Tech Talk

Chromebooks are amazing computers for most people who do all their work in the browser and a few apps, but they've been especially beloved in the education sector because they're hard to break both software- and hardware-wise and they perform well even on budget-oriented machines. Among the best Chromebooks for students, the ASUS Chromebook Flip C214 is still king, but for older kids and adults, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet is the better buy from both a feature and price perspective.

How well do you trust your kids?

I'd love to get into subtle nuances between these two Chromebooks, but if you're a bottom-liner, the choice between the Duet and the C214 boils down to one question: Do you trust your child not to drop it? If the answer to that question is yes — or you're looking at this device for a teen or adult — then click on the Duet above and get on with your day.

The Lenovo Chromebook Duet has a better feature set, it's more widely available, and it's going to last years longer than the C214. This was the first Chrome OS tablet to actually offer up a complete experience in both tablet and laptop modes, in part because you didn't have to spend an extra $100 on a kickstand and keyboard the way you did with the already-expensive Google Pixel Slate. The 10.1-inch size makes it easy to hold up in bed while you're lazing away your Saturday morning.

I love having the magnetic kickstand and keyboards as separate accessories provided in the box, because it means I can ditch the keyboard when I'm just swiping through comics on the couch. I wish the keyboard magnetized to the screen when closed the way most do, but at least it's easy to type on, if a little cramped if your hands aren't slim and small. Despite its compact size, the battery can last for days on lighter use — reading and social media — and it will last the whole day while working.

Lenovo Chromebook Duet vs. ASUS C214: Built to last

The ASUS Chromebook Flip C214 has a larger 11.6-inch screen, but it's a lower resolution, dimmer panel, and the bezels around it are huge. This in itself isn't a problem considering that the C214 is designed to be a rugged, reliable Chromebook for the classroom, but the Chromebook market has grown in some important ways since early 2019.

Most importantly, the expiration dates that all Chromebooks come with have gotten longer and longer with each generation. June 2025 wasn't a shabby AUE date when the C214 launched — and it was extended to June 2026 last summer — but June 2028 for the Duet is significantly longer and that means that the Duet will last years longer while being less expensive.

Another advancement is that instead of using EMR or proprietary styli for Chromebooks, like the ASUS C214, Google mandated that stylus support going forward would be USI, meaning it's easier to buy a replacement Chromebook stylus and you don't have to spend the extra money upfront. This is a big improvement over the C214, where the stylus model is harder to find and has been price-gouged since March 2020 when distance learning started and parents scrambled to find Chromebooks for their kids.

Lenovo Chromebook Duet vs. ASUS C214: Which should you buy?

The C214 takes an edge in two categories: durability and stability when being used away from a desk. While the keyboard on the Duet is easy enough to type on, it's not exactly comfortable to use in your lap, since you need to prop up the kickstand while still having enough room on your lap to fold down the keyboard, so the classic 2-in-1 laptop form factor on the C214 comes in handy there. ASUS also decked out the C214 with all the Google Education standards for drop-testing, hinge-reinforcement, port-reinforcement, and the keyboard is spill-resistant.

If you need either of those things, the C214 might be worth paying extra for, but in all other instances the Duet will give you a more portable device with at least double the storage and a much better-looking screen for less money. That makes it the hands-down winner for the vast majority of users.

Best of both worlds

Lenovo Chromebook Duet

• $249 at Best Buy (128GB)
• $249 at Walmart (64GB)
• $250 at Lenovo (64GB)

The best Chrome OS tablet is great for older kids.

If you want a secondary device that you can work from in a pinch, or a Netflix tablet that can double as a distance learning device for one of your kids, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet is great so long as you don't need something rugged.

Built tough for kids

ASUS Chromebook Flip C214

From $366 at Amazon (Non-Stylus) $471 at Amazon (Stylus)

The aging king of the playground.

If you need a consistent and classroom-tested Chromebook that can endure Hurricane Timmy, ASUS has you covered with the Chromebook Flip C214. It may be a couple years old, but she's still got it where it counts, kid.