The Best Chromebooks For Schools in 2021

As a network of repair depots, we’ve seen just about every kind of break that there is to see when it comes to Chromebooks. And trust us when we say, the corner of the desk will find that screen and that glass of orange juice will spill directly on (and into) that keyboard. As we head into a new year (hey, it’s only February…) we got to thinking: What are the best Chromebooks for schools? From our vantage point here, we looked at things like durability, ease of repair, parts per repair and design to come up with what we think is a pretty solid list of the best Chromebooks for schools in 2021.

Dell 3100

This Chromebook has proven to be a durable and, most importantly, reliable option amongst Chromebooks for the value. Plus, the ability to replace just the keyboard instead of the whole palm rest sets this Chromebook apart as a good option for students.

Retail Price: $239.99
Typical Education Pricing: $220

Lenovo 100e G2

Looking for a device you can actually get 4 years of use out of? We think this just might be it. With durability and student-friendly design at a great price, this Lenovo option is definitely worth looking into. One side note: The 4 different variations can make it difficult to purchase identical devices for your fleet.

Retail Price: $349.00
Typical Education Pricing: $200

HP 11 G9EE

HP is one of the few Chromebook manufacturers to confirm a completely new model Chromebook for 2021. A new addition is the MTK version. The EE models have historically always been either Intel or AMD processors. HP has had some issues at the motherboard level with long-term use. Hopefully, HP has improved on this new model. It has been difficult for many schools to get a demo device to test drive before ordering, but from what we’ve seen in the past from HP, this one makes the list easily as a great device for schools.

Retail Price: $230
Typical Education Pricing: $215

Asus C204EE

Asus has led the field in the last couple of years in manufacturing durable devices. The C204EE has rounded edges with rubber bumpers built in almost seamlessly which helps to deter students from picking at and removing the outer bezels. They also fixed the hinge cover issue from the earlier model, C202SA, where it would easily break off after a few months of use. During the pandemic, these have been one of the few devices that have been available for purchase.

Retail Price: $260
Typical Educational Pricing: $220

Acer Chromebook 311

Acer was one of the first manufacturers to get into the education Chromebook game. They have always led the way with new and durable designs. This device will typically come in at a lower cost upfront. This device runs well but can be costly to maintain compared to other Chromebook manufacturers. They are difficult to find parts for in the later years of use when motherboards and batteries start to fail. All in all, these are well-made devices for education, just be mindful of potential additional future costs.

Retail Price: $230
Typical Education Pricing: $190

Zachary Marvel

Zachary Marvel joined the team in 2017 with the goal of growing K-12 Tech on a national level. While studying economics at Ball State University, Zach observed the increasing demand for local electronics repair services. In 2012, Zach started his first electronics repair company, expanding to three walk-in repair locations and working with a handful of the surrounding school districts to repair their student devices. Upon graduating, Zach commissioned as a finance officer in the Army National Guard. Zach continued to grow both his walk-in repair businesses as well as his school focused operations, and within three years time, the business was servicing over 30 school districts. His vision for K-12 Tech is to create the first full-service electronics repair company in the K-12 industry.