Can you guess what’s one feature on your Chromebook that usually goes unnoticed but you regret not having it when you’ve to urgently act out an assignment in a quite zero-light ambiance?
Well, let me guess it first. So… Is it not having a backlit keyboard? Hmmm?
I know you said a loud YES to this. However, like most computer geeks out there, you might also be thinking that a backlit keyboard is rather a fancy feature particularly associated with and available on high-end laptops only; so how come a Chromebook can have it, right?
If you think so, you’re completely mistaken. For anything as rapidly becoming universal as Chromebooks in the computer/laptop market, it’s not difficult to finally boast the backlit keyboard feature as well.
Having said that, there are tons of Chromebooks with backlit keyboards available in the market today.
Thanks to the breakneck flux of technology, Chromebooks are not the cheap counterparts of laptops anymore. Yes, they carry comparatively nominal price tags and are highly mobile machines, but today, they are coming with lots of such premium features as well.
So that you can now also make sure your workflow doesn’t unsettle due to dimly-lit ambiances during overnight travels or other outdoor moments.
Well, if you’ve any plans of getting one such machine, don’t fret about madly hitting multiple purchase points to get the best piece.
Just check out the below-given list of 7 best backlit-keyboard-featuring Chromebooks presently available in the market and I assure you can make a top purchase.
#1. Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 13” Laptop with Backlit Keyboard
For the past few years now, Lenovo is constantly bossing the PC market with some really solid offers in almost every stretch of laptops and computers. And when it comes to the Chromebooks market, Lenovo is leading the chart with this Flex 5 13-inched beast.
Housing 10th Gen processing powers within an exceptionally solid part-aluminum metallic hood, Flex 5 takes up all your mid-to-high-range demands like no one else. The sleek and minimalistic gray-colored chassis has no flex whatsoever, neither the screen.
The hinges, I feel, are solidly placed with no wobbles, yet extremely lucid so that you enjoy the 360-degree-foldable build of this laptop to the fullest. Needless to say, the 13.3” screen has touch support with incredible touch response and is enough bright to be easily readable in bright outdoors.
I love the extremely narrow bezels on all three sides of the panel making more room for comfy viewing and making it feel like a bigger 15” slate. The Full HD native resolution of the display makes visuals appear quite smooth and striking with the Intel Integrated Graphics support adding more to it.
One thing I won’t as such cherish about the display on Flex 5 is its glossy finish. The glares and reflections in sunny outdoors, due to this, may cause frustration and the glossy screen imbibes fingerprints as well – looks pretty bad, I believe.
Well, the keyboard, is exceptionally ergonomic, quiet, and ultra-responsive, and that tactile feel when you put your fingers on the keys is just wow.
I like the perfect 1.4mm key travel here that makes typing quite some fun and the backlight on this keyboard is evenly beautiful making working in a full zero-light ambiance quite a breeze. Plus, the trackpad offers a lot of room with good precision too.
Performance-wise, for a Chromebook, this one hits it all on the money with the powerful Intel Core i3-10110 2-cored, 4-threaded CPU that’s just perfect for all sorts of mid-range computations.
The processor’s base frequency is, though, 2.1 GHz, it can effectively burst up to a phenomenal 4.1 GHz speed which is quite crazy for an under-$400 Chromebook. To help the zippy CPU and cruise you through heavy multitasking, the onboard 64GB flash storage also doesn’t hesitate to try a push whenever needed.
Besides, you get 4GB of RAM which is pretty much enough for a Chromebook running at cool Chrome OS with snappy boot-ups and lots of other features including one-touch access to a galore of Google’s online/offline benefits.
Apart from all this, the laptop has a fine selection of USB ports, a super-speedy wireless connectivity base comprising a Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5, and a fine battery stand of 8+ hours on one charge.
Features:
- 10th Gen Core i3-10110U Dual-Core CPU
- Intel Integrated UHD Graphics
- 13.3” Nano-edged, FHD, Glossy Touchscreen
- 4GB DDR4 RAM and 64GB eMMC Storage
- 2 lethal USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C and 1 Type-A port, and more
- Solid metal chassis – 2.97 lbs only
Pros:
- Outstanding 10th Gen powers with good storage
- 360-degree foldable laptop-cum-tablet
- Crisp screen with superb touch response
- Impressive battery and brisk connectivity ensured
- Low price
Cons:
- Seemly low-quality hinges
- Screen glare can be an issue
#2. Google Pixelbook Go Lightweight Chromebook
Google has got itself a name in the Chromebooks market not only because the OS on Chromebooks comes from Google, but also because of the company’s high-performance Chrome-OS-running laptop-cum-tablet machines – Pixelbooks.
