Computers are revolutionizing; from computer to laptop, laptop to Chromebook, and so on. You must have heard and used Google chrome browser along with many other Google services. Chromebook is one of the latest additions to it. While Chromebooks fall under the broad category of laptops, there is actually a long list of differences between Chromebook and laptop. If you are about to buy a new device and not sure what to choose between a laptop and a Chromebook, then this article should be fruitful for you to take the right decision. Let’s start with defining the two devices in the field of computer technology.
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Laptop vs Chromebook
The laptop is the more popular word compared to Chromebook. You may know that the laptop is the lighter and smarter version of the desktop computer which was invented during the 1980s. Epson was the first laptop introduced to the market in the year 1981. The laptop is mainly seen as a portable device and because of its capability of storing the power for a couple of hours, it became popular overnight. You can also easily upgrade a laptop just like any other computer.
On the other hand, Chromebook is a more recent thing during the early 2010’s period. Google brought Chromebook on the market to popularize their newly invented operating system– Chrome OS. While the laptop and Chromebook look absolutely identical to each other, their differences are mainly from the point-view of working method and software aspects. The laptop was said to be the portable version of the desktop; with the commencement of the Chromebook, things get even lighter.
10 Key Differences between Chromebook and Laptop
It is very crucial that you know the relative advantages and disadvantages along with key functional differences between a laptop and a Chromebook in order to choose the right one for your particular need. Here, I present a set of differences within a few points or perspectives. Take a look:
1. Operating System
You will find Windows laptops or Mac laptops on the market. Most of the laptops use either Microsoft’s Windows OS or Apple’s Mac OS. Chromebook runs with Chrome OS, and you cannot run a Chromebook with Windows or Mac OS.
2. Software
You cannot use a wide variety of software in Chromebook as you can while using a laptop. Mainly Google apps and features like Drive, G-mail, Photos, YouTube, and Play store run on a Chromebook. You can also run other online-based software on Chromebook. However, if you are a laptop user, all the Google apps as well as other demanding software like Photoshop, AutoCAD and video editors, etc. are well-available.
3. Browser
No internet browser except Chrome is available on Chromebook; whereas, along with Chrome, you can easily use Opera, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and many other web browsers to surf on the internet with a laptop.
4. Size and Weight
Usual laptops possess a hard drive, heavy motherboard, and other components which make them somewhat weighty. On the other hand, Chromebook is like a feather as it does not have any heavy components inside. On the matter of size, there is a variety of sizes available both for the laptop and for the Chromebook. However, a small-sized Chromebook is much popular than a similarly sized laptop.
5. Power Efficiency
Because Chromebook does not associate with many software and workloads are generally less, hence it is more power-efficient than the laptop.
6. Speed
The speed of a device depends on many things- RAM, processor, memory storage, etc. So, you just cannot say directly which device is fast; it really depends on the components that were used to build. However, if you take a same-priced laptop and Chromebook, you will definitely find that the Chromebook is way faster because of its less workload.
7. Gaming
A Chromebook is not well decorated for game lovers. You should choose a high-end laptop for high-resolution games like FIFA. But if you are satisfied with android games then the Chromebook can be a good alternative. You can play all the games found in Play Store from Chromebook. Also, recently feature like Chrome Stadia allow gamers to play online interactive games.
8. Microsoft Office Suits
It is one of the greatest limitations of the Chromebook. You cannot use the full features of MS Office of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Access, etc. for your office or general work. However, you can operate online based on Google docs and android office apps to partially fulfill your demand.
9. Storage
While orthodox laptops need hundreds of GBs to store thousands of songs, movies, and many more files, the Chromebook uses only a little to operate a web browser alone. Also, online-based cloud storage is a great way of storing things in Chromebooks.
10. Cost
Chromebook is twice as cost-effective compared to the laptop. How? Suppose, you have a budget of $500; you will find both laptops and Chromebook within the budget. Let me tell you the real fact, you just cannot get the same quality from a $500 laptop which you will surely get from a $500 Chromebook.
Conclusion
Both the laptop and the Chromebook have some relative pros and cons. It’s your need and choice that defines which one is better. From the above discussion, we can easily say that it is the functionality that sets apart a Chromebook from a traditional laptop.
