Many people who need to perform basic computing chores but do not want to spend a fortune on Windows-based laptops or Macs now turn to Chromebooks as their saving grace. Around the world, Chromebooks have dominated the market for inexpensive laptops. They are also widely used in the education sector.
For those who don't know, Chromebooks don't run Windows; instead, Google's ChromeOS is already installed. It is said that the entire user interface is easy to use, effective, and low maintenance. This makes it an even more intriguing choice, along with the ability to download and install all Android apps on a Chromebook. Chromebooks are still unable to accomplish some tasks, though.
What’s the difference between a Chromebook and a Laptop?
From a hardware standpoint, laptops and Chromebooks are very similar. They are small, portable computers that resemble laptops in terms of basic hardware and design. Some of them also resemble tablets and some have 2-in-1 laptops. When compared to Windows on conventional laptops and macOS on MacBooks, the Chrome OS operating system on board makes a significant difference.
Integrated storage is one of the primary hardware variations. Most Chrome OS laptops have a little amount of internal storage because Chrome OS is relatively light and the majority of the programs are actually web apps. However, the majority of Chrome OS users don't require a lot of storage, and additional storage devices like external HDDs and SSDs are always an option.
What is Chrome OS?
In its most basic form, Chrome OS is a version of the popular Chrome browser that you are presumably already familiar with. That means you can do anything in Chrome OS that you can do in Chrome for Windows or Mac.
Read here if you want to know more about Chrome OS.
Chrome OS and Android integration
Even though Chromebooks have a respectable number of apps on their own, they can't compete with Android apps. There are many different Android apps available, and they can significantly improve the Chrome OS experience. Android apps are supported by the majority of Chrome OS laptops introduced after 2017. However, all Android apps—aside from the more well-known ones—are not optimized for Chrome OS.
The Google Play Store is available on Chrome OS computers that can run Android apps. This implies that you can install the majority of Android apps from the Play Store right away. Many of the top Android apps are included in this, including practically all messaging, chat, and video call apps as well as music and video streaming apps.
What a Chromebook can do
Use your PC with Chrome Remote Desktop
The major surprise is remote desktop access. You can run any program directly from your Chromebook if you install Chrome Remote Desktop on a home computer and leave it running. That includes high-end programs like Blender or Apache Spark as well as Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, the complete Microsoft Office suite, and others.
Even processor-intensive games can be played on a Chromebook if you have a desktop computer at home that can handle them. The secret is that since your home PC has all the power, the Chromebook's memory, storage, and processor are only responsible for a small portion of the work. In either case, this feature significantly increases the length of your to-do list.
Use Android apps (including Google Assistant)
Straightforward favourites like Facebook, YouTube, Netflix, WhatsApp, and all the Google Suite applications like Drive, Calendar, and Gmail are all available online and offline.
But you can also use thousands of other apps, like Kindle, Tumblr, WordPress, Steam, PlayStation Now, Twitch, Mint, PayPal, Spotify, Soundcloud, and Apple Music.
Do you aspire to have a voice assistant? You're in luck since Google Assistant, with all the shopping lists, reminders, and smart home control that entails can run on your Chromebook.
Use it like a tablet
A Chromebook that can transform into a 2-in-1 laptop? You'll be amazed by this one because certain Chromebooks allow you to fold the screen around and use it as a tablet or convert it to a tent or stand mode for collaborative work or seamless binge-watching.
These two 2-in-1s have the drawback of raising the price of the Chromebook above its customarily modest level.
What a Chromebook can’t do
Hardcore photo and video editing
Even if you use the in-built tools, photo and video editing are simple with Windows and Macs. With Chromebooks, this is not the case, as the majority of them have low-end technology, making video rendering and editing virtually impossible.
Additionally, Chromebooks do not support the simple use of Adobe Photoshop. Therefore, if you want to modify certain photographs, you must only use online photo-editing tools like Pixlr, the online Photoshop Express Editor, and others.
Multi-tasking
Another area where Chromebooks fall short of Windows or Macs is multitasking. Although both operating systems are built with the ability to handle demanding multitasking, doing so on a Chromebook can be challenging. It gets difficult to multitask on ChromeOS when there are several windows open on the screen since, to be honest, the interface is not the best.
Hardcore Gaming
Because most Chromebooks are inexpensive, they have modest hardware specifications. The decent hardware found in some mid-range Chromebooks enables users to play select Android games on the platform. Gaming is not one of the things you can do with the majority of Chromebooks, though.
Offline productive capabilities
The fact that Chromebooks are nearly useless without an internet connection is one of their main downsides. The majority of apps and extensions require an active internet connection to function. Some applications, including Google Docs and others, can be utilized when offline, although the features are constrained. Therefore, utilizing Chromebooks requires an internet connection if you want to be productive (most of the time).
More on Chromebooks
- Chromebox vs Chromebook—Which Chrome OS to choose?
- Are Chromebooks good for kids and the elderly?
- Why consider a Chromebook for your next computer
- 7 Ways Chromebooks Keep You Secure
- Top Chromebook Questions Answered
