Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 arrives March 1 with a $50 preorder bonus

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 (Image credit: Samsung)

What you need to know

  • Samsung has opened preorders for the Galaxy Chromebook 2, starting at $550.
  • Available in two colors, this more affordable version of last year's ultrabook comes with either a Celeron or an Intel Core i3.
  • The Galaxy Chromebook 2 will go on sale March 1, and if you buy it from Samsung or Best Buy from March 1-14, you get a $30 credit to spend on your next purchase.
  • If you preorder in February, you get a $50 credit instead of $30.

Announced at CES 2021, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 took the original striking (and stunningly expensive) Galaxy Chromebook and reined in the over-the-top features in order to provide a premium Chromebook without quite as much of a premium price tag, giving us one of the Best Chromebooks without breaking our wallets in half. Rather than a 4K AMOLED display, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 has a 1080p QLED display. Rather than having the Active Pen garaged in the laptop, the stylus will now be sold separately. Rather than sporting Project Athena internals, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 features either a Celeron or an Intel Core i3 processor powering your experience.

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CategorySamsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 ($549)Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 ($699)
ProcessorIntel Celeron 5205UIntel Core i3-10110U
Memory4GB8GB
Storage64GB eMMC128GB eMMC
Display13.3" QLED 1920 x 1080px13.3" QLED 1920 x 1080px
ConnectivityWi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5
Ports2x USB-C
microSD card slot
2x USB-C
microSD card slot
Battery45.5Wh45.5Wh
FeaturesBacklit keyboard
Active Pen support
Backlit keyboard
Active Pen support
Weight2.71 lbs2.71 lbs
Dimensions12" x 8" x 0.55"12" x 8" x 0.55"

As I said during the Galaxy Chromebook 2's announcement, that $549 starter model seems a bit steep for a Celeron-powered Chromebook, even if the screen is gorgeous and the battery life is better than last year's model. This isn't to say that $700 for the beefier i3 model isn't expensive for its processor — the Lenovo Flex 5 has an i3 for $400 and the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 has an i5 for $630 — but there are few Chromebooks in 2021 that can match the Galaxy Chromebook for style and panache.

I'd pay a little more for a great screen on my Chromebook, and no one knows how to do a great screen better than Samsung. The Galaxy Chromebook 2 will be the first Chromebook with a QLED touchscreen, and honestly, at 13.3-inches, I'm perfectly happy to see 1080p quality here rather than 4K.

If you're wanting to get your hands on a Galaxy Chromebook 2, you can pre-order it right now from Samsung.com and get a $50 promotional credit to use on a subsequent purchase. On the other hand, if you wait until March 1 when it's available for immediate purchase, you can get a $30 promotional credit when buying the Galaxy Chromebook 2 from Samsung or from Best Buy so long as you purchase it before March 14.

Ara Wagoner

Ara Wagoner was a staff writer at Android Central. She themes phones and pokes YouTube Music with a stick. When she's not writing about cases, Chromebooks, or customization, she's wandering around Walt Disney World. If you see her without headphones, RUN. You can follow her on Twitter at @arawagco.