In this week’s episode of The Chrome Cast, we discussed the ins and outs of the current Chromebook market and why getting your hands on a good device at a decent price could be a challenge for the foreseeable future. While inventory is thin and sales are tough to find, that doesn’t mean you have to settle for buying a garbage device or paying through the nose for something worth having and we’ve scraped up a couple of deals that avoid both of those scenarios.
HP Chromebook x360 14
HP’s 14″ 2-in-1 is still one of my all-time favorite devices because it hits the sweet spot in so many areas while offering a great value factor thanks to a price tag that’s well below devices such as the Google Pixelbook or Acer Spin 13. The 8th Gen Core i3 with 8GB of RAM has ample power for most users and the FHD touch display makes the convertible Chromebook a versatile tool for a wide range of applications. Last year, it wasn’t unusual to find the X360 14 on sale for as little as $349. Unfortunately, those days are gone but you can still pick up the HP from Best Buy and save $100 while supplies last. I know that sounds like a sales pitch but seriously, Best Buy’s Chromebook inventory is nearly depleted at this point and the retailer’s list of “on-sale” devices has been reduced to two models as of today. You can find the white/champagne version of the HP Chromebook X360 at Best Buy via the link below.
Acer Chromebook Spin 11 bundle
For power users, an Apollo Lake Chromebook probably isn’t the best choice but if you’re looking for a great device for the student in your home or perhaps just a secondary Chromebook, the Spin 11 is an affordable option with a lot of features. As its name infers, the Acer Spin 11 is a 360-degree convertible that offers a touch display and comes with a compatible Wacom EMR stylus that makes note-taking easy and is great for the budding artist in your family. This bundle includes the Spin 11 Chromebook, EMR stylus and an Acer protective sleeve for when you’re on the go. Acer lists the Spin 11 for $349 but you can pick up this bundle from Best Buy for only $279 at the moment and that’s a solid deal on any convertible Chromebook.
Acer Chromebook Spin 11 Bundle
Pixel Slate
Google’s premium Chrome OS tablet received some of our attention on this week’s episode of The Chrome Cast as well. We spent quite a bit of time chatting about Lenovo’s highly-anticipated Chromebook Duet tablet and I felt it was important to point out that, despite its rocky reception, the Pixel Slate offers a lot of value at its new retail price. The Slate was most definitely overpriced out of the gate and that fact was reinforced when you look at the state of Chrome OS tablet mode at the time of the Slate’s release. However, tablet mode has come a long way and the Pixel Slate’s price has dropped hundreds of dollars.
The going price for the Core m3 Pixel Slate on Amazon is now $499 which is $300 off of the original $799 price tag. On top of that, most retailers are including the Pen and keyboard at no extra charge. That means you’re getting roughly a thousand dollars worth of stuff for half that price and believe me, the Slate’s hardware is worth $500. If you’re interested in a tablet and don’t mind the larger 12.3″ display, this would be my recommendation. It’s a premium as it gets and it is money well spent. You can find the Pixel Slate’s listings over at the Chrome Shop.
