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With the price of gaming hardware going further up all the time, the smart play is to find a way to game without needing a high-powered rig. Chromebooks aren't traditionally considered gaming laptops, but if you use streaming services, they'll get the job done.
Currently, you can find up to $400 off a Chromebook in the Best Buy Tech Fest Sale, with 12 different models from the likes of HP, Acer and Lenovo enjoying various discounts. The deals also include Google AI trials, discounted accessories and trial membership to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, so they're more than monetary discounts. That latter alone would cost you $22.99 for your first month, for example, although only new Game Pass subscribers can enjoy it.
If you're going to rely on a Chromebook for gaming, then the internals aren't as important as they would be on a gaming laptop.
Instead, it's worth considering the screen quality and resolution, to make sure you'll enjoy how it looks. You'll also want a solid amount of storage — I'd recommend 128GB — just so there's space for launchers and your own files.
Since you'll be gaming over the internet, a higher standard of WiFi is worthwhile, and some Chromebooks on that list support WiFi 7.
And don't forget that a Chromebook is for life, not just for gaming, so consider what specs you personally need.
Should you buy a Chromebook for gaming?
Chromebooks aren't particularly powerful, as they're designed more for work or education, but they will let you use games streaming services.
As we've already heard, you get free Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with many of the discounted options, which lets you play on Xbox Cloud Gaming. Chromebooks can also let you play with Amazon Luna, Nvidia GeForce Now and many other similar services.
If you have a reliable internet connection, you'll have a decent time gaming over the internet with a Chromebook.
Plan to download and play games that way? You might struggle: these gadgets aren't that powerful, and while they'll handle indie or older titles, the most advanced titles will see your laptop struggle.
Here are some other Chromebooks discounted at Best Buy with specs that make them better suited for gaming:
We're covering all of the Prime Day gaming laptop deals, to help you find the perfect portable computer for you. And if you're looking for another kind of discounted buy right now, we're reporting on all of the Prime Day gaming deals.
