Chromebooks can include a variety of completely different {hardware} inside, so it may be exhausting to determine precisely what you want. Happily, the Chromebook Plus program has made the jumble of specs simpler to parse. ChromeOS can be mild sufficient that it doesn’t require extremely beefy specs to get an excellent expertise. Listed here are some basic recommendations on what to look out for.
Processor: For the very best expertise, it is best to keep away from older Chromebooks with Intel Celeron processors. The Chromebook Plus specs provide an excellent baseline to ensure speedy efficiency, and I’d advocate going with a minimum of an Intel Core i3, Core i5, or AMD Ryzen 3 7000 processor. Simply be careful for overspending on configurations with Intel Core i7 processors except you want the additional horsepower for multitasking Android video games, Linux apps, and dozens of Chrome tabs. Whereas Intel and AMD dominate the processor scene, you’ll often discover Chromebooks utilizing ARM processors just like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 within the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 above. These will be positive for very fundamental duties, however they received’t fare as effectively underneath sustained, intense hundreds (a minimum of till one thing newer comes alongside).
RAM: At all times go for a minimum of 8 GB of RAM should you can afford it. You received’t discover 4 GB of RAM in something aside from fundamental, super-budget Chromebooks, however it severely limits your capability to multitask. If you wish to keep away from slowdowns, 8 GB of RAM is the usual it is best to goal for.
Storage: In contrast to a Mac or Home windows PC, a variety of your Chromebook work will stay on the internet. This implies you may sometimes get away with much less storage, however I wouldn’t advocate going beneath 128 GB. For those who can afford it, you’ll be far more comfy with a minimum of 256 GB. You’ll get the very best pace out of an NVMe strong state drive, so look out for that on the spec sheet whenever you’re evaluating fashions.
Display: The overwhelming majority of Chromebook shows you’ll discover will likely be IPS LCD panels, and that’s simply positive. Till OLED shows make extra of a dent within the Chromebook house, IPS LCD screens provide the very best distinction and coloration accuracy. For those who’re buying within the excessive funds vary, be careful for TN LCD panels, as they’re typically decrease high quality and provide worse viewing angles. For decision, a 1,920 x 1,080-pixel decision ought to be your commonplace. You’ll get crisp visuals at 13- and 14-inch display sizes and it’s satisfactory at 15 inches. Greater resolutions will look even higher, however be cautious of the battery life tradeoff you’ll see from pushing energy to extra pixels.
Ports: USB-C ports have turn into commonplace on the latest Chromebooks, so there’s now not any excuse to purchase one with out them. Attempt to get one which prices over USB-C so you may recharge with a conveyable energy financial institution whenever you’re on the go. A microSD card slot can be helpful if you need a simple approach to develop your storage on the fly. You’ll discover that some Chromebooks help Thunderbolt 4 over their USB-C ports as effectively. Whereas that’s a wonderful choice to have should you plan to plug your Chromebook into some high-end displays, it isn’t crucial for most individuals. As a substitute, you will get comparable exterior monitor help (and spend lots much less) with an HDMI port or DisplayPort over USB-C help.
