Lenovo is back at the top of the pile when it comes to Chromebooks thanks to the excellent Ideapad Flex 5. It might not be perfect but no laptop is for this price.

In short, this is a well-built, modern and complete Chromebook that delivers a lot of functionality for the money. With the right hardware, it lets you take advantage of all the possibilities of the platform in an excellent way.

Part of the Chromebook Plus initiative, the Flex 5 has a lot going for it including a compact and well-made design, 256GB storage, a good selection of ports, the necessary 1080p webcam and that notorious hinge giving you lots of different modes to work with.

Part of the Chromebook Plus movement, the latest 515 model from Acer is a great buy for many reasons.

Sure it’s a snooze-fest when it comes to design so go for something more flashy if that’s important to you and the battery life is nothing special.

However, it is a reliable daily performer overall and that’s what matters most here. At 13 hours of juice, it will be plenty for most users and it also has strong performance, good audio, a solid keyboard and a 1080p webcam.

Chromebooks were never traditionally designed for gaming, but Acer is one of the companies trying to change that. The 516 GE is a very impressive first attempt, combining a premium design with great performance and genuine AAA gaming.

But with only integrated Intel graphics alongside the 12th-gen processors, the latter relies on streaming games via Nvidia GeForce Now instead. Provided your internet connection is solid, the experience here is truly compelling.

With a good range of ports, impressive RGB keyboard and stunning 120Hz display, Acer is on to a winner here.

The 516 GE more expensive than many Chromebooks, but it undoubtedly justifies the extra expense.

If battery life is your top priority, look no further than the CM34 Flip.

The 60Wh cell lasted an incredible 19 hours in our benchmark, which cycles between various real-world tasks. Depending on what you’re doing, you might be able to get two full day’s on a single charge.

Combine that with an impressive Full HD webcam, crisp 14in (1920×1200) touchscreen and that all-important 360° hinge, and Asus is onto a winner. Even the ports, keyboard and trackpad are good.

However, the CM34 Flip is held back slightly in terms of performance, even if it’s still fine for everyday tasks. And at 1.85kg, it’s certainly not the lightest Chromebook around.

But if you plan on spending a long time away from a power source, there’s no better Chromebook right now.

In a world where so many Chromebooks (and other laptops) look similar, the Vero 514 truly stands out. Recycled plastic can be found in the chassis, keycaps, and speakers, while all the packaging can be recycled too.

Deciding against using paint results in a unique speckled grey design, which looks good but also feels impressively durable. Combined with great performance from 12th-gen Intel CPUs and an excellent Full HD webcam, Acer is on to a winner here. There’s also a solid port selection, even if there looks to be space for a second USB-A slot.

But it’s not all good news. Below the impressive keyboard is an erratic trackpad that often has a mind of its own, while the matte display means content often looks dull and washed out, even if it is much less reflective than the usual glossy alternative. You’ll also have to get used to typing in a PIN or password, with no fingerprint sensor or face unlock available.

Whether these are dealbreakers will be up to you. But the Vero 514 is strong in so many other areas that it’s definitely worth considering.

As the name suggests, this version of the IdeaPad 5 is designed for gaming. Specifically, cloud gaming, where all the most popular services are supported and run well.

That’s due to some impressive performance specs, but also great connectivity options. Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.1 support are joined by a healthy port selection, with HDMI the only real thing missing.

The 16in, 120Hz display looks good in a range of situations, although arguably battery life is the highlight. It’ll last a full day of general use or several hours of gaming on a single charge, beating nearly all Windows gaming laptops.

A muted design means you can use it for either, but this cheap plastic build is one reason you might want to avoid it. They keyboard, trackpad and webcam could also be improved, while it’s much better value in the US than the UK.

But if you can live with a few compromises and battery life is a priority, the IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook is a great choice.

With unusually powerful components for a Chromebook, around Intel Core i3 and i5 processors along with 8GB of RAM, the Flip CX5 is one of the most powerful around.

This ensures smooth performance day-to-day and along with a large screen and solid battery life from a single charge, the CX5 is a great option. Add in the convertible design and it gets even better.

A dedicated numpad might be a boon for some although it is cramped in size and the display is lacking brightness stopping the CX5 from being a knockout package. It also has some build issues worth considering before hitting the buy button.

If you want a well-made and hard-wearing Chromebook then this ThinkPad from Lenovo will not disappoint, living up to the famous name.

This applies not only to durability but also elements like the keyboard and the Yoga part means it’s convertible, too. Furthermore, the stylus – which neatly slots into the laptop itself – will be very useful for some users.

On the flip side, the battery life is poorer than you’d expect for a ThinkPad, we experienced gaming issues and the cameras are pretty average, too.

The C423NA is another classic Chromebook from Asus, providing you with a laptop to carry out day-to-day tasks at low cost. It looks nice, is highly portable and offers a comfortable keyboard and trackpad.

It won’t be able to cope with much beyond basic tasks and the battery life is limited making it more suitable for around the home rather than on the road.

If you want a quality Chromebook that’s more affordable than the Pixelbook Go, the C423NA is a good option.