|
MrNemo posted:Out of interest question: how much have Chromebooks actually moved on tech wise in the last 3-4 years? Basically if I'm thinking about getting a new one just because my 3 year old Chromebook is starting to suffer from daily use, would say a reconditioned 2017 Pixelbook with top specs be potentially better value than a Pixelbook Go (assuming it is actually reconditioned so not factoring in much wear)? While they generally all work the same, older CBs don't necessarily support Android and especially native Linux apps, so regardless of the hardware capabilities, an upgrade might be worth it simply to facilitate those additional features, if that's useful to you. Beyond that, newer CBs generally just seem to have newer/faster CPUs, more RAM, higher-res displays, etc. So there really aren't any new "killer" features that haven't already been available for a few years (e.g. convertibles, detatchables, backlit keyboards, etc.) I still use the HP CB 13 from 2016, partially because it's the top-end model (Core m7, 16 GB RAM, 3200x1600 display, backlit keyboard,) and still works perfectly for me while still getting updates from Google, despite having other options available. If yours is still working then there's no specific reason to upgrade to a brand-new model, but if it's indeed falling apart then I'd certainly suggest a recent option. One of the Pixelbooks you mentioned would be fine, the Asus Flip, Samsung Pro, or perhaps one of the 15" models (from HP, Acer, etc.) if you'd like a larger display. silence_kit posted:I'd worry about the old device's battery not being good. I'd suggest opening up the device first to see how easy it is to get to the battery, and then if you do reach it, you can reference the model number to try to find a replacement part. You might very well have to go with a 3rd party option, but that's not really an issue nowadays.
|
#
?
Feb 27, 2021 11:43
|
|
|
|
| # ? Oct 3, 2024 10:58 |
|
|
Google has always had a habit of dabbling in new products and not really committing (cf. Galaxy phones) but I wish they'd make a new Pixelbook that's just a real good laptop with some upgrades, like fixing the lousy webcam. The Pixelbook Go is a little cheaper but sounds a lot more compromised.
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2021 01:15
|
|
|
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=B088R6H7NC+%7C+B0841T9KC9+%7C+B07WGSBV2X+%7C+B08SK11XMD&tag=toyswalsh-20 On the subject of docks/hubs for your Chromebooks, Aukey has a few for sale (just ignore that dual USB-C port one specifically for Macbooks.)
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2021 04:02
|
|
|
I saw that the Lenovo CB Duet was on sale, and on a whim I bought an open-box 128 GB model from BB for ~$240 total. It's pretty nice for what it is: a cheap, tiny CB tablet that comes with its own detachable keyboard and kickstand cover. Performance is modest as expected, the display is nice, and it's ultimately more for content consumption than creation, along the lines of what you'd have an Android tablet for, nevertheless with more capability. The only concern is that the 4 GB of RAM is really not cutting it for my use: I have <1 GB free with no tabs open, because apparently the extensions that I normally have running (on a 16 GB CB) consume quite a bit of RAM. I'll have to see about disabling some of those extensions on the Duet, but beyond that I think I can recommend this thing to others who want a super-portable CB mostly for media consumption with only a limited amount of typing.
|
|
#
?
Mar 5, 2021 06:46
|
|
|
How easy is it throwing Linux on a CB these days? Thinking of picking up a HP chromebook 14 on sale at Costco, mostly for loving around to learn Linux stuff and to have a lightweight laptop for travel (I'm on the road a lot and I feel like anything right now would be lighter than my current laptop, with longer battery life too). Also any idea if the internal storage is expandable on newer CBs or am I stuck using a MicroSD/USB flash for more storage?
|
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2021 01:04
|
|
|
Butt Reactor posted:How easy is it throwing Linux on a CB these days? Thinking of picking up a HP chromebook 14 on sale at Costco, mostly for loving around to learn Linux stuff and to have a lightweight laptop for travel (I'm on the road a lot and I feel like anything right now would be lighter than my current laptop, with longer battery life too). Also any idea if the internal storage is expandable on newer CBs or am I stuck using a MicroSD/USB flash for more storage? It's stupidly easy to do. Turn on dev mode, open a developer shell (ctrl alt t, username cronos no password) and do this curl https://chrx.org/ | sudo tar xzfC - /usr/local && chrx Disk will partition and rebuild Boot it back up into chrome open a terminal and run the same command and it'll download and install galliumos, a chromebook friendly Linux distro More documentation is at chrx.org
|
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2021 01:13
|
|
|
Butt Reactor posted:How easy is it throwing Linux on a CB these days? Thinking of picking up a HP chromebook 14 on sale at Costco, mostly for loving around to learn Linux stuff and to have a lightweight laptop for travel (I'm on the road a lot and I feel like anything right now would be lighter than my current laptop, with longer battery life too). Also any idea if the internal storage is expandable on newer CBs or am I stuck using a MicroSD/USB flash for more storage? Regarding the internal storage, there were some models that had an mSATA or maybe 2242 m.2 SSD, but generally it's soldered on. Then again, I haven't kept current on which models are upgradeable, so you'd have to research specific models to see if the ones you're looking at are or not.
