Most of the web apps you’ll be running are pretty light on system resources and the only thing that will really stretch the processor is games. This Tosh has 4GB of RAM, but its Celeron N2840 processor is totally par for the course. Most come with a slowcoach Celeron processor and 2GB of RAM, yet still start faster and feel snappier in general use than Windows laptops with a stronger spec. That’s partly because Chromebooks aren’t powerhouses. There’s not much speed, but does it matter? That’s fine when you’re just checking your email or sharing a few photos, but not when you’re trying to edit your latest GoPro video or dragging holiday snaps from your DSLR.Ĭhrome OS scores big when it comes to getting a few things done quickly, but a Chromebook isn’t as versatile or powerful as a Windows or OSX machine. The limited amount of storage here – just 16GB – is an issue, and while you can work offline in many apps, you’re still using online services most of the time. Chromebooks also play well with Chromecast video streamers, with controls integrated in the interface itself.ĭoes this mean a Chromebook could be your one and only laptop or replace your PC? Not on your nelly.

Want entertainment? Spotify, Netflix, iPlayer and Rdio will work on Chrome OS, while Google’s own Play Music and Film and TV services also work fine. Evernote, Wunderlist, To-Doist, Dropbox and more all work perfectly well with Chrome, and you can use Pixlr or Polarr for photo-editing. Google’s own Gmail, Docs, Sheets and Slides apps are the obvious choice if you need to get some work done, but Microsoft’s own Office Web apps can be used through OneDrive if you prefer. What’s more, the growth in cloud-based services has made life easier for Chromebook users. It’s introduced a slick, effective and more conventional interface complete with windows, a desktop and a toolbar, while also adding support for working offline and syncing when you’re back online. Not only is there a comfort factor about Windows or OS X, but prospective users worry that Web-based applications won’t cover their needs and that the Web-focused nature of Chrome OS will leave them high-and-dry if they don’t have a live connection.Īll of this used to be true, but Google has made big changes over the last few years. Software is the usual sticking point for Chromebooks.

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