When shopping for a new laptop, you'll most likely discover that your popular options include PCs running Windows, MacBooks running macOS, and Chromebooks running ChromeOS.

While all three are considered laptops, Chromebooks set themselves apart from the more traditional devices by relying heavily on cloud services, effectively lowering the required performance hardware inside. In many cases, this keeps the price much lower than a standard laptop, but you do have to make peace with the limitations of the ChromeOS operating system.

I used one of the first Chromebooks ever about 12 years ago and was very disappointed, but they've evolved a lot over the years to arrive at a point where many people are happy with the available performance and features, especially at a reduced price. Let's dig into the finer details to really see what sets a Chromebook apart from a traditional laptop, as well as which device might be better suited to your needs.

What is a Chromebook?

Explaining the basics

Chromebooks have been around since 2011, with the first devices launching as ultra-budget platforms for Google's ChromeOS operating system, at the time basically just a version of the Chrome browser with a screen and keyboard attached. They were slow, they weren't made to a particularly high standard, and they were limited to use with an internet connection.

The hardware has evolved a lot over the years, and some of the best Chromebooks available today can compare to other laptops, at least from a design standpoint. There are convertible Chromebooks, notebook Chromebooks, and even 2-in-1 Chromebooks that are as happy working as a tablet as a laptop. ChromeOS has also become less locked down to an internet connection, and many tasks can be completed in offline mode when a Wi-Fi signal isn't available.

But the biggest difference remains the ChromeOS operating system. It's designed to rely heavily on web-based apps and cloud systems for storage and streaming, and the programs you can run locally on it are limited. Google added the ability to pull a variety of Android apps from the Google Play Store in 2016, but you can't just download a third-party program and install it in the same way you can on a Windows or macOS laptop.

Why choose a laptop?

Windows or macOS devices included

Windows and macOS devices are well-known as the two major laptop categories. They've been around for a lot longer than Chromebooks, and they are much more flexible in terms of what they can do. Considering they can run Google's Chrome browser, you can essentially do anything on a standard laptop that you can do on a Chromebook.

Buying a laptop instead of a Chromebook usually means you're interested in running a wider range of apps locally. ChromeOS is much more limited in what it can run, as you're relying heavily on web versions of your favorite apps (if they even exist). Programs from Microsoft Office and Adobe are particular sticking points, and while there are web-based versions that can be used on Chromebooks, it's not the same as installing and using them locally.

Windows laptops are the best option when it comes to gaming. The best gaming laptops can do just about anything a desktop PC can do, and they have much better compatibility with titles than macOS. If you want to get involved in serious gaming, a Windows PC is still the way to go.

Because Windows and macOS laptops are available with much more advanced performance hardware, they're also the go-to for developers, designers, and creators in general. The extra performance coupled with the much wider range of app compatibility means that professionals with a specialized workflow will almost always turn to a traditional laptop.

An important thing to note on the subject of compatibility is how you'll be using your laptop for the duration of its lifetime. Most people expect a laptop to last for anywhere from three to five years. If you're buying something now but are expecting to, say, start school in a year or two, having a device that can run any software can limit unforeseen compatibility issues.

Why choose a Chromebook?

Still great for more casual computing

Chromebooks are comparatively limited when sitting next to a traditional laptop, but that doesn't mean a Chromebook won't work well for your needs. If you already find yourself spending most of your time at a laptop working within a web browser, the switch to a Chromebook wouldn't be too much of a change.

Anyone who is just looking for an affordable device to handle video streaming, more casual productivity — like word processing, light photo editing, email, and video conferencing — or web browsing should have no problem relying on a Chromebook. This makes Chromebooks an especially ideal choice for students and younger users. The relatively low price of many Chromebooks compared to even budget laptops is also a major selling point.

I mentioned Windows laptops being the go-to option for any serious gamers, but don't count Chromebooks out if you're looking to enjoy games not available on the Google Play Store. Services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and GeForce Now come with a subscription fee, but they're a great way to enjoy games on your Chromebook that would otherwise be far too demanding for the available performance hardware (if they could even run on ChromeOS at all). Games are streamed over the internet to your Chromebook, so you really just have to worry about a reliable connection.

A relatively new wave of Chromebooks designed for gaming are now available, notably coming with boosted performance specs and a high-refresh screen. And now that Steam has come to ChromeOS with a growing list of compatible Chromebooks and games, you can actually play many titles locally.

Chromebooks are also capable of running Linux software within a sandbox set apart from ChromeOS. The app you need might be available in a Linux flavor if you can't find a version that runs on ChromeOS. Linux is relatively easy to set up within ChromeOS, but anyone who prefers a more straightforward approach will certainly still appreciate a Windows or macOS laptop.

What is considered a "good" Chromebook?

Looking at specifications

Comparing specifications between Chromebooks and Windows or macOS laptops can be confusing. Because Chromebooks rely so heavily on web-based apps, they don't need nearly as much performance hardware inside to get the job done. This helps keep the cost down, but it also makes them appear wimpy compared to traditional laptops.

If you're shopping for a Chromebook, it's still a good idea to shoot for a processor from the Intel Core or AMD Ryzen lineup, preferably one released in the last couple of years. You'll see plenty of Intel Celeron and Pentium options, but these should be reserved for basic tasks.

You should also aim to land at least 8GB of RAM to improve overall system performance. There are still plenty of Chromebooks with 4GB of RAM, but again, these should be reserved for budget purchases where performance isn't particularly important.

As for storage, you'll see plenty of 64GB eMMC configurations on the market. That isn't much local storage space, but the reliance on cloud storage is the saving grace. Many of our favorite Chromebooks have at least 128GB of storage, which is where I'd recommend most people start. Being able to save files locally remains important for many users, especially if they're interested in gaming with titles installed locally.

Finally, the screen choice is also crucial when buying a Chromebook. 1080p (FHD) should be considered the baseline when it comes to screen resolution, and anything beyond that will make everything look more crisp. A smaller form factor or an inexpensive Chromebook might slide by with 720p (HD), but you should aim to get at least FHD if at all possible.

The Chromebook Plus program, launched in 2023, brings a higher class of ChromeOS devices with guaranteed specs and features. Devices like the HP Chromebook Plus x360 we reviewed are great options for more advanced users who want to use their Chromebook as a daily driver.

This also changed Google's auto-update policy for Chromebooks. Unlike Windows or macOS laptops, every Chromebook has an expiry date. When it's up, your Chromebook will stop receiving updates. This period now hits 10 years from the release date, but you still want to check the specific device you have in mind to see when updates run out. Google has an auto-update expiration list that covers all Chromebooks.

Which one should you buy?

Spend your money wisely

Chromebooks have come a long way since they were introduced in 2011, and you can now do more than ever on a device that, in many cases, matches the quality of a more traditional laptop.

However, Chromebooks are still functionally limited due to their web-based approach. If you're already spending most of your time in a web browser, a Chromebook shouldn't be too much of a change. But if you often use specialized software or you want to get into more advanced gaming, a Windows laptop (or macOS laptop in the former case) just makes more sense.

One thing Chromebooks really have going for them is their affordability. You can often find a Chromebook available for $300 or less, putting it in a price range below even the best budget laptops. And while there are now Chromebooks on the market that surpass $1,000, you'll find some of the best options still sit somewhere around $500. For users who just need a reliable device for general productivity or homework, the price alone will be a major selling point.