|
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2021 04:32
|
|
|
I'm looking to replace my old and feeble Nexus 9 tablet, and could use some light productivity/office features on the go, so I'm thinking a chromebook is my best bet. Budget is around $500 - I can spend more if necessary but this will mostly be for a capable second screen device, some streaming media, android apps and video meetings/light productivity work so I don't need anything high end. I have a recently built gaming PC that handles 99% of my needs. Appreciate any and all suggestions assuming my idiot rear end is correct in looking at chromebooks.
|
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2021 20:30
|
|
|
If you want to keep the tablet form factor in about the same size, the Lenovo Duet is a good bet. It comes with back cover that serves as a kickstand and a snap on keyboard.
|
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2021 21:19
|
|
|
I've been really enjoying my Pixel Slate. I managed to get a refurb Brydge G-Type. That said, having owned an iPad Pro in the past, I'm likely to go with the Air in a few years when this guy's usefulness has waned. I do some 3D modeling and 3D printing work on it, and it's been quite good, though, so not really anything to complain about besides some niggles with the keyboard going into sleep mode faster than I expect.
|
|
#
?
Mar 22, 2021 02:01
|
|
|
Yeah I'm liking the Duet, but it's definitely more of a content consumption than creation device. It's underpowered compared to my daily driver (an HP 13) but is still quite capable considering the hardware that it has, and it supports Android and Linux apps. It's closer to an Android tablet (than a "real" Chromebook,) however, because that detachable keyboard is mostly an afterthought, considering the tiny keys (and touchpad) and how it's more limited in the surfaces you can use it on compared to an actual laptop (in other words, you have to have a stable enough surface for both the keyboard and the kickstand-supported tablet portion.) So I would definitely recommend the Duet as a secondary ChromeOS device, something that's between an Android tablet and a full Chromebook in functionality, but I wouldn't suggest it if you didn't already have a "regular" laptop of some sort. McKracken, $500 is a good amount for a decent low-midrange Chromebook, and as I wrote recently I got the top-spec Duet as a Best Buy open box for like $240. I'm not 100% sure on your needs, though; any Chromebook will do everything you mentioned, but when you say "light productivity/office" how much typing are we talking about? A tablet-style device, especially with an undersized keyboard, is going to be miserable if you have to spend any significant amount of time typing; for example I can check my e-mail on the Duet, but I'm switching to literally any other device if I have to reply to anything. If your needs are met by a newer Android tablet, then fortunately there are current models that are surprisingly reasonably priced (e.g. a Lenovo M10, a Wal-mart "onn." branded tablet, and even an Amazon Fire HD 10 with the Google Play Store added are among the options.)
|
|
#
?
