I am using chromebook for quite a while now. Acer Chromebook 15. I just love the google workspace. It really depends on how u use it. I use the Internet, i have my google drive, i use google docs, presentation etc. So if you are in the google ecosystem it is genius imo. I don´t do editing or laptop gaming. So i do not need a windows laptop. Cloud based working is just fine. You can use internet everywhere now a days. And in worst case scenario you can use your phone as a hotspot. I am sticking with a chromebook. Simply because it can do everything i need to do.
The thing that annoys me about Chromebooks is that google stop supporting them once they are over five years old, my first Chromebook was working fine when support ended for it.
Even Windows 10 support ends next year, 2025. Chromebooks have a 9 or 10 year support lifetime. Much better than Windows versions. After 10 years you will probably want newer and improved hardware anyway.
me, I am a music producer, and i use Remixlive, Chromes low overheads means I can do more with less, and the simplified, touch enabled interface is a blessing when performing.
I love mine. I have an external portable hub that connects to my microusb port. It gives me the ability to connect my external monitor, additional usb ports, and a network cable. I have several Windows-based laptops( i work in IT) I use my Chrombook for basic everyday tasks, wataching movies, videos reading..etc. I love the ease of use of a chromebook. I will always purchase Chromebooks
I brought a Chromebook about 12 months ago for a few hundred dollars on sale one day, and I am super surprised how well it works for most tasks. I use it as a personal companion to my work laptop,
Agree completely, Liron. I have a desktop Windows machine that I built and an old Chromebook I keep by my bed or use when I travel. The Cb is small, inexpensive, and has long battery life. I can create text files offline, copy/paste/format them when online and share. The Cb has Bluetooth and USB ports so I have unlimited storage for books, movies, podcasts. Plus, it's tough. I got an Asus ruggedized version.
Lumafusion is coming to ChromeOS which can bridge the video editing gap, Adobe Rush should work on it. For many people Rush will do the job, but if colour grading is something you need then just need to wait for Lumafusion. For me I am waiting for Lumafusion and the Pixelbook 2 to release before making the jump. I used an iPad for college and other than the odd app it worked well and I was doing a computing course so a Chromebook which Linux app will work on will do the job for me tbh
I use a high-end Chromebook (Acer Spin 714) with 16 GB RAM and a Core i7. I haven't used MS Office in years, so the only downside is no DaVinci. I did try Parallels; it kinda sorta works as a Windows VM. I have used this Chromebook for over a year as my exclusive computer at work and home. To me, if you want a true productivity machine get something that is Chromebook Plus and spend $500+
@Liron Segev ~ Is it just me or has most computer companies intentionally suppressing RAM to just 16GB or less these days? Most of the time if you want a laptop greater than 16GB Ram your forced to dish out $1000 or more. I have been a Windows supporter since 8088 and until just recently am considering to invest into a Chromebook but don't know how to discern if the Chromebook allows for RAM upgrade ability. For example I'm trying to avoid any predetermined soldered RAM on the motherboard. My life experience has taught me that maxing out RAM always improves the CPU performance and as such, every computer and / or laptop I purchase has me quickly asking how much RAM am I allowed to max out. Any suggestions?
The Lenovo Chromebook that is associated with the mediatek chipset seems very interesting one that tends to implement a level of performance that can be a potential one.
I have many laptops and Chromebooks but my portable computer goto is still the Lenovo Duet OG because it's cheap, reliable and has an extended battery life, I only need to charge it once a week and if I need to charge it a compact power bank would do the job. Another reason is I wouldn't break a sweat if I lose my Duet OG it's a $150 device and all my data is on the cloud. A mobile hotspot with the phone is just one-click on ChromeOS.
I purchased a $1,149 plus tax laptop 💻 on Amazon on sale refurbished for only $334.99 plus tax. That is a very good deal on a laptop 💻!!! Hope it will work really well. Got a laptop for about 360 bucks after taxes.
