The need for video teleconferencing has increased exponentially since the dawn of the COVID Era.
We all know why, but how to go about having wonderful teleconferencing experiences is a challenge that many people struggle with.
If you want to shop for the best Chromebook for this purpose, you will find this article useful to help you in making an informed choice.
This list is for you whether your need is for a business meeting, collaboration among remote team members, an online class, a streaming service, or whatever else that may require people to meet or connect via Zoom video.
Before actually delving into the list, let’s first talk about what a Chromebook is and why you may prefer it for Zoom video conferencing. Then comes the basis for your shopping decision plus the list according to the prevailing views of real use/rs and opinion leaders at the moment.
What Is A Chromebook?
A quick survey conducted on a college campus in May 2021, revealed that 6 out of 10 computer literate people did not know the difference between a laptop and a Chromebook.
That is significant because most of them did not seem to know that there is a Chrome operating system (just as we have Windows and Mac OS for example). So, what is a Chromebook and why do we seem to be paying special attention here?
A Chromebook is simply a laptop that runs on Chrome OS – Google’s own desktop operating system (that is, besides the company’s mobile OS Android).
It is common for people to differentiate between Chromebooks and laptops, but that’s one of the irrationalities of web culture. It’s a way of distinguishing between mainstream laptops and Chromebooks.
While Chromebooks generally lack the computing power of mainstream laptops due to their typically lower capacity, they are known to be cheaper across the board. So, pricing is an edge they maintain over other laptop genres.
Yet, testimonials from users show that some newer versions of Chromebooks even compete favorably with some PC and Mac versions.
Another edge is that some Google services are known to integrate better with Chromebooks than with other desktop operating systems. This is due to certain understandable and underlying proprietary reasons.
For example, some Chromebooks can run Android apps, unlike Windows PCs and MacBooks. Also, Chromebooks mainly use Cloud storage and mostly come with up to a 100GB Google Drive allowance. This is also great for the security and accessibility of your files.
These are a few of the reasons why some people may prefer using Chromebooks for certain dedicated tasks such as designing, streaming, playing games, and in this case, video-conferencing.
What You Should Consider While Shopping For A Chromebook For Zoom
There are certain things you need to consider while shopping for a Chromebook to be used for Zoom meetings. Our own grading here is mainly based on those same considerations. They are:
Display
A screen size of between 11 and 15 inches should be ideal for a good Zoom meeting experience. This should be supported by a quality GPU such as those made by Intel or Qualcomm. The display quality should be at least HD. A full-HD display would be for extra visual output.
Speaker Output
It is imperative that the speaker output is good enough to enable you to clearly hear the participants in any meeting.
Battery Power
A battery life of between 8 and 15 hours should be enough for most Zoom meeting sessions especially if you are nowhere near an electrical outlet – such as a beach or a park.
Webcam
For your image to be crisp and clear enough to other participants during a Zoom meeting, you need a good webcam. Just like it is with the display, a 720p with HD quality camera should be standard here.
RAM Capacity
A RAM capacity of 4GB should be enough for you to have Zoom meeting sessions that are free from quirky embarrassments. But for even better performance, you might need to invest in a RAM capacity of up to 8GB.
CPU Generation And Quality
Intel CPUs are generally good enough. But there are still other good ones. A 5th-gen processor should be well-suited for Zoom teleconference sessions.
Affordability
Of course, as long as you can get what would serve your purpose adequately, pricing is always a factor to consider.
12 Best Chromebooks for Zoom Meetings
1. Google Pixelbook Go
As the name suggests, Pixelbook Go is much like the Pixelbook series but lighter. It is specially made for those who want to work on the go. It is also more compact with a quieter keyboard.
Behind this Chromebook’s reported great speed and performance is an 8th Gen CPU Intel Core M3 CPU. You will also find the series with Intel Core i5 or Core i7 CPU.