Mar 22, 2021 06:27
|
|
|
It's strange, I don't think I have especially small hands but my typing speed on the Duet keyboard is only about 5% lower than it is on my normal MS ergo keyboard.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2021 17:19
|
|
|
Atomizer posted:McKracken, $500 is a good amount for a decent low-midrange Chromebook, and as I wrote recently I got the top-spec Duet as a Best Buy open box for like $240. I'm not 100% sure on your needs, though; any Chromebook will do everything you mentioned, but when you say "light productivity/office" how much typing are we talking about? A tablet-style device, especially with an undersized keyboard, is going to be miserable if you have to spend any significant amount of time typing; for example I can check my e-mail on the Duet, but I'm switching to literally any other device if I have to reply to anything. Probably not much typing at all - the light office productivity stuff would mostly be for occasional zoom meetings where I have to share my screen and run a powerpoint. I've found that to be an absolute nightmare on my Nexus because of how the android zoom app works on that device. I assumed a 2 in 1 would suit that purpose while also giving me an upgraded tablet. I don't really have much, if any, need for a dedicated laptop. e: When doing some research on this a while back I had read that the android tablet market was kinda dwindling and most of the better features were going into chromebooks. McKracken fucked around with this message at 22:39 on Mar 23, 2021 |
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2021 22:37
|
|
|
Evil Robot posted:It's strange, I don't think I have especially small hands but my typing speed on the Duet keyboard is only about 5% lower than it is on my normal MS ergo keyboard. Just comparing the Duet's keyboard to the pretty standard-sized one on the HP 13 that I use daily, the width of the main letter keys on the former is basically "standard," except the rows themselves are much more close together, meaning the finger reach forwards and backwards is notably different, and that's on top of the rest of the keys being smashed together. I haven't taken a speed test or anything to measure it, but it's much more noticeably unpleasant to type on a miniaturized keyboard like the Duet's. McKracken posted:Probably not much typing at all - the light office productivity stuff would mostly be for occasional zoom meetings where I have to share my screen and run a powerpoint. I've found that to be an absolute nightmare on my Nexus because of how the android zoom app works on that device. I assumed a 2 in 1 would suit that purpose while also giving me an upgraded tablet. Yeah there's not much innovation in Android tablets, but they're still being made and are totally usable; I'd say if you mainly intended to use Android apps, get an AndroidOS device because some apps don't work as expected on ChromeOS. On the other hand, the full Chrome browser on ChromeOS is way better than the Android version, so take that into consideration if you plan to do a lot of Web browsing. In fact, I generally recommend Chromebooks to people who can get most of their work done via the browser, as most applications are accessible that way nowadays. So if you can run Zoom in a browser tab, it'll work great, and you can run Office.com apps (including Powerpoint) via the browser as well.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2021 05:45
|
|
|
Any particular reason my Duet doesn't go idle and have the screen turn off after a YouTube video finishes? Started happening after one of the recent Chrome OS updates. Works fine with every other application when left alone for long enough, but with YouTube it will happily sit there draining the battery with the screen on.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2021 13:51
|
|
|
If it's anything like youtube on an android phone, it's because youtube doesn't want you to turn the screen off. It's really annoying that the app won't let you play audio with the screen off.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2021 20:01
|
|
|
Fitzy Fitz posted:If it's anything like youtube on an android phone, it's because youtube doesn't want you to turn the screen off. It's really annoying that the app won't let you play audio with the screen off. You can do this with YouTube Premium. The reason why they don't is because record labels are scared it'll be done to steal music or whatever. That's the reason that popped up when the function was disabled on my iPod touch long ago at least.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2021 21:31
|
|
|
Ironically that sort of thing is exactly why I pirate and don't use youtube for music!
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2021 22:40
|
|
|
ThermoPhysical posted:You can do this with YouTube Premium. Funnily enough I have YouTube Premium at the moment, the free 3 months that came with the Chromebook. So it's perfectly capable of playing with the screen off, but I never use it. It just refuses to sleep after a video finishes and will sit at the end card until the battery is gone. Super frustrating.
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2021 05:04
|
|
|
Hmm, it's funny you're mentioning that, because the opposite thing took place with the Android app; a recent update to the Youtube Android app apparently disabled its stay-awake-while-playing functionality, so after a few minutes of actively playing video the screen would shut off. The latest update appears to have fixed that, however.
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2021 08:41
|
|
|
Sorry for kramering in here but I skimmed the first few posts and last 2 pages. Apologies if I'm about to ask something that pisses the thread off. Is there a make of Chromebook or a particular current model that I should absolutely avoid purchasing? Like notorious for hardware failure, that kind of thing. I am helping someone buy a cheap laptop off Amazon or Google's store.
|
|
#
?
Apr 1, 2021 03:53
|
|
|
droll posted:Sorry for kramering in here but I skimmed the first few posts and last 2 pages. Apologies if I'm about to ask something that pisses the thread off. Nope, there aren't really any bad brands of CBs, they all just pretty much work. As long as you get something with decent specs (e.g. decent CPU, 4 or preferably 8 GB of RAM, appropriate resolution for the display size, etc.,) it'll be fine. If you narrow the person's selection down to a handful of models you can post them here and we can glance at them to give our opinion, or if you'd like recommendations then provide details like budget, preferred size, extra features like touchscreen and backlit keyboard, etc.
|
|
#
?
