Chromebooks vs Laptops

A decade! That's how long Chromebooks have been in the market! The first Chromebook began shipping on June 15, 2011 & I have been using a Chromebook myself from 2012 in Dubai. I used to carry it to meetings to take notes, create notes, run an Excel etc. This was a time when everyone else used to carry iPads around - however, the most enticing part had always been the keyboard & I admit, I've always been more comfortable with Windows over MacOS or iOS (Perhaps, it's actually much tougher to teach an old dog like me newer tricks :P)

It was my go-to device for the better part of 3 years, till I landed a Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (albeit much more expensive, but one I personally rate higher than even a MacBook Air - but that's for a different post)

Anyway, back to the Chromebook - I loved the device because it was very light, sufficient for usual activities like web browsing, MS Office etc. The best part is that it has retained it's utility even today - Chromebooks runs videoconferencing applications like Zoom & you can watch OTT applications like Netflix, even 10 years later. 

Having been a premium refurbished laptop seller in Gurgaon for the nearly 4 years & with the utility around it, I'm still surprised that it’s not yet mainstream in India despite the very attractive price points - one of the most price-sensitive markets globally. So this article is a deep-dive to know more if the Chromebook does make sense for you - or can be an article if you simply wish to be a 'pundit' the next time this topic comes up in your office :)

What is a Chromebook

Chromebooks derives its name because it runs on Chrome OS, which is an Operating System that has cloud storage, Google store & even multiple layers of security. To top it all, you can now use offline-ready apps to keep using a Chromebook when it’s not connected to the internet.

So for all practical purposes, you can think of this as an Android phone and magnify the applications you use in the form factor of a laptop.

The Chromebook relies on Chrome OS and there is no software (except that it is Linux based) in it, which means that Windows and MacOS programs don’t work on these devices. To top that, you can’t really install any software either due to the limited hardware - so caveat emptor. But yes, you can use Applications like Netflix, MS Word or Excel or Zoom even in 2021 & not face any issues.

Why you should prefer a Chromebook

As mentioned, the biggest attraction of a Chromebook is the price point. It’s much cheaper compared to traditional Laptops. Since these only have SSD drives, these are much faster and more stable. Chromebooks are much lighter, compact and easy to transport as well.

To top it all, viruses and malware are also a much smaller risk as compared to Laptops. If you think this last point is passe, I assure you it’s not. Having been in the laptop repairing space for the past 4 years, we know the number of virus-laden laptops that come to us – some of them even after having #anti-virus Software.

So, this is very much a common problem and is perfect to give your kids especially in this Work-from-Home environment that has now started after the covid-19 pandemic & I genuinely believe WFH is not going away for a long long time to come.

It’s perfect for those looking to buy laptops for children’s online classes or watching Netflix – basically, any casual PC user would find this a perfect fit.

What you can’t do with a Chromebook

At the risk of sounding repetitive, Chromebooks are meant for light usage. So any expectations around gaming, video-editing, photoshop is absolutely misplaced. Of course, this is not meant for people who are comfortable spending on a refurbished laptop, but is more inclined for people who may have a budget constraint, or are buying it for their kids or are first-time buyers of a laptop.