February 20, 2020 at 7:20 pm

Thinking of buying a new Chromebook but not sure which one to choose?

Use our comprehensive specs comparison table and buying guide to quickly see the differences between each model, and find the best Chromebook for your needs.

When Chromebooks first appeared in the summer of 2011, it looked like Google had created a computing system without being entirely sure who it was aimed at. However since then, while not yet having quite taken over the world, Chromebooks have steadily increased in popularity, and matured from something which was experimental into a mainstream device.

Why choose Chromebook?

Let’s cut to the chase here – Chromebooks are very affordable computers, and current models now have enough power to compete with a traditional Windows laptop for most tasks. Since Google has allowed manufacturers to use the Chrome OS operating system for free, this cost saving is typically passed on to the customer in the form of lower priced machines (Microsoft has also started doing something similar with their “Windows 8.1 with Bing” licenses and lock screen ads in Windows 10).



Another innovative feature pioneered by Google is hassle-free updates and maintenance.



Unlike other desktop and laptop systems, once you have a Chromebook, you’ll never have to pay for or worry about software updates, as everything is designed around the idea of working with the least amount of housekeeping.



You don’t even need to use antivirus software, since security is taken care of by automatic updates.



This approach also makes Chromebooks very appealing for schools and other establishments where IT support can take up a lot of time and money. A fast boot time of 5-10 seconds and instant-on resume are also popular features.

Specifications by release year

We’ve broken down the model specs. alphabetically by year, starting with the most recently released (or announced) models. Unless you’re looking for refurbished versions or on a limited budget, it makes sense to look at the newest models since they generally have improved CPU speed and power efficiency.



Make sure to check the notes below for hints & tips on how to interpret the different features listed. Battery life numbers are manufacturer estimates and are usually reflective of run times under typical to light usage.



We’ve also listed some product codes associated with certain models – these usually represent slightly different memory/disk/processor configurations that are available for that model.



Comparison table features:

Octane performance graphs – Click on the “Display” button under each table to switch to graphical charts comparing Octane benchmark performance.



Note: Octane scores are user-reported and collected over a period of a few months. Since newer benchmark test runs tend to give slightly better scores than older ones, it should be considered that there is a margin of error of a few hundred points around each score.

– Click on the “Display” button under each table to switch to graphical charts comparing Octane benchmark performance. Octane scores are user-reported and collected over a period of a few months. Since newer benchmark test runs tend to give slightly better scores than older ones, it should be considered that there is a margin of error of a few hundred points around each score. IPS, Touchscreen, Full HD+ and Stylus selection buttons – Click on these buttons to highlight the Chromebooks which come with these features. (Stylus support may be an optional extra in some highlighted models)

– Click on these buttons to highlight the Chromebooks which come with these features. (Stylus support may be an optional extra in some highlighted models) Alternative benchmark options – You can also switch the charts to Geekbench and PassMark scores. See the Benchmarks section below for additional notes on how each benchmark is calculated. For all benchmark types, a higher score is better.

– You can also switch the charts to Geekbench and PassMark scores. See the Benchmarks section below for additional notes on how each benchmark is calculated. For all benchmark types, a higher score is better. Sort order – You can sort entries by Octane score, display resolution, release date etc. Use the dropdown box at the top-right of each table to change the current sort method (use “Name” to go back to the original sort order).

Android apps/Google Play Store: All Chromebooks released since 2017 onward either currently have or are planned to have Android app support, according to Google. Since mid-2018, most newer models are supported without any special configuration – see the



Note that Google mentions for some models, that “user profiles perform a one-time file-system migration in order to support Android on these older devices” – however this shouldn’t be necessary for consumer model Chromebooks which aren’t Enterprise/Education administrated.



You can enable the Android support icon display with the “Android” button underneath each chart. We’ve listed current and planned compatible Chromebooks with a green Android icon – where a Chromebook isn’t on the official Google list, but appears likely to be included, we’ve used an icon with a question mark. All Chromebooks released since 2017 onward either currently have or are planned to have Android app support, according to Google. Since mid-2018, most newer models are supported without any special configuration – see the official Google compatibility list to check which models are listed as “Stable Channel”.Note that Google mentions for some models, that “user profiles perform a one-time file-system migration in order to support Android on these older devices” – however this shouldn’t be necessary for consumer model Chromebooks which aren’t Enterprise/Education administrated.You can enable the Android support icon display with the “Android” button underneath each chart. We’ve listed current and planned compatible Chromebooks with a green Android icon – where a Chromebook isn’t on the official Google list, but appears likely to be included, we’ve used an icon with a question mark.

Latest Update: 20th February 2020 – Added currently available and upcoming 2020 Chromebooks.



Note: To reduce visual clutter in the charts, similar Chromebook models no longer have “IPS” or “touch” notes beside the name – instead use the buttons to highlight models with these features. Android support icon now defaults to ‘off’ since all new models from 2017/2018 onward should support this out of the box.

Downloads: You can now download the Chromebook tables as a spreadsheet or .csv file. XLS files: Chromebooks – All / Last 3 years only



You can also download the tables as a comma separated file to use in your own projects.

(You’re free to use the data on your own site, just attribute us with a link to You can also download the tables as a comma separated file to use in your own projects.(You’re free to use the data on your own site, just attribute us with a link to https://zipso.net CSV files: Chromebooks – All / Last 3 years only(Note: disable semi-colon as a CSV separator) You can now download the Chromebook tables as a spreadsheet or .csv file.

Buying considerations

Screen size Smaller screens are more mobile, but display sizes of 12″ or lower can be difficult to work with for extended periods, especially if you’re used to a larger screen.



