Why I think Lenovo already has the Chromebook of the Year locked up

I know, I know. It’s only July. We still have nearly half a year to go, and there are surely more Chromebooks set to be released before 2025 is a wrap. Making a “best of the year” declaration right now might seem a bit premature, and honestly, it probably is.

But after spending significant time with the new Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, I’m having a very hard time imagining any other device coming along in the next five months that could possibly top it. So, I’m just going to say it: this is the Chromebook of the year for 2025.

The perfect storm of hardware

For years, we’ve talked about the “yeah, but…” factor with even the best Chromebooks. This one has a great screen, yeah, but the battery isn’t great. That one has amazing performance, yeah, but it’s heavy and the speakers are terrible. The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is the first Chromebook I’ve ever used that has no “yeah, but.” It is just exceptional at everything.

It all starts with the MediaTek Kompanio Ultra processor. This chip is an absolute beast, delivering on the long-awaited promise of elite, desktop-class performance in a silent, fanless ARM-based package. It’s incredibly fast; and that power is paired with a staggering, all-day-and-then-some battery life that just crushes the competition. This combination alone puts it in a class of its own.

But it doesn’t stop there. The hardware package is rounded out with a gorgeous 14-inch 16:10 OLED display, a fantastic keyboard and trackpad that give me serious Pixelbook Go vibes, and the first-ever Dolby Atmos quad-speaker setup on a Chromebook Plus. It feels premium, it performs like a champ, and it lasts forever.

It really is the whole package

While other great Chromebooks have excelled in one or two areas, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is the first device I’ve used that feels like the complete, no-compromise package. It doesn’t ask you to choose between power and portability, or between a great screen and great battery life. You get it all.

It’s the device that finally delivers on the promise of what a high-end Chromebook can and should be, blending a fantastic user experience with raw power and incredible longevity.

What could possibly beat it?

Sure, we’ll see other great Chromebooks launch before the year is out. But for any of them to take the crown from this device, they would need to match or exceed it on every single front. They’d need to have a better screen, better performance, better battery life, and a better overall user experience, all while coming in at a competitive price. Frankly, I just don’t see it happening. The bar has been set incredibly high.

So, while it may be bold, I’m comfortable making the call. The race for the best Chromebook of 2025 is already over. The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 isn’t just a great new device; it’s a leap forward for the entire platform.