Leaving Windows for Chromebook

[Doug]

I'm tired of dealing with all the baggage of windows when 99% of my usage is word processing and web surfing.
I'm thinking of switching to a Chromebook and would appreciate any comments and advice.

 

[PMR]

A chrome book is basically all I use at home. The only time I will jump on the PC is if I want to print a receipt from an online order, I'm to lazy to figure out cloud printing because it's rare that I want to print one.

I will upload some word files and documents to my Google drive and they will download just fine to my PC at work. I've had no issues doing the basics with one although I still go PC for a few things such as taxes and photo editing.

Make sure and get one with a HDMI port, I plug into the TV a lot to watch online shows on the big screen.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

It's great for general browsing or YouTube-watching. Can load up an instance of Linux on it, too, if you like.

I wouldn't use it for anything like streaming media to an external source, or any sort of gaming though.

 

[Terrible Ted]

Short answer: go for it. They're inexpensive (comparatively). Very quick and smooth for web browser and Chrome app usage. Fantastic battery life. Less maintenance and troubleshooting. Much less prone to overheating. Most hardware (screen, ports, basic peripherals) are on par with laptops. Newer models support some Android apps, which opens up a whole new section of utility. I have been using an Acer Chromebook 15 for over a year, for work and personal use, and the only issues I have are when I need to run a Windows only program or use an optical drive.

That being said, there are issues related to every platform. There have been some buggy Chrome OS updates, but they have been very stable for a few months now. The main drawbacks to Chromebooks is lack of on-board storage, which is usually between 16 and 32 GB, and incompatibility of optical drives. I've read that optical drives can work for data only transfers, but absolutely no audio/video usage. The general rule of thumb for CBs is that if an accessory operates on drivers, all is good; if it requires a program to run, you're likely out of luck, unless there is a Chrome OS version that can be loaded via an external drive. This can pose problems with older printers, but wireless printing is supported. Thumb drives and external hard drives work with no problems. Most CBs have SD or Micro SD card ports. There are other adjustments to be endured with switching platforms (no traditional desktop layout, different menu/settings/control panel functions, etc), but as long as you accept the OS for what it can do, it will be an enjoyable experience.

As far as picking a model, always go for more RAM and processor speed. Most CBs are topped out at 4 GB of RAM, which is plenty for the OS. The higher end models prior to 2017 ran Intel Celeron processors, though the newest flagship models by Samsung, Asus, and Acer are using other chips. Be aware that if you buy one refurbished, used, or open box, you likely won't get the free Google Drive cloud storage that comes with most new CBs (usually 100GB for 2 years). I bought a refurbished Acer (4GB RAM, Celeron) for around $180, and there is almost no perceivable difference for web and app use compared to a laptop w/ i5 or i7 processor. I bought a laptop w/ latest generation i7 and 16 GB RAM almost two months ago, and it is faster, but you would not notice much unless running them side by side. The Acer 15 has great speakers for a laptop, BTW.

If you're looking to make it your main device for the foreseeable future, I would take a good look at the Samsung Plus and Pro, Acer R13, and Asus Flip models. Those are the current flagship models that run Android apps, full tablet modes. I haven't had a chance to see them in person, but have read and watched reviews. The Samsung Pro, in particular, is ridiculously fast, 4K screen, and comes w/ a stylus. All of those models run around $400-550, which is still pretty good compared to comparable laptop prices. That's all I can think of now. If you have any specific questions, I'll try to keep an eye on the thread.

 

[Cameramonkey]

when I travel for business, I carry an android tablet for my personal needs. It lets me do everything I need. email, web, facebook, etc.

Unless you are playing FPS games, in most cases Android based systems are fine. It doesnt take much to hit forums, surf, and email.

Heck, I'm getting ready to go on vacation and Im only planning on taking my android that I use when I need to wander the campus. I can get email via OWA or Outlook app, and if I need anything requiring heavy lifting I can RDP into a workstation in my network via VPN. I might not even take my laptop home and leave it at the office.

 

[1911ly]

Ever think about switching to Linux? It's free. I have tinkered with it a bit over the years. I have recently started playing with it a lot more lately. I will probably switch most of the pc's around here to it in the near future.

