Which Chromebook to buy? Best choice + buying tips (2023)

Dat Chromebooks increasing in popularity is not surprising: there are many options and the price is often attractive. But the choice is also expanding. Want the best Chromebook buy, then the choice is sometimes a bit overwhelming. I'd love to help you with my personal favorites, but I'll also explain what a Chromebook exactly.

What is a Chromebook?

Before I go deeper into my favorite Chromebook of this moment, let's first answer the question: What is a Chromebook? A Chromebook is an affordable laptop that runs on Chrome OS, an operating system from Google Chromebook are affordable, safe and have a long service life.

Now that you know what a Chromebook is, let's go a little further in depth and discuss in the pros and cons of one Chromebook, but also what it can be used for, what you can and cannot do on it, but also how it works with Android and iPhones, whether there are viruses and much more.

Before I go on to explain what you can (and can't) do with this device, I want the best Chromebook share with you. Over the past period I have tested many many and helped the necessary people Chromebook to buy. As a result, I have gained the necessary experience with which models are (or are not) suitable.

The Best Chromebook buy: my favourite(s)

So do you want one Chromebook buy, then you are definitely right with these choices. Are you looking for more explanation and why I label these copies the best Chromebook: you can read about this later in this article.

What can one Chromebook Yes and no?

Okay, we're almost there. I want before I with the best list Chromebooks start, briefly explain what you can do, but also what you can't do with a Chromebook. There are essential differences with, for example, Windows and Mac OS, two systems that are both aimed at 'traditional', but also online use.

Below is a short list of things you can do Chromebook fine to use.

• Browsing, social media and email - a Chromebook has the option to do so to browse the internet, of course you can also use social media and there are several mail apps available.
• Watching movies - On a Chromebook can you just go up Netflix, Youtube, Videoland and other services. You can also view local files on a Chromebook, however, you have less storage space. So you have to take this into account
• Stream music – The same applies to streaming music, you have access to apps like Spotify, Deezer and other services. You can also play local files, but there is limited storage space.
• Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, Powerpoint etc.) – Also possible. You have this choice to use the apps from Microsoft (Microsoft 365 subscription), but there are also alternatives from Google such as Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides and others. The latter can also be used offline.
• Playing games (gaming) – There are many Android games that can be played, but you can also play heavy games through Google Stadia. In our special Gaming on one Chromebookarticle you can find more information. Here you will also find out immediately if you Fortnite, Minecraft en Roblox can play.
• (Video) calling – Video calling is simply possible on one Chromebook, because there is a microphone and speakers. Also apps like Google Meet, Zoom, Skype or Whatsapp, teams and others are just available.
• Print - on a Chromebook you can also print on a suitable printer. This requires a number of (simple) steps, but you can print without any problems.
• Edit photos and videos (limited) – For editing photos and videos you are limited to a number of (online) tools, such as Snapseed, Canva or other Chromebook-APPS.

There are also tasks where a Chromebook simply less suitable for it. This has to do with, for example, storage or graphics performance. If the points below are important to you, then you better not Chromebook buy.

• Advanced photo and video editing – If you want to get started with all the functions of Photoshop, Adobe Premiere or another program, the Chromebook simply not suitable.
• Run graphically demanding games – Playing graphically heavy games as you can on a Windows PC is not possible with the Chromebook. Playing games via Stadia is (more on this later)
• Work offline – There are possibilities to work offline with, for example, Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets and Sliders, but the possibilities are somewhat limited.
• Windows or Mac apps - On a Chromebook you can't run Windows programs or Mac apps. You only have this option if the developer has specifically made it available.

So there are many things that you can do on one Chromebook can do, but not everything. If you have previously used a Windows computer, or are switching from Mac OS, you will soon get used to using one Chromebook.

Chromebook market share and sales

More are appearing Chromebooks at school, on the work floor and on the kitchen table, but how many are actually sold? We have dived into the figures, including the sales figures of Chromebook lined up for you.

