Samsung Chromebook (Wi-Fi, 11.6-Inch) Reviews
Great computer at just about any price. Although Chrome OS has some limitations 99% of computer users wont ever notice them. If you mostly browse the internet and watch movies then this is the computer for you. Its light with a great battery and an amazing keyboard. The build quality could be slightly better but I think if treated right this computer should stand the test of time. As I'm writing this I have about ten tabs open, while playing pandora and I've yet to experience any lag. The OS is easy enough to use it only took me a couple of minutes to get the gist of everything. It makes me wish I had never bought my tablet, I highly recommend this product.
I've had mine for about 2 weeks now and can heartily endorse the Samsung Chromebook (SC). I make my living off the Internet and was working within 5 minutes of taking my SC out of the box. I can't add anything more than all the previous posters have so I'll leave a few tips & tricks:
ALT + backspace is the delete key
If Hulu is jerky set Hulu to HIGH, not HD or AUTO. Netflix is on the way. YouTube works fine.
The screen is fine - gets better with use. If you stand to either side of the SC or hang from your chandelier you can't see the image but I don't stand to the side and I hate chandeliers so I sit in front of all my devices and in that position the screen on the SC is fine. It would be nice if Sammy or Google would add a contrast slider as that would bring out the image.
I never liked standalone progs so have been in the cloud before it was named the cloud. I put everything up on Google Drive and it all seems to work fine - films stream okay on the SC, music sounds good, images look cool, docs appear as they should. Put Google Drive on all your devices and you'll have global access to all your stuff. I haven't used SD cards, thumb drives, etc on the SC as I'll either temporarily copy something over (like a film I want to watch on a trip somewhere) or leave it on the Drive.
Sound is good - I think the SC has a spatializer because it gives a surround sound effect out of 2 small speakers. Sound is really good with headphones or through a speaker system
A light touch on the touch pad works for me - real gentle. Once you get used to using 2 fingers for certain options you'll be zipping around.
Connection to WiFi was instant for me - I know some have had problems. I set up my printer connected to my Windows desktop on Google Cloud Print a few months ago during an idle moment so was pleasantly surprised when I was able to print immediately from my SC.
It's cute but it's plastic so keep that in mind if you're going out & about and don't leave it anywhere it can be sat on. My Sammy netbook could probably take being sat on, my Sammy Chromebook - well, I think not, so be warned.
That's all I can think of. The SC is a fabulous new way of computing for those of us that live online and don't need exe progs. I can't recommend it highly enough. Enjoy yours.
The Chromebook combined all the desired features of a laptop for travel. The battery life is a solid 6 hours and the size is perfect for an airline seat. Even more delightful is the Chrome OS. It boots up in seconds and connects you directly to your Google account in the Chrome Web Browser. Email is easy and documents come up for your work directly in the Web Browser. The screen is bright and the keyboard is superb, even for long typing sessions, far superior to any tablet or smart phone keyboard. At 2.4 lbs it is a delight to carry and tote. The Case Logic Netbook Sleeve is highly recommended as a well padded case. Otherwise, the Chromebook fits nicely in your average briefcase.
The technical details are even more impressive. The Exynos 5 system on a chip dual core ARM processor is low power and fast, 32 nm technology similar to a chip that would be used in a smart phone. This provides long battery life. The Chrome OS is easy to use, based on a Linux kernel, again similar to an Android Smart phone. So basically the Chromebook is a smart phone transformed into a laptop with a great screen and keyboard. The virtue of this is that the Chrome OS is constantly monitored for cyber attacks by Google and routinely updated when you log in, without requiring separate anti-virus software. It is such a relief to be free from Windows updates and free from the constant need to purchase and update anti-virus software.
The model I bought contains 3G mobile networking built in for $75 extra. This feature was well worth it and includes one year of data service at 100 mBytes/month with extra bandwidth available prepaid without contract through Verizon at $35 a month for 3.5 GBytes. This allows you to login and start working even if no WiFi is available.
Samsung Chromebook (Wi-Fi, 11.6-Inch)
More affordable than Apple's iPod Touch(!), the Samsung XE303C12-A01US Chromebook will likely become the game-changer in the MacBook Air/Wintel Ultrabook category of personal computing. This Chromebook has achieved a remarkable market position when one considers the combination of its competitive price-point, seamless cloud-based performance and battery life, and appealing hardware design that makes even the $999 low-end MacBook Air look like a massive rip-off.
Yes, Samsung's XE303C12 does not (yet- see Gmail Offline) run well-known applications from its local storage, and privacy may be a concern with its cloud-based storage of user data. But this gain in convenience usually comes at some reduction in security, especially in the new paradigm of cloud computing. The convenience gain: data backup and operating system maintenance procedures are now automatic and free-of-charge, and damage or theft to your computer will not result in major data loss. Just change your Google password and buy another reasonably-priced $249 Chromebook and your worries are minimized. Of course, more secure computing alternatives will always have its adherents, but for general users (students, digital immigrant family members, tech-savvy children), this Chromebook will provide a welcome relief to the premium hardware "tax" that comes with most of Apple's popular computing products.