I went on the internet in 96. Had trouble and picked up viruses with everything I bought! I came upon Acer Chrome Book and that is what I use! I have tablets but Acer is my go to when I need a laptop!@@LironSegev
Short version for all: ChromeOS = casual users, students, people with smaller budget but want speed Windows = gamers, office workers Linux - Servers, tech-savvy MacOS = content creators, hipsters
I think laptop is over all more functional but if you have a desktop and dont need serious processing power I think Chromebook or an iPad is better suited. Also I think we are at an age when a browser can do anything a dedicated application. I mean 2023 we can play snes games in the browser imagine what stuff a browser can do in 2033 or 2044? Basically I believe soon the smartphone will do to the phone what browsers will likely do to application. I mean I am no fortune teller and I would love to read this 20 years from now to see if I was close or not
I have a dell 7410 Chromebook i7// 16gb// 512ssd 10thgen. I'm transitioning into cybersecurity is the Chromebook okay for my use? Or if i should install the windows 11 into it will it also be cool. Please i need and guide on wat to do please 🙏
I found a used one for $40. My roommates gf just needs a laptop for googling and typing so I got it as a Christmas gift. I’ll give it a run through and clean/speed it up before giving it to her though haha.
Yes and no. No being you got access to all the play store. And if you are already an android user you will feel at home. In linux you need to study to be able to download software
@@bobwreck3775 Most Linux desktop distribution have a "play store" type system as well. There are apps systems like snaps and flatpack. You NEVER need terminal window/command line to do stuff. Linux terminal, where you use ssh [equivalent to Windows Powershell] is for server type environments, and professionals don't use desktop anyway.
:) Thanks for sharing, BUT, I ditched mine for planned expiration dates for support! They were all dated stamped for x number of years, then NO updates? :( I don;'t if that still the case, but when mine expired support date, it went to donation box...
I need a laptop for work as my Mac is to difficult to use . I use Dropbox to access files, then log into google for excel and my charts but I need it all to run at the same time and then use outlook too. Would a Chromebook be capable of all of this without freezing up
You nailed it. I have several laptops with Windows and mostly Linux on them (I do a lot of virtualization), but I bought an 8 gb RAM refurbished CB for travel. I put movies and reading and tons of other stuff on an encrypted 240 GB SD card that inserts into the CB. I have 2-factor authentication on my google account, so I get phenomenal speed, great battery life, it's incredibly light, and I don't worry about it being stolen or lost as my account would be completely inaccessible thanks to 2-step verification. It's a great deal.
@Galois if you have the skills to use Linux, you definitely don't need a Chromebook. Like you I use Linux by choice or W10/W11 for work, if I need to access all the features of MS Office.
I have been using chromebooks for years. My current one is the Lenovo Duet 5. OLED screen, crazy 14+ battery life. I use xcloud, GeForce Now and Stadia for AAA gaming. Media consumption AND installed VS Code on the Linux partition for learning Python. Doubles as a tablet when disconnecting the included keyboard. It actually is a great device. Paid $300 for it.
Chromebook has provided me with the perfect solution in both work and private life. All my work activities are web-based. I have a decent amount of storage in SSD format and use an external drive for any additional stuff. I can easily work offline when needed (hardly ever). I have also converted my Acer Nitro 5 to Chromebook. (it was playing up and needed attention) Now it is a killer Chromebook!
I run my entire business with ChromeOS (HP Dragonfly i7 32 GB RAM) I don't game (and gamers won't be in the market for a Chromebook anyway so I don't understand why this continues to be a talking point), but I web develop, create web apps, manage database systems, and a small team of tech enthusiasts, all of us are on ChromeOS. As for talking points, "you need to be on the internet" my question is: who really isn't on the internet (no matter the device)? I would love to speak to that person. At any rate, I left Windows and macOS years ago and I never need to worry about updating drivers or hardware, living in a sandboxed environment works for me and likely millions of others.
+1. One of the main uses for a personal computer is to connect to the internet, and Google was smart enough to figure that out and build a device that takes advantage of that basic fact. For those who think that a chromebook is ONLY useful if you're connected to the internet - I've managed to install a text editor, raster image editor, vector image editor, pdf reader, music player, and movie player locally on my chromebook, and they are all 100% usable offline. It is a myth that a chromebook needs to be constantly connected to the internet to be useful.
I'm a CTO of a tech company and I've got plenty of Linux containers and apps on my chromebooks, apps/websites/databases/servers devevelopment as well.. So what I did before using Linux laptops it's even easier now with ChromeOS... and now Steam is on Beta channel so we'll be seeing plenty of powerful gaming Chromebooks soon...
