Key Takeaways
- Chromebooks are extremely affordable; most range in price from $150 to $500.
- Chromebooks are portable due to their smaller size and weight, making them easy to carry anywhere.
- Chromebooks are simple to use thanks to a lightweight interface, suitable for users of all ages.
Chromebooks have evolved considerably since they launched in 2011 and are now more capable than ever. Why, then, do so few people consider them when buying their next laptop? This question has bugged me for ages, so I’m here to convince you to buy a Chromebook.
Why I’ve Been Using Chromebooks for Years
I purchased my first Chromebook in 2013, and have used one as my main laptop ever since. I may have gone through four different devices in that time, but this was by choice—shiny new Chromebooks compelled me to upgrade after a few years. I currently own a Pixelbook Go, the most powerful (and therefore expensive) Chromebook I have ever purchased.
I do also use an all-in-one Windows PC at home, when I want to sit upright at my desk. But at all other times, my humble Chromebook is perfect for work, play, and everything in between. There are many reasons I’ve stuck with Chromebooks for so many years, and why I think your next laptop should be a Chromebook.
Chromebooks Are Affordable
The first, and most obvious, reason to consider a Chromebook is the sheer affordability of these devices. If you shop around, you can pick one up for as little as $150, although most cost between $200 and $500. Either way, as laptops go, they’re extremely affordable.
Compare Chromebooks to Windows laptops or MacBooks, and the difference is clear. Excellent Chromebooks with great build quality, a good touchscreen, plenty of RAM, and a solid battery life are more affordable than poor-to-average Windows laptops. And even the best Chromebooks are cheaper than any MacBook you may be considering buying.
Chromebooks Are Portable
All laptops are portable, obviously; the clue is in the name. However, Chromebooks are particularly portable as they’re generally smaller and lighter than equivalent Windows laptops or MacBooks. Sure, you could drop $1,000 on a paper-thin MacBook Air, but as well as the high asking price, you’ll be stuck using macOS.
A machine’s portability isn’t just about its size and weight either. Because Chromebooks are so affordable and rugged, there’s an inherent portability about them. You can chuck one into a rucksack and use it anywhere you want without worrying too much about it getting stolen or damaged.
To connect your Chromebook to the internet while out of the house, you’ll need to use either a local internet connection or your phone’s mobile data.
Chromebooks Are Simple to Use
Chromebooks are so simple to use that anyone from young kids more used to phones to elderly people who have never used a computer could pick one up and use it without any guidance. As long as you have a Google account, you can use a Chromebook, basically. Press the power button, sign in, and you’re good to go within seconds.
ChromeOS is an extremely lightweight Linux distro. Because it relies on web-based applications and Android apps, it boots up in seconds, without the churn you’ll have experienced using Windows or macOS. And then, once you’re actually using ChromeOS, your main UI is the Google Chrome web browser. You’re probably already familiar with it, and Google is constantly improving it too.
If you ever get sick of ChromeOS’s simplicity—which is pretty unlikely—you can always install Windows on a Chromebook instead.
Chromebooks Are Versatile
When they first launched, Chromebooks were a little lacking in some areas, and this reputation has, unfortunately, stuck. However, modern Chromebooks are incredibly versatile machines, capable of running apps and games, handling your work and entertainment, and generally fulfilling what most people need from a laptop.
There will be web apps for most programs you’ll want to use, and if not, there will likely be an alternative that does the job. Any Chromebook you buy today can also run Android apps installed from the Google Play Store, opening up more options. This includes games, so, yes, you can use your Chromebook as a gaming machine.
There are even Chromebooks designed specifically for gaming, as they boast the processing power to support cloud gaming.
Chromebooks Are Durable
Last but not least of the reasons to buy a Chromebook is their durability. Admittedly, some of the early models were a little flimsy since manufacturers used cheap materials. I had one which I had to replace due to the hinge breaking. However, that was after using it every day for almost two years, and opening and closing it many times per day.
These days, Chromebooks are built to last, and built with students (their largest customer base) in mind. The cheapest Chromebooks may still feel a little plasticky, but once you hit the mid-range options, the build quality means that these devices are more than capable of taking some punishment.
Don’t Forget Battery Life and Security
Chromebooks have other, smaller advantages that I didn’t have time to go into: long battery life and top-notch security are just two examples.
Chromebooks boast some of the best battery life of any laptop you can buy, thanks to the lack of moving parts (such as a hard drive) and their use of efficient components. As a lightweight Linux distribution, ChromeOS requires far less power than Windows or macOS.
ChromeOS is also extremely secure, thanks to Google’s sandboxing approach to security. Any app you use will run in a self-contained environment, preventing it from infecting the rest of your system. And due to their always-online nature, Chromebooks will always be patched with updates, as long as your device is new enough to be supported.
For all these reasons, my next laptop will be a Chromebook—my fourth in a row. If you’ve been suckered into thinking your choice is a binary one between Windows and macOS, it’s time to rethink. For most types of work and entertainment, there’s a perfect Chromebook for you to buy.
