Following the announcement of the Universal Stylus Initiative (USI), this opened the door to better compatibility when it comes to using a stylus on a Chromebook. There have been a few hiccups, especially following the USI 2.0 announcement, but you might be surprised to know there are some great options if you want a Chromebook with a stylus. Getting the best Chromebook with a stylus included makes it so you don't have to search for one after the fact, and you have everything you need out of the box.
These are the best Chromebooks with stylus
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What do you get when you pair reliable hardware with excellent internals and an included stylus? The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 is the answer, which was revamped in 2022, complete with Intel's 12th Gen chipsets and Iris Xe graphics. With the Spin 714, Acer actually remedied a few of the complaints we've had with some of the best Chromebooks.
Not only is Intel's Core i5 chipset paired with 8GB of RAM more than enough power to handle practically everything. But it also sports a wonderful display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, along with plenty of ports, including multiple Thunderbolt 4 ports. The star of the show with the Spin 714 is the garaged USI stylus that is found at the edge of the bottom casing. This makes it easy to grab the stylus when you want to flip over into tablet mode or if you need to sign a document quickly.
Perhaps even more importantly, having a garaged stylus removes the need to worry about losing your Chromebook stylus. While it's not exactly the most comfortable USI stylus we've used, we're big fans of the convenience provided by being housed right in the chassis. Now, you can just download your favorite note-taking apps, such as Google Cursive or Nebo, take the stylus out of the slot, and start hand-writing your notes from anywhere without trying to find exactly where you put your stylus.
While a few companies have tried to release ChromeOS tablets, none really caught on in the same way that the original Lenovo Chromebook Duet did. This was really the ultimate tablet for media consumption, especially if you just wanted to unwind for the day on the couch. Considering its popularity, we assumed it was only a matter of time before Lenovo released a successor.
That's exactly what Lenovo did with the IdeaPad Chromebook Duet 3. Despite changing the naming scheme to fall in line with the Chromebook Duet 5, the Duet 3 solved quite some of the issues we had with the original Duet, with a few caveats. Not only is this one of the first Chromebooks to be released with USI 2.0 compatibility, but it's also the only current Chromebook to be limited to USI 2.0 stylus pens. This means that if owned one of the best stylus for Chromebooks, then you'll need to adjust accordingly.
While Lenovo includes the detachable keyboard and kickstand case in the box, you might be disappointed if you grab the model with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. That's because Lenovo is only including its new USI 2.0 Stylus Pen with the model using 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.
It's definitely a bit frustrating, but you can also grab Lenovo's USI 2.0 Stylus Pen separately if you just want to go with the base model. At the end of the day, the Chromebook Duet 3 remains one of our favorite Chromebooks, and its smaller form factor is a delight to carry around.
The HP Chromebook X2 11 is a little over a year old at this point, and it's still one of the best Chromebook options overall. Along with getting a premium design, HP packed a 2K display into this 11-inch form factor. In the box, you'll find the detachable keyboard with kickstand, a 45W power adapter, and HP's Wireless Rechargeable USI Pen.
Unlike the Spin 714, HP's USI pen attaches magnetically to the side of the X2 11, not only keeping it easily accessible but also charging the stylus when you aren't using it. This is the approach that we've seen more and more from Chromebook manufacturers, offering a similar experience to the iPad with the Apple Pencil.
As for the hardware itself, the X2 11 is an incredibly sleek ChromeOS tablet with arguably one of the best build qualities out there. It sports an 11-inch IPS display but boasts a 2.1K (2160 x 1440) resolution and can reach up to 400 nits of peak brightness. There's a fingerprint scanner embedded in the power button, and battery life is rated for a little more than 11 hours.
Our only hesitation is that the Snapdragon 7c Gen 1 chip holds back performance a bit, so you might want to lower the resolution. Even still, the X2 11 might be the way to go if you're looking for a well-rounded ChromeOS tablet.
Sometimes we're left wondering what companies are doing when they release new products. Take ASUS, for example, with its Chromebook Flip CX3 and the Chromebook Flip CX5. Both are powered by the same 11th Gen Intel chips, have the same RAM and storage configurations, and both have a garaged USI stylus. But the Flip CX5 makes our list of best Chromebooks with a stylus because of the included Thunderbolt 4 for just $100 more.
The Chromebook Flip CX5 features a 14-inch LCD with a traditional 16:9 aspect ratio and is capable of reaching up to 300 nits of brightness. The base configuration comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, paired with the Intel Core i3-1110G4. But you can upgrade to the Core i7-1150G7 and get 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage if you need to max out the hardware.
As the name suggests, the Chromebook Flip CX5 is a convertible, allowing you to flip back the screen to either take notes or just prop it up to watch a movie. There's also a microSD card slot, so you can add a bit more storage if you need to. While we wish ASUS used a 16:10 QHD screen, the Flip CX5 and its FHD display still look pretty darn great.
ChromeOS has finally matured to the point where we can start enjoying truly high-end hardware that rivals some of the best windows laptops. If you don't believe me, all you need to do is take one look at the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook. You would be hard-pressed to find a Chromebook that can rival what the Dragonfly has to offer.
In addition to the 13.5-inch display with its 3:2 aspect ratio, you'll enjoy 12th Gen Intel chips, configurable with up to 32GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. There are dual Thunderbolt 4 ports onboard, along with a full-size HDMI and even a microSD card slot. However, the real star of the show is the haptic trackpad, giving Chromebooks a taste of why there are so many fans of the trackpad found on the best MacBooks.
As for stylus support, you don't have to worry about compatibility, as HP includes its USI Digital Pen in the box with the Dragonfly. This attaches magnetically to the side of the bottom frame, which helps you keep track of it, but it also recharges the stylus whenever it's attached.
While this is arguably one of the best Chromebooks ever made, its excellence is only superseded by its exorbitant price tag. This is definitely not the cheapest Chromebook on the market, but in our opinion, it's worth every penny as long as you have the money to spend.
Do you need a stylus included?
To be quite honest, whenever a new Chromebook comes across our desk, it's definitely a bit odd to find the ones that don't include stylus support. Even options like the ASUS Chromebook CX9, with its non-convertible design, still support the use of USI pens if you already have one.
Because there aren't very many options if you want a Chromebook that includes a stylus, it makes the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 even more appealing. Not only does it offer incredible performance, but the stylus is also always with you, removing the need to empty your bag just to find it. Plus, you're getting the latest that Intel has to offer at a fraction of the price compared to Chromebooks like the Elite Dragonfly.
And if you want a true ChromeOS tablet that includes a stylus, just make sure you grab the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Lenovo includes its all-new USI 2.0 stylus pen in the box, along with the detachable keyboard and magnetic kickstand. The Duet 3 is lightweight, portable, and a fantastic choice for taking notes in class or just playing some solitaire.