I have an Alienware x17, which is awesome for my gaming activities. On an airplane, or doctor's office waiting room, I like my Chromebook for reading and browsing. My little Chromebook fits in my purse and is easy to carry when I need it. Does anyone NEED three screens, ie, laptop, CB, and phone? No, but it's pretty convenient when they sit on my desk, ready to go!
I completely disagree. As an ex-Microsoft Windows developer I lost nothing except grief after I moved to Chrome OS. You need an Internet connection in exactly the same use-cases with both Chrome OS and Windows. The best part about moving to Chrome OS. . . No Windows Updates ever again. Linux is an even better bet but Chrome OS runs Android Apps that are installable from the Play Store so there is that too.
I couldn't agree with you more NewZed! I turned my back on windows about a year and a half ago and haven't looked back since. I can do everything I need to on a chromebook and even can use the linux command line for things that are more intensive.
@@benwilliams2713 If you want to have a lot of tabs open or run more than one app at a time I would say yes. I have 8gb and 4gb models that i use. as long as you are a little more patient with the 4gb models though it can work just fine.
chromebooks can run heavy tasks too. Had a screen recorder while recording programs via the chrome browser a lot of load. I have always worked my chromebooks to the limit.
HE IS NOT BEING TOTALLY HONEST 1) ChromeOS is read-only OS which means it CANNOT get viruses. PERIOD. 2) Connect your Chromebook to your phone Wifi. Connectivity issues solved 3) if you remote into work like many of us do, then it is all you need. Once you have taken over your work computer, it is just a dumb terminal. WHAT IS TRUE If you're the 5% that game or create intense media content, then Chromebooks are not for you. But Chromebooks handle 95% of what we all do everyday. And at well under $200, they are a worthy addition. Do you know any other 1 thing else that fits the needs of so many?
Hey Gregory: I am not sure you know what the word HONEST actually means. What you offered we some great tips, but how is that showing that I was being DISHONEST? I am never sure why people don't just say: hey that was cool, here are some more cool tips? Why just go and be a dick? I HONESTLY don't know (see how that works)
I have an old laptop running ChromeOS Flex at the moment, back in the days in 2013 this laptop costed 200€ (euros) and almost 10 years later is still running perfectly thanks to ChromeOS, the only cost I has was buying a 40€ (euros) 120GB SSD. Thanks ChromeOS!
Nothing wrong in paying a high price for a premium Chromebook. I do not want the complexity of traditional OSes AND still want a nice laptop with great hardware.
I guess it depends on what you need a laptop for - the core proposition is something simple and so I find it perfect for writing up notes or whatever, without the distraction of everything going on in WIndows or Mac - the OS gets out of the way. And if I want to I can use VS Code, Android Studio, Mullvad VPN and qbtorrent etc. I don't video edit, so it's not a loss - but if i did I wouldn't be doing it on a cheap laptop, I'd be on decent hardware and a massive screen...
A Chromebook or a laptop? A Chromebook is a laptop. A MacBook is a laptop. A Surface is a laptop. A System76 is a laptop. There is no difference. So what do you mean a Chromebook or a laptop?
Let me disagree with you, especially with the last part, about the pricey Chromebooks. I'm leading an engineering team at a tech company, and working with multiple development tools, so I'm definitely not a student or an elderly, who has issues eith tech 🙂. I've had my $1000 Pixelbook for almost 2 years now. I bought it as a secondary device, but it quickly became my main device both for work and fun. I also have a desktop PC at the office, just in case I need Windows. For more then a year, I turned on the Windows PC only a couple of times, for checking the LAN connection, as there was an issue with the office Wifi 😀. The Pixelbook is amazing. Along with lots of web apps, I'm using android and linux apps as well, and they cover all my needs. I don't play games heavier than solitaire, and don't do video editing. But I can have 90+ tabs open with some linux apps running, with an external big screen connected, without any problems. I can work whole day without a charger (thought not with the external display), and still have charge left for watching a movie in the evening.
David, that's not the point. Editing and Gaming are just very intensive so it's a way to push the hardware to the limit. If it can handle that, it's going to handle Word.
Got a refurbed (looks like new with AUE June 2027) 15" touchscreen 1080p Chromebook off Newegg for $120. It handles 90% of everything I do. I use on old i5 desktop for everything else.
