I tested 5 of the best Chromebooks for students, and this is the one I'd buy during Best Buy's Back to School sale

Back to school season is upon us again, and if you're in the market for a new laptop, there are plenty of student-friendly Chromebooks worth considering in 2026. We test these devices every year to ensure that they still meet Android Central's rigorous standards, and I was pleased to see that my personal favorite for students on a budget, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, is currently chilling with an impressive $220 discount at Best Buy.

The class-ready Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 just scored an epic discount at Best Buy

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 4GB RAM / 64GB eMMC: $419 $199 at Best Buy

The IdeaPad Slim 3 by Lenovo is a versatile laptop with a gorgeous touchscreen display, great battery life, and a MediaTek processor that's powerful enough for both work and play. Grab the campus-ready device from Best Buy today and you'll score a straight $220 off your purchase, no strings attached. View Deal

Whether you're studying, drawing, or streaming your favorite series after class, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is one of the best Chromebooks for students because of its overall versatility and bang for the buck. 

Straight out of the box, you get a vibrant 14-inch 1080p display with a touchscreen and a durable enough build that you can easily throw the laptop into a backpack or briefcase. The Chromebook will also last up to 18 hours on a single charge, so you don't have to worry about juicing up mid-class or during those long study sessions. 

The IdeaPad Slim 3's MediaTek Kompanio 520 processor with 4GB of RAM is capable enough for studying, streaming, and browsing the web, plus you get plenty of ports (including a microSD card slot) for all of your devices and storage needs. 

So what's the catch? Well, as the saying goes: you get what you pay for. The IdeaPad Slim 3 is a basic laptop that's built for basic tasks, and as it's a 2023 device, you shouldn't expect the latest software features as soon as you boot it up. 

If you want a cheap laptop that's reliable and durable enough to bring with you wherever you go, the Slim 3 is a great pick. But if you want something with a bit more power and innovation under the hood (and you don't mind paying for it), there are plenty of other outstanding Chromebooks to consider this semester.