By JR Raphael

In Part I of this three-part series on Google’s Chrome OS, we covered the ins and outs of Google’s Chrome OS software and the Chromebook laptops that rely on it (see AskWoody Plus issue 16.44.0, 2019-12-02).

In this week’s Part II, we’ll go into greater detail on the hardware side of things — specifically, what you need to know to buy the best Chromebook for your needs.

Chromebooks are no longer the generally panned, limited-utility “browsers in a box” they once were. Nowadays, a decade in, they’re versatile platform-defying systems that offer their own unique set of computing advantages.

To wit: Chromebooks can run Android apps and even Linux apps alongside Chrome OS’s ever-expanding array of Web-centric utilities. They also update themselves every few weeks, seamlessly and automatically in the background. Unlike Windows and MacOS, they require virtually no maintenance — and no complicated configuration. You won’t waste energy worrying about pesky PC headaches such as driver conflicts, manual app updates, and a reliance on bloated security software just to feel safe.

Chromebooks aren’t the best choice for everyone, but for a growing number of computer users, they can serve as perfectly viable and refreshingly hassle-free alternatives — or even just supplements — to Windows.

Even though using a Chromebook is hassle-free, figuring out which model to buy isn’t so simple. You’ll find Chromebooks ranging from under U.S. $200 to over $1,200. Chromebook vendors include the likes of Acer, ASUS, Dell, Samsung, and even Google itself. Some devices are straightforward laptops, while others feature screens that swivel back into a “tablet” configuration — or detach entirely. Heck, you can even buy a Chromebox that’s basically a desktop computer designed to be used with the mouse, monitor, and keyboard you already own.

It’s a lot to sort out. But not to worry — I’m here to help. In this FAQ, we’ll walk through all the important Chromebook considerations, and I’ll offer some specific device recommendations.

Ready?

That’s the few-hundred-dollar question, so to speak. As is usually the case, the answer is “It depends!” Just as with purchasing a Windows system, how much you pay will hinge on widely ranging processing power, storage, screen size, external niceties, and other features. You’ll also find a fair amount of variation in form, with some devices offering touchscreens and others acting as full-fledged convertibles.

I suggest considering two key questions to start:

For most people, the lowest price I’d recommend is in the mid-$200 range. Sure, you can find less-expensive Chromebooks, but the compromises you’ll be forced to live with won’t square with any cost savings.

On the high end, it ultimately comes down to what you’re willing to spend. But for most power users, there’s really no reason to go much above $1,000.

There are, of course, many options. But at this time, I’d look at the Lenovo Chromebook C340 (see Figure 1) — specifically the model with an Intel Celeron N4000, 11.6-inch screen, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of local storage space. As we were finalizing this article, it was selling for around $260 on Lenovo’s website. (Especially during the holiday season, product prices can change often.)

Figure 1. The Lenovo C340 is compact, light — and really inexpensive for what you get. Source: Lenovo

The C340 doesn’t have the most sleek and elegant design, nor does it have an especially impressive display or the snappiest performance. But for the price, it’s a decent little system — perfectly suitable for basic Web-centric activity or running one or two tasks at a time. A convertible, it has a touch-enabled display that swivels fully back into a typical tablet format, which lets it take full advantage of Android apps in a natural-feeling way.

What’s more, Lenovo states that the system will get ongoing software updates all the way through June of 2026, adding to its overall value. (Assuming that you’ll stop using the laptop when it’s no longer supported, you’ll basically be paying less than four bucks per month for the life of the machine.)

If the C340 is too rich for you, consider the Lenovo Chromebook C330 — it’s last year’s version of the same device. Prices appear to be changing daily, but a model with 32GB of storage is currently $220; doubling the storage adds only $10 more.

Just note that the system’s software support ends in June 2025. Yes, you can save a few bucks, but in the long run the newer and slightly more expensive C340 is a better value.

Figure 2. If you really want to save a few dollars, consider last year’s Lenovo C330. Source: Lenovo

If you’re comfortable spending more for a truly capable and pleasant-to-use laptop, I’d suggest ASUS’s Chromebook Flip C434-TA — ideally, the model with 8GB of RAM. It’s currently selling for about $550 on Amazon. The Flip offers a sensible combination of form and function, with a high-quality aluminum body and plenty of power under the hood. It also steps you up to a 13-inch, 1080p display that’ll look noticeably better than what’s available on lower-end systems.

Figure 3. The ASUS Chromebook Flip C434-TA is slim and light — but also quite capable for most computing tasks. Source: ASUS

The touch-enabled screen swivels back for a tablet-like experience. And this model should receive ongoing software updates for six and a half years — through June 2026. (That breaks down to just over seven bucks a month over its advisable lifespan.)