Most of the things this guy has said on here are most definitely false! Chromebooks get some much bad press by people that don't really know the half of what they're about and don't really use one daily. And stop saying they are cheap and have minimal storage. That's not true either. There are premium Chromebooks that cost over a 1000, with massive storage and runs like a dream. All these clout chasers need to stop talking about this OS in the way they do just for views. Actually go use a high-end one and see for yourself if you'll ever be able to go back to your windows PC or not. Absolute fools!
I installed LibreOffice on my Chromebook as a workaround for MS Office. I love my CB Duet. Its just a nice light device for me to carry around when I'm away from home so I can quickly access things I don't prefer to open on my phone. Like doing emails, other admin stuff
I love Chromebooks. Day to day I do everything on it. Won't be replacing my gaming pc. Everything else on Chrome OS. I daily drove a linux desktop from 1992-2019. With a Windows PC for gaming.
Both Windows and macOS require internet access for updates. Can ANY operating system be updated without internet access? Also since ChromeOS can run Linux, a higher-end system can run Davinci Resolve. So the limitations are more imagined than real. Sure there are things that limit the choice of systems e.g. Final Cut is macOS only. Do people really use the unique features of Microsoft office to make it a deal breaker? More thinking on the use-case and real user needs should be applied to selecting ANY technology.
Have both CB and laptop and really like my chromebook, but for me there won't be any more CB's until google fixes that there is no possibility to set the volume for the left and right channels separately. If you have a hearing loss, you cannot balance the sound when listening to music, watching movies or playing games. Incredibly disturbing. A very basic feature that exists in Windows but not in Chrome OS. Really bad...
You can solve the potential battery life issue by bringing a high quality power bank with you. Anker has many great power banks 10-20k mAh with iQ charging or you can buy one of their GAN wall chargers that go up to 150watts all you really need is a 3-6ft usb cord and battery life will never be an issue ever again
Love the review. Sounds like I can do with a Chromebook since I am not a heavy gamer (there is consoles for that I believe) and will not need all that graphics power, plus I will be using it for the family to have it readily available for use around the house.
I was given an old W10 laptop (Sooooo slow). Replaced the HDD with another one and installed FydeOS on it. I can put back the old HDD if required. Best of both worlds? 🤔
Windows 10 has put me off purchasing a laptop so decided to go for a Chromebook’s last night, only need it for emails and word documents, more admin kinda stuff plus was only £175
Still using my i5 pixel slate as well. It still gets what I need done. The only time the 8th gen processor slows down a bit is when I'm on Google Meet calls. Other than that is is working great still.
I use a chromebook for work. But that is programming, not video editing. The linux works very well indeed, it is all secure, it will work on the bus without net connection. It has an 11th gen Intel in it, so it rips. And I can watch a movie or listen to music if so inclined. Ta for the story
You know kdenlive is in the linux repository - although the current build is not happy with the GPU as provided virtually through Chromeos - it is stable with GPU turned off.
Don't make it sound like deal-breakers are exclusive to Chromebooks. There are many computing choices out there, and which one is right for you depends highly on what your needs are, and what you value in a device. A Chromebook is a terrible choice if you need to use an application that's exclusive to Windows or Mac. Windows is a terrible choice if all you need is a web browser, if you place a high value on security, or if you'd rather not have your computer out of commission for what seems like an eternity while it installs updates. Mac is a terrible choice if you need to use an application that's exclusive to Windows, or if you value value. Understanding your own needs and wants is crucial to making the right choice when it comes to computing. That said, I agree 100% that Chromebooks are a great recommendation for less tech-savvy friends and family members; it's a great way to reduce the amount of time you spend doing tech support. Finally, laptop != Windows. Laptop is a form factor, just like desktop, all-in-one or tablet. ChromeOS devices, as well as devices running Windows, are available in all of these form factors.
I've owned a number of Chromebooks and I love them. I've bought them for family members too and they love them. But I still need to use Windows which is why I use my IdeaPad when I have to. I still need it for work. Otherwise, I spend as much time away from Windows as possible.
I use Chromebook all day every day. And quite a bit of that is off line. When I get back to my WiFi it auto-updates. And I use Microsoft Word on it as well, but mostly the Google Docs.
