I tested 5 of the best Chromebooks for students, and this is the one I'd buy during Best Buy's Back to School sale

I tested 5 of the best Chromebooks for students, and this is the one I'd buy during Best Buy's Back to School sale <article> <p><a href="https://www.androidcentral.com/tag/back-to-school">Back to school season</a> is upon us again, and if you're in the market for a new laptop, there are plenty of student-friendly Chromebooks worth considering in 2026. We test these devices every year to ensure that they still meet Android Central's rigorous standards, and I was pleased to see that my personal favorite for students on a budget, the <a href="https://www.bestbuy.com/product/lenovo-ideapad-slim-3-chromebook-14-2k-touchscreen-laptop-mediatek-kompanio-540-2025-4gb-memory-64gb-emmc-cosmic-blue/JJGH3QCJKR/sku/6673811"><strong>Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, is currently chilling with an impressive $220 discount</strong></a> at Best Buy.</p><h2 id="the-class-ready-lenovo-ideapad-slim-3-just-scored-an-epic-discount-at-best-buy">The class-ready Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 just scored an epic discount at Best Buy</h2><div class="product"><a data-dimension112="cafe9536-91bd-11f1-ad65-d122437a8eda" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 4GB RAM / 64GB eMMC: $419" data-dimension48="Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 4GB RAM / 64GB eMMC: $419" href="https://www.bestbuy.com/product/lenovo-ideapad-slim-3-chromebook-14-2k-touchscreen-laptop-mediatek-kompanio-540-2025-4gb-memory-64gb-emmc-cosmic-blue/JJGH3QCJKR/sku/6673811" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><figure class="van-image-figure " ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:2000px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:100.00%;"><img id="RBtzuzNfJfWtjm8Ws6NDhC" name="lenovo-ideapad-slim-3-chromebook-abyss-blue-facing-right-square-render.jpg" caption="" alt="" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RBtzuzNfJfWtjm8Ws6NDhC.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="2000" height="2000" attribution="" endorsement="" credit="" class=""></p></div></div></figure></a><p><strong>Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 4GB RAM / 64GB eMMC: </strong><a href="https://www.bestbuy.com/product/lenovo-ideapad-slim-3-chromebook-14-2k-touchscreen-laptop-mediatek-kompanio-540-2025-4gb-memory-64gb-emmc-cosmic-blue/JJGH3QCJKR/sku/6673811" data-dimension112="cafe9536-91bd-11f1-ad65-d122437a8eda" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 4GB RAM / 64GB eMMC: $419" data-dimension48="Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 4GB RAM / 64GB eMMC: $419" data-dimension25=""><del>$419</del><strong> $199 at Best Buy</strong></a></p><p>The <a href="https://www.androidcentral.com/chromebooks-laptops/lenovo-ideapad-slim-3-chromebook-review">IdeaPad Slim 3 by Lenovo</a> is a versatile laptop with a gorgeous touchscreen display, great battery life, and a MediaTek processor that's powerful enough for both work and play. Grab the campus-ready device from Best Buy today and you'll score a straight $220 off your purchase, no strings attached. <a class="view-deal button" href="https://www.bestbuy.com/product/lenovo-ideapad-slim-3-chromebook-14-2k-touchscreen-laptop-mediatek-kompanio-540-2025-4gb-memory-64gb-emmc-cosmic-blue/JJGH3QCJKR/sku/6673811" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" data-dimension112="cafe9536-91bd-11f1-ad65-d122437a8eda" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 4GB RAM / 64GB eMMC: $419" data-dimension48="Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 4GB RAM / 64GB eMMC: $419" data-dimension25="">View Deal</a></p></div><p>Whether you're studying, drawing, or streaming your favorite series after class, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is one of the <a href="https://www.androidcentral.com/best-chromebook-students">best Chromebooks for students</a> because of its overall versatility and bang for the buck. </p><p>Straight out of the box, you get a vibrant 14-inch 1080p display with a touchscreen and a durable enough build that you can easily throw the laptop into a backpack or briefcase. The Chromebook will also last up to 18 hours on a single charge, so you don't have to worry about juicing up mid-class or during those long study sessions. </p><p>The IdeaPad Slim 3's MediaTek Kompanio 520 processor with 4GB of RAM is capable enough for studying, streaming, and browsing the web, plus you get plenty of ports (including a microSD card slot) for all of your devices and storage needs. </p><p>So what's the catch? Well, as the saying goes: you get what you pay for. The IdeaPad Slim 3 is a basic laptop that's built for basic tasks, and as it's a 2023 device, you shouldn't expect the latest software features as soon as you boot it up. </p><p>If you want a cheap laptop that's reliable and durable enough to bring with you wherever you go, the Slim 3 is a great pick. But if you want something with a bit more power and innovation under the hood (and you don't mind paying for it), there are plenty of other outstanding <a href="https://www.androidcentral.com/best-chromebook">Chromebooks</a> to consider this semester. </p> </article>