Best Chromebooks for drawing in 2022

If you’re an artist or someone who draws for a living, you should be happy to know that a Chromebook will work great for you. You can access a lot of drawing apps from the Google Play Store, and bring out your inner creativity. Other than that, many newer Chromebooks come with support for what’s known as a USI stylus that attaches externally to the device or is garaged inside the chassis. Some Chromebooks also use proprietary pen technology, like Samsung’s SPen for the Galaxy Chromebook series with the touchscreen.

In this guide, we run through some of our favorite touchscreen Chromebooks for drawing. We have a total of 8 categories, with products that fit every need. We’ll explain what we like about each product, from display, specs, ports, and so much more. You can navigate using our links below.

Navigate this article:

Best overall Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5

One of the reasons we suggest the Chromebook Duet 5 to artists is the large, more detailed display. The OLED panel has deeper blacks and still gets a bit brighter than some of the other picks on our list. This large display is excellent for taking advantage of drawing with Google’s new cursive app or enjoying Android games and streaming content.

It’s a fairly large tablet, so it might be awkward to use this tablet for reading or for extensive handheld use. On the other hand, if you need to get some work done on your tablet, the screen will have plenty of real estate for using the detachable keyboard with a touchpad. You should be able to fit in a couple of windows for multitasking easily. With the incredibly bright panel, working outside will also be enjoyable on the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5.

The Duet 5 also has an amazing quad-speaker array that’s excellent for streaming Netflix or listening to Spotify. You might not even need to pair up headphones with this tablet in order to enjoy your shows or music. Having a nice soundtrack for your drawing can be relaxing, so this is definitely a beneficial feature if using this tablet for its drawing capability.

Lenovo also packed in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c generation 2 processor. The original Snapdragon 7c was a bit of a letdown, with below-average performance particularly when running Android apps. Qualcomm has had plenty of time to make some key improvements, so hopefully, this will be a better experience from the perspective of performance. This was one of the first Chrome OS tablets or Chromebooks to run the 7c generation 2.

Another significant downside of this tablet is the lack of a USI pen in the retail box. For the price, it would have been nice if Lenovo included the pen. Of course, you can buy the Lenovo USI pen from their website or a third-party USI pen from Amazon, but they’re fairly expensive at around $40-60. Still, if you want a larger canvas for drawing, it’s worth buying the USI pen to pair with the new Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5.

Best small screen tablet: HP Chromebook X2 11

The HP Chromebook x2 11 tops the charts as the best small-screen Chrome OS tablet for drawing. Light enough to take everywhere you go, the flexible design of the HP Chromebook x2 lets you easily detach the keyboard and kickstand and makes for a great travel companion. With long battery life, you can stay connected from anywhere. The included USI pen and fingerprint scanner bring a professional flair to this new Chrome OS tablet from HP.

You also can get what you need done with the power of a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and the 3:2 aspect ratio touchscreen. Thanks to the full-size detachable keyboard, oversized touchpad, and dual cameras, you’ll stay productive. Not to forget, you can experience entertainment on the go with a cinematic screen and dual speakers with Audio by Bang & Olufsen. Plus, you get all of the Google Play Store apps you love on a larger screen. HP also has built-in optional LTE support so the HP Chromebook x2 11 can be the ultimate work Chromebook for the road and truly one of the best Chromebooks with a touchscreen.

As another point we want to mention, when all the accessories are attached and the x2 11 is totally closed up, this tablet comes together into a smooth overall package. The only complaint we have seem to be about the hinge on the back. It works great, but some people have complained that there is a wobble when using it with the included HP USI pen. Obviously, if you want to use it for drawing this is something to consider, but the HP Chromebook x2 11 seems to work just fine when laid flat for drawing on a table or other surface.

The kickstand is perhaps one of the best build-quality elements of this Chrome OS tablet. When attached, it’s nearly impossible to move the tablet accidentally. This means you can easily use the USI pen even when the tablet is propped up with the kickstand. You can also use the pen quite easily with the keyboard attached and using the HP Chromebook x2 11 in clamshell mode. This gives you quite a few more options for drawing in different orientations.

