Not sold on the MacBook Neo? This premium Chromebook has an OLED and 2x the RAM for $599

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.


MacBook Neo, who? Apple’s $599 MacBook is all the rage right now, but there are other laptops in the same price range with comparable experiences — and some do it better, depending on what you’re looking for.  

The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is one such device; the best Chromebook for work and everyday tasks in 2026. It’s on sale at Best Buy right now for $599, a steal for a polished device that nails the user experience and keeps things simple.

Also: Amazon Spring Sale live blog 2026: Real-time updates on the best deals

It comes with a 14-inch 2K OLED display, 16GB of RAM, one of the best keyboards I’ve used on a Chromebook, and a MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 processor for snappy, battery-efficient performance with a solid build.

In fact, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 and the MacBook Neo are nearly identical in size and weight. Both clock in at 2.7 pounds, but the Lenovo Chromebook Plus offers an additional inch of display for the same weight.

Speaking of, it’s a brilliant display, especially for a Chromebook. The OLED panel is glossy and bright at 400 nits, with a 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) resolution and 60Hz resolution. For work-related tasks and watching media, it’s an enjoyable user experience that looks a little more crisp than the Neo.

Also: Best Amazon Spring Sale laptop deals 2026

Another area where it shines is the audio quality. The speakers on this device are surprisingly good; easily beating the Neo. You’ve got four 2W speakers optimized with Waves MaxxAudio that have a richness you rarely see in a device this small. Vocals sound especially good on video calls.

So why would you want a Chromebook over a MacBook? Ultimately, it comes down to preference. Chromebooks offer access to Google’s Play Store and run the Google suite natively for a streamlined, lightweight OS that launches instantaneously and multitasks like a breeze.

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

If you live and work in Gmail, Drive, and YouTube, a Chromebook is a natural option for you that brings these applications front and center — without any extraneous applications vying for your attention. 

In terms of performance, the MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 is an ARM-based processor with an octa-core architecture and a boost clock of 3.62GHz. It’s incredibly battery-efficient, providing several days of use on one charge, while staying cool during heavier workloads. 

Review: Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14

The ARM Immortalis-G925 GPU allows for some light gaming as well, though the 256GB of UFS storage makes it much more suitable for streaming titles over the cloud. 

How I rated this deal 

I gave this deal a 4/5 for its very good price reduction relative to value. The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is barely a year old, but it’s still the most premium Chromebook on the market, nailing the user experience with enjoyable touches like the glossy OLED display, a lovely keyboard, fantastic battery life, and great speakers. 

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale runs March 25-31, 2026. 

Show more

Deals are subject to sell out or expire anytime, though ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best product deals for you to score the best savings. Our team of experts regularly checks in on the deals we share to ensure they are still live and obtainable. We’re sorry if you’ve missed out on this deal, but don’t fret — we’re constantly finding new chances to save and sharing them with you at ZDNET.com. 

Show more

We aim to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. ZDNET offers 33 years of experience, 30 hands-on product reviewers, and 10,000 square feet of lab space to ensure we bring you the best of tech. 

In 2025, we refined our approach to deals, developing a measurable system for sharing savings with readers like you. Our editor’s deal rating badges are affixed to most of our deal content, making it easy to interpret our expertise to help you make the best purchase decision.

At the core of this approach is a percentage-off-based system to classify savings offered on top-tech products, combined with a sliding-scale system based on our team members’ expertise and several factors like frequency, brand or product recognition, and more. The result? Hand-crafted deals chosen specifically for ZDNET readers like you, fully backed by our experts. 

Also: How we rate deals at ZDNET in 2026

Show more

Amazon Spring Sale 2026

Comments (0)
Add Comment