Review: Chromebook Unboxed

The latest Chromebooks have developed from being basic systems running Chrome OS to sleek computers that offer surprisingly rich capabilities. Low prices, extended battery life and ease of use are just a few reasons why Chromebooks are appealing to consumers, and after hearing positive feedback we thought we’d set our Account Executive, Lottie to the task of trialling one out for a week to see what all the fuss was about! Lottie said..

As we advance into new technologies the standard pen and paper becomes rather redundant, although I’m still partial to it! Replacements such as iPad, Surface Pros and Chromebook’s have now become the runner of the market. Since starting my new role in the IT industry I thought it was about time I put down the pen and paper and give technology a chance, it was also a great opportunity to diagnose and review a product Systemagic could recommend or resell in the future.

When reviewing new products we know that first-hand experience is the best kind! My account of working with the Google Chromebook will be less technical and more user orientated, as I was truly seeking to get the most out of the award-winning product. The first thing to point out would be the simplicity of the product, it would make even the most technophobic person happy. There’s a desktop primarily for internet use, a status bar with your most used apps, a clock and a google chrome browser, what more could you want? Ah, you’re thinking surely it wont work without a Wi-Fi connection? Well Chromebook actually has excellent offline capabilities through its apps, which then sync when you reconnect to a network.

I was hugely pleased with the capability to use the Chromebook as both a laptop, and with a simple flip of the screen, a tablet. This is a faultless idea, however with this comes drawbacks. When flipping the screen, the stability did not always feel great. You also need to get your head around feeling a keyboard (which does deactivate when flipped) on the opposite side! Along with that, when the screen was flipped I had problems with the configuration of the pen. My overall aim was to use the tablet function primarily to record meeting notes, yet the delay the pen had syncing and the fact it made my writing look horrendous hindered this massively. I may also be picky but having to flip the pen for writing on one side and a mouse on the other did cause a little frustration. However, I cannot fault the Chromebook battery life, presentation visually, the image quality and its lightweight benefits for travelling.

You may think, this review is rather back and forth, this is honestly due to the fact the product has great technical capabilities it just did not work for me. The little niggles I had, bundled into a negative opinion and the best piece of advice I can give you is: do what I did and test it out for a week, time will tell whether the product is right for you! If you’d like any more information regarding what products we suggest are right for your business don’t hesitate to get in touch!

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