I’m in need of a new laptop and I’ve decided that chromebook should cover the bases that I need. I’ve done some research and was not expecting to have a problem picking one! I’ve decided that I want 11″ or 13.3″, I want 4GB ram, at least 2 usb slots of which at least 1 should be usb 3.0. 16GB local storage wouldn’t go amiss either. Any have a recommendation?

In contrast to what you stated you need I can recommend a HP 14 Chromebook.
I got one for my daughter for her birthday in Oct and are very impressed, hers has a Intel processor, 4GB ram and 16GB storage, she is quite techy and really rates it and the extra screen space compares well to a regular laptop.

Off the back of that my mother has now purchased one too, however the very latest has a spec change in that they now have a Nvidia Tegra processor and only 2GB of ram, I assume that the different processor(being more like what are fitted to tablets) is more efficient so can get by with the reduced ram.
The new model is also slightly thinner.

Both versions have 3 Usb ports(not checked to see if any are USB3) Hdmi port and the older model has a full SD card slot whereas the newer version has a Micro SD slot.
Both seem very well put together for the money.

Typing this on my Acer c720 (while also currently doing a bit of coding on a Raspberry Pi in a house 110 miles away 🙂 ) and it’s fab.

HP Chromebook 14 here too with the old spec. It’s been nothing short of brilliant. If you can still find the older model it sounds spot on for you.

Are you sure 11″ wouldn’t be too small?

Thanks for the advice. I’m not really sure on the 11″, I’ve had a brief play with an 11″ but not used one much. Leaning a little toward 13″. Are the 2GB models alright then?

One of the advantages of a Chromebook is they are really easy on memory. I think mine has 4gb but I’m sure 2gb will be fine – the samsung with 2gb I tried felt no different to mine really.
I’ve recommended them to a few people and the only person who didn’t get on with one failed to mention their need to use iTunes. So bare in mind that you can’t install software that might be needed for phones, GPS and the like.

That’s good to know, will drop the need for 4GB then – that opens up more choice. I run linux on all of my machine atm so most specific software doesn’t work anyway!

Forgot to add, I find 11″ annoyingly small. I used a 10″ netbook for a fair while and viewed never to go to that sort of size again. This does though rule out a large swath of Chromebooks.

I’m using my C720 right now (ebay bargain £115 new). I love it and haven’t touched my PC since getting it.

Another c720 fan here, brill little machines

I used a 10″ netbook for a fair while and viewed never to go to that sort of size again.

What were you using it for? Too small a screen can be a PITA with program windows but as you’re only viewing web content it’s fine as it resizes to whatever screen you’ve got.
If you need it bigger there’s a free app called iZoom that seemlessly crops the borders of web pages and thus enlarges the content. I find it invaluable when I’ve not got my old-man glasses.

I was using the 10″ netbook as my do it all machine. It was in its element when I was using it whilst travelling and blogging, but when I got home I just found out annoying for day to day stuff. Still got it though. It now runs my cloud printer.

Which reminds me, you need a Cloud compatible printer with a Chromebook, or a spare pc to act as a server for a standard printer.

C720 here too. Needed a light cheap machine to chuck in a backpack every day. I’ve had to Linux it to be able to use some work specific stuff but it was great as it was. Lasts a working day too so I can leave the charger at home. It’s pretty cheap feeling & plasticky but you’d expect so for the price.

been looking at these offers from pc world/currys.

for an extra £20 you get a tablet, but wouldnt mind your opinions on them please. are the tablets old hat now and bottom of the range spec, so just old stock to try and make you buy?

im defo going to get a chromebook, probably a 13 or 14 inch (pretty sure the 11s too small), but cant work out whether id be paying £20 extra for a bit of tat that would be chucked away in a drawer.

cheers

EDIT: looked at them in the flesh in pc world, and they all seemed to be either white keyboards, white surrounds, or white covers. cant make my mind up which would get the ‘least grubby’. probably the covers at a guess. anyone got any experience of how dirty the white ones get under normal use?

Just for reference, I got a toshiba 13.3″ in the end. Very happy with it. Build quality feels OK, not great but it cost £199 so good for the money! Screen is easily big enough for me too. ChromeOS is taking a little getting used to, e.g. no access to network shares.

where did you get it from mate? and which model is it?

oh and just a quick question if you dont mind peeps…..

i know theres a token amount of HD space on these, 16Gb usually, so nothing like the amount youd get on a laptop. am i right in thinking i could use an app on a chromebook to transfer photos or vids from an android phone to the HD? and then upload to picasa or google drive or whatever cloud storage of choice?

thanks

Of all places, Argos. Was the same price as anywhere else and I wanted to be able to easily return it just in case. It’s this model – http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/1627925.htm

I can’t answer your second question though, I’m still getting to grips with what I can do and what I need to work out workarounds to do!

Sadexpunk – yes you can, or you can miss the chromebook step out entirely and upload directly to your google drive account or whatever. You could then download any particular image to the chromebook for editing etc.

e.g. no access to network shares.

Dropbox or Google Drive

upload to picasa or google drive or whatever cloud storage of choice?

Absolutely. Chromebooks also support USB HD if that helps.

I really rate Argos…good prices, easy to reserve stuff and great with warranty

Fancy a Chromebook but as a user of Outlook syncing multiple email accounts (mostly Yahoo), is there a suitable Outlook alternative for a Chromebook?

My mother has the Turquoise and white HP 14 Chromebook, exterior and keyboard wipes clean easily.

The HP chromebook my daughter has ,has a white rubberised coating to the exterior which has discoloured slightly round the edge which cannot be removed the rest of it is normal pure white plastic,
Being a typical teenager she is on it all day, and it is still pretty clean so I wouldnt worry about that aspect.

Only downside she has come across is for printing as our printer is not wifi enabled, if yours is you won’t have any issues but we are having to use a work around to get stuff printed off from it, I wont bore you with the details if its not relevant.

thanks mate, dont have a printer so worries there.

shes just dropped it on me in an unrelated chat, that she’d be happy with a smaller keyboard. so now im starting to look at the 11.6″ jobbies too. dont know which way to go now. grrrrr…..ill be pleased when i finally get one bought.

think ill choose one from either pcworld/currys or argos tho rather than internet.

thanks a lot

thats it, sorted. figured im sick of looking at the minute differences between them all, read a review that said this samsung one looks lovely, so figured that one will do.

will report back after christmas on how she/we are getting on with it.

thanks for the advice chaps.

Dropbox or Google Drive

My server is headless and for some reason dropbox has decided to stop working. Does anyone know of a solution to use google drive on headless ubnuntu? I’ve got it working buy using insync and I’d rather not use a pay for service…

sadexpunk, good choice IMO – if I went 11″ I was going to get that one.

bought the one above ^^^ and its great, me and wife both use them now. got an ad in WTDs now for one for my lad too but no joy as of yet. looking around, is this one good value do you think? anything to watch out for?

At that price does the qu even need asking?

It’s not going to set the world on fire but since hardware spec is relatively immaterial for chrome books it will run fine.

thanks mate, its now winging its way to us 🙂