For text documents, spreadsheets and presentations you have Google Docs, Sheets and Slides. That’s on top of heavily utilizing the Chrome browser for most tasks.Ĭhrome OS can run apps from the Chrome Web Store, as well as Android apps from the Google Play StoreĪlthough that sounds a tad restrictive, you’ll be happy to know that there are thousands of apps to choose from and all the basics are covered. These laptops come with Google Chrome OS installed instead of the traditional Windows or macOS.ĬhromeOS is rather like a mobile phone operating system and can only run apps from the Chrome Web Store or the Google Play Store.

The key difference between Chromebooks and other laptops is the operating system. Meanwhile, some lower-end ones come with only the most basic features. Still, most Chromebooks are either cheap, making them excellent for students, or at least reasonably-priced at the very least.įeature-wise, there areChromebooks that come loaded with them like touchscreen, a 2-in-1 form factor, and the ability to expand your storage.

Some Google Chromebooks, like the Google Pixelbook, will set you back even more. They just have higher specs and more premium builds.

These days, there are Chromebooks that will set you back $1,000/£1,000/AU$1,300, even though they still won’t be able to run software from outside the Google Play and Google Chrome Stores. Some are more powerful than others, a handful are more feature rich than the rest, and a small number even come with a premium price tag. Much like traditional laptops, not all Chromebooks boast the same features, capabilities, and price tags. Chromebooks are excellent traditional laptop replacements if you don’t require sheer power and if your daily computing needs don't include using processor-hungry apps or specific software unavailable in the Chrome OS. So, to answer your “should I buy a Chromebook?” question, it ultimately depends on what you need from your portable.

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