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The Recommendation

August 12, 2025

Our brand-new favorite Chromebooks

Three Chromebooks, opened and displaying a screensaver, lined up next to each other. The one in the middle is resting on top of a closed Chromebook.
Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter

A good Chromebook can do almost anything a regular laptop can do. The best models can even feel better to use than their similarly priced Windows counterparts. And for any back-to-school shoppers out there, we think Chromebooks are a particularly good choice for students and kids.

After testing nearly every Chromebook released over the past 11 years, we’ve got a few new favorites to recommend, including a new top pick with a spacious touch display and a long battery life.

Our top pick is $100 off right now→

We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more ›

More for back-to-school season

Our four picks for the best pencils for writing and schoolwork, shown laying on a spiral notebook.

The best pencils

Whether you’re filling in Scantron bubbles or doing the Sunday crossword, we’ve got some satisfying favorites→

A collage of three photos (clockwise from left): silver desk lamp, white weighted blanket, two small houseplants.

Actually good dorm decor worth keeping even after graduation

Including a plush, pretty carpet and a timeless desk lamp→

Different digital notebooks pictured together.

The best digital notebooks

Imagine hundreds of notes and scribbles and ideas all in one portable device — searchable, convertible to text, and easily shareable→

Your daily deal: The very best portable Bluetooth speaker

Ultimate Ears - WONDERBOOM 4 Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker in the color Cobalt Blue.

This is the closest thing we’ve found to an ideal all-around portable Bluetooth speaker. It sounds great for its size, and it’s quite rugged — in our tests, it survived a 5-foot drop onto concrete. We found it for 25% off today.

Get the deal→

READ THE GUIDE

The best portable Bluetooth speaker→

One last thing: The best picks for heading back to school — at any age

A gif showcasing different school supplies including a backpack, bento lunch box, pens, pencils, and a planner.
NYT Wirecutter

Our experts have put countless book bags, lunch boxes, pencils, and more through hundreds of hours of rigorous testing, so you can find back-to-school supplies that’ll last beyond one semester. We have recommendations for just about any student — from toddlers in pre-kindergarten programs to college seniors just a few months shy of entering the working world.

The very best backpacks, lunch boxes, pencils, and more→

Psst: August is rife with sales on school supplies, but they don’t all hold up. Here’s how to snag the best deals.

You can reach the Wirecutter Newsletters team at newsletters@wirecutter.com. We can’t always respond, but we do love to hear from you.

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