This is the first laptop designed by the web search-engine giant Google itself. In comparison, Google Chromebook’s price is relatively high and is primarily sold online. The Chrome OS laptop has a 12.8-inch screen at 2560 x 1700 pixel resolution offering the most brilliant display even on a computing device. Further, the Chromebook is a touchscreen, the first ever in its class. More than its features, its price along with the flash storage space and Wi-Fi has garnered the maximum attention.
The Chromebook costs around $1299 for version with 32 GB storage space and Wi-Fi while the version with Wi-Fi, 64 GB storage space, and LTE broadband costs around $1499. However, the Chromebook comes with an exceptional screen beautifully fitted in an aluminum case. It has a powerful AC adapter and a fine backlit keyboard. Google products are in-built allowing users to play, work, or do anything they want, right from the box. Users get to choose from several free applications and allow the Chromebook to keep them all fresh and new with automatic updates.
The Chromebook weighs less than 2.5 pounds and is 0.7-inches thin; it also has a battery life of more than 6.5 hours. Regardless of user location, all things are safely stored online. No more mix-ups with the Chromebook. Users can easily switch between other users in seconds and the Chromebook can also be shared with family and friends. Everyone will have their own settings, files, and applications. Users can brush away the worry about things getting messed-up by someone else. When the user’s turn comes, he or she can pick up from where things have been left off. The Chromebook boots inside 10 seconds and comes with a 100 GB Google drive free for two years.
When talking about the advantages of the Chromebook over the regular laptops, there are quite a few. Chromebooks allows video chats upto 9 hours and allows users to enjoy movies and songs with Google play. Websites can be loaded in an eye blank with the Chrome browser. In addition, the Google Instant feature allows frequently visited webpages to load as soon as users type their ULRs. Unlike a normal laptop, a Chromebook can sync seamlessly with a Tablet or Android phone, or even with other devices that run on the Chrome browser. The Chrome Web Store has thousands of themes, free applications, and extensions helping users to make the most of the Chromebook. Other tempting features of the Chromebook include faster boot. It boots in just 2 seconds as promised by Google. Users can use a single ID on all Google’s applications, spreadsheets, Gmail, analytics, and docs. The same ID can be used to log inside the Chromebook thereby brushing the worry about creating a new user account.
Another important feature is the non-requirement to configure things. Whenever users install Linux, Windows, or any other OS certain configurations are to be done first after the OS installation. With Google Chromebook, users just have to power it on and start using. Also, time and date settings are automatically synced from the Internet. Google Cloud stores all settings, docs, and data should the Chromebook crash users need not worry about losing important data as they are saved on Google servers.
In terms of disadvantages when compared to a normal laptop, few do exist. First is the keyboard layout. The Chromebook has a keyboard without Caps lock and other functional keys. The Chromebook OS has got only limited options and lacks most of the basic functions. Also, Chromebook does not support software related to Linux, Mac, or Windows. The biggest disadvantage of the Chromebook is that it is completely dependent on the Internet for everything. Since it is has a limited, it syncs everything from the Internet leading to error pages if there is no Internet.
Unlike the normal laptop, Google Chromebook does not has printer driver, thus printing documents from the USB is not possible. Further, the Chromebook file manager is very basic and does not play certain basic files.
Overall, the Google Chromebook is a smart and a nice machine ideal for a very small market.