The Chromebook Review: The 10 Pros and Cons of Using It

Developments in computing have resulted in changes in human requirements. Smartphones, tablets, laptops, and Chromebooks have become essentials for modern-day life.

Chromebooks are a simpler version of conventional laptops. ChromeOS is a Linux-based operating system that enables cloud-only uploads and limited device downloads. It has made significant progress in education, with advantages such as price, improved battery life, and user-friendliness.

Managing and setting up additional devices, such as laptops and desktop computers, may be difficult and time-consuming. However, school IT managers can use the Google Admin Console to undertake administrative chores efficiently and expediently.

Therefore, let’s go straight into the Pros and Cons of Chromebook to see whether it’s a better solution. Although most versions are limited in range or capacity, there are a few alternatives.

What is a Chromebook?

A laptop or tablet computer powered by Google’s Chrome operating system is called a “Chromebook.” While you use a Chromebook, everything you do is automatically stored in the cloud, so it is suitable for usage when connected to the web.

Chrome OS-powered Chromebooks offer both benefits and drawbacks. It features a display measuring between 11.6 and 15.6 inches. It also provides users with a choice of possibilities from which to choose. In addition to Google Chromebooks, HP, Acer, Lenovo, and Dell all offer Chromebooks.

The Pros and Cons of Using Chromebooks

Let’s start with the pros: 

Pros of Chromebook

Inexpensive

The low cost of a Chromebook is one of its main advantages. Prices for Chromebooks vary from $200 to $400, with the most landing in the $300–$400 range. 

Even the semi versions of other regular laptops may cost twice as much as this one. A Chromebook is the solution for you if you want to save money.

Additionally, since these laptops don’t rely on pre-installed software, the expense of keeping them up and running is lowered due to eliminating the need to install new programs.

Battery life

Chromebooks typically have a battery life of more than 10 hours on a single charge. It’s not ordinary for a Chromebook to last 18 hours on a single charge. The typical non-Chromebook laptop has a battery capacity of fewer than 10 hours.

Since they have no moving parts and use fewer resources, Chromebooks can go far longer between charges than other laptops. If you often find yourself cursing for forgetting your charger at home, a Chromebook might be your first choice.

Simple and Intuitive

Chromebooks attract attention for the simplicity of use of their features due to the use of ChromeOS. The devices focus on accessing Google services and surfing or getting advantage of the web through Chrome. It also provides a simple UI for individuals who want the fundamentals on a device.

The core functionality is intuitive and requires minimal effort from the user; people unfamiliar with computers will have no problem understanding it quickly. It also automatically updates, so there’s no more work required for your convenience.

Fast and Stable 

Once you click the power button, the Chromebook will instantly switch on and be ready to use within 10 seconds. There is almost no delay when switching between applications when they are running. Minor delays are to be expected, but performance is rapid and stable.

Since the program operates in the Chrome browser, there are certain restrictions, but they are minor. It uses less power since it does not burden the CPU, and the Chromebook has a long drive time than usual.

Security

Chromebooks are among the most secure laptops available today. Every program and web page on ChromeOS runs in its own isolated space, or “sandbox,” so they cannot affect one another. Any potential dangers are kept isolated, so they can’t spread throughout your Chromebook.

Whenever you launch a Chromebook, it does a self-check and can fix any problems with ChromeOS that occur in the background while using it. Once Chromebooks are connected to the Internet, they get security updates and protection against the most recent threats. 

Any data on local storage is also encrypted. Even if malware and phishing are still a concern for Chromebooks, this is only one concern.

Therefore, Chromebooks provide excellent safety measures.

Easy to setup

Since Chromebooks are cloud-centric systems, they do not need software to be downloaded remotely on every device. You also do not need to bother manually downloading software updates.

Chromebooks need to connect to the Internet to get cloud applications, which needs much improved updates to the experience of using a Chromebook. Google account is only required for you to be able to utilize your Chromebook. 

Lightweight

The typical Chromebook is much lighter than a conventional laptop. Chromebooks typically weigh between 2.35 to 5.05 ounces. Chromebooks are more portable and less bulky when their screens are more diminutive. The Google Pixelbook Go has a 13.3-inch screen and weighs 2.3 pounds, making it one of the lightest and thinnest laptops available. You won’t ever have shoulder pain from carrying them, so they’re perfect for trips.

Cloud data

When your Chromebook crashes, you can rest easy knowing that your data is safe in the cloud. It also helps Chromebooks since their performance isn’t being taxed as much. Sign in to the same Google account you use on your primary device, and you will instantly access all of your files.

Chromebooks come with 100 GB of cloud storage for a year via Google One, and Google Drive storage is free for anyone with 15 GB or less of available space.

You don’t need to update the hardware regularly.