13.3″ or 14″ screens are typically more productive for any type of content creation or design work, or simply a better option if you have trouble seeing or using small screens.

Smaller screens are more mobile, but display sizes of 12″ or lower can be difficult to work with for extended periods, especially if you’re used to a larger screen. 13.3″ or 14″ screens are typically more productive for any type of content creation or design work, or simply a better option if you have trouble seeing or using small screens. Display technology IPS type displays offer the best quality overall, with wider viewing angles and bright screens. These are the type of displays used by iPads and most Android devices.



However, there is also variation in screen quality, contrast and brightness of non-IPS versions.



Note: We’ve now included WVA (“Wide Viewing Angle” or “Vertical Alignment”) displays into the chart group with IPS, since they typically offer a similar improvement in display quality over standard TN screens.



FullHD screens have a vertical resolution of 1080 pixels or greater, compared to the usual resolution of 768 pixels.



This can give greater clarity and definition to text and multimedia content, although a side-effect with earlier versions of ChromeOS was that some of the desktop components such as text and icons appeared visually smaller. This was changed in a recent update, so that you can now choose lower resolutions such as 1536×864 (or simply press Ctrl-Shift-minus or plus).



Note that these are “virtual” resolutions – the screen always stays at the highest pixel resolution itself, but the desktop text and UI components are scaled to appear at the lower resolution, so they will appear visually bigger, but still using all of the 1080p pixels.



Even when set to lower virtual resolutions, some content such as full-screen videos will be played back at the highest possible resolution.



type displays offer the best quality overall, with wider viewing angles and bright screens. These are the type of displays used by iPads and most Android devices. However, there is also variation in screen quality, contrast and brightness of non-IPS versions. We’ve now included (“Wide Viewing Angle” or “Vertical Alignment”) displays into the chart group with IPS, since they typically offer a similar improvement in display quality over standard TN screens. screens have a vertical resolution of 1080 pixels or greater, compared to the usual resolution of 768 pixels. This can give greater clarity and definition to text and multimedia content, although a side-effect with earlier versions of ChromeOS was that some of the desktop components such as text and icons appeared visually smaller. This was changed in a recent update, so that you can now choose lower resolutions such as 1536×864 (or simply press Ctrl-Shift-minus or plus). Note that these are “virtual” resolutions – the screen always stays at the highest pixel resolution itself, but the desktop text and UI components are scaled to appear at the lower resolution, so they will appear visually bigger, but still using all of the 1080p pixels. Even when set to lower virtual resolutions, some content such as full-screen videos will be played back at the highest possible resolution. Stylus / EMR Pen Chromebooks with stylus support have become more popular since newer designs such as tablet, 2-in-1 and detachable devices have been introduced from 2017 onward.



Stylus support could be used for note taking, art, or educational app purposes. Note that where we have a stylus model indicated (by pressing the “Stylus” button below each chart), it means that there is a stylus option available for some of these models – not that the exact model linked is guaranteed to have stylus digitizer support built in to the display, or come with a stylus included.



Don’t touchscreens already support a stylus?

Yes – any touchscreen model can work with an inexpensive capacitive touch stylus, however the new stylus options on recent Chromebook are higher performance “Wacom” AES or EMR style pens, which are typically more accurate and in some cases can react to touch pressure or pen tilt angle for example, and have better palm rejection.



This tends to give a more natural writing or drawing experience, although performance may vary according to model.

In 2020, many Chromebooks with pen support are now using the USI (“Universal Stylus Initiative”) standard which should give greater interoperability between different brands.





Chromebooks with stylus support have become more popular since newer designs such as tablet, 2-in-1 and detachable devices have been introduced from 2017 onward. Stylus support could be used for note taking, art, or educational app purposes. Note that where we have a stylus model indicated (by pressing the “Stylus” button below each chart), it means that there is a stylus option available for some of these models – not that the exact model linked is guaranteed to have stylus digitizer support built in to the display, or come with a stylus included. Yes – any touchscreen model can work with an inexpensive capacitive touch stylus, however the new stylus options on recent Chromebook are higher performance “Wacom” AES or EMR style pens, which are typically more accurate and in some cases can react to touch pressure or pen tilt angle for example, and have better palm rejection. This tends to give a more natural writing or drawing experience, although performance may vary according to model. In 2020, many Chromebooks with pen support are now using the USI (“Universal Stylus Initiative”) standard which should give greater interoperability between different brands. CPU speed / number of cores The overall computing capacity of your Chromebook depends on the CPU type and speed.



Different CPUs can have different computing capacity even when running at the same GHz speed, so benchmark scores such as Octane are used to give an overall value for CPU performance.



Faster CPUs are useful when running demanding applications, or web/Chrome apps with a lot of multimedia content such as games. A faster CPU with more cores will also generally improve overall system responsiveness.



Historically, CPUs made by Intel were typically better for higher performance at the expense of battery life, while ARM-based chips offered extended battery life at the expense of performance, however the gap between the two is closing now as the newest Intel CPUs are much more power efficient.



2018 update: The older versions of the Celeron “N” series chips continue to be the weakest in the lineup, however for basic use they remain adequate. The popular N3350/3450 Apollo Lake series provides a reasonable boost over the slower N3050/3060 Braswell models, while the Celeron 3855U (Skylake) and Core CPUs fill out the higher end.



It’s worth mentioning that if you just want a Chromebook for typical use such as browsing, using apps and watching videos, it’s not really necessary to go for the highest specced CPU. It’s also worth looking at estimated battery life as there is often a trade-off between performance and run time, although this is much improved for recent models.



