Why would anyone use a Chromebook?

Developed by Google, Chromebooks quickly gained a loyal following thanks to their simple user interface, lightning-fast boot-up, and extensive built-in suite of Google tools that supercharge productivity.

Read on to find out more about the reasons to use a Chromebook, including its strong security features, sandboxed approach, and rich Google ecosystem with all the apps you need in your everyday laptop.

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Powerful security features

Automatic updates, sandboxes, etc.

Pocket-lint / Acer

Firstly, Chromebooks come with a host of powerful security features that provide everything from automatic updates to verified boot of clean system files and software.

ChromeOS performs automatic updates seamlessly in the background, allowing applications to receive timely security patches, bug fixes, UI improvements, and updates at a much faster pace than if they were installed manually.

According to Google’s automatic update policy, ChromeOS devices will be updated for 10 years, after which they will offer self-healing capabilities in secure mode, meaning that corrupted files will still be easily detected and repaired, so you can expect a certain level of protection. Please note that not all devices are eligible for automatic updates or have a short period of updates.

Sandbox

For maximum operational efficiency

Another advantage of Chromebooks in terms of security features is sandboxing, which allows all apps and websites that run on ChromeOS to operate within a sandboxed environment, preventing data from being compromised through widespread security breaches.

Power Wash

Restore your Chromebook to factory settings

A third powerful security feature that Chromebooks offer is PowerWash, which allows you to restore your laptop to factory settings. A factory reset can return your Chromebook to its original state and can be useful for fixing persistent issues (like frequent crashes), removing nasty spyware, or if you’re planning on selling it.

Affordable Chromebooks

If it’s under $300, you won’t waste a lot of money.

One of the best things about Chromebooks is how affordable they are. They are cheaper than Windows or MacOS laptops, starting at around $300, meaning they are within reach of almost anyone, including high school and college students. For example, the Acer Chromebook featured in this guide retails for just $260, making it a bargain.

Other Chromebook variants are also available at a range of prices. For example, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet, a 2-in-1 that combines tablet and laptop functionality, retails for around $250, while the HP Chromebook 14 with a 14-inch HD display sells for around $40 less on average.

Enjoy the Google ecosystem

One of the biggest attractions of Chromebooks is the Google ecosystem, which gives you instant access to built-in Google apps like YouTube and Google Sheets. To view the loaded apps, simply sign in with your Gmail account. If you need to store files or work on online spreadsheets, Google Drive is a great place to start.

If you have an Android phone, text and photos will be updated in real time on your Chromebook.

Incidentally, Chromebooks also have a feature called Instant Tethering that allows you to stay connected to your Android phone’s hotspot even if your internet connection drops, automating the connection process so you don’t have to hop between different spots for a reliable connection.

Powered by Google AI

That’s really clever.

One of our favorite Google AI integrations is the Chromebook Plus, which offers intelligent Assistant integration so you can perform a myriad of tasks just by issuing voice commands, like sending an email or turning on the thermostat.

Other great features of Google AI include personalized content recommendations based on what you watch, Smart Reply and Smart Compose in Gmail to help you respond to emails faster, and Google Photos recognition for adaptive battery management.

On the backend, Google AI is also cleverly working to optimize the process – for example, it uses machine learning to understand which apps are opened most frequently and optimize the loading process accordingly. There are also plenty of accessibility features for people with disabilities – two of our favorite options are Live Subtitles and Select to Read, which provide real-time subtitle display.

About Chromebook and Chromebook Plus

Which one should you buy?

Google has released two versions of the Chromebook: the Chromebook and the Chromebook Plus. The Chromebook Plus has double the processing memory and storage, and also comes with an AI-powered 1080p camera, which allows for better video calling than the Chromebook’s 720p camera.

Another key advantage that the Chromebook Plus has over the Chromebook is the Intel Core / AMD Ryzen powered processor, which runs much faster and smoother. Memory has also been doubled to 8GB RAM, and it also offers automatic file access with File Sync.

Both versions come with all the apps you need most, including built-in Google apps, the entire Microsoft 365 Suite, and popular standout apps like Adobe Acrobat.

The Chromebook and Chromebook Plus are the same price, boot up in just 10 seconds, and have a battery life of up to 10 hours. Not only does it have great battery life, but ChromeOS is a lightweight application that excels at web-based tasks, so you won’t experience any lag.

Other Chromebooks, such as the Google Pixelbook Go and Acer Chromebook Spin 713, offer a battery life of 8-12 hours. Actual battery life will vary based on several factors, including usage patterns and display brightness levels.

The problem: What you can’t do on a Chromebook

There are a lot of things Chromebooks aren’t good at

Asus

Although there are many great things about Chromebooks, they also have a number of limitations that users of Windows or MacBook devices will have to get used to.

Chromebooks have limited software compatibility and can’t run full versions of the most popular mainstream apps like Adobe Creative Cloud or AutoCAD, or full desktop versions of Microsoft Office. This also applies to storage options, with Chromebooks relying on cloud storage, whereas Windows and MacBook users have plenty of local storage options.

Another area where Chromebooks can improve is gaming performance: you should be able to play games outside of high-end titles like Cyberpunk 2077, which typically rely on high-end graphics processors like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6700M. Plus, most of them are designed for Windows.

When it comes to hardware, Chromebooks have lower-end processors and less RAM than Windows or Mac laptops. Forget Intel Core i7/i9 and AMD Ryzen 7/9 with up to 28GB RAM. Instead, they use Intel Core i7/i9 and AMD Ryzen 7/9 with up to 8GB RAM.

Finally, consider peripheral compatibility: Only Windows and macOS offer driver support for most high-end audio and graphics needs, lacking drivers and support for Focusrite Scarlett, PreSonus AudioBox, Wacom Cintiq, and hundreds of other professional software tools.

Why a Chromebook should be your next laptop

Affordable prices are a big selling point

Despite their budget-conscious software and hardware limitations, Chromebooks are a great choice for budget-conscious consumers looking to buy their next laptop on the cheap. Chromebooks like the ASUS Flip C434 boot up in under 8 seconds, are easy to use, have a quick learning curve, have a battery life of over 10 hours, and are smoothly integrated with Google services, making almost any Chromebook a good choice for sending important emails.