Apr 1, 2021 07:34
|
|
|
The only other distinction I can think of is where the cpu is x86 (Intel/AMD) or ARM. But that only really matters if you need the Linux container to support x86. By-in-large most Chromebooks are x86.
|
|
#
?
Apr 1, 2021 17:13
|
|
|
Still reading through this thread but I need to make a decision soon so any suggestions appreciated. I'm looking to get either a chromebook or chromebox for a max budget of £300. I have a 24" monitor, usb speakers and a 250gb sata ssd with usb connector I would like to use with either. As well as web browsing/youtube/movies I would need to run MS office/teams and would like to do a little vb/c# programming in visual studio (not a deal breaker). Looking forward to your advice.
|
|
#
?
Apr 7, 2021 10:15
|
|
|
Anyone running gallium on their chromebook? Seems like when I have "something" plugged into the USB port, the bios doesn't recognize my ctrl+l or ctrl+d keystrokes. Does this have something to do with the usbboot flag or something?
|
|
#
?
Apr 7, 2021 14:08
|
|
|
JamesieAB posted:Still reading through this thread but I need to make a decision soon so any suggestions appreciated. I'm quite happy with my Acer Chromebook Spin CP713, and it is absolutely usable with Microsoft Office and Teams.
|
|
#
?
Apr 7, 2021 15:08
|
|
|
I ran into an odd issue the other day with my daily driver, the HP CB 13 from 2016 that I'm typing on right now, that I thought I'd share. So I use this literally every day, normally plugged in. Occasionally I'll run it unplugged, but the battery life is pretty mediocre, at least for the m7 version that I have, and especially with its ~5-year age and ~160 cycles on it per the reported stats. I'd used it for a couple hours and then plugged it in overnight, noting that in the new diagnostics app the charging current was strangely in the single-digit mA range, predicting multiple hours to recharge. I didn't think much of it, closed the laptop, and put it aside before going to bed. When I awoke, I picked up the CB and the bottom was extremely hot, at least as hot as the passively-cooled device normally gets under load when not used on a cooling pad of some sort (another of this particular device's flaws.) Unsurprisingly, the laptop wouldn't power on, and I'd assumed it had cooked itself, quite literally. I wasn't too worried, as I have other devices, and the beauty of ChromeOS is that basically everything is synchronized remotely so I wouldn't lose anything. For the hell of it, I tried the "hardware reset" button combo, and it booted right up as if nothing had happened! It's behaved fine since then, but I've been keeping an eye on it. I'll add that, while I've used this CB with a few different power supplies, recently I've had it plugged into the PD port of this Anker power strip. I can't say either way that this contributed to the aforementioned incident, but figured it's worth noting.
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2021 10:52
|
|
|
Is there a screen cleaning mode for Chromebooks? Like "disable touchscreen for a minute" or something similar? Specifically the Pixelbook Go. I've seen if you enable developer options you can just turn the touchscreen off completely but something temporary would be preferable.
|
|
#
?
May 7, 2021 13:04
|
|
|
Humerus posted:Is there a screen cleaning mode for Chromebooks? Like "disable touchscreen for a minute" or something similar? Specifically the Pixelbook Go. I've seen if you enable developer options you can just turn the touchscreen off completely but something temporary would be preferable. Not exactly, that I can think of, but you could always just lock the CB if you didn't want to power it off completely, temporarily, and that should effectively disable the digitizer because the CB isn't doing anything else after that point until you explicitly unlock it.
|
|
#
?
May 11, 2021 04:34
|
|
|
Any thoughts on the flex 5 from Lenovo? Or recommendations for a similar price convertible? I need something light I can carry around at work with screen open, type notes and view some images. Battery life is a plus but can be charged intermittently throughout the day. Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 13" Laptop, FHD (1920 x 1080) Touch Display, Intel Core i3-10110U Processor, 4GB DDR4 Onboard RAM, 64GB eMMC, Intel Integrated Graphics, Chrome OS, 82B80006UX, Graphite Grey https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086383HC7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_1SARY1VFXF6RN29RVHBJ
|
|
#
?
May 11, 2021 05:58
|
|
|
Humerus posted:Is there a screen cleaning mode for Chromebooks? Like "disable touchscreen for a minute" or something similar? Specifically the Pixelbook Go. I've seen if you enable developer options you can just turn the touchscreen off completely but something temporary would be preferable. I just open mine and then hold the power button down until it turns off for cleaning.
|
|
#
?
