Can you game on a chromebook?

Chromebooks have come a long way since they were first released in 2011. They are no longer just those little rinky dink laptops exclusively used in middle school. Nowadays, Chromebooks are becoming more viable for everyday use, whether for a lightweight laptop that can handle productivity tasks or even some gaming.

That’s right, gaming is actually an option on some Chromebooks and, thanks to some clever developers, gamers aren’t even limited to Google Play Store games anymore.

What Does Gaming Look Like On A Chromebook?

Currently, the two main methods of gaming on Chromebooks are using cloud gaming services, like NVIDIA GeForce Now, Xbox Cloud gaming, and Amazon Luna, or gamers can play local games with compatible Chromebooks using Steam. Of course, gamers still have access to Google Play Store games, but for gamers looking to play more mainstream triple AAA or console titles, local and cloud gaming will be the best two methods.

Both cloud and local gaming on Chromebooks are still in their infancy, so there is a fair amount of growing pains for both options. However, the point they have gotten to recently is quite impressive. While a Chromebook will probably not be suitable as a primary gaming device yet, that possibility is probably not too far off.

Cloud Gaming

For the majority of Chromebook gamers, cloud gaming is going to yield the best results. For the smoothest gaming experience, gamers must have a reliable, reasonably fast internet connection. Cloud gaming options have become quite the trend these days, and it doesn’t look like it will slow down anytime soon. The three main options for cloud gaming on Chromebooks are NVIDIA GeForce Now, Xbox cloud gaming, and Amazon Luna. All three of these perform exceptionally well and have pretty impressive libraries to start gaming with.

NVIDIA GeForce Now

NVIDIA GeForce Now will be the best option for gamers with a PC game library. Games already owned on Steam, Ubisoft Connect, or Epic can be played on a Chromebook using GeForce Now without downloading anything for the games on the Chromebook itself. There is also a selection of free games users can play by just having a subscription to the service. Unfortunately, not all Steam games are supported by GeForce Now, but the mainstays like Fortnite and Apex Legends are available.

There are three tiers of GeForce Now subscriptions, There’s a free tier that limits playtime to an hour. “Priority” allows users to connect to a premium gaming PC as their server and offers six hours of playtime at 1080p. The final tier gets gamers access to a PC running an RTX 4080 and eight hours of playtime at 4K. For gamers just looking to try it out, a month’s subscription to the priority tier will give a more fair take on the service than the free tier.

Xbox Cloud Gaming

Xbox Cloud Gaming is directed towards Xbox gamers who already have a console and prefer to play console games. Unlike NVIDIA GeForce Now, which connects gamers to gaming PCs in remote locations, Xbox Cloud Gaming uses the player’s home Xbox console to act as the server.

For Xbox Cloud Gaming, there are no tiers; it is included with the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. So, gamers who are already subscribed to Xbox Game Pass should definitely give this a try, and for those who don’t have it, the first month is just $1. Plus, with the cost subscription, there are a ton of free games unlocked to stream, like Forza Horizon, Halo, and Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Amazon Luna

The third and relative newcomer to the list is Amazon Luna. Like GeForce Now, Amazon Luna uses PCs connected to their services, so gamers don’t need any physical hardware besides the Chromebook. However, they still do need a pretty strong internet connection.

Because Luna sits in the middle between Xbox Cloud Gaming and GeForce Now, it finds itself in a pretty exciting position. It’s not really meant for console gamers who already have a gaming console, nor is it really meant for PC gamers who already have a massive library of games. Luna is more geared towards gamers just getting into gaming or picking it up after a hiatus. There is a rotating lineup of games that can be played for free, and during Amazon Prime Days, there are many excellent deals for Luna users that make it easy to pick up a ton of games for cheap.

Best Chromebooks For Cloud Gaming

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  Asus Chromebook Vibe CX55 Flip

  ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX55 Flip is engineered with a striking aesthetic and powerful components for non-stop cloud gaming. The Gorgeous 144 Hz Full HD display and anti-ghosting keyboard make any game a joy to play on this Chromebook. The 2-in-1 display allows gamers to play in a traditional laptop form, as well as a tent mode that allows gamers to immerse themselves in a game with a controller or separate mouse and keyboard.

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  Asus Chromebook Plus CX34

  ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 is a budget-friendly option for gamers that provides Core i3 from the 12th gen series, 8GB RAM, and 256GB storage. The laptop features a 14-inch display with a Full HD resolution to make visuals detailed and crisper and is ideal for both cloud gaming and browser/Android games.

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  ASUS Cloud Gaming Chromebook CX55 Flip 2

  With ASUS Cloud Gaming Chromebook CX55 Flip 2, users will get a touchscreen feature to quickly get their job done. The Chromebook boasts a 15.6″ screen with a high refresh rate of 144Hz for excellent fluidity in gameplay. The system is powered by Core i5 1135G7 and 8GB RAM to make sure users don’t lag behind in performance.

Local Gaming

Local gaming has been the most exciting development over the last couple of years for Chromebooks. Before recently, gamers were stuck with Google Play Store games if they wanted to play games locally and not rely on an internet connection.

But now, with the Steam Chrome OS app in beta, gamers can finally access their Steam libraries on Chromebooks. Unfortunately, Steam on Chrome OS is only available on a few higher-end models, like the Asus Vibe CX55. As a good rule of thumb, if the Chromebook is using an Intel Core i3 or Ryzen 3 processor and has at least 8GB of RAM, it should be able to run Steam and some games, but that is also subject to change as Steam on Chrome OS reaches further steps of development.

With it being super early on, not every game runs as it would on Windows computers as on Chrome OS. Still, these gaming-focused Chromebooks handle quite well with less performance-dependent games like DOOM, Hollow Knight, and PayDay 2.

Best Chromebooks For Local Gaming

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  ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX55 Flip AS562T

  $695 $700 Save $5

  The Asus Chromebook Vibe CX55 Flip has an excellent edition that brings a fantastic display with a 144Hz refresh rate for superfluid gaming and comes with plenty of storage space and 16GB of RAM. Users will get a flippable design and three months of Geforce Now for absolutely free. The laptop has an 11th gen Core i5 CPU, WiFi 6, and Bluetooth support.

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  Acer Chromebook 516 GE

  $479 $649 Save $170

  Designed specifically for gaming on Chromebook and equipped with everything gamers need to get into cloud gaming, it’s now possible to fully enjoy high-FPS gameplay. It has a high-speed refresh rate of up to 120Hz and high bandwidth with a built-in RJ-45 2.5G Gigabit Ethernet (2.5GbE) LAN port and Wi-Fi 6E support. Take full advantage of the crisp and clear frame rate.
   

The Future of Chromebook Gaming

While it is hard to predict what will happen with gaming on Chromebooks in the future, it is currently an inspiring time. Adding more platforms for gamers to play on, especially considering that this makes games more accessible, is a very exciting time for the community as a whole.

Chromebooks sit where macOS computers sat for gaming before Apple’s release of the M1 chips. However, Chromebooks are making up ground quickly, with a list of supported games growing by the day and cloud gaming making that list even longer. It is hard to say precisely when Chromebooks will be seen in the PC gaming community as an entirely viable option, but if they continue down this path they are on now, it is probably not too far off.