The chassis is dark gray with a Google Chrome logo on the lid. The system measures 8 by 12 by 0.97 inches (HWD) and weighs 2.84 pounds, which makes it easy to carry around campus or stow in a backpack. If your student uses PDFs or other online textbooks, the system can be a handy alternative to carrying half a dozen five-pound hardcover books.

Like most other Chromebooks, Dell's Chromebook 11 comes with an 11.6-inch screen. The 1,366-by-768 resolution is good for Web browsing, viewing videos online, and doing general computing. The system's LCD is reasonably bright and clear, though HP's Chromebook 11 has a much brighter and clearer In-Plane Switching (IPS) display. The HP system has a wider viewing angle as well; the Dell unit will wash out much quicker if you move away from looking dead center at the screen.