Chromebooks come in many shapes and sizes, but only the best 2-in-1 Chromebooks — which include detachable and convertible models — can offer the versatility of a tablet and a notebook in one sleek package. These 2-in-1 and convertible marvels all come with a touch display, and some even include true inking support for those who enjoy jotting down notes and making sketches.

They're particularly useful for users who are accustomed to using Android apps on a touchscreen, but they'll also deliver the full touchpad and keyboard experience. I've been sure to include a bunch of different models ranging in price, size, and usage focus to help you find the best Chromebook for your needs.

Best 2-in-1 and convertible Chromebooks in 2023

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is one of the first to come out of Google's new Chromebook Plus category. Chromebooks with the Plus designation must adhere to strict guidelines for hardware specs, including at least a 12th Gen Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 7000 processor, 8GB or more RAM, at least 128GB of storage, a 1080p webcam, and a display with at least a 1080p resolution.

In addition to the hardware requirements, these Chromebooks have access to Magic Eraser in the Google Photos app, they get three free months of Adobe Photoshop and Pixlr Premium, and an available 25% discount of the LumaFusion video editing suite. More features are coming in the near future, but these are some great perks to get you started.

Looking at the Flex 5i Chromebook Plus, it's an evolution of our long-running Lenovo Flex 5i 13 recommendation. The new Plus version boosts the screen size up to 14 inches and gives it a taller 16:10 aspect ratio for more screen real estate. This also boosts the resolution up to 1920 x 1200 (FHD+). It otherwise has about 300 nits brightness, glossy finish, and 60Hz refresh rate. For inking, any USI pen will do the trick. You can check out some of the best stylus pens for Chromebooks if you're interested.

The keyboard is comfortable in usual Lenovo fashion, and the keys are flanked by top-firing speakers that remain unmuffled when in use. The 1080p camera offers a quality picture when video conferencing. As for ports, there are two USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2), USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1), a microSD card reader, and 3.5mm audio jack. Everything is built into the sleek chassis with aluminum lid and PC-ABS bottom.

Looking at performance hardware, Lenovo lists both 13th Gen Core i3 and Core i5 CPUs, though so far we've only seen the former models for sale. Best Buy has a model with Core i3 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB SSD for about $499. Expect availability to expand as the laptop ages.

When it comes to the best cheap Chromebooks, Acer is hard to beat. Its Chromebook Spin 311 is a convertible laptop priced at about $224, but there are frequent discounts that drop it below the $200 mark. With Prime Day approaching we're expecting to see it drop even lower; Best Buy just dropped the price down to about $169 for a killer deal.

Yes, there are some compromises to make at this price. The 11.6-inch display has a lower 1366x768 (HD) resolution than our top pick, but at this size it won't look nearly as grainy as you might think. The convertible hinges let the screen rotate around 360°, making it a great Chromebook for kids or users with smaller hands.

The MediaTek MT8183C CPU has eight cores to work with, and it's accompanied by 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage. This is suitable for a lighter workload with lots of productivity tasks, and it will handle streaming media with ease. A big tradeoff with the lighter performance hardware is longer battery life. The Spin 311 can run for well more than 10 hours — Acer claims 15 hours in documentation — on a charge, making it a proper travel companion. Ports include USB-C, USB-A, and a 3.5mm audio jack, plus there's a lock slot for use around a busy office.

One of our favorite Chromebooks for the past few years running is the Acer Spin 714, and it was updated for 2023. The physical design didn't really change, but Acer packed in a bunch of updated performance hardware including 13th Gen Intel Core CPUs. The most common listing around includes a Core i5-1335U chip, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD for quite a bit of performance potential. On top of that, Acer says you should expect about 10 hours of battery life; that number will come down in real-world use, but you should still expect most of a workday on a charge.

The 14-inch display remains unchanged from the last generation with an FHD+ resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio, and 100% sRGB color reproduction. There's no more garaged stylus in this generation, but you can always add your own USI stylus for inking. Top-firing speakers live between the comfortable keyboard and display hinge, with DTS tuning and smart amp to boost sound. Above the display is a 2K webcam and privacy shutter for quality video conferencing. Be sure to check out some other great Acer Chromebooks if this one isn't quite what you need.

The Asus Chromebook Plus CM34 Flip is another new laptop that comes with the "Plus" perks and minimum requirements. That means you get access to Magic Eraser, discount for LumaFusion, and some free months for Adobe Photoshop and Pixlr Premium. For those who prefer the efficiency and power of AMD Ryzen, this is one of two of the new Plus laptops that come with a Ryzen 3 7320C processor. Joining the CPU is 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, ultimately giving you a responsive system that can handle multitasking. Asus claims about 13 hours of life from a charge, but expect that number to come down in real-world use.

The 14-inch display comes with a 1920 x 1080 (FHD) resolution with 16:9 aspect ratio and about 300 nits brightness. You don't get the extra pixels from a 16:10 aspect ratio, but for many that won't matter (especially if you're mainly using it to watch TV and movies). Above the screen is a 1080p webcam for quality video conferencing. Ports include HDMI, dual USB-C 3.1, USB-A, 3.5mm audio, and a microSD card reader.

A true 2-in-1 laptop means the keyboard and touchpad can detach from the tablet display portion. These Chromebooks are rarer than your standard non-detachable convertibles, but Lenovo has you covered if you're in need of a 2-in-1. The Chromebook Duet 5 has a 13.3-inch touch display with 1920x1080 (FHD) resolution and up to 400 nits of brightness; without the keyboard, it's a bona fide tablet with thin bezels. The screen hits 100% DCI-P3 color coverage and can handle inking with an active pen.