Also, this Chromebook has an Ultra HD 300 MHz Intel graphic processing unit, a display size of 13.3 inches with a Full-HD Touchscreen, and it produces comfortably crisp images of those you are teleconferencing with.
Google Pixelbook Go is usually available with variants of 8GB to 16GB RAM, while its storage capacity can be anywhere between 32GB to 128GB.
It uses a 1080p Full-HD webcam and has a battery life of up to 12 hours of fairly consistent use before the need to recharge.
Also Read: Best Office Zoom Backgrounds
2. Asus Chromebook C436
Apart from performing far above average in terms of teleconferencing, users often comment on Asus Chromebook C436’s outstanding design. But when it comes to the topic under discussion here, Asus C436 has the following specs:
The CPU is typically Intel Core i3 and it has a Graphics Processing Unit that is classified as Intel HD Graphics 615.
This Chromebook also boasts a touchscreen display size of 14″ Full-HD which is fair for just about any meeting, anywhere. Of course, such an enhanced display comes from the blend of a great GPU and equally good screen resolution.
The Asus Chromebook C436 has a RAM size of 8GB, with DDR3 SDRAM. The RAM size is upgradable, or you can opt for a 16GB DDR3 SDRAM grade for this Chromebook. This machine sports a storage size of 128GB PCle NVMe SSD and also has a 512GB grade.
It has a full HD webcam and can last for up to 12 hours of battery power which should get you through a full workday with no problem.
Check Out: Best Backgrounds For Zoom Meetings
3. Acer Chromebook Spin 713
This is a petite Chromebook suitable for little hands. So, of all the products on this list, it is the option that is most suitable for children.
Proportionate to its size, Acer Spin 713 has a mid-range screen (13.5-inch display). But why this Chromebook is still suitable for Zoom meetings (such as a kid’s online class) is that the littleness of its screen size is far compensated for by the brightness of it (the screen, that is).
By comparison, it is about twice as bright as the average Chromebook according to an experiment by Tom’s Guide. By that experiment also, the Acer 713 Chromebook is brighter than either the Asus Chromebook C436 or the Google Pixelbook Go.
This Chromebook typically sports 10th-Gen Intel processors (generally Intel Core i5-10210U). It is this processor that ensures that your Zoom sessions never lag due to slow processing time.
This Acer Chromebook may not have the best of speakers, but they get the job done.
An official Acer page shares the shop links of this product where it is listed on Amazon. This listing has a 256-GB SSD storage and 8GB DDR4 SDRAM plus an Intel UHD GPU. The processor is Intel Core 13-1011OU.
Also Read:Â Funny Zoom Backgrounds
4. Google Pixelbook
This is the original product that was minimized to create Google Pixelbook Go. It normally runs on a 7th-gen Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU and sports a 12.3-inch display size.
Its display quality is far above average. Thus, it remains a decent option for Zoom video meetings. And with a battery life of up to 10 hours, you can join a lengthy meeting from anywhere.
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5. Dell Chromebook II (3100)
The Dell Chromebook 3000 series (where the Chromebook 11 3100 belongs) was specifically made with students in mind.
For starters, it has battery power that lasts for more than 12 hours (although Dell claims 14 hours). This way, a full battery charge can last an entire school day or maybe just the length of an online class (in case a student decides to take the session out on a beach or a countryside park).
The exterior of this machine is also fitted with tamper-resistant and spill-resistant technology to withstand the kids’ carefree attitude and the school environment. The edges are fitted with rubber shock absorbers (pads) to reduce the effect of an impact in case the device is dropped on a hard surface. The ports are also covered.
When it comes to teleconferencing needs, performance matters a lot and the Dell Chromebook II does not disappoint in that area mainly because it boasts of an Intel® Dual Core™ Celeron® processor that adequately takes care of that aspect.
It is ideal for Zoom classroom sessions for school kids and students of almost all age brackets.
