Samsung Chromebook (Wi-Fi, 11.6-Inch) Reviews
This chromebook is absolutely great for the purpose I bought it for. At my workplace, we use Google Apps for Business for email, calendar, docs very heavily. We do use MS Office for the normal things and I go to my Windows machine for that, but so much of my work is web-based, including my task management system that this Chromebook works well for a majority of my work. I have used the Chrome browser since it was released, and it is a robust browser that is obviously well integrated with Google Apps.
I take this small, lightweight, long battery life computer with me to meetings, on the train, wherever. The battery lasts me all day. It is not hot on my lap. It does what I need it to do very well.
Keep in mind you can't do on this what you could do on a full laptop- running full programs. This is web-based, and for the wi-fi version, you need an Internet connection to do much of anything. But I seem to have wi-fi wherever I'm at.
For $250, it's a screaming deal. It has replaced my iPad and bluetooth keyboard for mobile email and note taking in meetings.
The laptop is wonderful. It's lightweight, good internet connection (although there are times when my 700$ laptop will get internet but the Chromebook will not - but I think that's just because of my school's mediocre service at times, 95% of the time, it's fine), and good speakers. The speakers are not the best (if you have a keen ear, or just listen side-by-side with something else) but most of the time I don't bother using better speakers. If you don't like the Chrome OS, you can always install another one, too (like Ubuntu). I was one of the first ones to get a Chromebook and people were concerned about the processing speed, but I frequently have 10 or more tabs open it doesn't seem to slow down.
The light weight is definitely a plus, since you can easily hold it in one hand.
I was looking for a device that was portable, yet, useful. I looked into tablets, but the biggest drawbacks on all of the tablets are that they are not "productive," at least in my opinion. Sure, you can get a detachable keyboard, however, they are ridiculously overpriced, bringing the total price around $600.. I am no not willing to pay that much for a secondary device.
I had been eyeing Chromebooks for while, but I was hoping that Google would release one at a cheaper price. This Chromebook made that wish come true.
Anyway, into the review, this Chromebook delivers as expected. I've had this for several days and I am very pleased with it. I recommend it to anyone who is willing to venture into something new. Yes, you will have to be invested in the Google applications, however, many of them are of top quality and there are plenty for you to do just about anything. I would like to point out that I absolutely love holding this Chromebook and carrying it around. The form factor is well balanced and elegant, doesn't feel its cheap (don't expect it to be like the top quality ultrabooks though).
Below are what I think truly makes this device a must have:
- Price
- Portability
- Instant boot, whether from sleep or from fresh start
- Battery life ( 6 to 7 hours) on a single charge, includes watching videos and playing music
- Keyboard and Trackpad (don't expect MacBook quality, but it is sufficient)
- Amount of apps on Chrome Web Store
- 100 GB of free space on Google Drive
- Sleek design
- Adequate screen
I honestly cannot think of any negatives, however, below are some of the areas that need improvements:
- Better optimization between Chrome Operating System and the hardware (at times, the performance can lag)
- Ability to watch movies via Netflix (I know they are working on it)
I know that as the time goes on, Google will be releasing updates to make the experience even smoother, so I am really looking forward to that and unlike traditional PC's (mainly Windows based), you won't have to wait long for updates.. I truly appreciate that from Google.
I'd like to point out that many people are saying that Skype is not supported (the hardware, mainly the CPU, ARM processor, is fairly new, so I am sure an update will come), however, in the meantime, you can download an app from the Chrome Web Store called "IMO." You can use your Skype credentials to sign via IMO.
Finally, it should be made clear that this device does not work like your typical PC's, where you can download any programs and such.. Many people gave this product a bad rating because it did not meet their "expectations." Therefore, the Chromebook is not for everyone, however, if you understand what it does and can work with it, honestly, you will not even think about using traditional PC's as much.
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