The overall computing capacity of your Chromebook depends on the CPU type and speed. Different CPUs can have different computing capacity even when running at the same GHz speed, so benchmark scores such as Octane are used to give an overall value for CPU performance. Faster CPUs are useful when running demanding applications, or web/Chrome apps with a lot of multimedia content such as games. A faster CPU with more cores will also generally improve overall system responsiveness. Historically, CPUs made by Intel were typically better for higher performance at the expense of battery life, while ARM-based chips offered extended battery life at the expense of performance, however the gap between the two is closing now as the newest Intel CPUs are much more power efficient. The older versions of the Celeron “N” series chips continue to be the weakest in the lineup, however for basic use they remain adequate. The popular N3350/3450 Apollo Lake series provides a reasonable boost over the slower N3050/3060 Braswell models, while the Celeron 3855U (Skylake) and Core CPUs fill out the higher end. It’s worth mentioning that if you just want a Chromebook for typical use such as browsing, using apps and watching videos, it’s not really necessary to go for the highest specced CPU. It’s also worth looking at estimated battery life as there is often a trade-off between performance and run time, although this is much improved for recent models. Benchmarks Octane is the most popular benchmark used for measuring Chromebook performance. It’s a browser-based test created by Google, which means it can run on any platform or CPU type. You can try it yourself here.



The scores we have listed are compiled from a number of sources and have been rounded to the nearest 100. Note that a difference of a few hundred points between Octane scores is not really significant, since performance will tend to gradually improve over time as newer releases of the Chromium browser contain performance improvements, which results in higher scores.



We’ve only used Octane 2.0 scores in compiling the charts, and tried to establish reasonable values thanks to members of the Chromebook community on /r/ChromeOS, and on Google+ at Chromebooks and Chromebook Users.



For news about upcoming Chromebook models, Chrome Unboxed is a useful resource.



Where it hasn’t been possible to obtain a direct score for a specific model, the score has been estimated by using similar models with the same CPU specs. These entries are marked with a red asterisk * after them. Octane is a benchmark that mostly reflects the single core performance of a CPU, although there is a small contribution to the score from multi-core tests.





Octane discontinuation and Speedometer

In April 2017, Google announced that it was “retiring” Octane and would no longer be supporting it. This led to many people looking for alternative benchmarks such as Speedometer as a replacement.



It’s worth considering the reasons why Google announced Octane had been deprecated – part of their reasoning is that the suite of Octane tests didn’t adequately measure performance of loading modern Web frameworks for example.



But another major part of their reasoning is that Octane encouraged a tendency for Javascript engine developers to optimize for the benchmark, instead of for real-world performance. This could be a problem when comparing Octane scores across different Javascript engines, however Chromebooks are something of a special case, since every browser benchmark will use the same Javascript V8 engine embedded in the Chrome browser.



So despite its flaws, it’s still worthwhile measuring the Octane score on new Chromebooks, especially since there is a large pool of existing scores to compare to.



What seems to be a bigger issue with the existing Octane results is that they are heavily biased towards single-core performance. There are now a number of Intel chips where there’s a very similar 4 core version with a slightly lower Octane score compared to the 2 core version, for example, Celeron N3060 and N3160, or N3350 and N3450.



In these cases, it might not be a great idea to judge performance by Octane score only – switching to Passmark or Geekbench multi core shows a considerable jump in performance for the 4 core models (N3160, N3450) compared to the 2 core versions.



For simple web browsing or lightweight use, it probably won’t make a huge difference, but for anyone looking to use their Chromebook more intensively, it’s almost certainly worth considering the overall much larger compute capacity of the 4 core versions in exchange for just a small drop in single core performance.





Geekbench 3/4 and PassMark are alternative general purpose benchmarks. The scores are listed on the basis of CPU model. Geekbench is available in versions which test a single core, or all cores.



Although Geekbench is advertised as a cross-platform benchmark, some people have noticed that it appears to slightly overestimate ARM performance due to quirks in some of the tests used. For this reason, it’s probably better to consider Geekbench scores within their own processor family – i.e. comparing ARM with other ARM models, and Intel with other Intel models. Update: Geekbench 4 is thought to be better in relation to cross-platform comparisons.



Note: Geekbench 3 is used for benchmarks up to 2015, Geekbench 4 is used from 2016 and onwards. (Since these are two different benchmarks, they can not be directly compared with each other)



PassMark is a multi-core, x86 only benchmark.

