Top 7 best business Chromebooks and Netbooks of 2016

There are well over 100 different Chromebook and netbook models currently on sale in the UK. While the vast majority is aimed at the consumer market, a small but still significant portion targets the educational and business markets, especially customers that are price sensitive.

Chromebooks are based on Google’s Chrome OS while netbooks are based on Microsoft’s Windows. They usually share the same underlying set of components bar the processor (which is often ARM-based rather than AMD-based) and the keyboard.

Both platforms have their pros and cons. Chromebooks are designed to run only one primary application, Google’s Chrome browser (hence the name), with everything else running within the browser. It runs comfortably on a slow processor, minimal system memory (or RAM) and a tiny bit of storage. All Chromebooks come with some sort of free cloud-based storage courtesy of Google, usually 100GB for two years.

A Chromebook however won’t run Windows applications; for that you need, well, a Windows operating system which is where netbooks come in. The resurgence of this category, which was pummelled and lost considerable market share as tablets became popular, is due to the compelling platform that Intel and Microsoft have put together. Windows 10, in particular, is particularly nimble, capable of running on the type of hardware on which a nearly-decade old OS like Vista was introduced.

What characterises both platforms are the dimensions and weight (usually a footprint smaller than a A4 sheet of paper and weighing less than 1.5Kg), the processor used (ARM or low end Intel Celeron or Atom), the amount of system memory (often 2GB, rarely 4GB) and the onboard storage (almost always solid state).

Toshiba CB30-B-104

From afar, it looks like the Apple MacBook Air with its silver finish and large touchpad. The CB30-B-104 matches it when it comes to the amount of onboard memory and the Wi-Fi connectivity used (802.11ac). However, it trumps it on rated battery life (more than 10 hours) and on the screen resolution (full HD). Keep an eye on John Lewis as well which usually has this Chromebook in stock and adds another year of warranty.

It has 4GB of RAM, enough for most tasks
It has a great-looking silver finish
It has a full HD display, great for spreadsheet users
Your connectivity will be faster thanks to the 802.11ac technology
It can run for more than 10 hours. Great for all day usage.

HP Chromebook 14 G4

This is certainly an expensive Chromebook – you can easily get one for half the price. This one however clearly targets businesses with Citrix-certified VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) compatibility, access to Google Apps for Work, noise suppression software and even a TPM embedded security chip plus a larger than average, full HD display and twice the storage found on its rivals.

It has 4GB of RAM, enough for most tasks
It is Citrix-certified, a bonus for enterprises
It has a full HD display and a 14-inch display, great for spreadsheet users
Your connectivity will be faster thanks to the 802.11ac technology
It has a TPM security chip

Dell Chromebook 11 3210

Dell designed this laptop for students which means that it would be just at ease in harsh environments. It has been tested using the MIL-STD US military standard which means that it is tougher than most laptops out there. It has a rubberised LCD and base trim for extra cushioning and as Dell puts it “superior drop protection”. A fully sealed keyboard and touch pad should provide with ample spill protection as well.

4GB of RAM should be enough for most tasks
Great audio (according to our review)
More than 10 hours of battery life
A tough nut that’s also spill resistant
Comes with Dell KACE/Google Chrome Management Console

Lenovo ThinkPad 11e

Just like the Dell Chromebook above, the Lenovo ThinkPad 11e is aimed at the education sector. Lenovo slapped a ThinkPad sticker to highlight its business credentials as well. As expected, it supports the stringent MIL-STD military standard and is designed to sustain some serious abuse from the hands of our little monsters (physical demands of the primary school experience as Lenovo puts it).

Rugged design
4GB of RAM
Large touchpad
Faster 802.11ac
TPM-compatible

Acer TravelMate B116-M

The Travelmate range is Acer’s business proposal which makes the presence of Windows 10 Home a bit puzzling. Regardless of this oddity, this is a decent netbook. It has more than enough system memory and a massive hard disk drive. We’d have preferred a SSD model for extra performance; speaking of which, the N3050 CPU should prove to be a nice upgrade from the N2xx0 on other models.

Better-than-average CPU
More compact form factor
4GB of RAM
Gigabit Ethernet and 802.11ac
Massive 500GB hard drive

HP Stream 11 Pro

Meet this education PC from HP. The second candidate from the US PC manufacturer is smaller than its Chromebook sibling and far less expensive as well at almost half the price. It shares the same CPU but halves the amount of system memory while doubling the SSD storage and shrinking the laptop altogether. Note that it runs Windows 8.1 Pro (upgradable to Windows 10 Pro), which is worth probably as much as the laptop itself!

Windows 10 Pro
Higher storage capacity compared to the competition
Affordable price
Attractive design
TPM chipset

Zoostorm 7270-9013

This is the best affordable slim-and-thin laptop on the market and deserves a spot on our best netbooks for business list. This is a laptop like no one on the market so the word unique is fitting here. It packs a tablet-size touchscreen with plenty of ports including a Gigabit one, a relatively spacious 500GB drive and plenty of system memory. The big surprise though remains the old-but-still very capable Celeron 1037U that powers it.