They’re Better Thank You Think!

There seems to be a lot of love and hate surrounding Chromebooks. Some people recommend them, but some people hate them.

That’s why around 5 weeks ago, I decided to get a Chromebook. The Chromebook I went with is the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360 which is actually a pretty decent laptop, but I will be writing a dedicated blog post about it soon. In the meantime, you can check out my unboxing and first impressions video on YouTube.

If truth be told, I didn’t know what to expect, I haven’t really done any research about it. The only thing I knew was that I was looking for a small laptop to use for writing blog articles.

Unknowingly, I was in for a big surprise because the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360 is actually a pretty decent laptop that has exceeded my expectations.

But here’s the thing, when people buy laptops, they usually tend to look at either a Windows laptop or a MacBook. They don’t tend to consider Chromebooks, even if they are perfectly suitable for the majority of things they do.

I can’t understand why, I mean based on my experience with the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360, the overall user experience is actually quite good. 

Personally, I think the main issue is that people look at the low specs and compare them to the far more needy Windows laptops and choose not to buy them.

But that’s one of the main advantages of Chromebooks, they are essentially well-optimised web browsers. But it doesn’t stop there, there are many other advantages of Chromebooks, and that’s why I decided to share them with you.

So without any further ado, here’s why I think Chromebooks are worth it in 2023…

Great battery life

One of the very first things I wanted to talk about is the battery. This obviously is model-specific, but Chromebooks generally tend to have great battery life.

This makes them ideal for travel, something I tend to do a lot of, especially by train. It allows me to work at the station and on the train without having to worry about the battery dying.

The battery on the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360 is so good that I don’t even worry about bringing the charger with me.

But here’s the best part, my Chromebook can be charged via USB-C meaning that if I forget to bring my charger with me, I can easily borrow one or just buy one. I can even charge it with the help of suitable power banks.

Surprisingly powerful!

After unboxing and setting up the Chromebook for the very first time, I was left speechless at how long it took me to set it up. 

Those of you who have ever set up a Windows laptop before or installed a fresh copy of Windows, know that it can be a very lengthy process which involves agreeing to a lot of terms and conditions as well as waiting.

Setting up the Chromebook took less than 4 minutes, all I had to do was essentially log in to my Google account and press next a few times and I was able to use it out of the box.

In terms of general use, the Chromebook performs really well. It takes seconds for me to log in and it feels very snappy. 

Even when doing more demanding tasks such as basic photo and video editing, the Chromebook just does what it says on the tin, it performs and that’s important.

Great for travel

I’ve already mentioned that Chromebooks are great for travel due to their excellent battery life, but I wanted to expand the topic a little bit.

If you choose to go with a smaller model such as my 12.4-inch Samsung, it’s the ideal size to put in your bag and take with you on your travels. It’s also the ideal size to use on a tray table or in a cafe. 

Now quite a few of you were concerned about the fact that everything is in the browser and how that will work when you don’t have access to the internet.

That will depend on what you are trying to do. If you are working on a document using Google Docs, you can enable offline mode. My particular Chromebook also supports Android Apps which I can use instead of the browser.

They are ideal for everyday tasks

What people don’t seem to see with Chromebooks is the fact that they are ideal for everyday tasks. Especially if you are just working on spreadsheets, writing or simply browsing the internet.

It’s one of the main reasons why schools and colleges tend to use them. Even when I was a university student a few years ago, I remember many students using them for their coursework.

Whilst you can use Android apps on some Chromebooks, web apps have got so much better, you can edit photos using the browser, you can edit videos, and the possibilities are endless!

They are incredibly cheap!

Chromebooks can be very cheap, but one thing to bear in mind is that a cheap Chromebook may not perform as well as a more expensive one. But it depends on the hardware specifications.

Having a look at the Currys website (Not sponsored), you can pick up a basic Chromebook for as little as £149.00, which is considerably cheaper compared to a basic Windows laptop that actually performs. 

Their price makes them ideal for homework and coursework. They are also ideal for occasional use, especially at a time when everyone’s main device is a smartphone.

The Verdict

Okay, I’ve talked enough about why Chromebooks are good, but are they actually worth it?

Based on my 5 weeks with the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360 as well as the previous Chromebook I had a long time ago, I definitely think that they are worth it, especially for occasional use or if you are a university student.

I mainly use my Chromebook for blogging when I’m not at my desk, and I’ve got to admit, the experience is actually quite nice, especially if I combine my Google Pixel 7 Pro and my Pixel Buds Pro which play nicely together. 

Throughout my time using the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360, I haven’t faced any major issues with it, in fact, it has performed well above my expectations.

That leaves me with the big question, are they worth it?

I definitely think that they are, and I would go even further and say that they are extremely underrated.

I think that they are perfect for 2023 as the majority of us use our smartphones for most things, I guess I don’t see the need of buying a more expensive laptop if you will only occasionally use it.

As someone who works with Windows, I can also say that based on my experience, Chromebooks tend to require less maintenance than Windows laptops and they are just much easier to use.

The only thing to bear in mind when buying one is that it will be supported and receive updates for a reasonable amount of years.

Do you own a Chromebook? What is your favourite thing about it? Let us know in the comments!