Chromebook vs Laptop – Which one should you buy?
Are you confused about the thought of; a Chromebook vs laptop? Well, this article is going to help you. Make sure to read till the end.
Both laptops and Chromebooks can access applications, browse the web, and home, work, or school services. However, there are obvious distinctions between the two systems. Each offers its own benefits. In this article, I will point out the differences between the two. So you can choose the best according to your needs.
What is a Chromebook?
Chromebooks run Chrome OS- an operating system designed by Google based on the principle of “internet first”. You can work directly on the Chrome browser, in addition, can also install and use Android applications. The advantage of such an approach is that the user is much less dependent on the hardware specifications for performing tasks. Instead, you can use Google’s computing power to help do your tasks.
Since hardware is no longer a significant factor in Chromebooks, their OS becomes a much cheaper alternative to traditional laptops. Hence, Chromebook’s price is generally based on the type of hardware it comes with.
Chromebooks are a lightweight alternative to conventional Windows laptops. They give users a cheaper, more reliable, and more work-focused. In addition, they have better energy efficiency, which increases productivity.
What is a Laptop?
A laptop is a portable alternative to a conventional desktop with nearly the same computing and task-handling capabilities. In addition, laptops are battery-powered instead of traditional desktops powered directly via electricity. Moreover, laptops are much lighter and compact, hence portable, making them much more convenient to travel. Therefore, you can have a working system set up anywhere with convenience.
A laptop may be used for work-related purposes, gaming, and entertainment, web browsing, or for other general usages.
Chromebook vs. Laptop – Differences
Although, the difference between Chromebooks and laptops may be a little clear. However, one must be aware of several critical distinctions before purchasing one.
1) Portability
Although laptops are portable, heavy hardware can still make them difficult to carry. In addition, some laptops, such as gaming ones, are pretty bulky due to heavy components such as a coolant fan, vents, etc.
Chromebooks are designed to be extremely thin and sleek without additional built-in hardware features. Moreover, as said earlier, Chromebooks are more streamlined in their usage. Hence, they are very portable with minimal capabilities instead to laptops.
2)Operating System
The primary distinction between Chromebooks and laptops is the Operating System. While Chromebooks run with Google-based ChromeOS, laptops are powered by Windows, Mac, or Linux. The Chrome browser is where all your daily computing takes place. Therefore, Chromebooks run “web apps instead of running installed programs.”
Laptops may use various OS such as Linux, Windows, Fedora, Mac, etc. However, Windows is the most commonly used OS in laptops. It implies you have considerably more freedom to use applications or carry out complicated operations, but it is difficult to use, typically loads slowly, and requires frequent upgrades.
3) Battery Life
Laptops have bulky hardware and, thus, require larger batteries. However, with ChromeOS’s streamlined application and Google’s continuous software optimizations, Chromebooks are rapidly catching up with laptops on battery life.
Chromebooks are quite durable, with a normal battery life of 10 or 12 hours. Depending on your budget, Windows laptops may last anywhere from 5 to 10 hours. Again, the low-impact Chrome operating system and the absence of a battery-hungry internal hard drive on a Chromebook are the key factors for long battery life.
4) Performance
In terms of overall performance, laptops will perform better due to their hardware superiority over Chromebooks. However, if you look at individual or streamlined applications, there are areas such as optimized calculations, computations, cloud, and research-based work, where Chromebooks hold an advantage over laptops.
The performance of a system depends on a user’s use case. For instance, a gaming user would invest in a gaming laptop or a PC packed with high-end hardware and features. Hence, Chromebooks would not suit him.
6) Security
Chrome OS is less vulnerable to attacks than most other operating systems, though one cannot generalize this. You can configure Chromebooks to save almost nothing on the device, and Google Drive would keep it all safe. It should go without saying that you may use this device with complete confidence. Furthermore, with the rise in cyber attacks and instances of sensitive data leaks over recent years, the security of a system cannot be compromised.
5) Price
Chromebooks are much cheaper in comparison to laptops because of minimal hardware costs. Hence, if a Chromebook fits a user’s application, they are an affordable alternative to laptops.
Chromebook or Laptop – Final Thought,
So finally, the battle of chromebook vs laptop has come to an end. And here’s my final verdict. If you have light work, such as browsing the internet, streaming audio and video, and working with cloud and computing, Chromebooks are a much better and cheaper alternative to laptops.
It’s because the price of a low-end laptop can get you a fantastic Chromebook with an impressive display, design, and built quality.
However, if your primary focus is on gaming, photo & video editing, or something creative, laptops are the go-to choice in such a situation.