is the most popular benchmark used for measuring Chromebook performance. It’s a browser-based test created by Google, which means it can run on any platform or CPU type. You can try it yourself here. The scores we have listed are compiled from a number of sources and have been rounded to the nearest 100. Note that a difference of a few hundred points between Octane scores is not really significant, since performance will tend to gradually improve over time as newer releases of the Chromium browser contain performance improvements, which results in higher scores. We’ve only used Octane 2.0 scores in compiling the charts, and tried to establish reasonable values thanks to members of the Chromebook community on /r/ChromeOS, and on Google+ at Chromebooks and Chromebook Users. For news about upcoming Chromebook models, Chrome Unboxed is a useful resource. Where it hasn’t been possible to obtain a direct score for a specific model, the score has been estimated by using similar models with the same CPU specs. These entries are marked with a red asterisk after them. Octane is a benchmark that mostly reflects the single core performance of a CPU, although there is a small contribution to the score from multi-core tests. In April 2017, Google announced that it was “retiring” Octane and would no longer be supporting it. This led to many people looking for alternative benchmarks such as Speedometer as a replacement. It’s worth considering the reasons why Google announced Octane had been deprecated – part of their reasoning is that the suite of Octane tests didn’t adequately measure performance of loading modern Web frameworks for example. But another major part of their reasoning is that Octane encouraged a tendency for Javascript engine developers to optimize for the benchmark, instead of for real-world performance. This could be a problem when comparing Octane scores across different Javascript engines, however Chromebooks are something of a special case, since every browser benchmark will use the same Javascript V8 engine embedded in the Chrome browser. So despite its flaws, it’s still worthwhile measuring the Octane score on new Chromebooks, especially since there is a large pool of existing scores to compare to. What seems to be a bigger issue with the existing Octane results is that they are heavily biased towards single-core performance. There are now a number of Intel chips where there’s a very similar 4 core version with a slightly lower Octane score compared to the 2 core version, for example, Celeron N3060 and N3160, or N3350 and N3450. In these cases, it might not be a great idea to judge performance by Octane score only – switching to Passmark or Geekbench multi core shows a considerable jump in performance for the 4 core models (N3160, N3450) compared to the 2 core versions. For simple web browsing or lightweight use, it probably won’t make a huge difference, but for anyone looking to use their Chromebook more intensively, it’s almost certainly worth considering the overall much larger compute capacity of the 4 core versions in exchange for just a small drop in single core performance. and are alternative general purpose benchmarks. The scores are listed on the basis of CPU model. Geekbench is available in versions which test a single core, or all cores. Although Geekbench is advertised as a cross-platform benchmark, some people have noticed that it appears to slightly overestimate ARM performance due to quirks in some of the tests used. For this reason, it’s probably better to consider Geekbench scores within their own processor family – i.e. comparing ARM with other ARM models, and Intel with other Intel models. Geekbench 4 is thought to be better in relation to cross-platform comparisons. is used for benchmarks up to 2015, is used from 2016 and onwards. (Since these are two different benchmarks, they can not be directly compared with each other) PassMark is a multi-core, x86 only benchmark. Graphics processor / GPU Most Chromebook graphics processors are integrated with the CPU chip in order to save costs and improve power efficiency. Newer CPU/GPU chipsets will typically have more powerful integrated graphics processing, which means better performance for games and applications using 3d graphics.



For light usage such as typical web browsing and 2d graphics, the GPU performance isn’t so important. As a general rule though, models with higher CPU benchmark scores tend to have better GPU performance, so Intel Core i3 CPUs for example will usually do better compared to Intel Celerons.



The Tegra K1 chip used in some newer ARM models features strong GPU performance and may be roughly similar to the Intel HD 4000 graphics found in some Core i3 models.

Most Chromebook graphics processors are integrated with the CPU chip in order to save costs and improve power efficiency. Newer CPU/GPU chipsets will typically have more powerful integrated graphics processing, which means better performance for games and applications using 3d graphics. Storage The storage values refer to SSD or eMMC storage unless otherwise indicated. “320 HDD” refers to a 320GB traditional disk drive.



SSD drives are fast and light, but older models have quite limited amounts of storage space. This is not much of a concern though for the mostly online usage of Chromebooks. Note that the operating system installation will use up around 6GB of space, so for a 16GB model, there will be around 10GB available for storage.



Bear in mind that you can also add extra storage space with USB flash drives, SD cards, or, in some models, upgrading the internal disk (see “Upgrade your Chromebook storage or RAM” section below for details on which models can be DIY upgraded).



Memory card support – All Chromebooks models listed here have an SD card reader slot except for the 2013 version HP Chromebook 11 (it does, however have two USB ports).



The 2014 HP Chromebook 11 has a normal SD card slot, and the 2014 HP Chromebook 14 has a smaller sized micro-SD slot. The 2014 Samsung Chromebook 2 also uses a micro-SD slot.



Online storage using Google Drive – All Google accounts get 15GB free storage without restrictions or time limit. Additionally, each Chromebook comes with a free 100GB offer for 2 years. After this time, your files will still be available, but you won’t be able to store additional files without signing up to one of the storage plans (the basic plan costs / month).



The Google Pixel Chromebook comes with a free 1TB for 3 years offer instead.



See here for more details about all of the Google Drive offers, and how to redeem them.

The storage values refer to SSD or eMMC storage unless otherwise indicated. “320 HDD” refers to a 320GB traditional disk drive. SSD drives are fast and light, but older models have quite limited amounts of storage space. This is not much of a concern though for the mostly online usage of Chromebooks. Note that the operating system installation will use up around 6GB of space, so for a 16GB model, there will be around 10GB available for storage. Bear in mind that you can also add extra storage space with USB flash drives, SD cards, or, in some models, upgrading the internal disk (see “Upgrade your Chromebook storage or RAM” section below for details on which models can be DIY upgraded). – All Chromebooks models listed here have an SD card reader slot for the 2013 version HP Chromebook 11 (it does, however have two USB ports). The 2014 HP Chromebook 11 has a normal SD card slot, and the 2014 HP Chromebook 14 has a smaller sized micro-SD slot. The 2014 Samsung Chromebook 2 also uses a micro-SD slot. – All Google accounts get 15GB free storage without restrictions or time limit. Additionally, each Chromebook comes with a free 100GB offer for 2 years. After this time, your files will still be available, but you won’t be able to store additional files without signing up to one of the storage plans (the basic plan costs / month). The Google Pixel Chromebook comes with a free 1TB for 3 years offer instead. See here for more details about all of the Google Drive offers, and how to redeem them. Connecting USB and other devices Most “generic” devices will work when plugged in to a USB port, such as keyboards & mice (both wired and wireless), external hard drives, and even data CD/DVD drives (but in read-only mode).



