There are many mobile computing options in today’s tech world. One that stands out in pricing and capabilities is the Chromebook. Recently I took advantage of this for my parents and purchased one for the house. I had two major questions when it came to the time to purchase a Chromebook. Why was the cost so low? What is the price point impact on specifications and usability?
So, what is a Chromebook? Chromebooks are tablets & laptops running the Chrome operating system (OS). There are some major pros and cons to going with Chrome OS. Keep in mind if you have an Android phone, Chromebooks play right into the ecosystem. Android users will be right at home with the Chromebook. Despite Android/Chrome OS synchronization, Chromebooks are not exclusively for Android users. Here are some points to consider when looking to purchase a Chromebook.
Benefits
Lightweight and Responsive Mobile Platform
The system is built for on the go. The applications and the OS platform is common to the Android OS. Known to boot up in seconds, log in using your Google account, and the system is sync and ready to go. It is very simple to set up.
Smart search is available, this feature allows for global search of your files, apps, web history, and much more, all from one place. Chromebooks provide automatic updates and instant internet tethering to devices.
Cloud Computing
Take advantage of application cloud computing. The Chrome OS will give you instant integration into the Google ecosystems. Check out some Chromebook Perks. Enjoy seamless availability of native applications consisting of platform & web apps like Google Mail, Chrome, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Drive, and Google photos. Many more apps are available via the Play Store like Netflix, Microsoft Word, AutoCAD, Zoom, and Evernote. Chrome OS is all-encompassing and is always in sync with the Google platform, supporting you while on the go. If you do find yourself needing even more software or applications that may not be available with Chrome OS, there are ways to run Linux applications on Chrome OS.
Security
Virus, malware, and rootkit impacts are less likely due to its Linux based OS. Chrome OS has antivirus protections built directly right in. Sandboxing is one of those built-in features. It isolates important Chrome functions enough that exploitation due to infection stays isolated. Meaning other processes stay protected from the active infection.
Another feature used is the verified boot. Chromebook’s boot processes cryptographically verify all executable code and data through a hash. If something does not match the calculated hash it reverts to a prior Chrome OS version or provides an error. The feature essentially prevents malicious program execution. This type of verification can happen during regular run time as well as boot time.
The last security feature I will cover is the Google security chip.The most sensitive data residing on the device is encrypted by this piece of hardware. This will protect the most sensitive data from malicious access.
Cost
Due to Chromebook’s processing power dependency on cloud computing, pricing can vary highly. Taking a quick look at the BestBuy options, prices can range from as low as $189.00 to over $1000.00. Why is this? Local drive space and internal memory seem to be the driving factor. All local storage consists of SSD and embedded Multi-Media (eMMC). This can vary from a machine with 32 GB of local storage space to half a terabyte of local SSD space. Not all Chromebooks are built equally, keep an eye out for those specs.
Disadvantages
Variety of Hardware
As I mentioned before, all hardware options do not deliver the same goods. Upgrade capabilities may be extremely limited. Beware of the lower-spec machines. With limited upgrade possibilities, it may put you on the market for another laptop in a shorter time. Although cloud computing is used heavily for Chrome OS native apps, there are local resources used by applications like SSD capacity for paging, local storage and internal memory (RAM) for runtime processing.
One example of a low-cost Chromebook is the Samsung 11.6” Chromebook 3 with a 16 GB eMMC local storage and 4 GB of memory running on a 2.0 GHz Intel Atom x5-E8000 quad-core processor. In the lower market range of mobile phones, there are phones with matching or better specs than this. I wouldn’t suggest buying this for actual work or schoolwork. This would be something I would suggest for casual web browsing and maybe light use of the cloud platform like managing or editing Google Drive documentation. I would probably use this to manage my smart home system. This works as something light, dedicated to one or two objectives.
Bound to Google’s Ecosystem
Not being able to run Windows/macOS platform applications or similar applications may cause heartache. I bring this up with college students and working professionals in mind. Some applications obtained from the Android play store are meant for mobile platforms like tablets and smartphones. They tend to be limited compared to the alternative version used on desktop OSs like Windows, macOS, or Fedora Linux distributions. Users may be formally limited to the mobile version of their application of interest. There are ways around some of these application limitations. For example, with some tinkering you can attempt running other Linux distro full versions of the application on Chrome OS.
Possible Batteries Issue
The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook is known to have horrible battery issues. Although this is specific to Samsung’s latest release, with a quick Google search you can see that it is not exclusive to Samsung. Best to do some research on your Chromebook of interest.
Security
Security is of course not perfect. With an emphasis on cloud computing, there were reports in the past relating to the exploitation of these services. Malicious software was exploiting web applications from the angle of the browser. Attackers were using software like extensions to get access to data loading on to the browser. Hackers focused shifted from local storage to local application cloud transmission. This report by REUTERS was some time ago so it is now more managed today. But this is an example simply highlighting that no system or architecture is perfect and comes with its issue. Beware of the extensions applied to your browser on Chrome OS.
As you can see there are pros and cons to the Chromebook and Chrome OS. A Chromebook is a solid choice for your mobile purchase. There are many options and a variety of hardware specifications to pick from. As always I suggest you do your research and buy what applies to your specific needs. There is a Chromebook for every need and individual out there.
Instanttechcup is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Sources: Google