Tablets are a great choice for drawing and if you need portability, it’s definitely the way to go. Also, you get a very nice 3:2 display on the HP Chromebook x2 11, providing an ideal writing experience even on a smaller screen. The keyboard and kickstand are surprisingly stable for this device, so you shouldn’t have any trouble hammering out thousands of words per day. It would be nice to have a larger screen sure, but with LTE and the built-in stylus, this is a machine you can use anywhere for all types of drawing.

Best budget tablet: Lenovo Chromebook Duet

Dubbed the “IdeaPad Duet Chromebook” outside the U.S., the Chromebook Duet is really a trio of sorts, if you count its main components. The one-pound aluminum alloy tablet is the first (and most important) piece. The second is a gray fabric “stand cover”, a magnetically attached back panel that has a kickstand you can fold out to prop up the tablet on a desk. The third bit is a magnetically attached keyboard with a touchpad, which can flip up to cover the screen. With all three pieces combined, the Duet trio forms a 2.03-pound package altogether.

The tablet alone measures 0.29 by 9.4 by 6.3 inches and combines a glossy front panel with a two-tone back that has an eight-megapixel rear-facing camera lens in one corner. There’s a two-megapixel front-facing webcam in the medium-thick screen border or bezel. Two speakers and two pinhole microphones decorate its top edge (as you hold it in landscape mode). Along its right edge are a volume rocker, the power button, and the USB port, which serves for data transfer, charging—the supplied power plug’s cord is rather short—and DisplayPort video output. Pogo pins on the tablet’s bottom edge fit the keyboard.

Detachable laptops differ from 2-in-1s, wherein you can entirely remove them from their keyboard and use them as a tablet. They tend to be a lot less bulky, although they may compromise on specifications as a result.

The Lenovo Chromebook Duet is one of the best budget detachable Chromebooks on the market, though it features a MediaTek Helio P60T, 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM, and 64GB of eMMC storage. It has a full HD screen too, so it’s a perfect media streaming machine when it’s engaged in tablet mode.

Do you want to use it for work? Then reconnect the keyboard and it turns back into a laptop. It’s not going to be the fastest or the best, but it’ll get the job done. It’ll do it without breaking the bank too, as it starts at $230 on Lenovo’s website. The great value on offer makes this one of the best Chromebooks under $300 for drawing.

Convertible with best screen: Galaxy Chromebook 2

The first Chromebook with a QLED display, this is the best option for users looking to make Chrome OS their go-to platform for drawing. The Galaxy Chromebook 2 continues the overall design of the original Galaxy Chromebook, but reduces some of the premium features to attain a more reasonable price. The most impressive feature here is definitely the display. You can get awestruck by every image with the world’s first jaw-dropping QLED display on a Chromebook, which produces over 100% volume.

The processor options are not quite as high-end as the original Galaxy Chromebook, but the Intel Core i3 should do the job for most users. Storage on this device tops out at 128GB, but this is still ultra-fast SSD storage we’re talking about. You also retain 8GB of RAM, and get improved battery life. While the S-pen is still supported, it’s not bundled with the laptop so you’ll need to buy it separately. This also means there’s no slot for storing the S-pen in the body of the Chromebook.

Design is another strong point for the Galaxy Chromebook 2, particularly in the Fiesta Red color. If you’re looking for a Chromebook that matches your personal style, then this is an excellent option to consider. Friends and family will definitely be impressed with how this Chromebook stands out in the crowd. The chassis is also durable and doesn’t have too much give when pressing on the screen with an SPen while drawing.

Beyond the look, the device is functionally designed as well. Samsung kept the profile slim and rigid, opting for only two USB-C ports (one on each side) and a micro SD slot. This is a bit concerning if you use older peripherals, but USB-C is pretty much the standard these days. Overheating was a big issue on the original Galaxy Chromebook. That issue is now resolved, thanks to the vents you find hiding around the back of the Galaxy Chromebook 2. The only source of ventilation on the original Galaxy Chromebook was at the bottom, which led to an incredibly hot device to keep on your lap.