The more specialised the device is, the less likely it is to work. Printers won’t usually work directly, but see the “Printing” section below. Support for transferring files to and from Android phones over a USB connection was recently added. For Chromebooks with Bluetooth support, you can also use Bluetooth keyboards and mice. Some Chromebook models offer HDMI or VGA video output.



Need a wired Ethernet port? This inexpensive USB Ethernet adapter should do the trick, and it works right out of the box.

Most “generic” devices will work when plugged in to a USB port, such as keyboards & mice (both wired and wireless), external hard drives, and even data CD/DVD drives (but in read-only mode). The more specialised the device is, the less likely it is to work. Printers won’t usually work directly, but see the “Printing” section below. Support for transferring files to and from Android phones over a USB connection was recently added. For Chromebooks with Bluetooth support, you can also use Bluetooth keyboards and mice. Some Chromebook models offer HDMI or VGA video output. Need a wired Ethernet port? This inexpensive USB Ethernet adapter should do the trick, and it works right out of the box. Skype, Webcams, Audio/Video All Chromebooks come with a built-in webcam, stereo speakers and earphone/mic sockets (either separate or combined into one socket).



However, although it’s perfectly possible to use YouTube, Spotify, Netflix, Chromecast and other streaming music/video services (including Flash sites), it isn’t currently possible to use Skype on a Chromebook without some changes. It can be installed when using Crouton (see Using Linux on Chromebooks section below.)



New for 2017 onwards: With Android apps available on Chromebooks (see section below), the Android version of Skype is fully functional on supported Chromebooks!



As of mid-2016, Skype has also added more support for voice calls to their web version – try it here: web.skype.com





It’s also possible (although a little clunky) to use Skype and other apps via a remote desktop or VNC connection, details are here. Alternatively, you can use something like Google Hangouts as a Skype replacement directly on a Chromebook. Of course, you can’t make video calls to Skype users from Google Hangouts or vice versa, although Hangouts is integrated into the Gmail chat/contacts sidebar, and as a default app in newer versions of Android smartphones and tablets, so it is quite widespread.



You can play HD videos on Chromebooks (at least on any models from 2012 onwards), either from the Web or local files. Use the built-in files app to simply double click on the video file, and it will open in the ChromeOS media player.



All of the popular file formats such as .avi, .mkv, .mp4, .mp3 etc are supported (including DivX, Xvid ..), although you may occasionally find that some of the less common video (or audio) codecs are unsupported. If this does happen, uploading the video to your Google Drive will usually make it viewable again. Support for lossless audio FLAC file format playback was added in late 2013.



iTunes – iTunes is not directly supported, however there is a workaround which involves uploading your iTunes library on your PC or Mac to Google Play. Once uploaded, they can be listened to in Google Play on your Chromebook (currently, only when online). The Music Manager software can also automatically upload any new additions to your iTunes library.

All Chromebooks come with a built-in webcam, stereo speakers and earphone/mic sockets (either separate or combined into one socket). However, although it’s perfectly possible to use YouTube, Spotify, Netflix, Chromecast and other streaming music/video services (including Flash sites), it isn’t currently possible to use Skype on a Chromebook without some changes. It can be installed when using Crouton (see Using Linux on Chromebooks section below.) With Android apps available on Chromebooks (see section below), the Android version of Skype is fully functional on supported Chromebooks! As of mid-2016, Skype has also added more support for voice calls to their web version – try it here: web.skype.com It’s also possible (although a little clunky) to use Skype and other apps via a remote desktop or VNC connection, details are here. Heat and Noise Chromebooks are not usually very noisy computers, and all of the ARM based models and most of the newer Intel models are efficient at using power and will not get very hot or noisy in normal use.



If you are concerned about heat or noise, choose an ARM model or one of the “N” prefix Celeron models (e.g. N3350, N3450), which are typically designed for use in fanless systems.

Chromebooks are not usually very noisy computers, and all of the ARM based models and most of the newer Intel models are efficient at using power and will not get very hot or noisy in normal use. If you are concerned about heat or noise, choose an ARM model or one of the “N” prefix Celeron models (e.g. N3350, N3450), which are typically designed for use in fanless systems. WiFi + cellular / mobile Internet All Chromebooks come with WiFi adapters (802.11 a/b/g/n). Recent 2014 models have 802.11ac wifi support, which is an evolution of the 802.11n WiFi standard to support faster speeds in proximity to a compatible wireless router. However, your local Internet connection speed is still much more likely to be a limiting factor, unless you have a 100Mbps or faster broadband package.



Some Chromebook models offer a built-in 3G/4G LTE (WWAN) modem, usually as an optional extra. These may or may not come with data plans from mobile networks, although there are usually restrictions on the data allowance.



You should be able to use your own data-enabled SIM in models with WWAN support, and therefore choose your own type of data plan (or perhaps use an existing one). However, be wary of Chromebooks branded with a specific mobile/cellular provider plan if you want to use your own network SIM – these models may possibly be locked to that specific carrier.



Huawei USB mobile dongles are supported, although some other brands are also reported to work.



If you have a Smartphone with a WiFi hotspot mode, you can use this to get Internet access (tethering) on any Chromebook while on the go. This may be an economical alternative to using a separate SIM-enabled Chromebook.