Chromebook sales per year

Year	sold Chromebooks
2019	106 miljoen
2020	206 miljoen
2021	240 miljoen
2022	222 miljoen

Dates through trend force, graphic: Chromefans

The growth rates of the Chromebooksales are also interesting, where we see a clear effect of the Pandemic. People who here Chromebook are, for example, students, (home) workers and students.

Chromebook growth per year

Year	Growth (Year on Year)
2019	-0,6%
2020	+ 28,7 %
2021	+ 16,4 %
2022	-7,3% (expected)

So here we see that the number of sales is expected to decrease further, but there is still a significant number Chromebooks is sold.

The market share in the Netherlands for Chrome OS desktop/laptop has also steadily increased in recent years. In this table we see the market share of Chromebook over recent years in the Netherlands.

Chromebook market share (Netherlands)

Year	Windows	Mac OS	Chrome OS	Other (including Linux)
2019	72,19	20,37	2,47	4,97
2020	70,12	24,42	2,75	2,71
2021	72,18	21,24	3,15	3,43
2022	72,95	20,13	3,67	3,25

Chromebooks for school and study

There are more and more schools and educational institutions that own Chromebookuse s. The reason for this is that more and more education is being given online. This does not only apply to the lessons or lectures themselves, but also the teaching materials can usually be found in an online environment. A Chromebook for school is actually a logical choice.

The reason many schools are switching to a Chromebook for school it is because they are cheap and are particularly suitable for working online, even if Microsoft is used, for example.

That is also the reason why more and more students and pupils are opting for one Chromebook. It is a reasonable all-rounder in this area. In addition, many educational tools can be used in the browser or via apps, which means that a Chromebook is very suitable.

The Best Chromebook buy: with this choice you are always right

Below I share my recommendations of the moment, including my favorite ones Chromebook. In addition, a high-end model, a budget model and a model with a smaller screen. Do you want a Chromecast buy, then you are always right with these choices!

Of course you are always looking for the best Chromebook and with the selection below you always have a choice that suits your budget, but also wishes. Before I discuss the products in detail, first a brief overview

De Best Chromebooks of 2023 are:

• Acer Chromebook 314 CB314-1HT-C6XM
• HP Chromebook 14a-na0170nd
• Acer Chromebook Spider 513 CP513-1H-S4MH

Chrome OS: the operating system, but what can you do with it?

Chrome OS has already passed by a few times, the operating system of Chromebooks, is made by Google. This can be confused with the Chrome browser, which is now used by millions of people worldwide.

The operating system of a computer (for example Windows, MacOS and therefore Chrome OS) is actually the basis: without an operating system you have an empty piece of hardware.

Chrome OS was designed with the idea that everyone is connected to the internet these days. It is therefore mainly aimed at using your laptop online (or in this case Chromebook).

Don't be afraid, even without an internet connection you can do the necessary things on one Chromebook. For example, offline versions of Gmail (email program) and Google Docs (Word), Google Sheets (Excel) and other programs are available.

Yet Chrome OS is mainly focused on online, with many things being done either in the (Chrome) browser, or via the apps and extensions that can be installed. More about installing apps and the combination with Android (and iPhone) later in the article.

Not quite sure whether you want to use Chrome OS and do you still have an old laptop or PC? You can do that easily these days Install Chrome OS Flex. This makes it easy to actually use Chrome OS before purchasing!

So we now know that Chrome OS is the operating system of a Chromebook, but of course there is much more to tell about this, which we will do in a separate article. We will continue to see what the advantages are, but also certainly the disadvantages of one Chromebook .

Working in the cloud: Google Drive

If you use a Chromebook, you ideally work a lot in the cloud. You store your files in the cloud (Google Drive or Dropbox for example) and you are online all day long.

The big advantage of this online storage is that you have the data available anytime, anywhere. As a result, you are not location-bound, which is very pleasant. Suppose you are abroad, without a laptop and urgently need files, then you can log in to any PC with an internet connection and view, edit or manage your files. Always do this in a safe, sensible way, of course.

