Dell Chromebook 3100 11.6", Celeron, 4GB, 16GB eMMC

The Dell Chromebook 3100 is a durable 11.6-inch Chromebook built for students. It handles basic web browsing and document editing fine, but the 16GB of storage and weak battery life are serious limitations. At USD 75 to USD 99 used, it's a decent buy for a kid's school laptop, but most adults should look elsewhere.

Let's be real about the Celeron 1.10GHz processor. In our database, this CPU sits at the 0th percentile for laptops, which means it's literally as slow as it gets. But ChromeOS is lightweight, so the real-world experience isn't as dire as that number suggests. Owners say web browsing and document editing work fine as long as you don't open too many tabs. Push past five or six tabs and you'll feel the 4GB of RAM wheezing.

The 16GB eMMC storage is also at the 2nd percentile, and that's the bigger problem in daily use. ChromeOS itself takes up a chunk of that, leaving you with maybe 8-10GB of usable space. Android app support is technically there, but installing more than a couple of lightweight apps will fill the drive. The 11.6-inch 1280x720 display is at the 1st percentile for screen quality, so don't expect sharp text or vibrant colors. It's a TN panel that gets the job done for reading and typing, but it's not a screen you'll enjoy watching videos on.

Compared to something like the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go, the Dell Chromebook 3100 is a completely different animal. The Surface Laptop Go has a sharper display, better build materials, and a more capable processor, but it costs several times more even used. The ASUS Vivobook Go 15 L510MA is a closer competitor in spirit, another budget machine with a Celeron chip, but it offers a larger 15.6-inch screen and typically more storage. The HP EliteBook 845 G8 and Lenovo ThinkPad 20N2 are business-class laptops that outclass the 3100 in every performance metric, but they're also in a different price bracket entirely.

For pure classroom use, the 3100's durability gives it an edge over most cheap Windows laptops. A ThinkPad will outlast it in terms of performance headroom, but it won't survive a drop off a desk the way this Dell will. If you're comparing it to other Chromebooks in the same price range, the 3100's main advantage is that Dell build quality. The main disadvantage is that 16GB of storage, which is smaller than what you'll find on most competing Chromebooks even at this price.

At USD 75 to USD 99, the Dell Chromebook 3100 is cheap enough to be an impulse buy for a kid's school laptop or a backup machine. The price spread across our two US listings is USD 24, so it's worth checking both Newegg listings before you commit. That said, value here is relative. You're getting a durable chassis and a functional ChromeOS experience for under a hundred bucks, which is hard to beat. But you're also getting a machine with bottom-tier storage, a weak screen, and battery life that owners consistently complain about. If you can stretch your budget to USD 150 or so, you'll find used Chromebooks with 64GB of storage and better panels that will age far more gracefully.

The Dell Chromebook 3100 is an 11.6-inch budget Chromebook aimed squarely at students and classrooms. It runs ChromeOS on an Intel Celeron processor with 4GB of RAM and 16GB of eMMC storage. This is a used machine in most listings, and prices in our database land between USD 75 and USD 99, which tells you exactly what kind of buyer this is for: someone who needs a cheap, durable web machine and nothing more.

People searching for this laptop usually want to know if it can handle schoolwork, Google Docs, and video calls. The short answer is yes, but barely. The Celeron chip and 4GB of RAM keep things moving for basic tabs, but the 16GB of storage is the real bottleneck. ChromeOS leans heavily on cloud storage, so if you live in Google Drive, you'll survive. If you want offline files or Android apps, you'll hit a wall fast.

It's also worth knowing this thing is built like a tank. Dell designed the 3100 for education, so it has a reinforced chassis and spill-resistant keyboard. At 2.85kg, it's not light, but it can take a beating. That durability is probably why so many of these end up on the used market in decent shape.

Skip the Dell Chromebook 3100 if you need a laptop for anything beyond basic web tasks. If you want to install Android apps, store photos or videos locally, or work offline, the 16GB of storage will frustrate you immediately. Creative professionals, developers, and anyone who multitasks heavily should look at used ThinkPads or a Surface Laptop Go instead. Even casual users who just want to watch Netflix will be disappointed by the dim 720p screen. And if battery life matters to you, this isn't the machine. Look for a Chromebook with at least 64GB of storage and a 1080p display, even if it costs USD 50 more.

Should you buy the Dell Chromebook 3100? If you need a nearly indestructible laptop for a young student and you can live with cloud-only storage, then yes, at under USD 100 it's a reasonable buy. The Celeron processor is slow, but ChromeOS hides a lot of that. The real dealbreaker for most people will be the 16GB of storage. It's just not enough for anything beyond a handful of web apps and documents.

If you're an adult looking for a daily driver, skip this. The screen is rough, the battery won't get you through a workday, and the storage will drive you crazy within a week. This is a single-purpose machine: a cheap, tough Chromebook for basic schoolwork. For that narrow job, it works. For everything else, spend a bit more and get something with at least 64GB of storage and a 1080p screen.