If you are thinking about why Chromebooks are so bad and their alternatives, this article is absolutely for you. This article will discuss Chromebooks and the top reasons why are Chromebooks so bad. We will also give you an alternative to the Chromebook operating system so that you can switch just right away.
However, let’s dive into this article step by step:
What is a Chromebook?
A Chromebook, to begin with, is a laptop that runs on Chrome OS instead of Windows or Mac OS. It’s just pure basic web browsing and cloud storage that you will mainly use it for. You can do other stuff like edit docs using Google docs, watch movies using Netflix/ Crackle, etc.
Why are Chromebooks so bad?
I have never found a good use for Chromebook other than browsing the web, watching Netflix, or playing games which you can do with any laptop. The cloud storage is very limited; one TB of Google Drive storage will cost you $5/ month. It has no CD/ DVD driver, no USB port to attach pen drives or external hard disks. It has a very less amount of apps that you can use offline.
The OS is not good enough for a laptop because it’s mainly designed for tablets and phones. Also, Windows OS is much more customizable than Chrome OS, which gives you an experience of using one of the best-operating systems, i.e., Windows 10, with fewer features like No USB port, No-CD/ DVD drive, No proper app store, etc.
However, let’s see some of the top reasons why
The top reason why are Chromebooks so bad
Here are the top reasons why Chromebooks are so bad:
1) Slower than other operating systems:
If you are a regular computer user who likes to play games or edit videos/ audio files, then Chromebook is not the laptop you want. The main reason for this is its speed, because of which you will get frustrated when trying to do heavy tasks like editing videos in Adobe Premiere Pro, rendering an After Effect project in a 1080p high frame rate.
2) Only web-based apps:
One of the biggest problems with Chromebook is that you can’t install any apps other than the ones available in the Play store, which have fewer features and are mainly designed to work offline. Also, most of them are free, and some even offer in-app purchases, which means that many developers don’t find it worth spending time and money developing Chromebook apps because of their not-so-big user base.
3) Annoying updates:
The good thing with Chrome OS is that you will get the update as soon as it releases by Google, but most people won’t like this because it takes away a lot of space, and it’s just 5 GB. Also, the updates take a lot of time because it has to be downloaded and installed, which is annoying.
4) Great, but only as long as you don’t want to do anything else:
The Chromebooks work great as long as you use them for simple tasks such as browsing the web, editing docs, watching movies on Netflix. However, if you want to play games or edit videos, you should not buy a Chromebook because it cannot support high-end graphics or multitasking, which is required for these tasks.
5) Not many apps are compatible:
It has limited apps compatible with Chromebooks, which is one of the biggest reasons it is so bad. You can’t download any app unless you have the Play Store on your Chromebook. Also, there is no proper way to install legacy software like Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Office, etc.,
6) Has an annoying file system:
It has a very annoying file system in which the files and applications are scattered all over the place, unlike Windows 10, where everything is present in one folder. So, for example, The apps that you download on Chrome OS will appear on your app drawer, but they won’t be saved to the Downloads folder like other operating systems such as Windows 10 or Mac OS.
7) No CD/ DVD drive:
Chromebooks lack the luxury of CD/DVD drives because it doesn’t allow you to install an OS or play games. You will have 100 GB of Google Drive storage; other than that, there is nothing much else you can do with this laptop without internet access.
8) Not very good for daily use:
You will get frustrated with this laptop because of its speed; the apps are limited to only a few ones, which is good enough for light gaming or casual editing. However, even if you try to use Chromebook for simple tasks, it will get slow, especially when you open many tabs.
9) Not worth spending money on it:
It doesn’t make any sense to buy a Chromebook if you are looking for a laptop for playing games or editing videos because of its slow speed. Moreover, if you want to do any of the above tasks on your Chromebook, it will get very frustrating. But on the other hand, if you want it for simple stuff like browsing the web and listening to music, watching movies, etc., you can go for it.
