Back to school laptop deals are still running, even as some have already started classes again. As part of Best Buy’s early Labor Day sale, the retailer has chopped $150 off the Acer Chromebook 315 laptop, and it’s offering a free carrying sleeve with purchase. The Chromebook 315 model features a 15.6-inch IPS display, 64GB of storage, and a microSD slot for those who need more. It also comes with a 720p front-facing camera, making it suitable for virtual meetings and classes, and other video call use cases.

However, if you’re in the market for a 2-in-1 tablet-laptop combo, we think the Acer Chromebook 714 Spin Plus is the best Chromebook available today, and in no small part due to its versatility. This might be a good pick if you need something with a touchscreen and stylus capabilities, though the 315 should be great for casual users who primarily use a keyboard.

Recommended if: you need a basic Chromebook, netbook, or other laptop for school, work or web-browsing that’s under $150; you want something small and lightweight with a laptop sleeve for optimal on-the-go use; you like laptops with screens around this size.

Skip this deal if: you’re looking for a performance machine for processing-intensive gaming, video, photo, or audio editing; you’d rather upgrade to the Acer Chromebook 315 Plus; you’re looking for the latest generation in laptop offerings.

Acer’s Chromebook 315 was released a while back now, but even its basic specs still hold up for most casual users—especially for just $150.

The Acer Chromebook 315 offers a larger IPS screen than the 311 or 314 models at 15.6 inches. Performance on this particular model is backed by an Intel Celeron N4500 and 4GB of RAM, so it’s nothing too special but will get the job done for most basic-level tasks, web browsing, and streaming.

Still, like many of Chromebook’s netbook-style laptops, the 315 includes the light and quick Chrome OS and expandable storage, which makes it worthwhile for most. Acer also says users can get up to 10 hours of battery life per charge, and it boasts a thin, lightweight design that makes it highly portable.

As for connectivity, the laptop includes two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, two USB-C ports, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm port for headphones, headsets, and microphones.

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Back to School laptop deals are popping up everywhere right now, so students, you’re in luck. Right now, buyers can get $200 off the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 at Best Buy, marking a solid deal on our top pick for the best Chromebook.

The Chromebook Plus Spin 714 features a 14-inch IPS touchscreen and easy 2-in-1 use as either a tablet or a laptop, all housed in a durable body with a rotating display that users like. It’s also compatible with USI pens for those who prefer a stylus experience, and the device can get up to 10 hours of battery life per charge, according to Acer. This particular deal is for the version of the Chromebook with 256GB, though the device is also offered in a 512GB configuration.

Especially at this price point, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 isn’t as expensive as many competitors from ASUS or HP, and it still offers a great combination of performance and value that makes it an upgrade pick for the price.

Recommended if: you’re looking for a highly-versatile 2-in-1 laptop design with a rotating touchscreen for optimal customizability; you need a powerful enough laptop for performance-intensive tasks such as video editing, AI features, and high-level gaming; you want something that has upward-firing speakers and good onboard audio quality.

Skip this deal if: you aren’t looking for a 2-in-1 laptop and would prefer a more traditional computer design or tablet; you prefer an extremely small and lightweight device; you need something with a fingerprint scanner or other premium-level features.

The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 offers a durable, rotate-able body, some of the latest Google AI features, and a responsive 14-inch IPS touchscreen that makes it a great pick for use as either a laptop or tablet. It also has 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM, an Intel Core Ultra 5 115U processor, and 256GB of storage, which is enough for most casual users or those with access to cloud storage.

Connectivity includes an HDMI port, two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and a 3.5mm stereo combo jack, while the laptop also includes 45W power delivery, and up to 10 hours of battery life backed by a 56Wh battery cell.

To be sure, we were a little bummed to see that the Plus Spin 714 doesn’t come with a stylus or convenient storage compartment like previous generations, but you can still use just about any third-party USI stylus with this 2-in-1 tablet.

Back to School deals 2025 — quick links

As many gear up for the school year, retailers are dropping their back-to-school deals on laptops, tablets, and other tech. For example, Best Buy has chopped $230 off the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook laptop, offering a discount of over 57% from the computer’s normal purchase price.

The IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook is a solid pick for anyone who wants a lightweight net-book-style laptop, featuring the quick Chrome OS, and a useful 14-inch touchscreen with a 1080p Full HD display. While it’s certainly no premium laptop, those who just need a computer for surfing the web and basic assignments in word processing and spreadsheet applications are likely to get what they need out of the IdeaPad Slim 3. At just $170, it’s also a great pick for anyone pinching pennies heading into the school year, without sacrificing the basic performance level that buyers have come to appreciate for the Chromebook lineup.

Recommended if: you want a lightweight laptop that’s easy to transport and still features a relatively large screen; you want a computer with a touchscreen; you’re looking for a budget PC for basic low-level tasks such as browser surfing or typing up word documents.

Skip this deal if: you need a laptop that offers more than just 4GB of RAM or 64GB of storage; you prefer having a webcam with better quality than 720p; you need a a 2-in-1 laptop design that can also be used as a tablet with a detachable keyboard.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook may not have landed a spot in our index of the best Chromebooks, but it’s still a solid pick for anyone who needs an affordable touchscreen laptop. With 4GB of RAM, a 2.05 GHz MediaTek Kompanio 500 processor, and 64GB of storage, it’s nothing too crazy when it comes to performance. However, the light and smooth Chrome OS has become well-liked by those who just want a basic computer for low-level tasks, and the IdeaPad Slim 3 also has a thin and portable design that’s great for students and traveling professionals alike. And at just $170, it might be hard to find any worthy rivals around this price while the discount lasts.

With the school year coming up again, retailers are starting to launch great deals on Chromebooks, tablets, and other devices. One example includes Best Buy chopping $120 off this Lenovo Duet 11 2-in-1 Chromebook tablet, which can be used as both a small, portable laptop or a traditional tablet.

Like most 2-in-1 tablets, this Chromebook features a completely detachable keyboard and touchscreen, making it ideal for students, professionals, or anyone seeking extra versatility from their tablet. The screen measures 10.95 inches, making it smaller than most laptops for optimal portability. It also includes both front and rear cameras, as well as a headphone jack and two onboard speakers.

Recommended if: you’re looking for a lightweight and portable laptop option that also functions as a tablet; you’re looking for something with a fairly long battery life; you want a tablet but would prefer something that comes with a keyboard.

Skip this deal if: you’re looking for a performance-level laptop that can handle high-powered tasks; you need more than 128GB of storage; you don’t need a touchscreen.

The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 is one of today’s many great 2-in-1 tablet and laptop options, featuring a basic touchscreen and detachable keyboard that are perfect for those on the go.

The Duet 11 has a 10.95-inch IPS touch display with a 60Hz refresh rate, as well as 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a MediaTek Kompanio 800 CPU. Lenovo says it’ll get up to 12 hours of battery life per charge, and it also includes a 5MP front camera and an 8MP rear camera. It also runs the light and smooth Chrome OS, and while it isn’t offering anything too terribly powerful on the performance side, it’s fast enough for most casual users performing basic tasks. As for connectivity, the Duet 11 includes a 3.5mm jack and two USB-C ports.

In any case, it’s a pretty decent deal for under $300, if you are in fact looking for a 2-in-1 tablet-laptop combo.