Are you in the market for a powerful, late-model Chromebook? Are you into gaming? You’ve come to the right place. Even if gaming isn’t your thing, I have two very impressive deals on two powerful Chromebooks that will save you $150. Just in case you weren’t aware, Google partnered up with Acer, ASUS and Lenovo to launch a line of gaming-focused Chromebooks that give users what they need to enjoy seamless cloud gaming and soon, access the expansive game library offered by the Steam Store.
To be fair, any 11th, 12th, or 13th Gen Intel-powered Chromebook should be able to handle Steam gaming when it arrives. However, these “gaming” Chromebooks have a little extra curb appeal for those that enjoy things like high refresh rates and RGB keyboards. Even if you aren’t into gaming, these new Chromebooks are extremely powerful and can handle any workload you may toss their way. On top of that, they aren’t so outrageous looking that you’d be embarrassed to walk into the office with one on Monday morning. So, let’s take a look at these two devices and their discounts.
Acer Chromebook 516GE
Since their debut, ASUS has launched a second gaming Chromebook featuring a newer processor, better overall specs and the versatility of a 2-in-1 form-factor. That said, Robby still feels that the Acer Chromebook 516GE is the best of the four devices on the market. Powered by an Intel Core i5-1240P processor equipped with Iris Xe graphics, this 16-inch Chromebook rocks a 120Hz display, RGB keyboard, 8GB of RAM and a substantial 256GB SSD.
The Acer’s build and aesthetic are what take it to the next level. Whether working or playing, you feel like you’re handling a very premium laptop and that’s because you are. This thing is built well and features all the great specs you’d expect from a high-end Chromebook. A 16″ display may be larger than some users prefer but for those wanting to game or get seriously productive, it doesn’t get much better than this. Normally $649, you can grab this powerful Chromebook at Best Buy right now for only $499 and that’s a steal.
ASUS Chromebook Vibe Flip CX55
ASUS’ first attempt at a gaming Chromebook was really just a slight update to an already ho-hum device. The Chromebook Flip Vibe CX55 is simply and upgraded version of the previous CM5. ASUS just swapped out the AMD processor for an 11th Gen Intel Core i5. That’s not to say that this Chromebook is bad. It simply isn’t on par with the Acer. Yes, it’s a convertible and yes, it has a 144Hz display but it lacks the RGB keyboard and has the same, somewhat blase build quality found on the CM5.
That said, the unique aesthetic of the orange highlights on the keys does give it a gaming feel and make now mistake, the Core i5-1135G7 is powerful enough to handle just about anything and that includes Steam gaming for many game titles. The ASUS normally runs $699 but you can pick one up for only $549 at the moment. It’s a solid deal but I would take the Acer over this one seven days a week. You do you and grab the one that catches your eye.