Microsoft Office fans will be delighted to know that limited web-based versions of Word, Excel, and Powerpoint programs can be used free-of-charge through the Chrome browser using the free (for the first 7GB) SkyDrive storage service. Ah, the free benefits of the cloud computing era! Will this emerging low-cost personal computing paradigm spell the end of the Apple/Microsoft business model dominance? It remains to be seen, but I, for one, am grateful in beginning my investigation and eventual investment in Google's open-source, low-cost, innovative ecosystem that facilitates the development of 21st century digital skills for the overall empowerment of the masses...and yes, I am writing this review on my new Samsung Chromebook!
To begin with, I'm currently typing this review on my Chromebook, which I've only owned for about 24 hours at this point. Still, in the last 24 hours, I've found this computer to be everything that I thought it would be. My expectations for this were that it would be a very good second computer (I have a four year old MacBook which is still in good working condition, though its diminished battery life makes it impractical to take places), and those expectations have been met and exceeded.
The Good:
-This laptop is just as thin and light as I thought it would be. It's very easy to carry around in my messenger bag, and feels solid enough to survive any bumps my bag might have. Its portability was a very important factor in my decision to purchase this laptop, and it has been absolutely on point with my expectations. It's half the weight of my MacBook and probably a third of the weight of my work laptop (which I have to carry to and from home on a daily basis), so it's actually quite a delight to not have to carry around something that heavy.
-The keyboard is large enough to type on with relative ease. I'm a bigger guy, and sometimes typing on a laptop can be a chore for me, but I don't find this to be any more difficult than my MacBook (which was $900 more). However, for what I need this for (I'm returning to school in the fall for my doctorate, so a small and portable computer to take notes on is essential for me) it is perfect. I've even used it to take notes on a call at work today, and the keys are relatively quiet and my typing wasn't disruptive to my call today at all.
-Getting used to using only Chrome Apps (even coming from someone who used Chrome before) has taken a brief time to get used to, but now that I'm a little more familiar with the operating system, I find it to be very user friendly and entirely intuitive. Plus, with all the apps and extensions that are available in the Chrome Web Store, it's possible to customize it to where it fits my needs and desires.
-I've moved most of my music from my MacBook (almost 3,000 songs) into the cloud, and I've had no problems listening to it on my Chromebook. The speakers being on the bottom do make the sound a little muffled when it's resting on my lap, but I have a lap desk that I used with my MacBook often and when it's resting on that, the sound is great. The speakers are quite loud when they are at full blast,and so I have no issues hearing anything. I've watched a few videos and they are just fine as well.
-The screen is very similar to both my work computer and my old MacBook, so I don't have the same point of reference that some other posters have. For me, it's almost exactly what I'm already used to, so I have no issues at all with it. It's bright enough for me even in high light environments, and works fantastic in low light settings. It is a little smaller than I'm used to, but I knew the size going into this and it's not an issue either.
-Battery life has been good so far. I did charge it a little today while I was at work, but I've been working and playing around on it for about two and a half hours now, and the battery meter says that I still have over three and a half hours left to go, so this is in line with the six hour per charge estimate that is given. I'm sure if I decreased the brightness I could save a little more battery life, but I'm pleased with the level of illumination and it's worth it to me to sacrifice the extra battery time.
-Getting the 100gb of free cloud storage was entirely painless.
-As other people have posted, the boot time is incredibly fast. Switching between users (I have seperate personal and professional Google accounts) is also painless and quick.
The Bad:
-The trackpad is not something I'm used to. I don't know if it's just that my other laptops are older and have less sophisticated trackpads, but I had to disable the touch to click feature (I kept accidentally clicking things while I was trying to scroll) but at least that's a feature that's available. Also, the trackpad requires a much lighter touch than I'm used to (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's something to consider if you're used to having to apply a modicum of pressure to the trackpad on other laptops). It's taking some getting used to, but I worry that switching between machines will make this a little more difficult for me.
-That's about it (for me at least).
Bottom Line:
There are parts of this laptop that I haven't fully explored yet, but I've found it to be everything I wanted it to be and more. Again, I'm not a power user, so for me this is perfect for the things I need it to do. It's easily portable, super easy to use and it's fast and responsive. Overall I rated this five stars because it has met and exceeded my expectations quite nicely. If you're looking for a second computer (one to just keep around the couch or take with you on trips) this is an excellent investment, particularly for the low price.
You should definitely think about getting one. I know that these have been impossible to get lately (getting mine was an ordeal to be sure, and I actually purchased it from Best Buy after getting a three to six week waiting period after trying to order from Amazon) but it's worth the effort.
Not sure why people publish negative reviews for this amazing little laptop. Yes it runs on the cloud. That is not an issue. I bought two of these for my kids. The printing via cloud was easy to set up. My son uses his in class to take notes. This machine is very portable and light to carry around. Boots up lightening fast, no virus software to worry about and no updates that interfere with your productivity.
The kids do their homework fine and use it to play games and whatever. We are fans!
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