Google Pixelbook Go is one such high-performing Chromebook with excellent hardware wrapped in a seemly pretty yet extremely solid metal-painted magnesium hull.
Courtesy of the magnesium being a lightweight element, this laptop can easily slip into your backpack putting an extra weight of just 2.3 lbs on your shoulders that goes literally unnoticed.
I love the base of the laptop’s lower clamshell which is quite beautifully textured to ensure better gripping on the go. That ribbed bottom feels like rubber; however, it’s not.
Pixelbook Go has a completely single-fabric elegantly rounded all-around chassis (hardly 13mm thick) with each edge gently curving into another making it appear a perfect giant troche than a machine.
Well, the performance on this laptop is brought to you by a lethal combo of hardware comprising an 8th Gen Intel processor, 8GB of massive RAM, and 128GB of faster SSD storage.
The vigorous i5-8200Y CPU is capable of charging up to 3.9 GHz of max/turbo frequency with an average command execution time of merely 0.25 nanoseconds. That speed combined with the other mighty hardware makes all your complex computations just another ordinary task.
Although Pixelbook Go is also a 2-in-1 machine, its make doesn’t support 360-degree flex. The 13.3” Full HD displaying touchscreen has a good touch response and gives out plenty of brightness for outdoor usage with good colors.
Seemly, there are barely any bezels on both sides of the panel. However, unlike Lenovo Flex 5, I felt a bit of flimsiness on the screen here. But that may be only because Pixelbook is super-duper-thin.
The keyboard here is also quite ergonomic with a nice fancy backlight and super-quiet “Hush Keys” with almost zero sounds. And the wide trackpad underneath offers superb precision.
What I’m really impressed with on Pixelbook Go is the 1080p webcam which is a bit jack-up from the usual 720p cameras on most laptops. It not only makes video chats look better but also pairs a better microphone for a rather crystal voice.
The two big front-firing stereo speakers on the laptop have a truly partying-level volume with great bass so that your entertainment hours gonna be spot-on.
Features:
- Intel Core i5-8200Y 8th Gen CPU – 1.3 GHz base and 3.9 GHz max boost
- 13.3” FHD (1920 x 1080px), Touchscreen
- 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD
- 2 USB-C ports + Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth combo
- Over 10hr battery stand
- 2 lbs and 13mm thick
Pros:
- Stalwart CPU
- Massive RAM and Storage
- Super-lightweight, Super-compact
- Ultra-soundless backlit keyboard
- Great webcam and speakers
- Added Titan-C security chip
Cons:
- Brief connectivity base – 2 USB ports only
- Not 360-foldable
#3. ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 with Bright Backlit Keyboard
Flip C434 is perhaps one of those very few attempts by ASUS in the Chromebook stretch of laptops that yielded such premium output. This laptop ticks all the boxes ranging from powerful hardware to exceptional display and from a sturdy being to a superbly eye-catchy design.
Well, I don’t know where to start reviewing it, but I guess the splendid 14-inches almost bezel-less display of this laptop is worth the first place. This pretty panel has a lot to extol but the biggest highlight is that it’s about equally Nano-edged from all the four sides.
Believe me, guys, visuals rendered at Full HD resolution coming out of this crisp, 100% sRGB, and about-borderless panel feel just so royal.
In addition to the barely 5mm-thick blacks all around the panel, the wide-view cone on the inside boasts 178-degree super-broad viewing angles. That means you can see all the colors and contrasts with the same accuracy from any angle, any corner of your room.
The display is attached to the deck via 360-degree foldable hinges making Flip C434 a completely hybrid machine; you can easily flip it into tablet, tent, or laptop mode as per your preferred position.
Flip C434 has got great hardware essence comprising the 8th Gen Intel m3-8100Y leading as the spearhead component. The two cores and four threads of it offer enough power for your day-to-day tasks combined with 8GB of RAM which makes multitasking quite some fun.
