, even though it's priced quite high. But this is a Chromebook tablet that goes up against the very best from Apple and even Microsoft. Hear us out on what brought us to this choice and why we liked it when we reviewed it.
First of all, in business, you need a lot of power in your tablet. Well, HP focused the most on this device on just that. Similar to what's powering the very best Windows PCs this year, HP put 12th-generation Intel CPUs inside this Chromebook tablet. These are all U-series chips, including the Intel Core i3-1215U, Intel Core i5-1235U, Intel Core i5-1245U, or Intel Core i7-1265U. We had a chance to try out the performance of this chip in our review. Running the latest Android apps was fast, and the webpages we had opened loaded up quickly. That makes this a great candidate for a business Chromebook. As another performance note, RAM can be configured to 8 GB, 16 GB, or 32 GB. The 32GB RAM is rarer to see in a Chromebook, so it's special. As for storage, you can get either 128 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB.
Another thing that makes this Chromebook special is the haptic touchpad. For when you don't want to flip the screen over and use this as a tablet, you’ll get great feedback for common laptop-like tasks. Dragging windows into place and clicking objects on the screen will feel amazing.
Even the display is great. It's a fully convertible display with a 13.5-inch slim-bezel panel turned to a 3:2 aspect ratio. Options include Anti-Glare WLED (1920 x 1280), 400 Nits, BrightView LED (2256×1504), 400 Nits, BrightView WLED (1920×1280), and 1000 Nits. Regardless of which panel you choose, you'll get a display that's perfect for seeing every detail in web pages, and handling spreadsheets and beyond.
Lastly, ports are important for businesses for connecting accessories. You should be happy to know that the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook does not disappoint. There are two modern Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB-Type A port, an HDMI port, and a headphone jack.
HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook
The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is the best Chromebook you can buy with the latest CPU, an amazing haptic trackpad, and display
Best daily driver: Galaxy Chromebook 2
This next pick on our list of best Chromebook tablets is one that will be great as a daily driver. It's the Galaxy Chromebook 2. This Chromebook is the first with a QLED display, but it is also a great all-around tablet. It is also within the $800 range that we look for in our favorite Chromebooks. Here's a little more on why we like it so much.
As we hinted, this is the first Chromebook with a QLED display, making it the best option for users looking to make ChromeOS their go-to platform. This isn't the first Galaxy Chromebook either. The Galaxy Chromebook 2 continues the overall design of the original Galaxy Chromebook but reduces some of the premium features to attain a more reasonable price. The most impressive feature here is definitely the display. It's 1920 x 1080p FHD resolution, so you'll be able to get awestruck by every image with the world’s first jaw-dropping QLED display on a Chromebook, which produces over 100% volume. Netflix? YouTube, whatever you watch, it'll look great. Even your average webpage should look brighter and more vibrant thanks to this display.
We do want to note that the processor options are not quite as high-end as the original Galaxy Chromebook, though. If you intend to fold this device over and use it as a tablet, that's not a worry. We think Intel Core i3 should do the job for most users' tasks like running Android apps and browsing in Google Chrome. Storage on this device also tops out at 128GB, but this is still ultra-fast SSD storage we're talking about. You also retain 8GB of RAM. The lower-end processor, and the lower resolution screen though, do help with battery life, as it's rated at around 10 hours.
Note that while the Spen is still supported, it's not bundled with the laptop so you'll need to purchase it separately. This also means there's no slot for storing the S-pen in the body of the Chromebook. We suggest the SPen anyway, as it means you can use drawing apps, and also take notes during meetings or even classes.
Overall, this is the best Samsung Chromebook for you if you can live with the removal of the 4K display and fingerprint sensor from the original Galaxy Chromebook. The highly attractive price will sway most users to choose this 2nd-generation device.
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2
With the Galaxy Chromebook 2, Samsung removed a few premium features but also drastically reduced the price. As the first Chromebook with a QLED display, this machine still packs plenty of power and style for most users.
Best 11-inch tablet: HP Chromebook x 11
Going back to the key point we started this article with, you can find Chromebook tablets in all sizes. We touched on a 13-inch device, as well as a 10-inch device, but now we'll get to a device that hits the sweet spot in between. It's the 11-inch HP Chromebook x2 11. Let's dive deeper into what brings us to this pick, shall we?
If you followed our pattern by now, you'll know what we want to get to first. It is what's powering this device. This Chromebook features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c under the hood. It also comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of eMMC storage. This is another Arm-based device. So, compared to an Intel device, Android apps should perform really well, and web browsing will flow really well, too. In the long run, it also means better battery life, too. When we reviewed this device, we got to about 8 hours of battery life. That's just enough to get us through our workday.
Going back to tablet sizes, this device measures just 9.94 x 6.96 x 0.3 inches and weighs just 1.04 pounds with the keyboard connected. The keyboard is included right in the box, and when we reviewed it, we found that HP’s detachable keyboard is good for two things. First, it's not uncomfortable for writing. Then, similar to a Surface Pro, protect the screen when it is closed shut.
