Head-to-head · Best Chromebooks Under $500

ASUS Chromebook CX15 vs Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

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

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.4 vs 4.5). The gap is mostly about students who take handwritten notes and casual users who want a tablet/laptop hybrid — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #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 →

Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Chromebooks Under $500

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

4.5

$399

The Flex 5i is the convertible pick. 2-in-1 hinge plus touchscreen plus Chromebook Plus tier hardware makes it the right buy for note-takers and Netflix-on-the-couch users. Trade-off vs the ASUS CX34 is raw CPU.

Strengths

— 2-in-1 360° hinge — tablet, tent, and laptop modes
— Chromebook Plus tier with Intel Core i3 / 8GB RAM / 128GB SSD
— Touchscreen with stylus support

Watch-outs

— i3 CPU trails the i5 in the ASUS CX34 on raw throughput
— Heavier than the ASUS CX15 at 3.2 lbs
— Hinge mechanism adds wear over years

$399 · 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.

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

Only 2-in-1 convertible pick. Lower CPU than ASUS CX34. Heavier than ASUS CX15. Touchscreen advantage.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	ASUS Chromebook CX15	Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
CPU	Intel Celeron N4500	Intel Core i3 12th gen
RAM	4GB	8GB
Storage	64GB eMMC	128GB
Display	15.6" 1080p	14" 1080p touchscreen
Battery	10 hours	—
Hinge	—	360° 2-in-1

← See the full ranking of best chromebooks under $500