Overall, this is the best Samsung Chromebook for you if you can live with the removal of the 4K display and fingerprint sensor. The highly attractive price will sway most users to choose this 2nd-generation device. If you need a high-quality laptop for watching media, this is one of the best Chromebooks for drawing. It’s definitely a bummer the S-pen is not supported, but Samsung has a robust note-taking app that syncs nicely among all of your Samsung ecosystem devices.

Best for use in business: HP Dragonfly Chromebook

We often highlight the HP Dragonfly Chromebook in many of our guides, and it’s hard to not suggest it again for businesses that might focus on drawing or other creative tasks. There’s a lot we think an artist or a creative professional might like about this Chromebook. It has an amazing display, support for an included stylus, as well as a great keyboard and trackpad. And let us not forget the overall specifications, either. Read on for more.

Starting first with the display, this is a fully convertible Chromebook. Someone in a business can use it as a laptop for more serious tasks like web browsing or scrolling through files. Then, when they need to, convert the device over into a tablet or stand and tent mode and get drawing. The display comes in with three options. There’s Anti-Glare WLED (1920 x 1280), 400 Nits, BrightView LED (2256×1504), 400 Nits, BrightView WLED (1920×1280), and 1000 Nits. For artists, we suggest choosing the high-resolution panel to fit more things on the screen, but with super slim bezels, and a 3:2 aspect ratio, any display option will be great. Do note the display also supports the included HP Stylus. It snaps to the side of the device to recharge. It also feels great in the hands. We spent a lot of time talking about this in our review.

Moving along, let’s dive deeper into the touchpad and keyboard. This Chromebook uses a haptic trackpad. It’s the first Chromebook to use one, which makes it super special. If you’re an artist, you know that you’ll have to browse for files and search for files. This haptic trackpad makes that easy, as you’ll be able to click anywhere on the surface when in menus, or looking for files. You’ll also get slight feedback when you drag and drop items. Other than that, the keyboard is great, too. It has great key travel and is very responsive.

And what about specs? Well, this Chromebook has the latest and greatest from Intel. It’s 12th generation Intel Core U-series processors. For artists, this processor is great. Juggling lots of files and large-sized pictures won’t be an issue. The U-series chips can keep up with this kind of stuff. It’s even better for web browsing, too. We tested the processor during our review and found it was super fast when compared to an AMD Ryzen 5 Chromebook, even when photo editing with the Linux version of GIMP.

The final thing we want to mention is the ports. This Chromebook has a ton of those, so an artist won’t have to worry about dongles sticking out when drawing on the screen. There’s Thunderbolt 4, USB Type-A, and HDMI.

Best with a garaged pen: Acer Chromebook Spin 714

A lot of the Chromebooks we mentioned so far have external pen support. The one we’re about to get into, though, has what’s known as a garaged stylus. A garaged stylus is a lot smaller and might not be preferred for every artist for drawing, but it tends to not get lost, as it sits safely inside the device for charging and storage. Here’s a bit more on the Acer Chromebook Spin 714.

Under the hood of this Chromebook is a 12th-generation Intel Core i5-1235U CPU. As we mentioned in our previous entry, this is a U-series Intel chip that’s usually only found in higher-end Windows devices. It benefits from performance cores and efficient cores. This means that an artist using this device will have a little extra boost when opening multiple files and juggling through various drawing apps. As for the RAM, which helps with speed, there’s a total of 8GB on this specific model. Oh, and unlike some of the other Chromebooks on our list, this Acer is also using a traditional SSD. What that means is that you’ll get faster speeds when exporting files and transferring files.

Moving back to the stylus, though, it has some of the same features as dedicated external styli. It has up to 4,096 different levels of pressure sensitivity. That means a bit more natural feel for precise strokes and movements, and a lot less delay when you tap the stylus to the screen. Note that when docked, the stylus charges quickly – with 15 minutes giving you 4 hours of use, so you never have to worry about it running dead on you.

The other thing an artist might like with this Chromebook is the screen. The display is tuned to the newer 16:10 aspect ratio. If you’re not familar, that is a much taller aspect ratio. letting you fit more content on the screen at once. The resolution is also 1920 x 1200, which is pretty standard. It’s pretty high and we’re sure anything you look at on the screen will look crisp. There are also no annoying thick bezels, as Acer extends the screen all the way to the sides and bottom for a more immersive feeling.

