If you’re out laptop shopping and someone presents you with the option of a Chromebook instead, it might be confusing to understand the differences between the two right off the bat. Chromebook vs laptop, which is better for you? Depending on what your budget is and what you intend to do with the device, you might find one to be a far superior option for you.
At a glance, Chromebooks are also still laptops in appearance and function. They are less well-known, but their affordable price point makes them a much better investment for some. However, they’re not ideal for every user so it is best to make an informed decision about what you’re set to purchase. A more in-depth understanding of the difference between a Chromebook and a laptop is just what you need.
While deciding between a Chromebook vs laptop, you’ll have to make a list of all the features that are most relevant to you, and which ones take priority. (Image: Pexels)
Chromebook vs Laptop, What Should You Pick as Your Next Buy?
A laptop is essentially the condensed form of a PC system—it is significantly smaller and easier to carry around. Due to their size, tech makers have to compromise on some capabilities and processing power to reduce it down into a form that can be lightweight, but their performance is not poor by any means.
These devices come with PC peripherals like a keyboard and mouse built in, and the CPU is also shrunk down to fit inside the device. A majority of us use laptops for most of our daily needs, whether for shopping online or performing our jobs. Just like smartphones, there are many different brands we turn to for the devices and a smaller number of operating system providers who power them. Microsoft Windows is obviously the most popular OS, but we also have MacOS, Linux, and even Chrome OS. The last one is where the Chromebook makes an appearance.
What is a Chromebook?
A Chromebook resembles a laptop in its form as it is similarly designed but these devices exclusively run on ChromeOS. Yes, this is the same as the Google Chrome browser, which means that everything you can currently do and access via your browser is available on this device. Similar to how a MacBook runs on MacOS, the Chromebook operates on Google ChromeOS, giving users access to all the Google-based services more conveniently on their devices.
This device does not require you to be online 24/7 as a cloud PC does, but it does rely more heavily on online services rather than local files and storage. You can still use the Google Play Store to access all the apps and services you need on your laptop, but it is a more restrictive device if you’re more familiar with using a Windows or MacOS. For example, you can technically use the web apps that are part of the Microsoft 365 suite of services, but it isn’t as comfortable to do, nor as convenient as it is on a Windows PC.
Chromebook vs Laptop—Processing and Storage
For most simple tasks, the Chromebook is much faster to use. When it comes to heavier tasks, such as using video processing or 3D modeling software, you would be much better off picking a different, more upgraded laptop. Earlier, there were fewer Chromebooks available on the market so it was easier to do a spec-for-spec comparison between the two types of devices, but in recent years the number and range of devices have expanded.
Chromebooks typically use Intel Core chips or Intel Celeron chips, but the best Chromebook processors are typically inferior to the mid-range laptops on the market. The RAM availability on Chromebooks is often also much smaller, with around 4GB RAM, but there are devices with up to 16GB capabilities as well. You can typically expect 32GB to 64GB of flash memory storage, as the majority of your files are expected to be saved on the cloud.
Laptops, even the budget-friendly ones, typically have at least 128GB of local storage to comfortably save your files, and you can just as easily use Microsoft OneDrive or your Gmail storage to upload files you don’t need locally.
Difference Between Chromebook and Laptop Security
Chromebooks have generally been considered more secure for the average user because they are less influenced by other apps and software. Their malware and virus protection, as well as virtual sandboxing that keeps apps separate from the OS, offer a greater sense of security for the user.
Funnily enough, due to the smaller number of Chromebook users, there is less reason for cybercriminals to really target these systems, diverting all the attention to Windows systems instead. These devices aren’t invulnerable to attacks but they do bring in a better chance of safety.
Battery Life on the Chromebook vs a Laptop
It would be too simplistic to say that all Chromebooks have a better battery life than all laptops as such the statement doesn’t do justice to the range of the devices on the market right now, but Chromebooks typically have a more long-lasting battery. When the system is simplified and puts less pressure on its hardware, the battery is often able to work much better.
A laptop, with its varied processing loads, options for more demanding tasks, and apps that run in the background, tends to drain much faster. If you want a no-nonsense device that allows you to do your research or work on your documents on the go, a Chromebook may be better for you.
In most cases, a laptop is usually a better choice unless you want something cheap and don’t have too many demanding requests from it. (Image: Freepik)
Laptop vs Chromebook, Which Is Better?
The decision between a laptop and a Chromebook boils down to what you want to use the device for. A laptop is generally a superior investment as even mid-tier laptops perform better overall than the average Chromebooks, but if you don’t need all of that advanced processing power, you’re wasting your money on a system that you’ll never use to its full potential. Chromebooks are almost always cheaper and if you do find a laptop at the same price, they are usually older models or the inferior version of the tech you might get from a Chromebook at the same price.
When deciding between a laptop and a Chromebook, a basic Chromebook is more than enough for students who just need to use their laptops for tasks like completing assignments and doing school work. There is less noise and distractions, and the limited gaming capabilities also ensure there is less to do on the device other than schoolwork. A student reading this would politely disagree, as many of them—rightfully—would like a laptop that is more capable of supporting their hobbies and interests.
If you spend your time on more demanding tasks like video editing, coding, data processing, etc., and need advanced AI tools and other system-based abilities, then you might benefit from purchasing a laptop instead.
The number of Chromebooks on the market has grown over the years, from system makers like Asus to HP offering up their own versions. Still, there are far more laptop options to choose from and you get to be more picky with finding the perfect combination of specs to suit your preferences.
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