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The ChromeOS Hardware and Software Appreciation Thread
- Thread starter jackson6
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I love my Pixelbook Go. It’s a shame Google discontinued it. It feels like a MacBook when it comes to quality
Google may release a new laptop now that ChromeOS has been killed in lieu of android. I don't think ChromeOS really grabbed people's attention and Google certainly has a reputation of killing products
That doesn’t sound like an improvement. I would never buy a laptop with android as the OS. It would be like buying a laptop with iPadOS only worse. IMO the fact that a Chromebook is only for browsing the web is its strength. A simple tool for those that just need a web browser. You’re not wrong about Google killing products. There’s a website dedicated specifically to that 😂
From what little I know, is they're merging the two together, giving android more functionality. I don't follow google/android terribly close so I can't say for sure
Cheap, thin, light x86 laptops that can be flashed to wipe ChromeOS sold me long ago. But for my aging parents, a stock ChromeOS system has drastically reduced the number of 'tech support' calls! Since its just a browser, it mostly 'just works'!
Tangentially related to the Pixelbook, I recently grabbed a couple Acer Chromebook Spin units for myself. Like the Pixelbook, they have high res screens and tall aspect ratio. Paid less than $135 each for the Acers.
The Acer Spin CP713 has a 3:2 2,256 x 1,504 screen and i7 10th gen processors.
Pixelbook was definitely on the radar for the same reason! Big thanks to MrChromebox.tech!
Tangentially related to the Pixelbook, I recently grabbed a couple Acer Chromebook Spin units for myself. Like the Pixelbook, they have high res screens and tall aspect ratio. Paid less than $135 each for the Acers.
The Acer Spin CP713 has a 3:2 2,256 x 1,504 screen and i7 10th gen processors.
Pixelbook was definitely on the radar for the same reason! Big thanks to MrChromebox.tech!
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I can't find this anywhere for sale, has it been discontinued? Is there a successor?
How is the build quality of Acer laptops nowadays? The last Acer I had was plastic and felt cheap, I hope things have changed for the better.
It's... just ok... build-wise. Definitely not up to standards for any Apple laptop ever shipped. But for the money its a marvel!
I bought mine from a sale at wisetekmarket (no affiliation, and their prices on similar laptops seem high right now) a very long time ago.
Though I did some eBay searching earlier and saw some similar sub-$200 units. Gotta remember on eBay people list and title things all sorts of ways, so you need some eBayfu fuzzy searching to find the best ones at times.
There was a successor in the CP714, and I believe there is a firmware for it was well. You may just want to scour through the list of supported devices on MrChromebox.tech to try to find one that suits your needs and hit eBay. The 3:2 high res screen really is something refreshing. Good luck!
I have a love/hate relationship with Chromebooks. On the one hand for around $300-$400 you can get a new Chromebook plus with decent enough specs. High end Chromebooks have dropped off the market. There were gaming Chromebooks and other more powerful devices but the price point for the specs is never as good as Windows.
I can get a higher end Chromebook starting at around $599 and it can go way up. The problem is you don't have a real complete OS. Still a lot of web based UI in the OS and apps. Compatibility with certain software like Word (I know web versions) and peripherals can be an issue. There are workarounds native software as mentioned.
On the one hand if you get a nice Chromebook like the OP they are very nice. Security is really, really good for a desktop OS. Boot up or recovery are quick and simple. Performance with midrange hardware is very good and high end hardware is excellent.
The OS is actually really smart in the sense they started from the ground up with a Linux base to create a modern operating system and what that would have to deal with and what it would look like. Having all the web based apps was a smart although less convenient choice and PRIVACY is the elephant in the room with Any Google OS!!
So it is a big mixed bag both with the hardware design and cost and with the OS software itself. There are some genuine benefits and as ChromeOS evolves it gets better. AI implementation is probably better on Chrome OS than Windows or Macs.
