Why chromebooks

You can also install and play Linux games, though you'll need a higher-end Chromebook to do it. Plus, there are also several Android apps available for photo and video editing, including Adobe options. Today's Chromebooks like the Asus CM5 are ready for playing cloud gaming services, Android games and even Linux games. Several years ago, all Chromebooks were pretty much the same regardless of what company made them.

Now, there's a far greater variety of laptops and two-in-ones -- convertibles and tablets -- to take advantage of Chrome OS's current capabilities. You'll still find more sizes and styles when it comes to Windows laptops, especially if you need top processing and graphics performance, but the variety of options is much better than in the past.

If you're just after a good, basic experience with a Chromebook, the small, lightweight OS has minimal hardware requirements and the same goes for web apps. Having a faster, higher-end processor, more memory and greater storage for files and apps will help keep demanding multitaskers moving along, but otherwise here's what I recommend when I'm asked what basic specs to look for:.

There is flexibility with these recommendations. You can get a 1,xresolution display, for example, but the cheap ones used in low-end Chromebooks look particularly soft next to full-HD models. And you can get by with 32GB of onboard storage as long as there's a microSD card slot to supplement it or you don't plan to download a lot of Android apps. Unlike a regular laptop, a Chromebook relies more on cloud storage for files rather than local storage. It's also worth noting that many times storage and memory are soldered on and can't be upgraded after the fact so you might want to plan ahead.

Currently, non-Google hardware is only supported for so long before it stops receiving Chrome OS and browser updates, including those for security. For models released in , the date is roughly 7 to 8 years from the initial release of the device, but that's not always the case. Google maintains a list of AUE dates for all models and you should check it before you buy a Chromebook, new or used.

When Chromebooks first launched they basically became paperweights when they were offline -- a real issue if you were in the middle of editing an important document you suddenly couldn't save because your web connection dropped. Things have thankfully gotten better as Google improved offline capabilities and common apps like Netflix, YouTube and Spotify have offline options as well.

Read: The best VPNs for For a regular laptop, being offline is a little less of a problem since you're using installed software that saves to internal storage. While neither experience is great offline these days, Chromebooks are not a great choice if you're not willing and able to be online most of the time.

Samsung CBP. Your article does not mention that Google stops supporting Chromebooks after a fixed date. The End Of Life EOL date of each machine cannot be altered and there is no option to get updates short of buying a new machine. Our nonprofit organization found this out the hard way.

Last year during the pandemic we received a donation of 2 refurbished Chromebooks that are being used by our Treasurer and Accountant to keep our books and for online banking and payroll.

In our board meeting last month we were shocked to realize the end of life for both machines is June of this year. The board decided that Chromebooks not be considered as replacements, since each one has the equivalent to a built-in ticking bomb that cannot be overriden and Google touts this as a security feature. Hi Chris, Google are atm working on some very exciting adjustments to keep a Chromebook going to get latest updates.

I work for them. So very exciting news. That software makes it easy to turn any old computer into a Chromebook, effectively, and then continue to get ongoing operating systems on it more or less indefinitely. Taken together, we could soon see a whole new level of long-term support for Chrome OS products.

Hi, I feel your pain but this happens with all computer manufacturers. We use Dell who only support their devices 5 years after they end production. So you might still get Windows 10 and software updates but you do not get firmware updates which is still considered a security risk. Great review, thanks for that. One question my wife uses Zoom extensively for exercise and Tia Chi classes, is there a camera in the chromebook and will Zoom run well? Hey Ian, thanks for the feedback! Yes, you should be able to use Zoom fine on a Chromebook — any modern one should have a webcam.

The only thing I have to say about Chromebooks is that unlike a Windows laptop you need to update it regularly or it will start messing with the tabs you have open. It will be hard to switch from page to page without it reloading. I am retired and thinking of upgrading from my IPad to a laptop or Chromebook. I use only for internet browsing, news, u-tube,movies, internet banking and security investments, watching sporting events live.

Would a chromebook fit my needs for the above? Any disadvantages I should consider? Thank you. I agree. Chromebooks as sold in shops and online should display the AUE on the box. How many people have discovered too late that hard earned investment cash has been wasted on a time limited item? I need to write and put together a CV — is Google workspace effective for this task?

