Chromebooks are unique computers, and they may be perfect for you or largely unusable depending on your needs. The main difference between a Chromebook and the average laptop is that they run on the ChromeOS operating system, and it has some peculiarities you have to be aware of. Chromebooks tend to have modest specs too, but there are performance Chromebooks out there that will allow you to perform virtually any task under the sun.
In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at whether Chromebooks could be an option for you.
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What Do You Intend to Use the Laptop for?
The first thing that will determine if you should consider getting a Chromebook is the type of tasks you want to perform. If you want to do simple work like editing text or spreadsheets or watching content on the internet, the vast majority of Chromebooks will allow you to do just that. Newer Chromebooks can even allow you to play games on pretty good settings thanks to advanced integrated chips like Intel’s Iris selection and discreet cards like Intel’s Arc which is being rolled out on Chromebooks. If you want to learn more about these cards, you can check out Intel Arc Graphics at Lenovo.
The only type of person who will have difficulty finding a good Chromebook are those who need to run very heavy applications like 3D rendering or CAD programs. This brings us to our next question.
What Programs Will You Need to Run?
You must check what program you will be using regularly before you buy a Chromebook. Many top programs can be found on ChromeOS, but not all of them. Adobe Photoshop, for instance, doesn’t have a Chromebook version. But they have other programs like Adobe Express and a browser version that you could use. It’s up to you to see if they are good enough for you. In other cases, you will have to look at whether there is a Chrome version of the program you want to use or a lighter version that would still work for you.
Do You Have Any Deal Breakers?
You should know that Chromebooks were made to be affordable and easy to use. They are also made to consume as little energy as possible. So, this means that the average Chromebook you come across will usually be underpowered in certain areas.
It’s not uncommon to see Chromebooks these days with processors under the 2ghz mark. But that isn’t necessarily a big issue for everyone. Again, casual users will be more than comfortable with a machine with a processor around the 1.5ghz mark. But if you need a very powerful GPU and CPU, you will either have to prioritize one of the two or choose another option.
Chromebooks can be great machines depending on what you’re trying to do. Don’t dismiss them because of their apparent drawbacks and learn as much about them before you decide to buy one or not.