I wish Microsoft would have the guts to do what Apple did and either or both move the platform to ARM only and rewrite Windows specifically for ARM without any legacy code. Revamp the UI for consistency throughout menus and the general OS. Harden the OS like most modern mobile OS or Chrome OS or Unixlike OS. This would have huge ramifications for Windows users and add competition to ChromeOS and Chromebooks.
Still the economic incentive is there for Windows laptops in the middle to higher end as a better deal with better specs and a completely functional desktop OS.
Chromebooks make sense at the low end but the low end hardware hardly is a good or satisfying experience and once you spend enough to get that experience the value drops off dramatically.
There are benefits for those who like Chromebooks and ChromeOS like also having a Linux OS or having 9 years or so of software support. Tough and inexpensive hardware that you don't have to baby. I personally like Chromebooks and ChromeOS a lot. I just don't trust Google but since I already have an Android phone the point is probably mute anyway.
I can get a higher end Chromebook starting at around $599 and it can go way up. The problem is you don't have a real complete OS. Still a lot of web based UI in the OS and apps. Compatibility with certain software like Word (I know web versions) and peripherals can be an issue. There are workarounds native software as mentioned.
On the one hand if you get a nice Chromebook like the OP they are very nice. Security is really, really good for a desktop OS. Boot up or recovery are quick and simple. Performance with midrange hardware is very good and high end hardware is excellent.
The OS is actually really smart in the sense they started from the ground up with a Linux base to create a modern operating system and what that would have to deal with and what it would look like. Having all the web based apps was a smart although less convenient choice and PRIVACY is the elephant in the room with Any Google OS!!
So it is a big mixed bag both with the hardware design and cost and with the OS software itself. There are some genuine benefits and as ChromeOS evolves it gets better. AI implementation is probably better on Chrome OS than Windows or Macs.
I wish Microsoft would have the guts to do what Apple did and either or both move the platform to ARM only and rewrite Windows specifically for ARM without any legacy code. Revamp the UI for consistency throughout menus and the general OS. Harden the OS like most modern mobile OS or Chrome OS or Unixlike OS. This would have huge ramifications for Windows users and add competition to ChromeOS and Chromebooks.
Still the economic incentive is there for Windows laptops in the middle to higher end as a better deal with better specs and a completely functional desktop OS.
Chromebooks make sense at the low end but the low end hardware hardly is a good or satisfying experience and once you spend enough to get that experience the value drops off dramatically.
There are benefits for those who like Chromebooks and ChromeOS like also having a Linux OS or having 9 years or so of software support. Tough and inexpensive hardware that you don't have to baby. I personally like Chromebooks and ChromeOS a lot. I just don't trust Google but since I already have an Android phone the point is probably mute anyway.
I agree with the privacy concern, but given how Windows is getting worse with ads and telemetry, I'm not sure windows would be a safer option with regard to privacy.
And that's the double edge sword that has largely killed chromebooks cheap price, but low end, less functional hardware. That low end hardware is not going to appeal to the many consumers, while cheaper, three's a reduction in functionality, features, performance and expected life span. In my mind, chromebooks are just netbooks 2.0 and like the original netbooks, they garnered some attention and then faded away.
The one good thing that happened to chromebooks, was they google was able to market these to schools, and so there's a niche market which I don't think will go away. I don't see chromebooks entering into the buying decisions for many consumers.
My kids hated them, they broke often, other then watching videos, they couldn't do much else (other then google classroom and schoolology), unlike Apple introducing the Apple II to. schools back in the day which got kids excited for computers, the chromebooks have by and large frustrated kids and teachers alike - at least in my kid's school system
Looks like Google/Valve is killing Steam for chromeos
Google and Valve will kill “Steam for Chromebooks” experiment in January 2026
Google and Valve will kill “Steam for Chromebooks” experiment in January 2026
Given what's written, not surprising, the OS just isn't geared for anything other then using cloud based productivity apps and light weight local apps