My old Windows 7 desktop is failing fast so I'm planning to replace it soon. I'm not a gamer nor am I concerned about business productivity (I'm retired). I use my computer strictly for my own entertainment, checking various message boards, checking my mail, checking the news, and writing short stories and sometimes posting them. Occasionally I print out something and I take a few pictures and need a photo editor but I use Picasa 3 which is from Google. I'd prefer to spend from $200-$400, no more. I've always used Windows but I've never been happy because it seems to be a continuing learning experience, I'm not very good at that anymore. The question is, If I buy a Chromebook, will I be missing anything that I can do now with Windows? Your thoughts will be appreciated.
I have a Chromebook. I am not a heavy computer user, so I am happy with it. I use it every day to check my social media accounts and email. However, if you are a heavy computer user meaning that you use your computer in many ways other than browsing the Internet, then I suggest that you get a Windows netbook. Many people think that the Chromebook is like Windows, but it isn't. It's more like an Android tablet in the shape of a laptop. You can't install .exe files here. Also, you need to be connected to the Internet all the time.
I don't recommend a chromebook because you can't store much on it. It has very small memory. They expect you to store everything in the cloud, which I personally don't trust all that much, so you would need to save everything important to a *ip drive or something. They also rarely have a CD/DVD drive, which is a huge downside as it means you can't watch movies that you have on DVD with it. It is completely dependent on the internet, so that's a really big negative in my opinion.
If you like writing, don't get a chromebook if you have to rely on the internet and google docs for everything. That means you can't work on a document offline if you don't have the internet connected. Apparently newer apps are available to do this, though there aren't any reviews on how it's working and don't forget people who do these reviews are techy people. Get the Windows as there is more apps for it and you can get more memory as someone else said, especially if you store photos.
It sounds like for your needs, a chromebook would be a good, cost effective option. As long as you have access to the internet everywhere that you're wanting to use it, and are okay with limited storage. I have a chromebook and I've been pretty happy with it...it seems like the people who are expressly unhappy with it weren't really considering it's limitations to begin with. It is not necessarily meant to replace the average laptop, but it can get a lot of things done, and you really can't beat the price.
Thanks for the help guys! Sounds like Chromebook (an Operating system from Google) is exactly what I want for my limited needs. In gathering information today, I checked in with Future Shop for a look at Chromebooks. The salesman that approached me assured me that I did not want a Chromebook because I could not download anything from the internet, not even books that I bought from the Google bookstore. That just did not sound right because I can download eBooks directly to my tablet which uses Google's Android Operating system. So, I came home and queried Google Support, asked if I could download eBooks to a Chromebook and the answer is yes. So much for knowledgeable sales people! Did I mention that today we drove an hour-and-a-half to the big city up the road to buy a laptop or Chromebook? Two WalMart employees and the store manager proudly told me that they do not carry any Google products as if that was a virtue but they did recommend Staples. What an attitude! Costco doesn't carry Chromebooks, thus the trip to Future Shop. Sometimes I despair of Canadian retailers. Long story short, tonight I'll order a Chromebook from WalMart on line, they carry three models. If I'm not happy with it, I can return it to the WalMart across the street from us.
I use my Chromebook for work. Most apps work offline, but I'm connected to the Internet all day anyways. It gets 6 hours of battery life with heavy use, and 12 hours if I'm just using the browser without videos playing. If you're looking for productivity and efficiency, then the Chromebook is the answer more often than not. I'd recommend it based on price and battery life alone.
