Head-to-head · Best Chromebooks Under $500

ASUS Chromebook CX15 vs HP Chromebook 15a-na

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

ASUS Chromebook CX15 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.4 vs 4.2). The gap is mostly about first-time buyers, kids, grandparents, and anyone doing browser-only work on a tight budget — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Chromebooks Under $500

ASUS Chromebook CX15

4.4

$199

The CX15 is the budget pick. $199 for a 15.6" 1080p Chromebook makes sense for first-time buyers, students, and grandparents who do email and browsing. Outgrown faster than every other pick if your tab count exceeds 10.

Strengths

— 15.6" 1080p display — largest screen in this lineup
— Cheapest pick at $199 — best budget Chromebook for first-time buyers
— 10-hour battery

Watch-outs

— Intel Celeron N4500 is slow — fine for browsing, struggles with 10+ tabs
— 4GB RAM (not Plus tier) — multitasking hits a wall
— Plastic build feels lighter-duty than every other pick

$199 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #5 in Best Chromebooks Under $500

HP Chromebook 15a-na

4.2

$299

The Chromebook 15a is the HP value pick. Numeric keypad plus i3 plus 1080p at $299 is a solid spec sheet for budget productivity. Trade-off is the 4GB RAM ceiling — Chromebook Plus tier (CX34 / Flex 5i) is the better long-term buy.

Strengths

— 15.6" 1080p display + numeric keypad
— Intel Core i3 12th gen at this price tier
— B&O-tuned speakers improve audio over the ASUS CX15's stock speakers

Watch-outs

— Not Chromebook Plus tier — 4GB RAM and entry-level i3
— Plastic chassis feels lighter than the Lenovo Flex 5i
— Battery (8 hours) trails the Acer Spin 315

$299 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

ASUS Chromebook CX15

Cheapest pick. Largest screen. Slowest CPU (Celeron vs i3/i5). Not Chromebook Plus tier.

HP Chromebook 15a-na

Cheaper than ASUS Plus CX34. Better speakers than ASUS CX15. Not Plus tier. Wi-Fi 6E unique here.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	ASUS Chromebook CX15	HP Chromebook 15a-na
CPU	Intel Celeron N4500	Intel Core i3 N305
RAM	4GB	4GB
Storage	64GB eMMC	128GB
Display	15.6" 1080p	15.6" 1080p
Battery	10 hours	—
Connectivity	—	Wi-Fi 6E

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