A question about Windows laptops vs. Chromebooks

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v8 ego
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A question about Windows laptops vs. Chromebooks

Post by v8 ego » Fri Nov 26, 2021 10:07 pm

Hi all,

I am looking to buy a small laptop for my daughter for her to use for college. I was looking at a small Windows laptop earlier and the chap at the shop was trying to talk me out of it and get a Chromebook.

Being and old fart I am comfortable with looking after Windows devices and my daughter has to use the MS Office suite.

Does anyone have any guidance or opinions on Chromebooks vs. Windows machines? E.g. atre Chromebooks better, can you run MS Office on them etc?

Answers on a postcard..

Thanks in advance.
Regards,

James

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Re: A question about Windows laptops vs. Chromebooks

Post by ScooBeeFive » Fri Nov 26, 2021 10:45 pm

I'm a big Chromebook advocate, depending on the use case. I wanted a lightweight laptop for general internet browsing with good battery life. A mate recommended a Chromebook and for £200 it's been a fantastic buy. I've had it about 6 years now - it still boots instantly and you get constant OS upgrades as you would with a phone. No big step changes like from Windows 7 to Windows 10 etc. I can also run Citrix Workplace on it which means I can remote into work with no hassles - great for if I'm out and about when on call. In fact, call quality with MS Teams is superior to when I'm on my iMac desktop which is pretty impressive.

I'm not sure how you'd get on running Office though. They don't have much local storage so you can't install a local version. I think you can access Office 365 (the online version) via the browser, but I've no experience of this. If this is a requirement you might be better off with the Windows machine after all.

Hope this helps a bit!
Paul

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Re: A question about Windows laptops vs. Chromebooks

Post by v8 ego » Sat Nov 27, 2021 11:32 pm

Thanks Paul
Regards,

James

2022 BMW X7 40d M-Sport
2019 BMW X5 M50d
2018 BMW M760Li
2017 BMW 530i M-Sport Touring (SOLD)
2012 BMW 520d ED (Gave it back)
2011 BMW 535d GT SE (SOLD)
2008 BMW 730d SE (SOLD)
2007 BMW X5 3.0d SE (SOLD)
2007 D3 Touring 166 (SOLD)
2005 BMW 750i Sport (SOLD)
2005 BMW 730d Sport (SOLD)
2001 B10 V8 Touring 012/1 (SOLD)
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Re: A question about Windows laptops vs. Chromebooks

Post by Charles » Sun Nov 28, 2021 12:21 pm

I guess it depends on planned usage.

Two of mine are reading engineering and needed new laptops that could cope with the heavy processing for calculations and design. Went to the Dell outlet site which had laptops with 15" screen, 8Mb RAM, Intel i7 & 512Gb running Windows 10 Pro for just over £500 (with discount). These are (supposedly) pre-owned and reconditioned but I couldn't spot any marks or scratches anywhere. An equivalent spec new would be almost double that.

Obviously this is overkill for basic usage of Word, Excel and PowerPoint but, unless full Office functionality is required, the Google alternatives (Docs, Sheets & Slides) work well and can open Office files as well as save Files in Office format.

That being the case, then a Chromebook will offer most of what a Windows/Office laptop will do but it comes with obvious limitations - hence my initial comment about planned usage.

Finally, if you do need Office, then an Office365 family subscription for £80pa allows up to 5 shares, so six machines can run the latest version of Office at the same time.

HTH
Charles
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Re: A question about Windows laptops vs. Chromebooks

Post by v8 ego » Mon Nov 29, 2021 1:03 pm

Thanks Charles. I have just put an order in for a Lenovo Flex on WIndows 10 for £200. My daughter has a College-provided O365 account so the device doesn't need to be a V12, I went for a straight 4 instead :D

I don't mind being open to new ideas but I guess I was a little perplexed by the guy at the outlet trying to make a round peg fit in to a square hole when I led with "She uses MS apps provided by her College" and he proceeded to extol the virtues of Google Docs when she doesn't use them :roll: Call me cynical but I guess he had a Chromebook quota to fill.

Thanks again.
Regards,

James

2022 BMW X7 40d M-Sport
2019 BMW X5 M50d
2018 BMW M760Li
2017 BMW 530i M-Sport Touring (SOLD)
2012 BMW 520d ED (Gave it back)
2011 BMW 535d GT SE (SOLD)
2008 BMW 730d SE (SOLD)
2007 BMW X5 3.0d SE (SOLD)
2007 D3 Touring 166 (SOLD)
2005 BMW 750i Sport (SOLD)
2005 BMW 730d Sport (SOLD)
2001 B10 V8 Touring 012/1 (SOLD)
2001 B10 V8 saloon 044/1 (SOLD)
1999 BMW 750iL (SOLD)
1997 BMW 750iL (SOLD)

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Re: A question about Windows laptops vs. Chromebooks

Post by ScooBeeFive » Mon Nov 29, 2021 4:06 pm

v8 ego wrote:
Mon Nov 29, 2021 1:03 pm
Thanks Charles. I have just put an order in for a Lenovo Flex on WIndows 10 for £200. My daughter has a College-provided O365 account so the device doesn't need to be a V12, I went for a straight 4 instead :D

I don't mind being open to new ideas but I guess I was a little perplexed by the guy at the outlet trying to make a round peg fit in to a square hole when I led with "She uses MS apps provided by her College" and he proceeded to extol the virtues of Google Docs when she doesn't use them :roll: Call me cynical but I guess he had a Chromebook quota to fill.

Thanks again.
I think that sounds the right decision. As I said originally, Chromebooks are great depending on the use case. Yours definitely seems to suit a Windows machine. I like Lenovos too - that sounds a good deal at £200.
Paul

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