Most school kids today carry tablets such as iPads or Galaxy tabs. However, Chromebooks have also become quite common for kids who need these modern tech tools to learn and study more efficiently.

In fact, many of the charities purchase Chromebooks to donate them to those in need. A popular option among these Chromebooks is the Dell Chromebook 11, priced at a low price of $239. This post is actually a Dell Chromebook 11 review in which we will discuss all the features and specifications of this rugged Chromebook.

Not Just a Cheap Chromebook

The first thing you should know about Dell Chromebook 11 is that it is not your average cheap Chromebook. An average cheap Chromebook may compromise on features and have a cheap exterior. However, that’s not the case with Dell Chromebook 11.

This Chromebook is not high-end, but it is definitely well-built. Its exterior is crafted in textured black plastic that makes it look like a premium laptop. This rugged system can survive falls of up to 30-inches even on a steel surface. This even surpasses the MIL-SPEC drop test that high-end laptops have to comply with. So you can rest assured that even if your kid drops this Chromebook in their class, it will be completely fine.

There are significant rubber bumpers at the bottom which absorb and minimize the effects of most of the drops and impacts. These protrusions are significant around 3 out of 4 edges, making the ports recessed and thus, secure from any impacts. The colorful Chrome logo at the top left corner of the lid contrasts with the rest of the exterior.

The fact that Dell’s Chromebook 11 is sturdy, strong, and rugged also means that it is bulky and large. When closed, the Chromebook weighs 2.85 pounds and measures 12 by 8.2 inches. Although overweight, it is worth it due to its ruggedness and solid body that would be helpful for school-going kids. While you can spend more to buy a more high-end, sleek-looking Chromebook, we can’t guarantee that it would survive a fall.

Dell Chromebook 11 is a two-in-one convertible, allowing you to rotate the screen all the way to 360 degrees. So your kids can also use it as a tablet, which comes in really handy sometimes.

Chrome OS

Coming to the operating system, Dell Chromebook 11 runs on Chrome OS. You can also purchase add-on subscriptions of security software, Chrome OS Management Console, and Go Guardian Chromebook Management from Dell’s website for your Chromebook 11.

You may already be familiar with how a Chromebook works. It is mostly used for online use where you can use the browser and carry out your tasks on web-based applications. Majority of the apps run online on Chromebooks. However, some apps like the photo editor and Gmail Offline run offline so your kids can easily take notes even if they don’t have the internet.

Ports

Dell Chromebook 11 comes with two USB 3 ports on the left, an SD card reader, a full-sized HDMI port, and an AC power jack. On the left side of the chassis, there is a charging light, a volume button, a microphone and headphone jack, a power button, and a Noble Wedge security slot.

Touchpad and Keyboard

Dell Chromebook 11 has a really feel-good keyboard with concave keys. However, if you have really long fingernails, you may find it hard to type on it. The typing speed on this Chromebook will typically be the same as an average laptop. On the other hand, it features a buttonless touchpad with a mild sensitivity to allow easy scrolling and swiping with two and three fingers. Whenever you tap on the touchpad, it will make a little noise that may make you feel like it’s loose, but that’s just how it is made.

Audio

The sound quality on Dell’s Chromebook 11 is surprisingly good. You won’t find any distortion in the sound even if you listen to the craziest metal songs on full volume. In most of the situations, you won’t even need to turn its volume all the way up to listen comfortably. An 80% volume level would be more than enough. Your kid can easily use this Chromebook to watch a video with their friends without having to use an external speaker.

Durability

Dell Chromebook 11 is built with durability in mind. It can withstand rough use, falls, and even extreme temperatures. The machine has been proven to withstand drops from a height of 30 inch. Its keyboard is also spill-resistant. So if your child is clumsy, you can rest assured that the Chromebook 11 will take all the abuse your child can manage to inflict upon it.

Display

Since this is quite a compact computer, Dell Chromebook 11 has an 11.6-inch display with a comparatively lower resolution of 1366×768. However, its amazing colors make up for the low resolution. The colors on this Chromebook look real, bright, and brilliant. You can easily watch a good, animated movie with true-to-life colors on this machine.

This Chromebook features a touchscreen, which proved to be really responsive. When you tap on a text section, an on-screen keyboard will appear to help you input text easily. However, the touchscreen is not as impressive and accurate as you would want it to be. So your child cannot use it for a long time. They can only use it to enter small text.

As far as the screen brightness is concerned, it is great when you are using the Chromebook indoors. It offers 223 nits of brightness. However, it is well below the average screen brightness in Chromebooks. So you can’t really use it that easily under sunlight.

Overall, the screen of Chromebook 11 offers wide angles from all sides to enjoy a good viewing experience. So your kid can have their friends gathered around the Chromebook to carry out any activities or collaborate.

Performance

Chromebook 11 comes with an Intel Celeron N3060 chip, featuring a RAM of 4GB. Although you cannot use this RAM to multitask seriously, you can still browse the internet while watching a video. More than two tabs will slow down your processor if you are also watching a video on it. However, when not streaming, you can use 4 and more tabs easily without having to wait too much. If you have more than 8 tabs open, you will start experiencing slowdowns.

In terms of graphics performance, you cannot expect much from this machine as it offers a maximum of 13 frames per second. This performance is much lower than other Chromebooks.

Battery Life

When it comes to battery life, Dell Chromebook 11 will last you more than 9 hours with constant web browsing. It is slightly better than an average Chromebook that lasts about 8 hours.

Therefore, your kid can easily survive a day in school with their Chromebook, without requiring a charger.

Webcam

Regarding the webcam performance, you cannot expect much from a 720p camera in a cheap Chromebook. The video quality on the webcam is quite grainy and dark. It is not ideal for video calling unless you are ready to use filters on your face, which don’t really look impressive. The pictures are also not too detailed.

Variants

Dell Chromebook 11 comes in various configurations. One of these features a 32GB eMMC memory with 4GB of RAM. Whereas the base model comes with 16GB of memory and is only $20 cheaper than the previously mentioned model. You can also get a model with 64GB memory if you put in $40 more.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Chromebook 11 is one of the best Chromebooks for children at this price point. It will get the job done and prove to be sufficient for surfing, video streaming, and other educational tasks. This Chromebook is designed in a rugged way so it can withstand rough use, considering that’s how kids use it.

One thing that we did experience during our tests was Wi-Fi misfires. Your Chromebook will not really perform well if you have weak Wi-Fi. So if your kid is going to use this Chromebook only in robust Wi-Fi spots, then you can go ahead and purchase this product. You can also get an LTE package to solve the internet problem.

Besides that, we don’t see any reason as to why you would not buy it. It has got everything that you would look for when buying a computer for your kid. It has a tough and durable body, comes really cheap, gets the job done, allows easy video streaming, features a touchscreen, comes in a two-in-one convertible style, and is convenient to use. At $239, it is definitely not a bad purchase!

We hope this Dell Chromebook 11 review answered all the questions you have regarding this Chromebook. If you don’t have any doubts anymore, go ahead and buy this ideal machine. If you still have questions, reach out to us!