All Chromebooks come with WiFi adapters (802.11 a/b/g/n). Recent 2014 models have 802.11ac wifi support, which is an evolution of the 802.11n WiFi standard to support faster speeds in proximity to a compatible wireless router. However, your local Internet connection speed is still much more likely to be a limiting factor, unless you have a 100Mbps or faster broadband package. Some Chromebook models offer a built-in 3G/4G LTE (WWAN) modem, usually as an optional extra. These may or may not come with data plans from mobile networks, although there are usually restrictions on the data allowance. You should be able to use your own data-enabled SIM in models with WWAN support, and therefore choose your own type of data plan (or perhaps use an existing one). However, be wary of Chromebooks branded with a specific mobile/cellular provider plan if you want to use your own network SIM – these models may possibly be locked to that specific carrier. Huawei USB mobile dongles are supported, although some other brands are also reported to work. If you have a Smartphone with a WiFi hotspot mode, you can use this to get Internet access (tethering) on any Chromebook while on the go. This may be an economical alternative to using a separate SIM-enabled Chromebook. Chrome Store apps The



Some apps support the full features of touchscreen Chromebooks – this can be useful for certain games, however there doesn’t appear to be an easy way to check for touchscreen support without actually trying the app or game.



New: Google Play store support (see below) will mean that many more touch-compatible apps will soon become available.

The Google Chrome Web Store contains a large collection of mostly free apps, games, productivity tools and more which can be installed on your Chromebook. You can check these out in your browser first if you’re using Google Chrome.Some apps support the full features of touchscreen Chromebooks – this can be useful for certain games, however there doesn’t appear to be an easy way to check for touchscreen support without actually trying the app or game.Google Play store support (see below) will mean that many more touch-compatible apps will soon become available.

Android apps Android app support on Chromebooks has become a lot more stable and polished since first introduced in 2016. Most new Chromebooks will support Android apps and the Google Play store out of the box, however it’s worth checking the compatibility list to see if a specific model has current support (“Stable Channel”) or just “Planned” support.



Touchscreen support is emulated by trackpad/mouse movements on models without a touchscreen. The Reddit ChromeOS subreddit is a useful source of further information on Android support on ChromeOS.

Android app support on Chromebooks has become a lot more stable and polished since first introduced in 2016. Most new Chromebooks will support Android apps and the Google Play store out of the box, however it’s worth checking the compatibility list to see if a specific model has current support (“Stable Channel”) or just “Planned” support. Touchscreen support is emulated by trackpad/mouse movements on models without a touchscreen. The Reddit ChromeOS subreddit is a useful source of further information on Android support on ChromeOS. Online vs Offline use Although still remaining true to the idea of an (almost) constantly connected world, Chromebooks have adapted to become more useful even when there’s no internet around. Check out the Chrome Web Store’s Offline Apps collection for an idea of what’s available (you can also filter search results in the Chrome store to show offline-capable apps).



As well as having separate listings for offline apps in the web store, the core ChromeOS has also improved its own offline capabilities since the first Chromebooks came out. Local document editing is handled by activating the offline mode in Google Drive. This will then allow you to edit your files both online and offline, and handles syncing between the two. See here for instructions on how to enable this.



Google also have a page listing what you can do offline, although it’s worth pointing out that this is a continuous work in progress, and while some apps such as Gmail offline will work mostly ok, they may not be as fully-featured compared to the online versions.

Although still remaining true to the idea of an (almost) constantly connected world, Chromebooks have adapted to become more useful even when there’s no internet around. Check out the Chrome Web Store’s Offline Apps collection for an idea of what’s available (you can also filter search results in the Chrome store to show offline-capable apps). As well as having separate listings for offline apps in the web store, the core ChromeOS has also improved its own offline capabilities since the first Chromebooks came out. Local document editing is handled by activating the offline mode in Google Drive. This will then allow you to edit your files both online and offline, and handles syncing between the two. See here for instructions on how to enable this. Google also have a page listing what you can do offline, although it’s worth pointing out that this is a continuous work in progress, and while some apps such as Gmail offline will work mostly ok, they may not be as fully-featured compared to the online versions. Access controls and device management Apart from the standard Google user accounts, you can also setup “Supervised Users” where access to specific websites can be either whitelisted or blacklisted, and SafeSearch controls managed. Instructions for adding a supervised user can be found here. Once a user is added, the settings can be managed at the Supervised Users dashboard.



One major drawback with this approach as it currently stands is that these users can’t access or use any Chrome apps (Issue tracking link).



An alternative parental control solution is to simply configure something like the free OpenDNS Family Shield DNS settings. This can be setup on a Chromebook by changing the custom name servers to those provided by OpenDNS. This page has a step-by-step example of changing these settings (but make sure to use the DNS settings provided by OpenDNS instead). Note that you may want to use the OpenDNS settings on both Ethernet (wired) and Wi-fi connection settings.



For schools and workplaces, Google have a separate, licensed management console programme. There’s also Google Play for Education which is currently available for K12 schools in the US.

Apart from the standard Google user accounts, you can also setup “Supervised Users” where access to specific websites can be either whitelisted or blacklisted, and SafeSearch controls managed. Instructions for adding a supervised user can be found here. Once a user is added, the settings can be managed at the Supervised Users dashboard. One major drawback with this approach as it currently stands is that these users can’t access or use any Chrome apps (Issue tracking link). An alternative parental control solution is to simply configure something like the free OpenDNS Family Shield DNS settings. This can be setup on a Chromebook by changing the custom name servers to those provided by OpenDNS. This page has a step-by-step example of changing these settings (but make sure to use the DNS settings provided by OpenDNS instead). Note that you may want to use the OpenDNS settings on both Ethernet (wired) and Wi-fi connection settings. For schools and workplaces, Google have a separate, licensed management console programme. There’s also Google Play for Education which is currently available for K12 schools in the US. Editing Microsoft Word and Office documents Google Docs will allow you to create, edit and open MS Word documents. It’s installed by default on ChromeOS, and works in offline mode (via Google Drive).