The final note we have to mention here has to do with the portability and ports. An artist can take this machine on the go. It measures 0.70 inches thick and is about 3 pounds in weight. As for ports, there’s 1 USB-A, 2 Thunderbolt ports, a headphone jack, and HDMI. Again, this is a nice mix to help avoid dongles getting in the way of the amazing screen.

Best for education: Asus Chromebook Detachable

We mentioned a lot of tablets with detachable screens, but if you’re an art teacher or parent or IT admin looking into getting kids an education tablet, then there’s a great device for this. It’s the Asus Chromebook detachable. This Chromebook tablet is a great starting tablet for kids and education.

This tablet has a unique vertical and horizontal stand which is what makes it good for education. You can detach the keyboard, flip out the stand and use the tablet vertically to scroll through a list of images. Other than that, a student can attach the keyboard cover and take notes or browse the web. And the stylus? It is garaged right into the side of the tablet. When in class or at home, a student won’t have to worry about losing it. The stylus is the USI type, and it charges pretty quickly. A 15-second charge is good enough for a quick drawing session of 15 seconds. That’s ideal for sitting through a half-hour class.

The other reason we chose this tablet has a lot to do with its durability. Students put devices through a lot of stress, and this is one that’s bound to last. It’s not plastic and is made of durable aluminum. It even has diamond-cut edges.  Of course, the display is what matters most here for drawing, and you should be happy to know that this won’t disappoint. It’s 1920 x 1200 resolution, and while the screen is small at 10.5 inches, we think the high resolution will help your drawings look sharp. Combine that with the 16:10 aspect ratio, and artists or students will be able to multitask.

And if your drawing is done with a lot of Android apps, then we have good news for you. The ASUS Chromebook Detachable is powered by an ARM-based SoC, the MediaTek 8183. Arm-based Chromebooks are known to run Android apps better since Android apps are coded for smartphones that have Arm chips, so you can take our word for it. Even regular day-to-day web browsing and social media apps should run fine on this device. It has 4GB of RAM.

One thing that we don’t like about this tablet, though, is the ports. There’s just a headphone jack and a USB-C port onboard. Students will likely need to use a dongle from home or from school to transfer their creations to a USB drive. It’s one small annoying thing about these thin and light devices.

Best Google experience: Google Pixel Slate

The last pick on our list is a Chromebook that started the big trend of ChromeOS devices for artists and those who like to draw. It’s the Pixel Slate. Yes, we get that this is now an outdated Chromebook when you consider the overall specs, but it actually isn’t all that bad in 2022. The screen is still amazing, and you can find it very cheap. Trust me on this one, I used a Pixel Slate from 2019-2021. It was my only Chromebook for a while, and I think if you can find it, it’s still great.

One thing that’s amazing about this Chromebook is the Google Pixel Pen. Out of all the styli I’ve used, it’s a perfect size. It’s not too big nor is it too small. It doesn’t attach magnetically to the Pixel Slate, but it does have the Google Assitant function, which I loved using to make the most out of my day. It also was super responsive with the screen and great in almost any Android app I used it with.

And speaking of the screen, the 12.3-inch display on the Pixel Slate was definitely ahead of its time. It has quite slim bezels for the time period it was released, and it was packed full of pixels. I loved the way that my drawings looked on the screen, as well as how webpages seemed quite bright. It isn’t nearly as good as the OLED screen on the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook I have now, but it was still very vibrant. I even liked how the kickstand for the tablet worked, though it was a bit awkward to hook it up since it’s part of the keyboard case.

Even the CPU inside the device wasn’t too bad. You can find a Pixel Slate with up to a Core i7 processor and up to 16GB of RAM, but I had a core M3 model. That model was great for my basic needs. I managed to use it for my heavy-intensive web-based workflows. All in all, the Pixel Slate was a great Chromebook for artists, and you can find it today for more than half of the original $1,000 price, so it’s not all that bad.

And those are our picks for the best Chromebooks for drawing. A lot of Chromebooks come with touch screens now, and even USI pens, so we’re sure that there’s a device out there for you. If you didn’t find what you liked, though, then don’t worry. We have a bunch of other Chromebooks you can choose from.