Chromebooks

The Chromebook is a newer kind of laptop that’s neither a Mac nor a Windows-based PC. As such, Chromebooks don’t run traditional software like Microsoft Word, and they work a bit differently from what most people are used to. So, what are they for? Given the familiarity of Windows and macOS, why would anyone choose a Chromebook instead?

You’ve probably heard of Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari. They are web browsers — apps that retrieve pages of information, pictures and videos from the Internet. When you’re using a computer to search Google, read Wikipedia, shop on Amazon and so on, you’re using a web browser.

In recent years, innovation in technology has made it possible to do an increasing variety of tasks using only a web browser:

• Email services including Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, AOL Mail and BT Mail are primarily web-based.
• Skype, Zoom and other means of keeping in touch by video and voice are available on the web.
• You can make documents and spreadsheets with Google Docs and Sheets, and there are web-based versions of Word and Excel.
• Netflix and BBC iPlayer started out as websites, and remain available that way along with numerous other film and TV services.

Benefits

Google created the Chromebook to reflect this shift in people’s habits. The Chrome browser takes centre stage, and much of the extra technology – and complexity – of traditional operating systems is left out. This makes Chromebooks:

• Really simple to use.
• Often faster than PCs of equivalent specification and price.
• Virtually immune to malware.
• Low maintenance — in particular, updates are quick and unintrusive.

Limitations

Chromebooks are not for everyone. Many office environments require the full desktop versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint. And creative professionals like photographers, graphic designers, musicians and film-makers are unlikely to use a Chromebook as their main computer because they depend on more specialist apps that could not feasibly run in a browser.

Availability and specifications

Chromebooks are made by Google itself as well as by several familiar manufacturers like Acer, Dell and HP. They’re available to buy online, of course, but if you’d like to see one first you’ll also find them in shops like Currys and John Lewis.

You may notice some surprisingly low prices, and here I urge caution. To avoid disappointment, I have two general recommendations when it comes to specification — you’ll see that this rules out the very cheapest models:

• Choose 8 GB of memory (or higher). Avoid models with 4 GB.
• Choose a solid-state drive (SSD). Avoid models with eMMC storage.