All in all, it’s a spectacular buy, falling in the sweet spot for price versus value.

You can’t do any better than Google’s top-of-the-line Pixelbook, which typically sells for $999 from Google but is frequently available for less from third-party retailers such as Amazon ($900, as of this writing).

Figure 4. The Google Pixelbook is pricey but delivers an unbeatable Chromebook experience. Source: Google

The Pixelbook has enough power to handle practically anything you throw at it — dozens of tabs, loads of Linux apps, heavy multitasking, you name it — without suffering a single stutter or slowdown. It’s also a pure delight to use, with a shockingly crisp high-resolution display, an eye-catching minimalist design, a thin and light body, and a premium keyboard that’ll spoil you for typing on anything else.

Do you absolutely need a laptop with that level of luxury? Of course not. But if you want to ride around in the Lamborghini of the Chromebook world, well … this is it. And unlike that obscenely priced supercar, you really do get what you pay for.

The most significant downside to the Pixelbook is that it’s now two years old, and that means its window for ongoing software support is shorter than that of any 2019-released Chromebook. (The device will receive updates through June of 2024.) That makes its price tag a touch tougher to swallow.

If you’re of a more practical mind, consider dropping back down a bit to the ASUS Flip. It won’t match the Pixelbook for pure pleasure, but it’ll still give you a great experience.

Will your Chrome OS system spend its life on your desk (i.e., you don’t care about portability), attached to the monitor, keyboard, and mouse you likely already own? Then sure, consider a Chromebox. Mobility and touchscreen convenience aside, you’ll get the same basic Chrome OS experience as with a Chromebook. (That said, there’s a reason notebooks now outnumber desktop machines.)

The two most commendable Chromebox choices at this point are the Acer Chromebox CX13 and the ASUS Chromebox 3. Both are small boxes that will quickly and easily connect to your current peripherals. So the most meaningful variables are processors, RAM, and storage.

Figure 5. The Acer Chromebox CX13 measures a mere 5.8 by 5.9 by 1.6 inches. Source: Acer

Right now, the Acer CX13 Core i3 system is the better value; it comes with 8GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage for about $500 (Amazon page). You’ll get a zippy desktop computer that’ll never feel like it’s struggling — no matter what you use it for.

The comparable ASUS Chromebox 3 has an Amazon price of $470, with 8GB of RAM but only a 32GB drive. For an extra 30 bucks, it’s worth bumping up to the Acer.

Both devices are scheduled to get software updates through June 2025.

Not really — nothing more than you’d need with other types of computers.

Any Chromebook will work with your current Wi-Fi router and headphones. (Yes, astonishingly, the 3.5mm jack still lives on in this realm — hallelujah!) And any reasonably recent, Wi-Fi–connected printer should connect to your Chromebook with little to no effort (more info).

Most late-model Chromebooks rely on USB-C ports for connectivity. So to use something like an Ethernet or HDMI cable, you’ll need an inexpensive adapter. I’ve had good luck with Anker’s USB C-to-Ethernet and –HDMI adapters.

Chromebox devices include more-traditional USB ports, so most modern monitors, keyboards, and mice will do the trick. Both the aforementioned Acer and ASUS Chromebox models rely on HDMI video. (Note: If you use a keyboard designed for Windows, some of the specialty keys won’t have the right labels.)

That pretty much covers it. You’re now ready to purchase a Chrome OS device suitable for your computing needs. So what should you do once you have your new Chromebook in hand? How do you organize your system, optimize your settings, and track down different types of apps? That’s the topic in next week’s final Chrome OS FAQ installment.

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By JR Raphael

So now that you’ve read Parts I and II of our Chrome OS FAQ, you’ve worked out what Google’s operating system is all about — and possibly picked out the Chromebook that’s right for you.

Whew! It’s been a busy couple of weeks. (If you missed the first two parts of this series, no worries: just head over to issues 16.44.0 (2019-12-02) and 16.45.0 (2019-12-09) to get all caught up.)

Now we’re ready for the really fun part: taking your first steps into the world of your shiny new Chromebook. Getting around Chrome OS is mostly self-evident — especially if you’re an experienced Windows user — but there are some initial steps you’ll want to take to get everything set up and configured the way you like it.

Without further ado, let the questions begin!

Installing Android apps on a Chromebook is essentially no different from installing Android apps on a phone: you start by clicking the Google Play Store icon, which should be present within your Chromebook’s app drawer (accessible by clicking the circular Launcher icon in the lower-left corner of the screen or by tapping the matching key on your keyboard).

Next, enter an app title in the search bar or browse the list of apps to find whatever strikes your fancy (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. The Google Play Store on a Chromebook.

