Traditionally Cyber Monday is the best day of the year to pick up a new laptop, but if you're getting sick of spending so much on Windows or Mac portables, there's no time like the present to check out a Chromebook. What was once a niche for ultra-cheap laptops for students has expanded radically as ChromeOS gets more powerful and versatile with every release, and modern Chromebooks are faster and more capable than ever while still being way cheaper than the competition. We've got deep discounts on top models, so grab them while you can.

If you're looking for more editor-curated deals across more than 15 key tech categories, check out our mega post on the Best Cyber Monday Deals to Shop Right Now.

The Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 took home our Editors' Choice award as "the best Chromebook for most people," with reviewer Brian Westover saying the unit "proves that budget-friendly Chromebooks have more to offer than ever before, with more performance and even better features." At just under $400, you get a surprisingly peppy machine that excels in cloud-based tasks. Components include an Intel Core i3-1215U CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of internal UFS storage; that's all significantly better than most other ChromeOS machines on the market. Throw in a bright, clear FHD display and MIL-SPEC-certified design and you've got a real winner.

Lenovo's IdeaPad 3i -- another ultra-budget portable -- is still seeing a great price on Cyber Monday. It's a perfect choice for students, as its quality Lenovo construction can withstand extended use while still coming in at a little over a hundred bucks. It also has excellent battery life, with over 13 hours at normal usage. The display is bright and the 1080p webcam is better than you typically get in this price range. Inside the computer you'll find an Intel Celeron processor coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB eMMC storage, which is pretty typical for a cost-efficient model like this one. Compare it with our best Chromebooks if you're unsure of which model is right for you.

This is an absolutely spectacular portable that'll make you forget you're using a Chromebook. In our review of the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714, expert Matthew Elliot proclaimed that it "remains our absolute top Chromebook pick," praising its durable all-metal chassis, included stylus, and surprisingly peppy performance. The screen is killer, with a 16:10 14-inch WUXGA display that features 100% sRGB coverage. Inside the machine, you get high-tier components for the price, including a 13th gen Intel Core i5-1335U processor with integrated Iris Xe graphics, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. This is the lowest price we've ever seen this machine, so grab it quickly.

Here's a solid price drop on a very capable convertible Chromebook. In our review of the x360, analyst Zackery Cuevas declared that the laptop "delivers zippy performance at a good price," praising its attractive design and responsive touchscreen. A fully flexible hinge lets you use it as a tablet, tented display, or traditional laptop, and it's durable enough for regular usage. Inside the case, you'll find an Intel N100 processor, 4 GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and 64 GB of eMMC flash storage. Battery life is solid, with over 10 hours in testing.

Samsung's Galaxy Chromebook Plus is a higher-end option that's getting a $100 Cyber Monday discount. Even though it doesn't look that impressive from a component perspective, ChromeOS wrings some surprising performance out of the Intel Core 3 processor and 8GB of system memory. The AMOLED screen is probably the best display of any portable on this list, with clear, accurate colors and plenty of brightness. This model also comes with 12 months of the Google One AI Premium plan for access to the powerful Gemini tools.

We ranked this as the best big-screen Chromebook currently on the market, and contributing editor Eric Grevstad raved about it in our review, saying that it was "genuinely impressive" how it demonstrated the superiority of the new Chromebook Plus platform with speedier and more stable performance, a wide array of ports and a high-quality webcam. This model is competitive with Windows portables that retail for twice the price, so it's definitely worth taking a look, especially at an $80 price cut. Component-wise, you get a peppy Intel i3-1215U processor, a generous 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of UFS storage.

Hi, I'm Brian Westover, PCMag's lead laptop reviewer. In addition to all things notebook, I've been testing and reviewing Chromebooks right from the start, before the word "Chromebook" was even part of Google's branding. I've been reviewing ChromeOS-powered laptops for 14 years. Here are my answers to the most frequently asked questions about Chromebooks, especially when you're buying Chromebooks on sale for Cyber Monday.

Chromebooks started off as ultra-affordable alternatives to more expensive Windows and Mac laptops. There are still plenty of great budget-friendly options in that price range, and if budget is your reason for Chromebook shopping, stick to spending a maximum of $400.

As the Chromebook line has matured and gained new features, however, prices have gone up. These days, it's not hard to spend $600 on what Google calls a Chromebook Plus; the "Plus" is Google's signifier for its latest premium Chromebooks that adhere to certain set of minimum specs. But for that money, you should get some excellent features, like a full HD (1080p) display, touch input, and AI-powered enhancements.

Chromebooks run on ChromeOS, a lightweight operating system designed primarily for web browsing and cloud computing. It doesn't require the same level of hardware resources as Windows or macOS, allowing manufacturers to use cheaper components. Cheaper processors, smaller local storage, less emphasis on high-resolution displays -- it all goes a long way toward keeping Chromebooks affordable.

Also, ChromeOS is free for manufacturers to use, while Windows requires a licensing fee that can vary based on the version and features. That manufacturer expense gets built into the price of the laptop, inflating the price by $100 or more compared with a Chromebook using identical hardware.

Absolutely. The more-affordable-than-average nature of Chromebooks makes them an eye-catching product to put in the sale circular, so discounted Chromebooks are a huge sales draw for retailers. After all, a $200 laptop looks mighty tempting, whether you know it's a Chromebook or not. (And as long as you know what you're getting, those deals are genuine.) If you want a budget-friendly machine that's perfect for web surfing and streaming media, a discounted Chromebook is one of the best values you'll find during a big sale.

If you can find a Chromebook for under $200 -- not an uncommon bargain during Cyber Monday and other sales -- then feel free to snap it up. It will be basic, but it will do the job for everyday computing like email and web browsing. The same is true for any detachable or convertible 2-in-1 Chromebook or Chrome tablet under $300. Even a low-powered model is a steal when it's priced like a stocking stuffer.

But for the more discerning shopper, watch for the Chromebook Plus branding mentioned earlier, which has to meet certain hardware requirements, such as a better CPU, at least 8GB of RAM, 128GB or more of storage, and a 1080p display and webcam. Most Plus models sell for around $600 without a discount, so anything under $500 is a win, like this Lenovo Flex 5i.