Chromebooks are typically seen as low cost laptops for non-serious customers, however that’s largely an outdated myth. Sure, there are many lemons on the market to keep away from, however there are additionally loads of killer Chromebooks worth your money. The secret is realizing what to search for in a Chromebook, and that’s what I’m going that will help you with.
Keep studying for the golden guidelines to purchasing a fantastic Chromebook that received’t disappoint. If you may maintain quick to each rule, then nice! But if not, don’t fear. Focus on those that matter most to you and purchase accordingly. You can’t go incorrect in the event you do this.
It has not less than 8GB of RAM
I’ve owned a number of Chromebooks over time after I mostly abandoned Windows, and there’s one factor I’ll by no means skimp on: RAM. Specifically, I’ll by no means dip beneath 8GB of RAM.
The extra, the higher. Many cheaper Chromebooks include solely 4GB of RAM, which is nearly sufficient to get by. But if you wish to multitask apps and browser tabs with out lagging, you then’ll sorely remorse solely having 4GB. Invest in RAM or be disenchanted.
While PC and Mac house owners might sneer on the considered “only” having 8GB of RAM, it’s actually sufficient for ChromeOS. And in the event you’re apprehensive about future-proofing, don’t be—a Chromebook with 8GB, just like the HP Chromebook Plus x360, will serve you nicely for a few years as a result of ChromeOS is that minimal and environment friendly.
The solely caveat right here is in the event you intend to make use of Linux in your Chromebook or in the event you’re going to play resource-heavy video video games, during which case 16GB of RAM can be the safer wager.
It has SSD storage, not eMMC or UFS
Storage on Chromebooks primarily is available in three varieties: eMMC (embedded MultiMediaCard), UFS (Universal Flash Storage), and SSD (solid-state drive). They all have their execs and cons—some greater than others—however I solely ever purchase Chromebooks with SSDs.
UFS is mostly sooner than eMMC, however SSDs are sooner than each whereas being extra sturdy and greater in capability. Even with finances Windows laptops, we advocate sticking with SSDs over UFS and eMMC. The efficiency hit simply isn’t definitely worth the minimal financial savings, particularly now that SSDs aren’t as costly as they as soon as had been.
Skip the entry-level Chromebooks with eMMC and UFS. My present Google Pixelbook Go, which I’ve owned for years now, boasts a 128GB SSD that’s confirmed fairly succesful. While the Pixelbook Go is discontinued, the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is one other instance.
It has not less than 1080p decision
Another facet you don’t need to skimp on with a Chromebook is the display screen decision. The precise measurement of the display screen doesn’t matter an excessive amount of, however you’ll need to keep away from the cheaper ones which can be solely 720p. The lowest you need to go is 1080p on this fashionable age of media.
Whether you’re streaming YouTube or Netflix, you’re seemingly defaulting to 1080p as of late. With 720p, every part’s going to be mushy and/or grainy. And in the event you intend to do any gaming—yes, it’s possible to game on a Chromebook!—then greater is even higher. For instance, the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE has a 1600p show with 120Hz refresh fee, placing it a step above many different Chromebooks.
The excellent news is, most Chromebooks now include a 1080p show—you’ll solely discover 720p on really finances fashions. I do know one of many massive attracts of a Chromebook is affordability, however don’t get stingy on this.
It boasts 10+ hours of battery life
Due to the light-weight nature of ChromeOS, most Chromebooks provide first rate battery life. But in the event you’re shopping for one for work or faculty, you’ll need one which lasts the whole day—and in that case, you’re searching for a Chromebook with not less than 10 hours of battery life.
The tough factor is you may’t at all times imagine a producer’s battery life claims. That’s why I at all times look to opinions earlier than shopping for a Chromebook, to see how a lot real-world battery life I can count on.
On the entire, Arm-based processors are likely to last more on a cost than Intel or AMD processors, and the extra highly effective Chromebooks have a tendency to empty down battery sooner than weaker ones. For an Intel possibility with good battery life, try the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus 15.
It has a premium construct high quality
Even with Chromebooks, it’s good to concentrate to construct high quality. Will you discover one thing as good as a next-gen MacE-book? No. But in the event you assume all Chromebooks are product of dinky plastic and bottom-barrel elements, you’d be incorrect. Premium choices do exist.
Just like with battery life, nothing beats real-world opinions from individuals who have really used the Chromebook you’re . If these aren’t obtainable, you possibly can slim your search to Chromebooks engineered to military-grade MIL-STD-810H sturdiness requirements. Also, something labelled “Chromebook Plus” can be higher than a ho-hum Chromebook.
In specific, look out for weak hinges, low cost plastic our bodies, and clunky touchpads. For an instance of a Chromebook with glorious construct high quality, try the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714.
It has a touchscreen show
This one is extra negotiable than the above guidelines, however in the event you plan on utilizing your Chromebook as a productiveness gadget, then contemplate getting one with a touchscreen.
Built-in keyboards and touchpads are effective, however with the ability to navigate through contact on a whim is surprisingly handy. And with ChromeOS supporting most Android apps and video games, you’ll discover that quite a lot of them are extra enjoyable to make use of and/or play with contact enter.
One of the most effective Chromebooks with a touchscreen and first rate specs whereas nonetheless being reasonably priced is the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3.
It might be became a pill
Like the touchscreen show, this characteristic is extra of a “nice to have” than a “must have”—however in the event you’re primarily searching the online, watching movies, or studying PDFs or ebooks, then contemplate a convertible Chromebook.
Convertible Chromebooks have a removable keyboard, permitting you to make use of the show portion by itself like a pill. This pill kind is finest for individuals who need to use their Chromebook for play as a lot as work, as pill mode is finest for taking part in video games and streaming movies, but you may nonetheless join the keyboard for when it is advisable to work.
Also often known as 2-in-1 Chromebooks, these really are available two kinds: the removable keyboard selection and the 360-degree hinge selection the place the keyboard merely folds behind the display screen.
The removable selection is nicer to make use of in pill mode, so look into fashions just like the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11. It has eMMC storage and solely 4GB of RAM, however these trade-offs are okay since leisure is often a higher precedence than efficiency with convertible Chromebooks.
It has not less than 2 high-speed USB ports
Most Chromebooks as of late include not less than two good USB ports, however I felt like I wanted to say this simply in case.
Always test the variety of USB ports, and at all times be sure they’re high-speed USB ports. At least one on all sides is good. Blue USB ports point out high-speed USB 3.x whereas customary black USB ports point out slower USB 2.x speeds. This impacts knowledge switch speeds when connecting units like flash drives and transportable SSDs.
Why two? One will seemingly be used to cost your laptop computer, so that you’ll need a second one for another peripherals or equipment you may want whereas your laptop computer costs. One of our top-pick Chromebooks is the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34, which has 4 USB ports—two USB-A and two USB-C, all of that are high-speed 3.x ports.
Further studying: The best Chromebooks, tested and recommended