Why a Chromebook not a real laptop?

[murphcid]

I guess this question has puzzled me for a while. Why a Chromebook over a real laptop that comes with a real processor, 4-12 gb of RAM, HD of 500+ gb, etc vs a device that only works if you have an active internet connection which allows Google to snoop your files and read your email. My daughters school is highly suggesting one for homework, but for only $100 more, I can get her a lower end real laptop where her data is stored on the computer, and she can play games on, load up with photos, run iTunes, etc. '

Not intending a flame, just really curious about these devices since the schools are really pushing them to get the parents to purchase them for the students.

 

[B. Diddy]

I'm an avid Chromebook user, so here are a few reasons why it's the computer I use most frequently at home and away.

1. Lightweight OS. No endless updates like on my Windows 8.1 desktop that sometimes take upwards of 30 minutes to complete the entire update process. The lack of all other system bloat also means a lesser CPU will work just fine, use less battery, and generate less heat.

2. Quick bootup. It literally takes 7 seconds to boot up cold, and an additional 4 or 5 seconds for the browser to be ready to use. Compare with the 30-40 seconds on my Windows desktop.

3. Security. No antivirus needed, no constant security patches. If I lose the Chromebook somehow, I just change my Google password and a thief can't access my sensitive data.

4. Convenience. I work almost entirely within the Google space, so it's extremely convenient to access all of my files (and upload files) on Google Drive, or manage my media in Google+ Photos or Google Play Music (it's awesome not having to deal with iTunes any more).

Now, does that mean I can do without a Windows PC completely? Not yet, because I still need a machine that can access my workplace's electronic medical record remotely, and for that, I need a PC. But that's really all I use it for these days. I'm not a heavy gamer, so I don't need a PC for that (although granted, if games are important to you, then a Chromebook won't do much for you). I would be very cautious about these cheap Windows laptops that are intended to compete with Chromebooks--my experience with inexpensive Windows laptops has been frustrating, to say the least, in terms of performance and build quality.

I'm not of the opinion that Google is a big security risk to me any more than other companies with access to my information. I actually think Google has taken decent good faith steps to help users keep their data secure.

 

[murphcid]

Thanks for that excellent reply. I guess for the kids as a homework device, it might be worth the money, except they demand iTunes so they can store their music.

 

[UJ95x]

The only requirement for something to be a laptop: A computer you can use on your lap

Sent from my Note 4 via Tapatalk

 

[B. Diddy]

Thanks for that excellent reply. I guess for the kids as a homework device, it might be worth the money, except they demand iTunes so they can store their music.

If they're wedded to iTunes, then you may be forced to go with either a PC or Mac. Do they use iPhones or iPods? It's easy to upload all of your iTunes music to Google Play Music, where you can easily stream your entire music library from any device.

 

[TomsAndroid]

The only requirement for something to be a laptop: A computer you can use on your lap

Sent from my Note 4 via Tapatalk

/thread

 

[Golfdriver97]

I will chime in too.

I have 3 desktop type machines. From oldest to newest:

1. An HP 2000 with an AMD E-300 Processor, 320 GB Hard Drive, 2 GB DDR3 RAM (I installed an additional 4 GB), that came preinstalled with Windows 8 and got upgraded to 8.1 (more on this later)

2. An Acer C720-2827 (Chromebook) Chrome OS, Intel Celeron 2955U processor, 16 GB SSD, 2 GB DDR3 RAM

3. An Acer CXI-4GKM (Chromebox) Chrome OS, Intel Celeron 2957U processor, 16 GB SSD, and 4 GB DDR3 RAM.

To begin, my HP was struggling to do common tasks. 4-5 Chrome tabs open and a couple Hangout messages. For any that know some of Hangouts Easter Eggs, there is a /pitchforks command that will send an 8 bit .gif through the bottom of the screen. One of the guys launched that Easter egg...and promptly froze my PC. I had to force a shutdown by longpressing the power button. This was after I got the upgraded RAM.

This incident (along with the general slowness of 8.1) prompted me to try a Chromebook. Most retailers have a 14 day return policy, so I figured, why not? Enter the C720. Like B. Diddy said, fast boot times. I clocked mine at about 12 seconds counting the time to type my password. Since Chrome is relatively light, the battery had an average off charger time of about 5-7 hours (partially due to the smaller screen, I will admit). My HP needed to be plugged in at about 2 hours, if I used it lightly.

I became so impressed by fast updates (downloads take about 10 minutes) and the reboot and you are updated. My HP started to become a dust collector. Fast forward about a year to a few weeks ago. I turn on my HP so that Windows can update. Behold, 32 updates... I was like, 'Ok, I haven't turned it on in a while. I will make it a habit to do so once a week to at least stay on top of it. I started at 9 AM, and got done about 6PM. I thought, 'Ok, no more of this. Staying up to date will be much shorter.' Nope. The following week was a 14 update week, and took over 5 hours to do. I finally threw in the towel and installed Linux Mint, and it is a much better machine by far.

About a week ago, I invested further into Chrome OS by getting the Chromebox. Basically the desktop version of the Chromebook. And I really like it. The 4 GB of RAM is noticeable, not by much but the Box seems more responsive than the Book. I am quite pleased.

During my time with the Book, I realized how much I just surf the net, and don't really need a large on board storage like a PC would. I use Google Documents and Sheets, and they are stored on Drive. I am finding less and less reason to even boot up the PC, although Linux Mint is much more enjoyable to use.

Overall, here is why I like it:

-Update and boot up speeds.
-I am already a Google user, so there is already a familiarity with everything.
-Security. Basically this is like an Android device. Everything comes as an app.


Depending on how you use a machine, you might be surprised by what you can do with these.

 

[dpham00]

It depends on your needs. I have some legacy software that needs Windows and also I like to use full office which costs me $10 through HUP. For a laptop I have seen a decent i3 4gb laptop go in the low $200s on sale ,which is the cheapest I would get.

B. Diddy and Golfdriver makes some excellent points above.

Sent from my Pearly White Verizon Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge