Chromebooks can include a number of totally different {hardware} inside, so it may be arduous to determine precisely what you want. Happily, the Chromebook Plus program has made the jumble of specs simpler to parse. ChromeOS can also be mild sufficient that it doesn’t require extremely beefy specs to get a great expertise. Listed here are some normal tips about what to look out for.
Processor: For the perfect expertise, it’s best to keep away from older Chromebooks with Intel Celeron processors. The Chromebook Plus specs supply a great baseline to ensure speedy efficiency, and I’d suggest going with at the very least 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 sometimes discover Chromebooks utilizing ARM processors just like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 within the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 above. These might be tremendous for very fundamental duties, however they received’t fare as properly underneath sustained, intense hundreds (at the very least till one thing newer comes alongside).
RAM: At all times go for at the very least 8 GB of RAM in the event you can afford it. You received’t discover 4 GB of RAM in something aside from fundamental, super-budget Chromebooks, but it surely severely limits your potential to multitask. If you wish to keep away from slowdowns, 8 GB of RAM is the usual it’s best to intention for.
Storage: Not like a Mac or Home windows PC, a number of your Chromebook work will stay on the internet. This implies you may sometimes get away with much less storage, however I wouldn’t suggest going under 128 GB. Should you can afford it, you’ll be far more snug with at the very least 256 GB. You’ll get the perfect pace out of an NVMe stable state drive, so look out for that on the spec sheet once you’re evaluating fashions.
Display screen: The overwhelming majority of Chromebook shows you’ll discover will likely be IPS LCD panels, and that’s simply tremendous. Till OLED shows make extra of a dent within the Chromebook house, IPS LCD screens supply the perfect distinction and colour accuracy. Should you’re buying within the excessive funds vary, be careful for TN LCD panels, as they’re usually decrease high quality and supply 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. Larger 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 not any excuse to purchase one with out them. Attempt to get one which fees over USB-C so you may recharge with a transportable energy financial institution once you’re on the go. A microSD card slot may also be helpful if you would like a simple option to increase your storage on the fly. You’ll discover that some Chromebooks assist Thunderbolt 4 over their USB-C ports as properly. Whereas that’s a wonderful choice to have in the event you plan to plug your Chromebook into some high-end displays, it isn’t mandatory for most individuals. As an alternative, you may get comparable exterior monitor assist (and spend so much much less) with an HDMI port or DisplayPort over USB-C assist.