You can try it out here by installing from the Chrome Store (or if you’re using GMail, you may have seen it already when clicking on a document attachment and selecting the “Open in Google Docs” option).



You can also edit Excel and Powerpoint files on Chromebooks (and view PDFs) – see here for more details.



Microsoft also have Office Online – this allows you to edit Office docs in a web browser. It’s integrated with Microsoft’s OneDrive online storage instead of Google Drive, and doesn’t work offline.



Update for 2016/2017: With Google Play becoming available on Chromebooks, the Android versions of Microsoft Office are now reported to be working correctly.

Google Docs will allow you to create, edit and open MS Word documents. It’s installed by default on ChromeOS, and works in offline mode (via Google Drive). You can try it out here by installing from the Chrome Store (or if you’re using GMail, you may have seen it already when clicking on a document attachment and selecting the “Open in Google Docs” option). You can also edit Excel and Powerpoint files on Chromebooks (and view PDFs) – see here for more details. Microsoft also have Office Online – this allows you to edit Office docs in a web browser. It’s integrated with Microsoft’s OneDrive online storage instead of Google Drive, and doesn’t work offline. With Google Play becoming available on Chromebooks, the Android versions of Microsoft Office are now reported to be working correctly. Printing The official line on printing on Chromebook is to use a Google Cloud Print compatible printer. These are typically newer models with wireless capability which connect directly to the internet via a WiFi router.



There’s a list of Cloud Print compatible printer models



If you have an older model printer, you may be stuck in terms of printing directly from a Chromebook – try to connect a printer via USB cable in ChromeOS and it won’t be recognised. The official line on printing on Chromebook is to use a Google Cloud Print compatible printer. These are typically newer models with wireless capability which connect directly to the internet via a WiFi router.There’s a list of Cloud Print compatible printer models here If you have an older model printer, you may be stuck in terms of printing directly from a Chromebook – try to connect a printer via USB cable in ChromeOS and it won’t be recognised.

However, if you’re willing to tinker with it, it’s possible to get some directly connected printers working via Crouton. The details are here.



Some manufacturers have features for online/remote printing such as HP ePrint. These may also work (even though they may not mention Cloud Print), but check the first link above just to make sure.

However, if you’re willing to tinker with it, it’s possible to get some directly connected printers working via Crouton. The details are here. Some manufacturers have features for online/remote printing such as HP ePrint. These may also work (even though they may not mention Cloud Print), but check the first link above just to make sure. Running Windows software on Chromebook Although not the intended purpose of these machines, any Chromebook with an Intel or AMD CPU can also run a variety of Windows software via the WINE emulator. This opens up a huge amount of additional software such as Office/Productivity apps, graphics/image editing apps, games and more. You will need to use one of the Chromebook Linux setups in order to use WINE (see Using Linux on Chromebooks section below).



Windows emulation will only work well with Chromebooks using Intel/AMD CPUs – not ARM. Also, not all Windows applications work correctly with WINE, but a lot do. You can see some of the best ones here, (includes a lot of games), or if you’re interested in using a specific Windows package, you can check the compatiblity level here. Within the WINE compatibility grading system, anything rated Platinum, Gold or Silver should work quite well.

Using Linux on Chromebooks – Crouton, Crostini and GalliumOS

Chromebooks are a great option for anyone looking for a portable, low-priced laptop that also runs Linux. The operating system that comes with Chromebooks, ChromeOS, runs on top of Linux, but since everything is designed around the Chrome web browser, you don’t normally have access to the underlying standard Linux OS functions such as installing extra apps, using different windowing systems and changing advanced settings.



Note: An x86 based (Intel or AMD) Chromebook will generally have a better level of Linux app compatibility and range compared to an ARM based Chromebook (However between similar specced models, and ARM CPU may have a slight advantage when running Android apps on a Chromebook).



Some of the most popular options for Linux on Chromebook are Crouton, Crostini and GalliumOS –





Crouton – Crouton is one of the the easiest way to use Linux on Chromebooks, since you can install it and then switch seamlessly between ChromeOS and Linux without rebooting, simply by pressing a key combination.



You can install either Ubuntu or Debian Linux with Crouton. Check out the guide



The main Crouton page is – Crouton is one of the the easiest way to use Linux on Chromebooks, since you can install it and then switch seamlessly between ChromeOS and Linux without rebooting, simply by pressing a key combination.You can install either Ubuntu or Debian Linux with Crouton. Check out the guide here for step by step instructions on installing Crouton.The main Crouton page is here

Crostini (“Linux apps”) – Crostini is an interesting new ChromeOS development that takes the Crouton approach a step further. Where Crouton is a 3rd party script running on top of the existing ChromeOS Linux kernel, and requires developer mode to use, Crostini runs its own kernel, doesn’t require developer mode setup and is in the process of being integrated into ChromeOS itself.



In essence, it should be a more stable, straightforward and secure way to run Linux apps compared to Crouton. Note that Crostini is geared towards running individual Linux apps – not as a complete desktop environment.



As of mid-2018, Crostini is still in development, but available on a limited number of Chromebooks – see /r/Crostini for more details and updates.