Chromebooks also excel compared to Windows laptops since their hardware doesn’t need regular updates.

All the applications are hosted in the cloud, and that’s the main reason why. All you need is the most recent version of Chrome OS and an internet connection to use your applications. Google handles everything related to the hardware itself.

Therefore, you will not need to replace your laptop every 2 to 3 years since it can no longer perform your applications properly.

Productivity and collaboration

A Chromebook will be an excellent solution if you must regularly engage in remote collaboration with your team. Chrome OS makes it incredibly simple to collaborate remotely with other people. It enables you to monitor the changes made by other people and submit your work for feedback regardless of where you are.

Cons of Chromebook

Minimal Storage

Most Chromebooks have only 32GB of storage space on board. It means you may save a limited number of media files (such as photos) on the device itself. However, cloud storage options like Google Docs and Drive make this a non-starter. The problem is that there isn’t a lot of space for anything other than photos and text.

Video editing

Since Chromebooks lack software, you should conduct the core of your work online. It includes video editing, and then if you work in a position that needs you to handle video editing, you recognize that there aren’t many online editors that allow you to edit videos in the same ways offline apps do.

Furthermore, Chromebooks lack the processing power required to edit extensive amounts of high-definition video. The same holds for Photoshop and similar image editing programs.

Not good for gaming 

The Google Play store provides a small selection of games, but otherwise, you’re out of luck. You may play casual games like League of Legends or independent titles in some versions, but doing anything else is strictly restricted.

Several games can play in the browser. However, there are currently no widely-used games of sufficient quality that can play on Chromebooks. You may see a dramatic performance drop by opening fewer Google Chrome tabs than recommended.

The gadget itself would be unable to play higher-quality games since neither the strong CPU nor the 24- or 27-inch gaming screen will be available.

Printing difficulties

Printing isn’t perfect on Chromebooks. Generally, you can only print through a network connection. You can’t use a USB port or something similar to connect. Wi-Fi has become more common in printers recently, but some don’t have it or can’t connect to it.

The latest generation of Chromebooks is strong enough for offline work and high-quality printing. The primary issue is the shortage of useful print-enabled apps and programs for Chromebooks.

Yet, other options are available, such as using a print service at a local convenience store. Therefore, if you often work with paper documents, using them in conjunction with your current computer may be safer than jumping to a Chromebook.

Software incompatibility

Chromebooks can do pretty much anything you can do on a web browser, but there are limitations. Most importantly, you can’t use the same software as Windows or Mac. Apps exclusively available for Windows can not run on Chrome OS. Microsoft Office Online and Google Docs may use to produce documents, though they are less capable than the regular version of Office.

Display

Chromebooks usually do not have screens that are full HD; instead, they often feature displays that are either HD or HD+. On Chromebooks, the images and video do not have precisely the same level of sharpness.

Chromebooks with full HD and even 4K displays are becoming more common, but the price is substantially more, and the battery life is often shorter. Then it also means that you can fit less on your screen. Thus the smaller Chromebook screen is inappropriate for those who want to have numerous windows programs active.

RAM

Chromebooks feature 4GB RAM, about half of a typical laptop. RAM retains data when your device is powered. Active and background apps save data in RAM. RAM stores data required to interact with a new browser window.

Chromebooks use RAM effectively owing to ChromeOS, and you won’t have RAM concerns unless you use virtual machines, stream games, run Linux software, or have a ton of web tabs open at once.

Not functional offline

It should be no surprise that Chromebooks are limited in offline capability compared to their web-connected counterparts. You may use them to access and edit your Google Drive files and send and receive emails using Gmail, even if you are not online.

It’s no secret that Chromebooks can’t do as many tasks without an internet connection as their more advanced competitors can. You may use them to access and update your Google Drive files and Gmail messages even while you’re not online.

Low disk space

Nowadays, Chromebooks provide 64 to 256 gigabytes of local storage through eMMC (Embedded Multimedia Card) or SSD (Solid-State Drive) storage.

Although Chrome OS may use with external SSDs without any problems, it is meant to be used on the cloud and does not enable storing large amounts of data locally.

CPU

Most Chromebooks don’t have the most cutting-edge processors since they’re designed to promote. Device slowdowns are possible when many apps are open, large, complicated spreadsheets are being worked on, or macros are being used. You can get Chromebooks with the most recent AMD Ryzen and Intel I series CPUs, but they’re a few hundred dollars more expensive than those without.

Final Thoughts

Before purchasing a Chromebook, examine several factors like can you use a Microsoft office on a chrombebook or it is better to use it than other devices. While a lightweight, affordable laptop has many benefits, it may not be suitable for every job.

Chromebooks’ pros and cons might help you choose their best use. If you want simple duties, go for it; otherwise, get a standard laptop for playing online games or storing data.