There's life beyond Apple MacBook: These are the best Chromebooks on sale — all under $200

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A few years ago, my Apple MacBook completely crashed and died. It served me well for six years before we had to part ways. I couldn’t afford to buy a new MacBook (or even a Windows 10 Ultrabook) at the time, so I opted for an inexpensive HP Chromebook 14 to hold me over until my MacBook upgrade.

Well, that temporary laptop turned into my primary laptop for 18 months. I was honestly surprised how long my "backup" lasted and how well it served me. I used it to write article after article, watch YouTube and Netflix, research stories on the internet and attend video meetings throughout my workday.

The moral of this story? If your laptop is broken or you're just looking for a quick — and inexpensive — replacement, consider a Google Chromebook.

For the uninitiated, a Chromebook is an inexpensive laptop that’s online only (though with some limited offline use too). It runs the latest version of ChromeOS operating system for speedy and online secure performance. And unlike Windows 10 or macOS laptops with long loading times and complicated app downloads, you just log in to a Wi-Fi network and your Gmail account and you’re ready to go. Who knows? You just might fall in love.

With that matchmaking prospect in mind, we've rounded up the best and brightest Chromebooks under $200 at Walmart. If you want a machine that’s fantastic, will get the job done and is currently on sale, keep scrolling for the laptop of your dreams — starting at just $159.That's right...$159.

And want to score free shipping? Make sure you’re signed up for Walmart+. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 15-day trial here, but a quick three-question survey will add on an additional two more weeks for a solid 30 days of use. (And by the way, those without Walmart+ still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)

Shop the best Chromebooks at Walmart, below:

Lenovo Chromebook Flex 3

On sale for $199 (was $310), the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 3 has a brilliant HD 11.6-inch LED touch display that makes everything look great, from charts and graphs to your favorite streaming series to family Zooms. Count on a speedy, powerful Intel Celeron N4020 Dual Core Processor along with 4GB of memory and 32GB of on-board storage. It even has a 360-degree hinge, allowing to rotate and transform into a tablet.

Shoppers love the size and build quality. "I really like this Chromebook," said a discerning Walmart shopper. "I love that they didn't skimp on the frame — it's made of metal and not plastic. The size is perfect for carrying it back and forth. The new operating system works way better than my older Chromebook's, and it does everything I need it to do."

Lenovo Chromebook S330

For an entry-level machine that’ll get you through a day of work, look to the Lenovo Chromebook S330. It offers a traditional laptop feel with a "clicky" keyboard and a glorious 14-inch HD display. It’s great for watching YouTube and Netflix and is powerful enough for Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides and more.

One Walmart shopper discovered their dream on-the-go computer. “...I decided to give it a try. I am not sorry I did! I'm very impressed,” they raved. “I still have a desktop PC for my main computer but for the things that I need a laptop for, this fits the bill perfectly! It does everything I need and doesn't do the things that I disliked about my previous laptops — boots quickly, runs cool (without a fan!) and gives me amazing battery life! I'm very pleased!”

Lenovo Chromebook 3

On sale for $169 (was $219), the Lenovo Chromebook 3 sports a sharp HD 11.6-inch display, which makes it very compact and very portable. Versatile too: It has all the features you’d want in a Chromebook, including Google Docs, YouTube, Google Maps, Google Drive and more — all accessible with a free Gmail account. It’s also durable, reinforced around its hinges to protect against mishaps. It’s water-resistant too.

"This device is surprisingly good," raved a savvy Walmart shopper. "It excels in getting basic work done (email, typing in Google Docs, browsing the web), while also managing to have a long battery life. If you have a steady internet connection and can do most of your work through a web browser or web apps, this Chromebook is perfectly functional..."

Samsung Chromebook 4

As the manufacturer puts it, in the CB4 “the quality of Samsung meets the accessibility of Chrome OS.” We couldn't agree more. Armed with an 11.6-inch HD anti-reflective display, the Samsung Chromebook 4 is powered with an Intel Celeron Processor N4000 for faster speeds and smoother graphics. It’s backed with 4GB of memory, 32GB of on-board storage and comes with100GB of Google Drive cloud storage for free, along with all of Google’s productivity and entertainment apps built-in. And shoppers love that it’s Google Classroom–ready for online learning. For all those reasons, it's a great gift idea for the young student in your life.

“Bought this laptop because I needed one to travel with,” shared a satisfied Walmart shopper. “This Samsung Chromebook gets the job done for my online classes and I love the fact that I can access my Gmail easily and use Google docs to write my reports and transfer them to pdf or Word if needed. I carry this in my handbag and take it where I need to go without the weight of it wearing me down.”

HP Chromebook 14

Made with entertainment and productivity in mind, this HP Chromebook 14 has a brilliant 14-inch HD display, a comfortable keyboard and 180-degree dual speakers backed with premium audio. No matter if you’re hunkering down in Google Sheets or watching The Crown on Netflix, this Chromebook is a speedy little beast, thanks to its built-in Intel Celeron N3350 paired with 4GB of memory and 32GB of on-board storage.

It also has a long 11.5 hour battery life, one-year free access to Google One for an additional 100GB of Google Cloud storage, and a one-year warranty and 24/7 support from Google and HP. All for under $200. Unbelievable.

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