I’m loopy about Chromebooks, these weirdly web-centric laptops invented by Google within the late aughts and later popularized in Okay-12 school rooms — when you don’t have a baby who makes use of one at school, you recognize somebody who does.
But does a Chromebook make an excellent vacation present as a substitute for, say, a Windows PC or an Apple Mac? Sure, at the least for some folks — these with Gmail accounts are the very best candidates — however you wish to decide a good machine. The chintzy ones utilized in public training gained’t lower it.
Enter “Chromebook Plus.”
Google has joined with its {hardware} companions Asus, Acer, HP and Lenovo to make Chromebook procuring a cinch. They have utilized the brand new “Plus” label to eight machines which have first rate specs however aren’t funds busters. The concept right here is for shoppers to seize the laptop computer with “Plus” on the field as a result of, effectively, it must be good, proper?
Yeah, it largely is.
I’ve tried two Chromebook Plus fashions and I like them sufficient to advocate; extra on these in a bit.
The Plus specs are stringent sufficient to all however assure high quality throughout the board (retaining in thoughts that these are funds laptops, not Macs costing two or 3 times as a lot). Those eight fashions aren’t the one Chromebooks with Plus-caliber options, however explicitly classifying a handful as such makes issues simpler for tech customers.
A fast Chromebook primer
But what the heck is a Chromebook, anyway?
You have, little question, seen Google’s Chrome browser operating on a PC or Mac. A souped-up Chrome model known as ChromeOS is what makes a Chromebook go. ChromeOS seems and acts loads like Windows and the Mac’s macOS, however you’re principally working in a browser more often than not.
That’s a nonstarter for PC and Mac customers unaccustomed to dwelling in a Web window, the place they’d be lower off from treasured desktop instruments. On a Mac, for example, I’m hooked on the Mimestream e mail app, which has no peer on another sort of pc.
But since Mimestream faucets Gmail on the again finish, switching to a Chromebook just isn’t too painful as a result of I can use the web-based Gmail app. Heck, as a Pioneer Press author and internet editor, I’m able to do my total job on a Chromebook — All of my work instruments are web-based. That contains Google Docs and PhrasePress, which I used to jot down after which publish this piece.
Chromebooks are famously simple to take care of. They replace themselves rapidly and easily, a lot because the Chrome browser does. Tight safety is in-built, too. This is why Chromebooks are wonderful for people who find themselves not computer-savvy as a result of there isn’t an entire lot to fret about.
Performance is one other plus. Chromebooks are much less hardware-hungry than PCs, so even a laptop computer with modest specs will run snappily. That is one motive Chromebooks are so reasonably priced.
The ‘Plus’ fashions I attempted out
With Chromebook Plus fashions, you’re assured at the least 8 gigabytes of RAM and 128 GB of storage, a webcam that’s 1080p or higher, a show that’s 1920 by 1080 pixels or higher, and a fairly speedy Intel or AMD processor. This is fairly primary within the PC and Mac realms, however an inexpensive baseline in a Chromebook world replete with rubbish {hardware}.
The two Chromebook Plus fashions I examined – Acer’s $399.99 Chromebook Plus 515 and Lenovo’s $499 IdeaPad Flex 5i – make a convincing case for this moveable tech. These chunky and plastic-y laptops aren’t a lot to take a look at in comparison with, say, Apple’s MacGuide Air, however they’re snappy and appear moderately sturdy.
Acer’s mannequin is a traditional clamshell; you raise the lid and get to work, easy as that. This is aided by a jumbo trackpad and a full-size keyboard that feels nice however, to my dismay, just isn’t illuminated.
The machine’s 15.6-inch show has a modest 1920-by-1080-pixel decision however a useful 16-by-9 facet ratio good for watching video or comfortably placing two work home windows aspect by aspect.
The 515 has two USB-C ports, a USB-A port, an audio jack and a full-size HDMI port. The latter allowed me to hook the laptop computer to an exterior show, with a second monitor jacked into one of many USB-C ports, for a killer three-screen workstation.
Lenovo’s mannequin is a “convertible” pc, which means the illuminated keyboard folds again and out of the best way so customers can avail themselves of the contact display a lot as they’d an iPad. The display has stylus help, however Lenovo doesn’t embody one.
The 14-inch display, 1920-by-1200-pixel show has a 16-by-10 facet ratio that may be a bit cramped when positioning home windows aspect by aspect, however is taller than that of the 515 for these scrolling via plenty of paperwork.
Lenovo neglected an HDMI port, selecting as an alternative to go together with an SD-card slot — not the very best name.
Which Chromebook Plus mannequin would I get? Both attraction to me, however I’d in all probability go together with the Acer as a result of I’d be the most efficient — that unfathomably unlit keyboard apart. The firm seals the cope with a padded, zippered carrying case.
Who are this stuff for?
Chromebooks work greatest for somebody who already lives within the Google ecosystem or is prepared to maneuver there; I qualify since I depend on Google companies although I favor Apple’s pc gear. A Chromebook requires customers to have a Google account, which is ok with me since I’ve a piece one and a house one.
Potential Chromebook recipients in your present record would usually fall into two classes:
- Those who’re conscious of Chromebooks and could be glad to get one.
- Those who don’t know what they’re and stand to profit from one.
People within the first class embody tech geeks like me who can’t have too many devices, together with the practical-minded who can put any spare pc to good use round the home. Kids will admire the present of a Chromebook that isn’t junk, too.
People within the second class embody computer-clueless who would have problem maintaining with Windows or Mac upkeep and who may need been bitten by malware of the type that’s unusual in ChromeOS. Chromebooks are safer and simpler.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”