One plus is you can get some life back out a old PC that won't run newer versions of windows. I am currently tinkering with a Raspberry Pi 3 that I slightly over clocked. I can watch Youtube videos full screen at 1280x760. I have been having fun playing with the few I have. I am even running a web server and a couple webcam servers and even a web controller for one of my printers.

Just a thought if you want to try something different.

 

[budm]

Having spent 6 years using my chromebook for a mix of basic stuff, and using my desktop for work related stuff, I would say to also consider a surface tablet. I just went through retiring my chromebook for a surface because I needed to do a little more than I use to, but what really helped sell me was that it can easily be converted to a tablet form factor by removing the cover, or vise versa. I honestly think the chromebooks are a great product and they have came a long way, just don't like the fact I can't do what I do with them.

 

[Doug]

I'm looking at an ASUS flip with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. I send documents every week by email. Would it be easy to store the google doc documents as word documents and then send them by email?
I'm guessing this is enough storage to download googledocs and use it off line, right?

 

[Leo]

We have a couple of chromebooks.

My wife has ruined a half a dozen windows machines browsing the internet and opening every bs fwd:fwd:fwd that comes from her friends or links from social media. I have lost big portions of my time clearing viruses from her computers, paying others to get them going and spent a bunch of money on antivirus software. She refuses my instructions so she is no longer allowed near a windows machine. Since I got her her own chrome book that problem has gone away. I have 15 plus years of research and documents on Windows machines that I continue to use, but I don't do web surfing on those machines.

The only time I needed to replace a chrome book was when it was left under a blanket on the sofa and got sat on. They are great for what they are, basically a dumb wireless terminal. I do not use them for word processing, mostly due to the lack of print drivers, and I make documents that I do not want in the cloud for printing.

 

[Doug]

I made the switch and everything is going well. Instead of sending documents out as word files, I send them as .pdf's. Everyone can read them without any worries about what version of software they have.

Startup is instantaneous, web surfing is very fast, I'm never slowed down by updates, and I have about 9 hours of battery life.
It didn't take long to learn the new system; probably the biggest hurdle was the slightly different keyboard layout. Anytime I couldn't figure out how to do something, I just did a web search and found a tutorial.

I particularly like that everything is automatically and instantly backed up on google drive. I can close a document at any time and know that all my changes have been saved. Also, if my machine explodes or is abducted by aliens, I won't lose anything. (If you don't like cloud storage, you can buy a big hard drive and put stuff there, but you have to do it manually. You could use google drive for short term storage and back it up to your hard drive.)

I don't need a lot of computer power for web work and word processing. I would recommend exploring the Chromebook platform to anyone with similar needs.

I ended up with a 12.2 inch Samsung because I wanted a bigger screen and the ability to flip it into a tablet. ASUS and Samsung seem to have the best reputations. You can get a very handy non-flip machine for $200-$300 or, if you want absolute lowest cost, some refurbished models are available for less than $125.

 

[bwframe]

Just got this advertised in an eBay email advertisement. No idea if good or not but the price was an eye catcher. $105

Samsung Chromebook 11.6 Laptop XE303C12 16GB SSD HDMI Webcam WiFi Chrome OS | eBay

My modest experience with eBay seller "Fast And Free" shipping is good. Often beats their forecasted receive date.
Much better than most bigger retailers and their stupid UPS/FedEx/USPS arrangements that sit on product to NOT ship ahead of time.


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On another note, there was talk of Chrome OS being made compatible to use Android apps this fall. Seems as if that has been put off or gone to the wayside?



.

 

[Grass]

I gave up on Windows a few years ago and have not been disappointed,

 

[MCgrease08]

I ordered my first Chromebook today. I am fed up with the bloated, slow bulky Windows laptop the wife and I have been sharing for the past 4 years.

I went with the Lenovo 500e 2 in 1 with touchscreen. It seems to be toward the upper tier of the budget Chromebooks at right around $330. It's amazing how much bang for the buck you can get with Chromebooks compared to a Windows machine.

Pretty much all Windows lap tops under $400 are cheap under performing junk.

 

[halfmileharry]

My 17 yr old autistic son is tops on the Chromebook and they use it at school for most all classes and projects.
I bought him one for his home use and he does his homework on it before hitting YouTube and surfing stuff.
I'll most likely get one for myself as well very soon.
Problem is I have a mile long list of things I'm getting for me so they are addressed in the order that's left on the wish list.