Chromebooks are much less vulnerable to virusesīecause of the emphasis on cloud-based working, using a Chromebook doesn’t tend to involve much installation of software.Īnd this means that it’s pretty difficult to get a virus on one. Top tip: for a detailed overview of when and why you might want to use Google Workspace or 365, check out our Microsoft 365 versus Google Workspace comparison. Chromebooks can lower your software costsįor many individuals and businesses, Google Workspace - Google’s suite of productivity apps - is now capable of handling core computing needs - word processing, spreadsheets, email and diary management - perfectly well, and fairly cheaply too (Google Workspace starts at $6 per user per month). for key apps is definitely a good idea). (That said, investing in a third-party cloud backup service - Spanning, Backupify etc. Third, because there are no moving parts in them, Chromebooks are less prone to developing mechanical faults - which means that Chromebook users generally enjoy greater reliability and longevity, and a lack of repair bills.Īnd finally, because Chromebook users generally work ‘in the cloud,’ you don’t need to spend as much money on physical storage to handle networking or backups. This is because by default, any updates to your Chromebook and the Google software you use on it are carried out regularly and automatically by Google.Īnd, if you’re a Google Workspace customer, you have access to a 24/7 Google helpdesk too. Second, because Chromebooks don’t particularly rely on locally-run applications, there is less of a need for an IT department to install software. In particular, if you apply these sort of cost differentials across a large team’s computing requirements, you’re talking about saving a lot of money - savings that can make Chromebooks a particularly attractive option for anyone starting a business. So whether you’re an individual or a business, there are potentially significant cost savings to be made by using Chromebooks. (Ok, I picked my Chromebook up in a sale, but you can definitely buy a perfectly usable one up for less than $300, as the Chromebook pricing screenshot above highlights). My mid-range Windows laptop cost me four times as much as this without - at least when it comes to using Chrome and cloud-based software - being four times as good. To illustrate this point, it’s worth mentioning that I wrote this Chromebook review on a machine that cost me just $175. This observation, coupled with some adverts featuring shiny computers popping up on Facebook, got me wondering about Chromebooks…and whether I should buy one. Increasingly, I seem to be neglecting installed productivity apps like Microsoft Word, Outlook and Excel in favour of online, cloud-based equivalents (mainly Google products) that run happily in Chrome.Īnd all the ecommerce, SEO and web design apps that I use for my business - for example BigCommerce, Wix, Semrush, Shopify and Squarespace among others - are all browser-based too. This Chromebook review explores the pros and cons of using Chromebooks and other Chrome OS-based computers, helps you answer that question and highlights a few Chromebooks that you might want to consider using.īecause of the nature of the work I do, and the times we live in, I seem to have ended up using a LOT of different devices.ĭepending on where I’m working, I switch between an iMac, a Windows laptop, an iPhone and an iPad - but one thing I’ve noticed about all these devices is that most of what I’m doing on them is now being done in the Chrome browser. “Should I buy a Chromebook?” is a question that is asked with increasing frequency by individuals, businesses, parents and students looking to reduce their computing costs or work more collaboratively in the cloud.
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