Check Out:Â Best Ring Lights For Zoom Calls
6. Acer Chromebook Spin 311
This machine boasts a number of features that make it a splendid candidate for students’ Zoom classroom sessions. For one, it is extremely portable (weighing just 1kg or thereabouts) in comparison to the average Chromebook out there.
7. Acer Chromebook 14
The Acer Chromebook 14 is so named for its 14-inch full-HD display which shows how central the quality of the display is to the conception of this gadget.
One implication of such a quality display, of course, is a resplendent visual output during Zoom meetings. You can almost see every feature of the participants’ countenance. This is good considering that most of our language is said to be unexpressed (body) language.
The Acer Chromebook 14 runs on an Intel Celeron N3160 CPU, so there isn’t much to complain about the performance of the device in terms of Zoom meetings.
8. Lenovo Chromebook Duet
This device runs typically on a MediaTek™ Helio P60T Processor (2.00 GHz, 8 cores, 8 threads). Because of this, the processing power of this machine can carry out any Zoom meeting session without challenges.
Although the display size of this option makes it necessary that it be used at a closer-than-usual range during Zoom meetings, the display quality is decent.
9. 2020 HP Chromebook 15.6″
The 2020 HP Chromebook 15.6” is a relatively low-cost but unusually adequate option. It has a fine blend of portability and great display size plus above-average battery life.
Of course, the device’s display isn’t great. A warm screen and the speaker output are not so impressive either. However, for quality Zoom meetings, this lack of speaker output is made up for with a powerful headphone jack on the side.
The speaker quality is also compensated for by this device’s performance which is assured by an Intel Core i3-8130U CPU. This can usually handle any length of Zoom meetings without lags – all things being equal.
10. Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga
This Chromebook laptop comes fitted with a 13.3-inch FHD anti-glare touchscreen that makes video displays look heavenly. Behind this great view is an Integrated AMD Radeon GPU.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga has a unique computing power provided by an AMD Ryzen 5 Pro 3500C Processor.
Such a processor mitigates against any lag during Zoom video connections no matter how long they last, but this is assuming that other factors (like the RAM size) are up to standard. This performance level is backed up by up to 12 hours of battery life.
This Chromebook supports Android apps, so it is an advantage if you prefer using the Android Zoom app for your video meetings.
The 2W dual output stereo speakers make it comfortable to share a Zoom session with two or three other people around you.
11. Acer Chromebook R11
The Acer Chromebook R11 is often considered as Acer’s own MacBook Air. It largely replaces the ergonomy of that Apple convertible wonder and yet at a far more affordable price.
While this Chromebook’s 11.6-inch HD IPS touchscreen display may be thought to be on the lower end for a good Zoom meeting, it is compensated for by a Zero Air Gap technology which reduces the effect of white light reflections, leaving images crisp and clear.
This machine is powered by an Intel Celeron N3160 processor and its battery life remains up to 10 hours, so you can stay almost anywhere for long Zoom meetings once fully charged.
12. Lenovo Chromebook S330
The Lenovo Chromebook S330 comes with a 14-inch HD display with a 1366 x 768 screen resolution and up to 10 hours of battery life. It also sports a 720p webcam and dual 2W speaker.
These qualities ensure that users can have a panoramic view during their Zoom meetings, hear every participant clearly, and also be able to attend meetings anywhere without battery concerns.
This Chromebook sports a Qualcomm MediaTek MT8173C Processor which sees to it that your video conferences can proceed without quirks along the way.
Conclusion
When it comes to the right Chromebooks to be used for Zoom video meetings, there is no doubt that it would boil down to different strokes for different folks.
However, our list has strived to attend to most use cases. So, no matter what your particular needs are regarding the Chromebook to use for Zoom meetings, the chances that your situation has been captured on the above list is pretty high.
But which option have we picked as the best out of the list, you might ask. Our choice is the Google Pixelbook Go because it is built with the most updated software and hardware requirements for Zoom meetings by Google.
