The 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and 1,366 x 768 screen resolution won't blow you away, but there are a few perks to this relatively no-frills design. The Flex 11 includes USB-C to support newer peripherals and charge your system (there's also USB 3.0, HDMI and an SD card slot), and it's built to take some abuse between the reinforced ports and water resistance on both the keyboard and trackpad. You might like the 10-hour estimated battery life, as well.

However, the real allure is likely the price. The Flex 11 Chromebook will cost just $279 when it arrives this month. That's not exactly revolutionary (Acer has a lower-priced option for students), but that's much better than the $439 you had to pay for the school-oriented ThinkPad when it was new. This is clearly aimed at anyone looking to get their feet wet with Chromebooks, whether they're doing schoolwork or just watching Netflix on the couch.