Working in the cloud may take some getting used to at first, but after a while you don't really want anything else. It ensures that you are ultimately much more efficient.

There are of course also a number of disadvantages of working in the cloud. For example, you don't have a local backup of your files, so if you don't remember your password and there are no recovery options, you do have a problem.

Having an Chromebook is specially designed to work in the cloud as much as possible and I would therefore advise to do this as much as possible.

How safe is one Chromebook (and are there viruses)?

In a world full of hacks, ransomware and other nasties, I thought it would be good to also devote a bit to how safe a Chromebook now actually is. Here's actually "good" news.

Maybe you once owned a Windows PC and remember all those updates. That you have to wait another 10 minutes before you can actually shut down your PC or laptop. That's at the Chromebook otherwise arranged.

• Chrome OS – The operating system and apps are all controlled or approved by Google. Chrome OS is therefore automatically updated. This applies to both new features, but also to security patches that may be rolled out.
• Sandboxes – For example, apps, but also Internet pages are stored in so-called sandboxes rotated. As a result, every website (including every tab) is placed in a separate container, so if something malicious happens to someone, they can only access this small piece in the container. Other apps (and even tabs) cannot be reached.
• verified boat – If anyone knows the sandbox an additional measure has been built in. This one is called verified boat. This checks the Chromebook with each boat (startup) whether there are any irregularities, problems or damage. In this way, problems can be solved quickly. In fact, if any issues are found during this verified boat then these are often automatically resolved by Google.
• Data encryption – Finally, I would like data encryption name, where local files such as downloads, cookies and cache of the browser are stored encrypted. This means that this data is encrypted and can only be unlocked by the user himself and not remotely.

So Google has taken the necessary measures in Chrome OS to create a Chromebook safe, but common sense is of course always a good guideline. If something is too to be true, it usually is. Especially online.

Free extras for (new) Chromebookusers

Google, of course, is trying to convince as many people as possible to buy a Chromebook to buy. There are always certain handy and especially free extras that are made available for (new) Chromebookusers.

Standard is as an extra 100 GB free cloud storage in Google Drive to obtain. So you get 100GB of online storage space within Google's cloud service for a year.

To activate this and any other promotions that apply when purchasing a Chromebook, follow the step-by-step plan below.

• start you Chromebook and log in with your Google account (or create one)
• Go to this one special site from Google
• Select the benefits you want to use here

It can be that simple! Now you have at least 100GB of extra storage space for the first year on your Chromebook.

Good to know: Chromebook and Office (Word, Excel, etc.)

Everyone knows Word, Excel and PowerPoint. These apps are part of Microsoft and fall under the Office package. The question is of course: can you use Word, Excel and Powerpoint on one Chromebook?

The answer is: yes, but….

There is one Office 365 for Chromebook necessary to do this properly. This makes it possible to run apps such as Word, Excel and Powerpoint on one Chromebook to run (online). The costs for personal use are 69 euros per year.

If you do not want to spend this, it is of course also possible to opt for alternatives, for example using Google Docs, Google Sheets or other services.

If you are looking for ways to print your Office documents or other files, that can also be done easily. You can find more about this in our extensive Printer for Chromebook article.

Frequently asked questions about Chromebooks

Chromebook: Finally…

Do you want a Chromebook buy, then that is in most cases a good decision. These laptops are extremely suitable for working, doing schoolwork, but also streaming, for example Netflix or conducting via video calls with Zoom or Skype simply works fine.

If you are looking for a device with powerful performance, then one Chromebook actually not suitable. Then you better choose Windows or Mac OS.

De Chromebook continues to gain market share and hundreds of millions of units are sold worldwide. Its popularity is also increasing in the Netherlands. Hopefully this article helped you! If you have any questions or comments, leave them in the comments or check the official ones support from Google. You can continue Chromefans find lots of information about Chromebooks, who knows, that already answers your question!