It sells better than Mac. What's better than a Chromebook?

Is it cheap?

I was surprised to hear that the Chromebook, which has become a hot topic recently, has a higher global share than the Mac the other day. There are so many people who choose Chromebooks. Moreover, despite the fact that there are many excellent products for Win / Mac, what is it? Some kind of goodness should be found and bought, but what do you think is good?

I didn't really understand, so I tried various Chromebooks. It's true that it's cheap because it's cheap, but the Chromebook's unique usability is also there, and the synergistic effect gives the impression that the "goodness unique to Chromebook" has been completed.

Chromebooks are simple and easy to understand

A Chromebook is a laptop computer with Chrome OS, an OS (basic software) created by Google. When I touched it, I thought it was much simpler than Win/Mac. It's good not to get lost in what to do.

Chrome OS is an OS that specializes in the operation of Google's browser "Chrome", and it is designed so that Chrome alone can do a lot of work.

Start up Chrome → Google, write emails with Gmail, create documents/spreadsheets with Google Docs/spreadsheets, and watch videos on YouTube. Everything is consolidated in Chrome. Moreover, Gmail is highly functional as a mailer, and Google Docs/Spreadsheets can handle Word/Excel files. Free of charge.

Simple to use, I think the threshold is lowered anyway. It will be easy for people who want to debut a notebook PC from now on.

People who say "it's the same on Win/Mac" can use it without any problems. I myself use a Mac, but about 90% of my work is done on Chrome, so I was able to do a lot of work on a Chromebook as well as a Mac (there were some problems, but that will be explained later) ).

You can choose from a variety of products according to your taste

Let's also introduce what it looks like as a product. This time, I purchased and used two Chromebooks in the editorial department, but the HP Chromebook x360 13c (136,400 yen including tax) that I mainly used looks like this.

HP is famous as a maker of Windows notebook PCs, and the production is comparable to Windows notebook PCs made by the same company and in the same price range. As a Chromebook, it is the most high-end product, and the details are well built. The usability of the keyboard is also very good. You may have a strong impression that Chromebooks can be bought cheaply on Amazon sales, but there are such products.

You should check the design and specifications of your Chromebook before purchasing. This is because there are various products such as Windows notebook PCs, and each one has a different personality. It can be said that it is decisively different from the MacBook, which shares the same design and has no fundamental difference in usability.

Some of them are normal laptop type, but like this HP Chromebook x360 13c, 2-in-1 type with SIM (connect to the internet without tethering) is suitable for casual use / mobile. Some are made from scratch. There are even peaky products like the 40,000 yen Chromebook that I introduced earlier that are small and can be used like tablets.

Some tasks are better on Windows/Mac

When I was using it, I thought, "It's easier to do creative work on Windows/Mac." This is due to the fact that apps that run on Chromebook are for Android in principle.

For example, in my case, I take pictures with a digital camera during an interview, but in order to have many people see them, I need to adjust the pictures and convert them into a file format that can be viewed on a PC or smartphone. Become.

For that, I use Adobe's software called Lightroom, but with a Chromebook, I have to use the Android version of Lightroom. But Lightroom for Android is simplistic, feature-poor, and limited in what you can do. The UI is not optimized for PC, and the work efficiency has decreased. I want to do this on my Mac.

If you have a specific need to use "this app" like this, and you don't want it to be an Android app, choose Win/Mac from the beginning and select the app you want to use. you'd better use Students who are doing creative work, who are high amateurs with some kind of hobby, or who need specialized software in their laboratories should fall under this category.

Conversely, if you don't have any such apps, and your main tasks are general office work and web browsing, you won't have any particular problems with Chromebooks.

There are a variety of Android apps that work, so if you just want to retouch a photo once in a while, you'll be fine. There are many software that can be bought cheaply and are easy to use even for those who do not have knowledge, and it is easy to get started because you can find it in the app store like a smartphone.

Why I Loved the 80,000 Yen Chromebook

I tried a lot of different Chromebooks this time, but the one I thought was the best was the Acer Chromebook, another Chromebook I bought in the editorial department. Spin 713 (80,820 yen including tax, when purchased). I'm thinking of getting a new mobile submachine, and I thought it would be perfect for my needs.

When I thought about the reason, I realized that I didn't want to spend 100,000 yen on a laptop. I have fewer opportunities to go out and work than before, so I can compromise even if it is a little less convenient. I want to make it cheaper.

I think I noticed the goodness of this 80,000 yen Chromebook because I was looking at it with cost awareness.

It is made by Acer, one of the famous manufacturers of Windows notebook PCs, and the design and usability of the keyboard are solid. There is no difference in performance compared to HP's 130,000 yen Chromebook (although there was a difference in internal specifications when benchmarked). Compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro (about 270,000 yen), which I usually use comfortably, the operating speed is not much inferior.

There is no MacBook that can be bought for 80,000 yen new, and the competition is a Windows notebook PC in the same price range. Windows has a wealth of software that can be used very conveniently, but I don't want to go that far with a submachine. A Chromebook that you can buy and use immediately is more suitable.

There is sufficient comfort, not the minimum necessary, and it is also differentiated. Best of all, it's within budget. It was a new experience for me, who chose mainly high-end Win/Mac, to be able to find a good product already on the Chromebook even if I was looking for a budget-oriented one.

Conditions for Chromebook to shine better than Win/Mac

I think there are two conditions for Chromebook to be better than Win/Mac.

One is that the budget is in the 10,000 yen range, and it will stick to those who want to narrow down the notebook PCs to buy from the cost. If you spend more than 100,000 yen, you can reach the star products of Win / Mac (M1 MacBook Air, Surface Pro 7, etc.), but if the budget is in the 10,000 yen range, it is psychological to reach for such products. Strictly (a person with a budget of 80,000 yen would have to increase the budget by 35,000 yen to buy the M1 MacBook Air at 115,200 yen including tax) and ensure comfort within the budget. Chromebooks are a strong choice.

The other is that you can feel the advantage that Windows is "super convenient if you use various software". If you're thinking, "I want a new laptop but only use it occasionally," or "I'm new to computers/I don't know much about computers, so I'd rather just buy one and use it as is." It can also be used as a submachine.

I'm also interested in cheaper Chromebooks

This time, I was interested in Chromebooks that cost 50,000 to 70,000 yen. I haven't been able to thoroughly check products in this price range just by touching the store display, but the HP I used this time is comfortable because it uses a cheap CPU (Celeron, etc.) and Acer's products (both CPUs are 10th generation Intel Core i).

However, if you don't use it hard every day, I don't think it's stressful enough. I was able to work with the 40,000 yen Chromebook I touched before, so I don't think there will be a big problem even in this price range.