Google Chromebook: Why They’re the Best Cheap Student Laptops

Google and different manufacturers have put on sale a new batch of Google Chromebooks. These are why we recommend its purchase if you are a student looking for an affordable PC.

Google Chromebook has existed for some years, although, unfortunately, they were not a total bet of Google for the European market until now.

In 2020, the American firm teamed up with brands such as ASUS, Acer, and HP (among others) to sell a new range of cheap and not-so-cheap Google Chromebook laptops, with some high-end models that even want to overshadow the MacBook Air.

That said, there are several reasons why it is worth buying a Google Chromebook; some laptops equip Chrome OS as an operating system and usually have pretty reasonable prices.

Another good news is that thanks to Google’s impulse, these computers are in many online stores in Spain, so there is a choice.

To clarify some of your doubts, we have compiled several reasons why it is worth it, especially for users who do not need programs that are too specific and only in Windows 10 or macOS. However, as we will explain later, the repertoire of apps on Chrome OS is pretty good.

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Google Chromebook, Value for money out of reach of your competitors

If there is one thing for which Google Chromebooks are ideal for students, it is because of their price: they are much cheaper than a Windows 10 equivalent, and that is that to find a good Windows laptop for less than € 300, you would have to sacrifice a lot in terms of hardware.

However, there are Chromebooks for just € 229, like this one from ASUS, which promises excellent performance while having modest specs.

What’s the trick? It’s simple: Chrome OS is an Android-based operating system much lighter than Windows, which means you can get similar performance with somewhat less powerful processors and less RAM.

If a Windows PC already needs 8GB of RAM to function acceptably, on Chrome OS with 4GB, you still get excellent fluency, so manufacturers can cut costs and sell their laptops cheaper.

You can see some of the best Chromebooks of 2020, with models that go from that scarce € 200 that we have mentioned to approaching € 1,000.

Everyone is betting on being ultralight.

Another fundamental element when buying a laptop, especially if you carry it in your backpack, is its weight. Ultralight notebooks are all the rage, with many models at relatively affordable prices.

Google has emphasized this: Chromebooks remain below 2 kg in weight; in some cases, even touching 1 kg is quite an achievement.

That means you can carry them with you without hardly noticing it, which is undoubtedly an advantage, especially if, as we say, you have to go on a trip with them or carry them in your backpack to university or high school.

Google Play, an old acquaintance to install apps

Undoubtedly one of the things that make you doubt the most between buying a Chromebook and not doing it is the software repertoire. In Windows, they are practically all, but what about Chrome OS?

It is not something you have to worry about since, being a desktop OS based on Android, you download the apps from Google Play. That means you have hundreds, if not thousands, of apps out of the box.

For example, the most common online classes are Microsoft Office, Chrome, Google Docs, Hangouts, Skype, or Zoom. So you will not miss anything.

Not only that, but in many of them, you can log in directly with your Google account. From which you can also extract your saved passwords.

A reasonably secure operating system

Although there are viruses and malware for Android, it does not quite work in Chrome OS. And that takes into account that the number of viruses circulating in these OS is much less than in others such as Windows.

That gives some peace of mind since the primary methods for spreading malware are the files downloaded and installed in Windows. So using only trusted apps from Google Play, you should not have any problems.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be cautious, especially with files downloaded from the Internet to your Chromebook.