And if you’re signed in to your Google account, you can even open up the Play Store website on another computer and send an app to your Chromebook from there. As long as both devices are using the same Google account, the Chromebook should show up as an available option.

Just open up the Apps section of the Chrome Web Store. (Note that the Apps section is available only on Chrome OS devices. If you try to access it from any other type of system, you’ll see only Extensions and Themes for the Chrome browser.)

Nope! Not at all. You can run Web-based services such Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, and so on — just as you do in Windows — entirely within your Web browser. For frequently used webapps, click the three-dot menu icon to the right of the address bar and select More tools followed by Create shortcut (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. Shortcuts aren’t limited to webapps; you can turn any site into an app-like shortcut.

Shortcut webapps and sites can have any name you like. You can also have shortcuts open in separate windows — in other words, each will exist in its own box instead of looking like a browser tab. Once you finish the process, the shortcut will appear on the Chromebook’s shelf (the taskbar-like interface at the bottom of the screen).

Excellent question. For shortcuts that are already on the shelf, you can click their icons and then drag-and-drop them in either direction to change their placement. If you want to remove an item from the shelf completely, right-click it (or two-finger click it, on a trackpad) and then select “Unpin” from the menu that appears. (This should all sound familiar to Windows users.)

If you want to add an item to the shelf, click the Launcher and then select the up-arrow icon to open your entire list of available apps. Find the item you want, right-click it, and select “Pin to the shelf.”

You sure can! Just drag-and-drop any icon to a new position — or drag-and-drop one icon onto another icon to form a folder. Once a folder’s been formed, select it and then click its name (probably “Unnamed,” by default) to rename it.

Figure 3. You can easily reshuffle app icons in the Chrome OS app drawer to fit your preferences.

Just right-click the app’s icon — either in the app drawer or on the shelf (if it’s there) — and select Uninstall or Remove from Chrome in the popup menu.

Put bluntly, installing Linux apps is a complicated can of worms, best left to advanced Chromebook owners. You have to navigate through a somewhat dense command-line jungle.

If you’re up for the challenge, I’ve posted a step-by-step guide to get you started.

For system-level settings, select the screen section that includes the clock (lower-right-hand corner of the screen) and then click the gear icon at the top of the window that comes up.

Figure 4. The Chrome OS system settings can be a bit hard to find at first.

For browser-level settings — the same options you’d see within Chrome on Windows or any other supported desktop platform — open a browser window, click the three-dot menu icon to the right of the address bar, and select Settings from the menu that appears.

With or without an active Internet connection, you’ll always be able to sign in to your Chromebook and use basic system tools. Beyond that, it’s mostly a matter of making sure each app you’ll need offline is prepared ahead of time.

With Gmail, for instance, you’ll want to head over to the regular Gmail website, click the gear icon in the upper-right corner, select Settings, and then select Offline from the menu at the top of the screen. Check the box next to Enable offline mail and follow the prompts to complete the process.

Setting up a local version of Google Drive has similar steps, but the process covers both Drive and its associated productivity services: Docs, Sheets, Slides, and so forth. You’ll also need to install the companion Google Docs Offline browser extension to ensure full functionality.

To create local copies of your Google-created files (Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.) go to those respective services and right-click the files to select the “Available offline” toggle. (Only recently opened files are automatically stored on your Chromebook.)

For any other My Drive files that you want to make available offline — i.e., those that don’t relate to Google apps — open your Chromebook’s Files app, click the Google Drive section in the left-hand panel, then right-click a folder and select Available offline.

Other online services — for example, Google Keep and its offline-ready Chrome app — may have their own standalone, local apps . You can also browse through offline-capable apps on a Chrome Web Store page (again, it’s a link that’ll work only when opened from a Chromebook). And remember, too, that most Android apps are designed to work offline, without any extra effort.

Of course! Lots of ’em, in fact. Press the key combination Ctrl + Alt + / to see a list of available commands.

On most current Chromebooks, you can pull Assistant up by hitting the Launcher key and the a key together. The exceptions are Chromebooks made by Google, which have a dedicated Assistant key between Ctrl and Alt on the left side of the keyboard.

You can also set up Assistant for hands-free access via the “OK Google” or “Hey Google” hotwords; look for the “Google Assistant” option within the Search and Assistant section of the system settings.

Do I ever! Mosey on over to my sprawling list of Chromebook tips or explore my recent collection of worthwhile Google Assistant commands.

I cover Chrome OS constantly in my newsletter. So if you want to get fresh Chrome OS info in your inbox every Friday, feel free to subscribe. It’s an excellent complement to everything you’re learning here in AskWoody Land — but with an exclusive focus on the Googled side of mobile computing.

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