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Let’s be real nobody buys a Chromebook for gaming.

But for playing games?

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus playing Ninja Gaiden 2 Black with PS5 DualSense controller

That’s a “no” from me.

Considering their price differences, though, that’s to be expected.

Of course, and Chromebooks present that chance.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus playing Chrono Trigger on display

Surely, thebest Chromebooksof today could manage to pull off decent gaming performance, right?

Great, the games are here, but the real question is: can a Chromebook handle them?

There’s everything from Roblox and Among Us to Dead Cells, Stardew Valley and Loop Hero.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus playing Genshin Impact on display

Then there are addictive card-based titles such as Balatro, Slay the Spire and Marvel Snap.

I booted up Balatro first, and it worked like a charm.

It’s not exactly a demanding title, and it’s easily playable on many smartphones.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus

And yes, now a full 30 years later, it can be played on a Chromebook.

Hardly a surprise, but it’s an engaging title to play on a Chromebook nevertheless.

Now, I decided to up the stakes a tad.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on display

Even after looking at the minimal troubleshooters online, like reinstalling the app, none of it worked.

Apparently, it only works on certain Chromebooks, and one of them isn’t mine.

So Genshin Impact it is.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus playing Ghostrunner on display

Not my general cup of tea, but a popular title fit for any gaming gear.

Unfortunately, though, to no avail.

Afterward, though, it crashed.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus playing Balatro on display

After booting it up multiple times, it kept crashing.

Of course, this leads me to believe this isn’t made for 3D graphics.

More than anything, this all depends on your internet speeds and Wi-Fi connections.

ASUS Chromebook CM14 Laptop,…

The gamer-ready Acer Chromebook 516 GE even comes with an Ethernet port for uninterrupted streaming.

Lo and behold, it is!

The thing is, these games need a controller to get going.

Prime

Without any installs, I tried out the latest, upscaled edition of Ryu Hayabusa’s action-packed adventure.

I then tried Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and had a far better time.

A tiny stutter here and there, but nothing game-breaking.

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3

Of course, though, this all depends on your internet speeds.

There’s no chance my Chromebook could trigger the likes of Cyberpunk 2077.

Instead, I stuck to more 2D indie games, such as Hotline Miami.

Gaming on Linux

Truthfully, I don’t think gaming on a Chromebook is a terrible option anymore.

However, that doesn’t mean games can’t be played on one.

Will I continue to game on a Chromebook?

Acer Chromebook Plus 515 review unit on desk

Unlikely, especially when I have a proper gaming laptop and PS5 at hand.

Acer Aspire Go 15 review unit on desk

iPhone 16 Pro Max gaming.

Game running on Nvidia GeForce RTX 50-series cards.

Acer Aspire 5 (2022) open on desk showing anime playing

Google Chromebook Face Control feature demo

HP Chromebook x360 holiday deal

Chromebook Plus AI features

Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus review unit on a desk

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The Sunny Health & Fitness Under Desk Elliptical unboxed and on a table

iPhone 16 colors hands-on.

Michael B. Jordan as Smoke in "Sinners" movie

Recipes in the food section of Apple News Plus on an iPhone

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition on a garden table