- Best budget pick: Acer Gateway Chromebook 314 – a 14-inch Full HD screen for under $200
- Best all-rounder: Lenovo Chromebook m14 – a bright, roomy everyday laptop, around $325
- Best that doubles as a tablet: Lenovo Chromebook 2-in-1 – a touchscreen that folds flat, around $390
We’ve got a whole page explaining what a Chromebook is, but in a nutshell, they’re a low cost, easy to use alternative to a traditional laptop – generally cheaper, simpler, and far less likely to get hit by a virus, which makes them a great option for seniors.
Best budget Chromebook – Acer Gateway Chromebook 314
The Acer Gateway Chromebook 314 is the best budget pick we’ve found, and it doesn’t feel like a budget machine. It’s got a proper 14-inch Full HD screen – sharper than most laptops at this price, which use a duller, lower-resolution panel – so text stays crisp and easy to read. It’s light, starts up in seconds, and is more than enough for email, web browsing, and video calls.
Buy the Acer Gateway Chromebook 314 on Amazon
Best all-round Chromebook – Lenovo Chromebook m14
If you can stretch the budget a little, the Lenovo Chromebook m14 is our pick for most seniors. It’s got a lovely bright 14-inch screen, 8GB of memory (double what most budget Chromebooks offer, so it stays snappy with several tabs open), and a comfortable full-size keyboard. It’s light enough to carry from room to room, and Chrome OS updates itself quietly in the background, so there’s very little upkeep required.
Buy the Lenovo Chromebook m14 on Amazon
Best Chromebook that doubles as a tablet – Lenovo Chromebook 2-in-1
The Lenovo Chromebook 2-in-1 has a great party trick – its touchscreen folds all the way back so it becomes a tablet. That makes it a good pick for anyone who finds tapping and swiping more natural than a mouse or trackpad, while still having a proper keyboard for typing emails or filling in forms. It’s a little pricier than the other two, but the flexibility of having both in one device makes it well worth a look.
Buy the Lenovo Chromebook 2-in-1 on Amazon
Once you’ve picked one, we’ve also got a guide to setting up a Chromebook for a senior, and if a traditional mouse is tricky to use, our guide to the best computer mouse for seniors has some great alternatives.
The Tech Helper is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.