Whats the best Chromebook for the money?

██████████@lemmy.world to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world – 16 points –

i read comment about one of these devices that supposedly had incredible specs for the money

but i forgot to save it and cant find it

thanks all for the help!!

17

This isn't necessarily what you want to hear but why are you getting a Chromebook? I'm assuming it's required for your school, in which case I'd get the cheapest one you can live with

This may be obvious to some, but for everyone else: A Chromebook is not a computer. It's a giant Android phone. Unless all your problems could be solved by a bigger screen and keyboard for your phone, do not buy a Chromebook.

C'mon, it's still a computer. It does exactly what most non-technical people need a computer to do. If all your tasks can be done in a web browser, it's even kinda good at that. I worked exclusively in ChromeOS for more than 8 years and it was a pretty Mac-ish "no fuss, just works" experience.

That said, I myself would never buy one for personal use that doesn't have Linux firmware. That will give a longer life and the other capabilities you probably have in mind.

Technically my car is a computer, but that doesn't mean I'll recommend a Toyota Camry to anyone asking about what "computer" to buy.

lol, I get what you're saying, but you've stretched the analogy well past its breaking point.

Maybe ask yourself, what does a typical student or healthcare staffer need day-to-day that a Chromebook doesn't provide? Schools and hospitals are some of the biggest purchasers. I don't think their CTOs would buy your argument.

What's your definition of a computer? Chromebooks might not be your preferred computer, but they meet every definition of computer that I'm aware of, and I know plenty of people who love them. I know at least two people who run a business from them. They're not for me, but they're great for others.

A tomato meets every definition of a fruit, but if someone says, "Pick up some fruit from the store", are they going to be happy when you bring back tomatoes?

They're great for people who want a giant phone.

You can run any Linux application on them... Not a computer though.

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A used one in your area, so long as it's newer (2021+)

I would recommend using Linux on it instead of ChromeOS, if you're a little more technically inclined. ChromeOS is fine but it limits you to just the Google ecosystem whereas Linux allows you to do things with it like a normal computer.

I took an old (2017?) model and put a super lightweight Linux distro on it and use it as a little administrator device. It's got good battery and acceptable processor speed, but it's severely limited by CPU cooling and storage.

Not sure exactly what you are looking for, but I got my wife the Lenovo duet 5 in sale a while back and she loves it.