Anyways, one thing that really caught my eye is the laptop’s innovative “ErgoLift hinge” design that gives the keyboard a bit of upward tilt, by extending the upper clamshell’s base, when you shift to laptop mode.
This not only makes for a cinch typing experience but also offers more room for the speakers on the underside to breathe and give out louder sounds.
The keyboard is quite beautifully backlit with perfect key travel and lucid key-press. However, there’s one thing I don’t really like about it i.e. the single chassis-seemed silver/coda color of the keyboard that makes it pretty difficult to read the keys at day times, especially when the backlight comes up.
Features:
- 14” Almost Edge-less, FHD, Touch-support Screen
- Intel Core m3-8100Y CPU with up to 3.4 GHz max boost
- Integrated Intel HD 615 Graphics
- 8GB DDR3 RAM and 64GB eMMC
- 2 USB Type-C 3.1 Gen 1, 1 USB Type-A, and other ports
- 8-10hr battery
- 0.6” thin yet durable footprint at 3 lbs only
Pros:
- Fluent on-the-go performance
- Crisp and bright edge-to-edge wide-view display
- Good screen touch response
- Great battery
- Flagship keyboard with a cozy upward tilt
- Premium all-aluminum lightweight build
Cons:
- Maybe less storage for the price
- Hard-to-read silver keyboard – when the backlight is On in well-lit spaces
#4. Dell Inspiron 2-in-1 14” Chromebook
Dell also has its say in this list for the best Chromebooks with backlit keyboards and here it hits the block with a perfect stingy offer.
This hybrid Chrome-OS-running laptop has got a lot of terrific technology going into its quite simple-looking, yet contemporary, all-aluminum shell.
Dell Inspiron 2 in 1 Chromebook has obtained 8th Gen processing prowess with the Core i3-8130U processor therein having the highest average CPU mark compared to all its counterparts of the same class.
With the base clocking essence of 2.2 GHz, the processor can easily take on all your routine tasks; however, by putting some toll on it, you can push the clocking powers to up to 3.4 GHz for blazing-fast renditions.
Since the machine runs on the cloud-based faster Chrome OS, the trivial 4GB RAM onboard may not get any credit for the quintessential multitasking performance. Though, the 128GB eMMC pre-installed is, of course, worth a mention looking at the asking price.
The 14” monitor here boasts Full HD as its native resolution, supports touch, and has an IPS wide-viewing panel for comfy viewing. The inbuilt brightness of the display is almost perfect for cinch readability outdoors, and all the shadows, highlights, and colors pop up quite crystal.
However, the best part is that Dell Inspiron 2-in-1 also packs an EMR touch pen that doesn’t need any charge out-of-the-box making sure you doodle without any limits.
And of special note is that slight slit on the underside of the deck that allows you to securely keep the pen and quickly slip it in and out whenever needed.
Dell’s claim of a 10hr one-charge battery stand here isn’t as such an exaggeration because I could almost see it work nonstop for those many hours. But that still depends much on your usage routine.
Besides, I loved how the keyboard keys are not too small to be pressed wrongly, well-placed, and nicely backlit. The touchpad, though, isn’t as great as you’d expect as it has loud clicking sounds and a bit of bland accuracy.
Features:
- Dual-core Intel Core i3-8130U 8th Gen CPU with integrated UHD 620 Graphics
- 14” LED-backlit IPS panel with in-house EMR Pen
- 4GB DDR2 RAM and 128GB flash eMMC Storage
- 2x USB-C and other ports + Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 4
- All-aluminum footprint at 3.9 lbs
Pros:
- Sound and sturdy build
- Good fast CPU with plenty of space
- Notably bright display with true colors
- Charging-free Stylus included
- Splendid USB base for the price
Cons:
- Bit heavy for a Chromebook
- Bottom-firing speakers with poor sound
#5. Latest ASUS Chromebook C425 Clamshell Laptop
Chromebook C425 by ASUS is entirely a mix of the specs of the previous two – the 3rd and 4th laptops on my list. Let’s see how.
If I talk about the form and footprint of this laptop, it’s almost a Xerox copy of ASUS CB Flip C434 (3rd on my list above) in terms of the seemly elegance, compactness, and that same slim profile.
