Dell Chromebook 11.6" Review

Looking for a small, cheap Chromebook for basic web stuff? The Dell Chromebook 11.6" with an Intel N150 processor is a common pick. It's got 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, which is fine for Chrome OS, and it runs on WiFi 6E. The big question is whether its rock-bottom price makes up for some serious compromises. If you just need a device for checking email, browsing, and maybe some Google Docs, this could be it. But if you're a student needing to run more than a few browser tabs, or you care at all about screen quality, you'll want to look elsewhere.

Let's be real: performance is not this laptop's strong suit. The Intel N150 CPU lands in the 8th percentile, which means it's one of the slowest processors you'll find in a new laptop. In practice, that translates to a device that's fine for one or two simple tasks. Open more than five Chrome tabs, and you'll start to feel the lag. The integrated Intel Graphics are average (51st percentile), but that doesn't mean anything for gaming. With a gaming score of 1.9 out of 100, you can forget about anything beyond the simplest browser games. It's built for the absolute basics.

At around $475, this Dell Chromebook is one of the cheapest new laptops you can find. The value proposition is simple: you're paying for portability and basic web access, and not much else. For that same money, you could find a used or refurbished Windows laptop with a much better screen and processor, or even a more capable used Chromebook. This Dell only makes sense if your budget is absolutely fixed under $500 and you must have a brand-new, ultra-portable device for the web.

Compared to other laptops, even in its price range, it falls short. A used Lenovo ThinkPad, like a T-series, would offer a far better keyboard, screen, and performance for similar money. If you're set on a Chromebook, the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 or older Samsung Chromebooks often have better build quality and screens for less. And let's be clear: comparing this to the listed competitors like a MacBook Pro or an MSI Vector gaming laptop is laughable. Those are in a completely different universe of performance and price. This Dell is for a very specific, bare-minimum use case.

Should you buy this? Only in one very specific scenario: you need the absolute cheapest, smallest, new Chromebook possible, and you do not care about screen quality, speed, or doing more than one thing at a time. For everyone else, the answer is no. The awful screen and sluggish processor are deal-breakers for most people, including students. Spend a little more time hunting for a refurbished model, or increase your budget slightly. You'll get a much better experience that won't frustrate you daily.