When you do need to get down to work, the keyboard and touchpad snap on to deliver a notebook experience. It even clasps magnetically to become a folio when the keyboard is closed. It's one of the best keyboards around when it comes to 2-in-1 Chromebooks.

The Duet 5 has a full-size keyboard with decent key travel as well as an accurate touchpad that makes productivity a breeze. It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c (Gen 2) CPU matched with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of eMMC storage. The CPU isn't the most powerful around, but it will handle daily productivity work and streaming. The real highlight here is the battery life. We've been able to get a couple of days of casual use out of the Duet 5 without needing a recharge, making it an ideal travel companion.

There are lots of great gaming Chromebooks out there, but finding one with a convertible design isn't always easy. Enter the Asus Chromebook Vibe CX55 Flip, a laptop designed from the start to deliver a quality gaming experience. You can get it with up to an 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 CPU matched up with 16GB of LPDDR4x RAM and up to 512GB of SSD storage, giving you plenty of performance and space to handle your games. If you're working with Steam games, stick with a Core i5 or Core i7 to land the integrated Iris Xe graphics.

The 15.6-inch display rests on 360° hinges for full convertible functionality. You can flip the screen around and turn the laptop into a tablet for casual web browsing, or you can set it up in stand mode to watch movies or TV. The screen has an FHD resolution with 16:9 aspect ratio and about 250 nits brightness, plus it has a sizzling 144Hz refresh rate to accommodate your favorite games.

WASD keys are highlighted and there's a standard backlight to boot; it overall delivers a comfy typing experience thanks to 1.4mm of key travel and perfect spacing. WI-Fi 6 is on board to deliver a fast and reliable wireless connection, while HDMI, USB-C, USB-A, and 3.5mm audio handle wired connections. It's all wrapped up in a premium package with black finish.

Lenovo's IdeaPad Flex 3i (Gen 8) is a recent release that gets a lot right. It's one of the best Lenovo Chromebooks out there, especially if you're looking for a compact convertible. Its display measure 12.2 inches but has a 1920x1200 (FHD+) resolution for a crisp picture. The laptop overall isn't any larger than the previous generation; Lenovo shrunk the bezels to fit a larger screen without adding any bulk. With a convertible design, you can use the laptop in notebook, tent, stand, and tablet modes without any difficulty.

This fresh Chromebook is powered by a quad-core Intel Atom N100 CPU that's paired with 4GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage. You can expect snappy performance while browsing the web, hitting productivity tasks, and streaming. Just don't expect it to handle games or other intensive tasks. The slim build holds onto a generous selection of ports, including dual USB-A 3.2, USB-C 3.2, HDMI, 3.5mm audio, and a microSD card reader. You can always check out some great Chromebook docks if you need wider connectivity, but the native selection should suit most people.

Priced regularly at about $349, we've seen it drop to as low as $170. That's a stellar deal, and anytime you can find it for around $200 it's no doubt going to be a better option than even the Acer Spin 311 that we included here as our top budget pick.

The Flip CX5601 is the best Asus Chromebook you can buy today, and it just so happens to be a convertible. It has a 16-inch display with 16:10 aspect ratio and boosted 1920x1200 (FHD+) resolution to match, making it ideal for users who enjoy a larger screen without adding an external monitor. The convertible hinges let you rotate the screen all the way around for tent, stand, and tablet modes. This is best reserved for mature users who can handle a 16-inch tablet. Asus has included an FHD webcam with privacy shutter above the screen for quality video conferencing.

The laptop's base is made from plastic, but it has an aluminum lid for better durability. This is especially important in a convertible laptop that will have its lid handled often while rotating to different modes. To prove its durability, Asus even put it through MIL-STD 810H testing. Dual USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2) ports will handle most hookups, but there's also USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2), HDMI 2.1, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack. When you aren't using a headset, four speakers can deliver quality sound.

Powering the laptop is a 12th Gen Intel Core i3-1215U CPU that can cut through just about any work or light gaming. It's joined by 8GB of RAM and a 128GB M.2 PCIe SSD, plus the battery can last up to 10 hours on a charge. This should be a top choice if you're in search of a larger convertible with strong performance and an FHD+ touch display.

Getting the best 2-in-1 and convertible Chromebook for you

Buying a new Chromebook doesn't have to be a complicated experience. You've likely already nailed down the form factor — in this case a convertible or a detachable 2-in-1 — and from there you can decide on screen size, level of performance, and features like webcam, speakers, ports, and keyboard. Any of the Chromebooks that we've collected here can deliver a quality 2-in-1 experience, and all should be as comfortable acting as a notebook as they are as a tablet.

If we're picking one to recommend to most people, it has to be the new 14-inch Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus. It's an evolution of our past favorite Flex 5i Chromebook, now with 13th Gen Intel Core CPUs, 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB SSD, 1080p webcam, 14-inch FHD+ display with 16:10 aspect ratio, and a bunch of perks that come with the Plus designation. At $499 it's on the expensive side, but those who want a balance of durability, style, and performance should love this laptop. It remains a jack-of-all trades Chromebooks that works as well as a tablet as it does a notebook.

While shopping, don't forget to check out our picks for the best Chromebook accessories around. With everything from chargers to sleeves to external monitors, you should be able to find what you need for a perfect setup.