You might think that an 11-inch tablet screen is bad, but we'll admit that it really isn’t in this case. It's all because of the resolution. You’ll usually only find a 2.1K resolution (2160 x 1440) multi-touch panel on higher-end and bigger Chromebooks, but you'll find it on this device, too. Other than that, the panel can get as bright as 400 nits. That's above the typical 300 nits on most Chromebooks. This makes it great for media. And, if you account for the added kickstand from the keyboard case, you can pull out that kickstand and get prop the tablet on your desk or a laptop without extra hardware (unlike an iPad.)
There are a few other things we like, too. The first is a fingerprint reader for logins to the Chromebook, The second is the 5MP wide-vision front camera. The third is the fact that HP even bundles the HP Pen in for the price. On Lenovo's Chromebook tablets, this is an extra purchase.
HP Chromebook X2 11
The HP Chromebook x2 11 combines the power of Chrome OS with the portability of a traditional tablet. You can work anywhere thanks to the optional 4G LTE capability. This is the new top-of-the-line Chrome OS tablet experience.
Best for education: Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3
One of the best tablets that we think can be used in education today is the Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3. This is a lot like some of the other tablets we've already mentioned but tuned a bit for education. The specs are also great, as well as the overall display and the ability to use it in different modes. Read on to hear us dig deeper.
This Asus Chromebook detachable is plenty stylish for education. It has a vertical and horizon stand design which helps with viewing presentations or videos no matter how you want to watch them. It's also a compact device, which is important for travel to and from class. The dimensions come in at 10.06 x 6.58 x 0.31 inches, and the weight is 1.12 pounds.
Other than that, with the detachable keyboard, students can end up typing up long documents, and scrolling through webpages. We don't think it's too cramped, either, as Asus includes a really great touchpad, and the keys are evenly spaced. Asus says this device has 1.5mm of key travel and also highlights the ErgoLift design, where the keyboard attaches to the bottom of the display (like a Surface Pro) to lift it another 6 degrees in the air.
In other parts of the design, this Chromebook tablet has a solid metal gray aluminum unibody chassis. It's finished in matte black and has diamond-cut edges. It's definitely not your typical plastic tablet, like an Amazon Fire Kids tablet. Students will be attracted to this device for that reason. Oh, and the tablet is stain-repellant, so if liquids fall on it, there won't be a risk of damage.
We do also like the garaged stylus, too. The stylus is tucked safely in the device and can quickly and automatically charge when garaged. This keeps is ready for use when a student might need it for drawing, or even as a pointer device in Android apps and for navigating websites in Chrome.
The battery life is rated at 12 hours. That's because of the CPU under the hood. Again, it's a lower-powered Arm-based MediaTek 8183 processor, as well as a low-power 1920 x 1200 resolution screen. While that might seem like an obscure resolution, it's because it's tuned to the 16:10 aspect ratio. This ratio is much better suited for multitasking which students typically do anyway.
Finally, with ports, students will need a dongle, for sure. There's only 1 USB Type-C port on board, as well as an audio jack. Unlike the older Lenovo Duet, students won't need to use Bluetooth headphones. That audio jack will make their audio personal.
ASUS Chromebook Detachable CM3
The ASUS Chromebook Detachable CM3 is great for education with a durable design, amazing screen, and garaged stylus
Honorable mention: Google Pixel Slate
The last Chromebook tablet on our list is the one that started it all. While rumors have it that Google no longer will make first-party Chromebooks, this Chromebook tablet was the flagship from Google a few years ago. It showed the many OEMs we've mentioned so far on this list how to make the perfect Chromebook tablet. It's why we want to give it an honorable mention, and not leave it out -- even though it has much older specifications. Besides, this Chromebook was priced at $1,000 when it came out. Now you can find it second-hand on eBay, Amazon, and other retailers for nearly three quarter of that price.
Anyway, the Pixel Slate is a few years old at this point, but it’s still worth recommending as the only true Chrome OS tablet made by Google. Yes, there was the original Pixelbook, but that isn't the same. The Pixel Slate is more similar to a Surface Pro, or an iPad Pro since the screen could be detached, and you can add an optional keyboard.
This device received a bit of criticism out of the gate for choppy performance, but Chrome OS updates have fixed some of those issues over time. The OS is now more optimized for tablets and has its own tablet mode, and Android apps now perform amazingly.
To be sure, there are some nice features here with the display, too. You can watch your favorite movies and videos come to life with 6 million pixels on Pixel Slate’s 12.3-inch molecular display. With its dual, front-firing speakers, Pixel Slate delivers a premium audio experience as well. Even support for the Google Pixel Pen is what made me like it so much. The Pen had a Google Assistant button, which triggered the assistant on my Chromebook as I needed.
Meanwhile, On the inside, you can configure the Pixel Slate up to a Core i7 processor and up to 16GB of RAM. There's also an Intel Core m3 option or an Intel Celeron option, All of these processors aren’t the newest Intel chips and are much outdated. The processors are from Intel's 8th generation lineup. You might think that's bad, but I personally used a Pixel Slate as my first Chromebook all the way through 2021. With ChromeOS being heavily optimized, I had no issues with the mid-range core M3 model of this device. I used it for work, play, and so much more.
Google Pixel Slate
The Google Pixel Slate is the former flagship Google Chromebook tablet. It's still a great buy in 2022 if you can find it
We've come to the end of our list of the best Chromebook tablets you can buy. As you can tell, it's a very diverse list of devices. Of course, you're not limited to just these devices, though. You can check out our other picks for the best Chromebooks you can buy for something else.