Hey Lynne, thank you very much for your comment! Yes, Google Workspace would be fine for this. What do I need to do if I start using a chromebook? Hope that helps! And I saved a ton of money. Very happy with my choice. I really wish I had read this before I bought a Chromebook. Thanks for your comment Mark! I have found my Chromebooks to be stable and practical.

I have had zero problems with viruses or updates. There are plenty of quality apps for photo and video editing Chromebooks use. I am wondering if I can install Photoshop using Linux as well. I just think people need to research what Chromebooks can and cannot do before buying one. Thanks again. Great review! Hi Nabila, sorry for the delayed response here! It depends really on what sort of apps are being used for the distance learning. However, if the school is making use of web browser-based resources to teach online, then a Chromebook should be fine as it comes with Chrome, which is perfectly good for that and if Google Classroom is being used, the best option.

The best thing to do would be to check with the school how they plan to deliver their teaching and take it from there. I hope this helps? Been wanting some straight forward info on Chromebooks for some time. Could suit me down to the ground. Thank you for this article. I had one and it was so confusing and hard to use that it sat unused for 3 years until I sold it to a relative.

MAC was like alien technology and well above my knowledge. The availability of competitive systems has been dismal for years leaving you with little option. Excellent article. It helped me finalize my decision. My chromebook has never given me a problem and I have had it for years. I accidentally ruined the keyboard so I have to buy a new one. Always ended up having problems with other laptops. Thanks for the feedback Gina. So, I think the best thing to do here would be to connect an external keyboard to your old Chromebook either via USB or Bluetooth.

I am a retired senior, currently using an iPad for on line banking, extensive personal research, shopping, email, Utube news, keeping up with and tabs on my family — and working a family tree research on Ancestry. I have transferred photos and conferenced n Face Time. I do not play games, write letters, draw up graphs or otherwise run an office. Would a Chrome book be a good way to go. My iPad is old and infected. Hi Maryemma!

Thanks for your question. Basically anything that you would normally do in a web browser Safari, Chrome etc. I bought a very high end chromebook and returned it after I found out why hyperthreading no longer works in VMs. Happier with my replacement laptop and all its threads. I tried to connect a monitor to my Chromebook.

I did not see the Mirror the Built in Display option. So long story short,chromebook does not like drawing tablets. Everyone has a mobile that can do a lot more than a chrome book.

Then you need a pc or a Mac for some real work. If you travel a lot you may need also a tablet. Having a chrome book is just another device that do everything worse that any of your already available devises. Thanks for the great review, very helpful! A very clear review, and thanks as well for links to particular models. I have an entry level windows computer which I bought because I work on G-suit only. The problem is that there is not enough disc space for the windows updates… Which makes me wonder why they sell such a computer?

Anyway… I contacted the manufacturer asking if it is possible to change the unit to a chromebook, but they said it is not possible because the hardware is designed for windows. Is this true or just them protecting their product?

Will any windows computer be able to run the chromium OS? I switched to Chromebook and a Chromebox from windows several years ago and never looked back. One thing about Chrome products that is not often talked about is the AUE. The Auto Update Expiration. When a device reaches AUE, automatic software updates from Google will no longer be provided. These devices will need to be replaced when they reach the AUE. This needs to be considered when making purchasing decisions.

There are many types of Chromebooks to choose from, for me, the game changer was an HP 15 with a full number pad including page up, page down, home and delete keys. There are very few Chromebooks that have a full number pad. Hi Kyle, the initial version was, yes. Hope this helps. Purchased a Acer Chrome Book in November and today it died. No sign of battery life or power lights.

Tried all fixes nothing worked. Much like traditional laptops, not all Chromebooks boast the same features, capabilities, and price tags. Some are more powerful than others, a handful are more feature rich than the rest, and a small number even come with a premium price tag. They just have higher specs and more premium builds. Some Google Chromebooks , like the Google Pixelbook , will set you back even more. Still, most Chromebooks are either cheap, making them excellent for students , or at least reasonably-priced at the very least.

Feature-wise, there areChromebooks that come loaded with them like touchscreen, a 2-in-1 form factor, and the ability to expand your storage.

Meanwhile, some lower-end ones come with only the most basic features. The key difference between Chromebooks and other laptops is the operating system.

For text documents, spreadsheets and presentations you have Google Docs, Sheets and Slides. There are even apps for quick photo editing including Adobe Photoshop Express.