However, unlike CB C434, this one doesn’t have an all-aluminum build but rather a mix-material construct comprising aluminum at the top but plastic at the main chassis and beneath the deck.
Though that does put it on a bit of substandardness, I’d say the plastic here is still not cheap so it doesn’t as such abates the aesthetic appeal of the laptop. More thanks in this regard to the 17mm thin forging and the diamond-cut edges all around.
At first glance, the hinges on this laptop may also seem to easily rotate 360 degrees but unfortunately, they don’t. It’s a clamshell laptop and the max it supports the swing is up to 180 degrees only.
A quick peek under the hood shows that CB C425 packs the same 8th Gen dual-core m3-8100Y CPU as that of “Flip C434”. However, the 4GB RAM and 128GB of flash storage aboard make it a twin of the “Inspiron 2-in-1 Chromebook”.
Well, one disappointment with this laptop is that the 14” Full HD panel here isn’t touch-enabled. That may seem to be a deal-breaker until you realize that ASUS C425 is available for under 300.
Apart from that one lack, I don’t see the screen on this laptop falling short of any feature compared to ASUS C434 as it’s equally crisp, vivid, almost borderless, and has a 180-degree wide-view cone installed within.
The frustration of putting white illumination on a silver keyboard to ultimately let the keys fade away (when the backlight is ON) in well-lit spaces continues here too. However, the spacious 6” touchpad with add-in features like multitouch gesture support, etc., is quite a highlight on this laptop.
Finally, you get here the same plenty of I/O ports including 2x 3.1 Gen 1 USB-C, 1x USB-A, a microSD slot, and more. Plus, a fine battery with over 8hr one-charge stand, and a lot of Chrome OS features with 100GB offline storage for 1 year come up your sleeves as well.
Features:
- 14” Full HD, Nano-edged, Wide View panel
- Dual-core m3-8100Y CPU with Intel integrated Graphics
- 4GB DDR3 RAM and 128GB eMMC
- 48Whr battery
- Mix-material build at 2.8 lbs only
Pros:
- Flagship CPU for the bucks
- Lavish storage
- About-borderless lucid display
- Highly portable
- Adjustable keyboard backlighting
Cons:
- Poor keyboard readability in lit ambiance
- No touchscreen
#6. Acer Chromebook 514 with Backlit Keyboard
Acer Chromebook 514, though is a popular Chrome-OS-running laptop, greets you with quite entry-level hardware specs.
The circa-2016 Intel Celeron N3450 quad-core quad-threaded CPU in this laptop seems rather a relic compared to the typically at-hand break-neck technologies for around the same price point in the market.
This 1.1 GHz operating CPU is quite trivial with the max going just beyond 2 GHz (up to 2.2); that also with a considerable toll on its being. The 4GB onboard RAM here is also just OK for the mild everyday tasks, however, the 64GB of eMMC is still somehow at par with the other offers for the same bucks in the market.
Hardware-wise, though, I guess Acer CB 514 is almost obsolete, it’s still fairly responsive and runs rather smooth. But all that credit just and only goes to the light and snappy Chrome OS.
Otherwise, I’m baffled to see the laptop completely failing to hit any decent spot between its price and performance.
When tested on WebXPRT, CrXPRT, and other performance benchmarks, Acer CB 514 scored considerably low compared to its counterparts on this list like “Inspiron Chromebook”, “Pixelbook Go”, “ASUS Flip C434”, etc.
That said, this laptop is so unfairly priced at above 400 seeing the performance specs it holds.
Anyways, the battery is usually the first thing that comes to mind when looking for a Chromebook (or any laptop). And for the battery test, Acer 514 passed it with numbers leapfrogging by a mile compared to those mentioned above.
Hence, the battery claim of Acer on this laptop is at least not dumbfounded and you can really make it hit and go beyond 10 hours on a single charge. And this is possibly the biggest reason why I have this about-obsolete machine on this list.
Besides, I loved the laptop for its 14” diagonal LED-backlit panel boasting Full HD resolution and 10-fingers multi-touch support. The visuals come up good with enough brightness and the wide-view IPS technology adds more to the overall display quality.
The I/O base on the laptop is also quite impressive comprising 2x USB-C ports (both of which serve different functions) and 2x USB Type-A ports. And there’re a few more apertures as well on both sides.