10) Very limited use:
It has a lot of limitations which means that you won’t be able to increase the storage, install apps and games (unless through the Play store), connect with an HDMI cable, or anything else due to its lack of ports. These limitations make Chromebooks very useless, and they are not good at all unless you are looking for something that is just enough to browse the web, do some light work, or download movies.
It costs around $200, which is not worth buying because it can’t multitask, has great speed, and it’s incapable of doing anything other than basic tasks.
Although Chromebooks are not worth buying for this price, if you want a great laptop with all the features of Windows 10, then Microsoft Surface Pro is a better option compared to Chromebook.
It has a good amount of storage and RAM, which makes it very fast and multitasking friendly.
Moreover, it has a quality display that’s perfect for watching movies or playing games etc., Also, it has a built-in CD/DVD drive, multiple ports, and is very sturdy, which makes it a better option than Chromebook. This laptop costs around $1000, but if you want something that can multitask, this is a perfect choice.
Also, if you want to connect with an HDMI cable or CD/ DVD drive, then Microsoft Surface Pro is a perfect choice because it has ports and CD/DVD. However, if you are looking for a laptop with great gaming capabilities, then Acer Predator Helios 300 is the best choice because it has all the features of Microsoft Surface Pro along with an amazing graphics card.
Why Chromebooks are bad for education?
Criticisms of Chromebooks that are frequently heard in the classroom include:
- The inability to work offline is a major drawback of Chromebooks, especially in regions with spotty or sluggish internet connections.
- Shortage of available software: When using a Chromebook, you can only access the apps found in the Chrome Web Store, as the Chrome OS is only compatible with those apps. It’s possible that certain educational programmes won’t work as well, if at all, on a tablet as they would on a laptop or desktop computer.
- Because of their minimalistic appearance and low price, Chromebooks sometimes lack the processing speed and storage space of more costly laptops and desktop computers.
- Some users may worry that their personal information will be misused or stolen because Google controls all aspects of Chromebooks.
The alternative to Chromebooks.
I will suggest you use a windows laptop because it gives you both the good software(Windows OS) and hardware(lots of ports for HDD, pen drives, etc.), this way you get the best of both worlds. In addition, windows laptops are much more customizable than Chromebooks; you can even install the Linux distro on it if you are familiar with it. Although they are more expensive than Chromebooks, they are worth the price if you look for a good laptop.
If you want to go cheap, then Acer or Dell laptops, which start from $180-$200, will be suitable. However, if you want something better, you can buy a computer which starts from $300-$400.
Why are Chromebooks so popular?
Chromebooks are very popular among students because they are specifically designed for schools and colleges; that’s why schools use them instead of Windows laptops or Mac books. Of course, Chromebooks don’t give you the luxury of all the features that a Windows laptop or Mac book does, but it works just fine for basic web browsing and entertainment.
It is very simple to use, has no virus problems, and it can connect easily with WiFi.
Conclusion:
Chromebooks are good for very specific purposes, but they are not worth buying if you want them for heavy tasks like playing games. This is because they cannot multitask and have slow speed and storage, making it difficult to do any heavy task. Also, they don’t have many ports, so you won’t be able to attach an external HDD, etc.
On the other hand, Windows laptops can do everything that a Chromebook can, and it is even faster than Chromebooks, which makes them very useful for heavy tasks. In addition, these laptops give you great hardware with excellent software (windows 10).
If you want something cheap rather than spending $200 on a Chromebook or $1000 on a Windows laptop, then Acer or Dell laptops will be good for you as they are cheap and provide the best hardware for this price. On the other hand, if you want to buy a Windows laptop, then Microsoft Surface Pro is the best choice because it gives you great software(Windows OS) along with awesome hardware.
If you want to go very cheap, then Acer or dell laptops, which start from $180-$200, will be suitable. However, if you want something better, you can buy a computer which starts from $300-$450.
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