Deal Alert: At $89, this rugged Lenovo is the best cheap Chromebook worth buying

There have been some fairly amazing deals going around on some budget devices this year that can save you some major cash if you’re in the market for a very inexpensive Chromebook. The Samsung Chromebook 3 is a great example and yesterday’s “lightning deal” on the Acer Chromebook 14 was even more appealing considering everything the Acer had to offer for only $149.

These Chromebooks are great at that price but they both come with one particular flaw that makes many users take pause and that is the End of Life date. Both the Samsung and the Acer are powered by Intel Braswell processors and they will see the expiry of their guaranteed updates on or around June of 2022. Still, two and a half years for around $100 isn’t horrible which is why we recommended them.

Today, we received an email alerting us to a deal on a rugged clamshell Chromebook that blows the aforementioned deals out of the water. No, it isn’t a premium convertible and this isn’t a Chromebook that you’ll likely take to the office but the Lenovo Chromebook 100e has some distinct features that make it the perfect Christmas gift for the kiddos and it’s on sale for only $89!

Lenovo Chromebook 100e (2nd Gen)

The Chromebook 100e is built on the same MediaTek processor that has powered a number of devices from Lenovo. The ARM-based chipset handles Android apps like a champ and has plenty of power for navigating educational websites, watching videos and playing online games. It does have a non-touch TN panel as opposed to the more-preferred IPS display but it is rated at 250 nits which quite bright and Lenovo is known to have relatively decent panels on their budget Chromebooks.

The Lenovo is also built with rugged specs that make it perfect for the younger kids. It is built with reinforced hinges, a spill-resistant keyboard and surrounded by a rubber bumper that encircles the outer edge of the chassis. Where the Lenovo really stands out in the budget department is the End of Life date. Thanks to a recent update, Lenovo’s 2nd Gen MediaTek Chromebooks have had their End of Life dates extended to June of 2025. That means you’ll get more than five years of use out of a Chromebook that costs less than $100. As our reader’s email pointed out, at $89, you’re getting a capable, rugged Chromebook for less than $1.50/month.

You can pick up the Lenovo for $89 today only during Staples’ Black Friday sale. If you come across this article after the sale has passed, Office Depot has the 100e for $104.99 and Amazon has knocked it down to $127.97.

Lenovo Chromebook 100e at Staples Lenovo Chromebook 100e at Office Depot