Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook 2 is now available for purchase at Best Buy

Samsung’s latest Chrome OS laptop, the Galaxy Chromebook 2, is now available for purchase at Best Buy. The Chromebook 2 was first announced at CES in January and features a new QLED screen, 360-degree hinge and striking red paint. It starts at $ 549.99 for a Celeron model and goes up to $ 699.99 for a Core i3 version, placing it on the top end of Chromebooks.

That price is the most significant thing about the Chromebook 2 because it is considerably less than the Galaxy Chromebook that debuted a year ago. The older Chromebook had a 4K OLED screen and came with a stylus – none of which you will accept with the new model – but it also cost just under $ 1,000 when it launched. In our review, we found that despite the beautiful screen and impressive paintwork, the original Galaxy Chromebook did not justify its cost, especially thanks to the terrible battery life.

We haven’t tested the new Chromebook 2 yet, but we saw the machine in person in January and it certainly looks like it will be competent. The QLED screen isn’t exactly up to the OLED panel, but you’d be hard pressed to notice without placing them side by side, and the rest of the fit and finish of the Chromebook 2 are suitable for the price Samsung is asking. It is important to note that it still comes in that incredible red color, too. You may notice the extra weight – the Chromebook 2 is about a pound heavier – but it still drops below three pounds in total and should be easily transported.

We will have a full Chromebook 2 overhaul in the near future, but if you don’t want to wait and buy one yourself, you can find one in stock at your local Best Buy store right now. Let’s just hope that Samsung has improved the battery life over the last time.