[Casey-Ryan]

I know there has got to be a million opinions out there on this but I am really stuck. I only really use a computer for going on line and posting in forums, checking email, and occasionally listing to my spottily when my phone is dead. I just am sick of having a computer with windows getting virus and countless error messages. I feel like I am buying a new computer every year. I had a macbook pro when I was in college for 5 years but after that couldn't justify the price rage but now I am seriously contemplating another one. But the chrome book thing interests me. What do you guys think of chrome books? or should i just caught up the cash and get another mac.

 

[Toshi]

I bought my wife an 11" HP Chromebook with an IPS screen. Screen is nice. Weight is great. Scrolling is slightly jerky. Overall experience is good for web browsing but you can tell it's a bit underpowered, even as compared to her ~2008 MacBook.

I don't see the draw of high powered (and correspondingly expensive) Chromebooks like the Pixel, on the other hand. They work best as cheap pseudo-tablets with a keyboard, IMO.

 

[Kevin]

Get a refurbished macbook?

 

[canadmos]

The last time I saw a Chromebook, the user wasn't too thrilled with it. It was literally an internet browsing machine. Nothing else. Don't quote me on this, but I think she got a flavour of Linux running on it, which worked much better. That could be another option, if you don't need to have full fledged version of Office on there (can opt for Open Office or even Google Apps).

And if you are going to spend that much, I'm not sure, but to me it kind of makes more sense to just get a tablet. Of course, if you type quite a bit that won't fly. Though, there are Bluetooth keyboards and other options too..

I just am sick of having a computer with windows getting virus and countless error messages

 

[Toshi]

I picked up that HP 11" IPS display Chromebook for $100 net, and at that price it's a good deal. It has LTE built in, btw, and we piggyback on our iPhones' shared Verizon data allowance.

I think it was $200 - $100 trade-in allowance at Best Buy for any laptop that could boot to the Win XP boot screen without a cracked screen or obvious water damage. We had a junker Dell brick that had been donated to us that met the criteria.

 

[IH8Rice]

I picked up that HP 11" IPS display Chromebook for $100 net,

off topic but i havent heard someone say this in years. my old company used Net Net Net. damn japanese company

 

[binary visions]

There's no reason a Windows computer used for web browsing should have a million errors or viruses. And while Macs get fewer viruses, they certainly exist, and I have dealt with plenty of Mac errors so it's not like they're immune.

I'm typing this from an Asus T100, a 10" full-blown Windows tablet with a clamshell keyboard. Assembled, it's like a small laptop, but you can just pull the tablet part off and use it by itself. Great battery life, and I can run any Windows app that I want, and it's cheap. Not as cheap as the lower end Chromebooks, but still pretty inexpensive.

If you really only browse online content, then a Chromebook is a nice, cheap way to do that. If you ever do anything else, it could frustrate you since it's not really a full OS experience.

 

[Casey-Ryan]

I went with the chromebook, for all of my personal usage of a computer the chrome book just made more sense. It came down to the Acer 720 touch or the HP 14. I went with the hp 14 for the keyboard and the screen size. I did give up some portability but in the end if a computer is not comfortable typing on then I might have just went along with my tablet. All and all I am very happy with the decession and I am going to be putting it through its paces to see if this is what I really want but so far so good.

 

[narlus]

my wife's got a chromebook that i bought her a couple of years ago and she loves it, and uses it way more than the iPad i got her before that.

for the things you mentioned you'd be doing, i think it's ideal and saves a lot of $ you don't need to spend.