Nevertheless, to me, the keyboard and touchpad combo on this laptop seemed the biggest highlight. The button-less touchpad here is made up of Corning Gorilla Glass for silky-smooth hovers and superb precision.
Whereas, the keyboard keys are quiet, springy, and sensitive and the white backlight behind black-colored keys seems quite royal.
Features:
- Quad-core Intel Celeron N3450 CPU with integrated HD Graphics 500
- 14”, FHD, IPS panel with 10-point multi-touch support
- 4GB RAM and 64GB eMMC
- 2×2 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 4.2
- 3-cell battery – over 10hr stand
- All-aluminum – 3 lbs
Pros:
- Sturdy all-metal build
- Exceptional battery
- Glass touchpad and comfy backlit keyboard
- Great touch-responsive antiglare display
Cons:
- Poor hardware for the price
#7. Flagship HP Chromebook 15-Inch Laptop
HP hits the list now with one of its premium Chromebooks with backlit keyboard and touchscreen to finish things off in some style.
This laptop has actually caught my eye for its cool and charming twin-toned all-metallic streamlined build that has got itself a solid uniqueness in the otherwise flock of bland and boring Chromebooks in the market.
It has its upper clamshell finished in a rather protective Ceramic White paint coming down to connect to the main deck in a smooth transition to Dark-Grayish-like/Platinum sandblasted deck. The elegant inward-arching single hinge making this connection is another biggest spotlight.
Adding more to the charm, this flagship HP Chromebook has a fancy full-sized keyboard sitting extensively all over the deck accompanied by an elongated touchpad tilting more to the left.
The chassis-seemed 3D-metallic-forged keyboard keys look really beautiful when the backlight comes up and are extremely soft-touch with perfect travel.
Under the hood, this Chromebook has an architecture of a mid-tier Intel Pentium Gold CPU combined with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of flash storage. Though these figures seem quite inadequate, they are fairly enough for a Chromebook running at snappy Chrome OS to be blazing-fast at all its go-throughs.
In the display department, I’ve been greeted by a massive 15.6” almost-edgeless touch-enabled panel here. I found that the display is superbly WLED-luminous from the back but it’s somehow failing at the sRGB gamut scale for Chromebooks – only covering below 70% of it.
Nonetheless, the brightness is still acceptable outdoors with a score of around 250 nits.
I’m totally blown away by the battery on this laptop that easily makes it to over 10hrs on nonstop usage until asking for the next charge.
And the front-firing speakers above the keyboard on the deck put out rich and loud Bang & Olufsen sounds further enhanced by HP audio boost to make your entertainment time worth it.
Features:
- 15.6” Full HD, Touch-enabled, Wide-viewing IPS panel
- Intel Pentium Gold 4417U Dual-core CPU with 2.3 GHz clocking power
- Integrated HD Graphics 610
- 4GB DDR4 RAM and 64GB flash eMMC
- 10-12hr one-charge standing battery
- All-metal footprint at 3.9 lbs
Pros:
- Enormous screen size
- Excellent battery
- Full-sized backlit keyboard
- Premium two-toned aluminum build
- Loud front-firing speakers
Cons:
- Bit dull screen-touch response
Bottom Line
Not so long ago, having a backlit keyboard on a Chromebook might have been more of a dream with no such vivid hopes of becoming actuality, at least not as soon. A lot of us, including me too, even still believe that keyboard backlighting is a premium feature only limited to high-end machines.
But that’s no more truth. The backlit keyboard today has become a commonplace feature present on even these second-fiddle counterparts of laptops i.e. Chromebooks.
So all those students, office workers, or businesspersons who really want to get this highly mobile, easy-to-use, and web-based Chrome-OS-running machine, but are staying away because they need a backlit keyboard and they think no Chromebook in the market has this feature, are all mistaken.
There are a lot of Chromebooks with backlit keyboards available in the market and for a very slight increase in the price compared to non-backlit-keyboard ones.
In the article above, I’ve reviewed the top 7 such machines that are currently bossing the market. Scroll up and give them a read.
However, if you can’t bother checking them all, I recommend taking a closer look at Lenovo Flex 5, Dell Inspiron 2-in-1 Chromebook, and HP Chromebook 15.
You’ll surely find your best bet in this more-filtered-out list of three beast machines.