May 11, 2021 07:08
|
|
|
MrNemo posted:I just open mine and then hold the power button down until it turns off for cleaning. i dont see that in developer options
|
|
#
?
May 11, 2021 14:29
|
|
|
Doctor Party posted:Any thoughts on the flex 5 from Lenovo? Or recommendations for a similar price convertible? That one should be just fine; the only thing that would give me pause is the 4 GB of RAM, which is what I've recommended to others as the bare minimum but for a tab whore like myself it's getting to be insufficient. Other than that, some version of the Asus Flip would be a good alternative for a convertible, as an example. If you really want to emphasize portability, battery life, and price, you could try the Lenovo Duet that I wrote about recently. You could carry it around as a tablet and leave the keyboard where you need to type. Statutory Ape posted:i dont see that in developer options He's saying just to open it up to access the screen (at which point it'll unfortunately, in this case, power on automatically,) and then use the power button to force it off so you can clean it without inputs (because otherwise it's presumed that you're just shutting the lid to put it in standby rather than manually powering it off every time.)
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2021 05:23
|
|
|
OK thanks for checking it out. Yeah I don't see a 8gb version. I have an older Asus flip and its great. But it's sort of to small for work. And now it's also a little slow at times.
Doctor Party fucked around with this message at 13:35 on May 12, 2021 |
|
#
?
May 12, 2021 13:32
|
|
|
Doctor Party posted:OK thanks for checking it out. Yeah I don't see a 8gb version. I have an older Asus flip and its great. But it's sort of to small for work. And now it's also a little slow at times. Yeah I think I remember that you got the very first Flip, the C100. 10" display and ARM CPU. The recent Flip models have Intel CPUs and 12-14" displays; they're much more capable devices. Prices may be inflated due to the semiconductor shortage situation, however. There are also alternatives from Acer, HP, and others; basically, they're all fine options as long as they meet those minimum hardware requirements (which, again, are a decent CPU, 4-8 GB of RAM, and an appropriate resolution for the display size.)
|
|
#
?
May 16, 2021 06:25
|
|
|
Atomizer posted:Yeah I think I remember that you got the very first Flip, the C100. 10" display and ARM CPU. The recent Flip models have Intel CPUs and 12-14" displays; they're much more capable devices. Prices may be inflated due to the semiconductor shortage situation, however. There are also alternatives from Acer, HP, and others; basically, they're all fine options as long as they meet those minimum hardware requirements (which, again, are a decent CPU, 4-8 GB of RAM, and an appropriate resolution for the display size.) Thanks for the thoughtful reply. And yeah I actually got the first flip and then I guess the second generation one. I only replaced it because the screen broke after being dropped really hard. I've had the second generation one for a few years. It's a great little computer for goofing around online, writing a few emails etc. I brought it to work though, because my work supplied work laptop broke, and it couldn't really keep up. Plus it's so small for that use. Anyway yeah I am looking at the newer Asus flips and the Lenovo flex five. I did find a flex five with 8gb ram. Anyway thanks, great thread!
|
|
#
?
May 16, 2021 12:46
|
|
|
Got a lenovo duet recently and use it with the built in keypad and a windows usb keyboard. I would like to know if there is any way (on the windows keyboard) that I can use the numberpad home/end/direction arrows/pgup/pgdn keys instead of the numbers?
|
|
#
?
May 18, 2021 16:45
|
|
|
Can you turn off number lock?
|
|
#
?
May 18, 2021 17:16
|
|
|
NewFatMike posted:Can you turn off number lock? Nope, only "Caps Lock" works.
|
|
#
?
May 19, 2021 01:56
|
|
|
|
| # ? Oct 3, 2024 10:58 |
|
|
Yay, Acer is making another 3:2 model. Might be a worthy successor to the Pixelbook. https://www.engadget.com/acer-2021-chromebook-lineup-134546625.html quote:More intriguing is an updated Acer Chromebook Spin 713; the company is selling it in both standard and enterprise configurations. This laptop's 13.5-inch screen is in a 3:2 aspect ratio, with a high resolution of 2,256 x 1,504. Given that most Chromebooks (and laptops in general) come with a more cramped 16:9 aspect ratio these days, the extra vertical space is much appreciated when scrolling through long documents or web pages.
|
|
#
?
May 27, 2021 15:17
|
|