– Crostini is an interesting new ChromeOS development that takes the Crouton approach a step further. Where Crouton is a 3rd party script running on top of the existing ChromeOS Linux kernel, and requires developer mode to use, Crostini runs its own kernel, doesn’t require developer mode setup and is in the process of being integrated into ChromeOS itself. In essence, it should be a more stable, straightforward and secure way to run Linux apps compared to Crouton. Note that Crostini is geared towards running individual Linux apps – not as a complete desktop environment. As of mid-2018, Crostini is still in development, but available on a limited number of Chromebooks – see /r/Crostini for more details and updates. GalliumOS – GalliumOS is for most people, the best option to get a full Linux desktop install (current v2.1 release based on Ubuntu 16.04) working on a Chromebook. A lot of work has gone into addressing issues that might crop up due to the specific hardware of different Chromebook models, and overall the experience is very polished with supported models.



Check the Hardware Compatibility list to see if your Chromebook (or Chromebox) is supported.



We suggest installing a dual boot GalliumOS/ChromeOS using chrx, in order to have a fall-back to ChromeOS for maintenance and/or functionality purposes.



After checking your model compatibility, the basic install steps are:

1. Backup & Recovery image – First backup any files you might have on ChromeOS local storage, then – First backup any files you might have on ChromeOS local storage, then make a ChromeOS recovery image on a spare USB stick or SD card.

2. Enable Developer mode on the Chromebook – This will erase all local files stored on ChromeOS.



Take care not to accidentally disable developer mode at boot-up (CTRL-D skips the delay, but Space will remove developer mode) since any installed files will be cleared again. – This will erase all local files stored on ChromeOS.Take care not to accidentally disable developer mode at boot-up (CTRL-D skips the delay, but Space will remove developer mode) since any installed files will be cleared again.

3. Disable firmware write-protection – disabling the firmware write-protect will allow you to easily skip the white “OS verification” message every time you need to reboot (without pressing Ctrl-L to boot into “Legacy”).



The write-protect switch is typically a physical screw on the motherboard which needs to be removed. You’ll need to check where it is for your specific model.



Unfortunately, for – disabling the firmware write-protect will allow you to easily skip the white “OS verification” message every time you need to reboot (without pressing Ctrl-L to boot into “Legacy”).The write-protect switch is typically a physical screw on the motherboard which needs to be removed. You’ll need to check where it is for your specific model.Unfortunately, for newer models of Chromebooks , the write-protect is (temporarily) disabled only when the battery has been physically disconnected, so it may be worth investigating this first.

4. Install firmware to enable boot into GalliumOS – This usually boils down to two options, the newer UEFI / Full ROM option which is more up to date, and can allow for installation of Windows, but which will completely replace the ChromeOS firmware so doesn’t support dual-booting into ChromeOS. The other option is RW_LEGACY which does allow dual-booting. If you need to dual boot, this is the one to go for, otherwise just use UEFI.



Use the Mr.Chromebox



You can also use it to set boot options (GBB flags) so that the Chromebook can automatically boot into GalliumOS, and only stay on the “OS verification” screen for a second (you can now dual-boot into ChromeOS by pressing Ctrl-D at this point of booting, otherwise it will try to boot whatever the legacy bootloader is, which will run GalliumOS). – This usually boils down to two options, the newer UEFI / Full ROM option which is more up to date, and can allow for installation of Windows, but which will completely replace the ChromeOS firmware so doesn’t support dual-booting into ChromeOS. The other option is RW_LEGACY which does allow dual-booting. If you need to dual boot, this is the one to go for, otherwise just use UEFI.Use the Mr.Chromebox Firmware Utility script in a ChromeOS shell to install the new firmware.You can also use it to set boot options (GBB flags) so that the Chromebook can automatically boot into GalliumOS, and only stay on the “OS verification” screen for a second (you can now dual-boot into ChromeOS by pressing Ctrl-D at this point of booting, otherwise it will try to boot whatever the legacy bootloader is, which will run GalliumOS).

5. Install GalliumOS using chrx –



An example usage to install GalliumOS along with Minecraft, Wine, Chrome and Steam might be: cd ; curl -Os https://chrx.org/go && sh go -d galliumos -H hostname -U username -p "minecraft wine chrome steam" chrx is a script which can be run in a ChromeOS terminal in order to install Linux distributions such as GalliumOS. It takes care of disk partitioning and also automatically installing the selected distribution. It’s not difficult to use – see the examples on the chrx page.An example usage to install GalliumOS along with Minecraft, Wine, Chrome and Steam might be: Note that “hostname” and “username” are whatever you want to call your new GalliumOS install, plus a default user.



For a UK keyboard layout, adjust as follows:

cd ; curl -Os https://chrx.org/go && sh go -d galliumos -H hostname -U username -L en_GB.UTF-8 -p "minecraft wine chrome steam" See full install details on the GalliumOS install instructions page. It’s also worth checking out the /r/GalliumOS subreddit which has a lot of active discussion and informative posts.





– GalliumOS is for most people, the best option to get a full Linux desktop install (current v2.1 release based on Ubuntu 16.04) working on a Chromebook. A lot of work has gone into addressing issues that might crop up due to the specific hardware of different Chromebook models, and overall the experience is very polished with supported models. Check the Hardware Compatibility list to see if your Chromebook (or Chromebox) is supported. We suggest installing a dual boot GalliumOS/ChromeOS using chrx, in order to have a fall-back to ChromeOS for maintenance and/or functionality purposes. After checking your model compatibility, the basic install steps are: Chrubuntu – Chrubuntu was one of the first attempts at making a complete install of Ubuntu on a Chromebook viable, however there’s not much reason to use it now since GalliumOS is available.



Install requirements Both Crouton and GalliumOS can be installed on either the internal SSD or external storage such as SD card or USB stick, however since Crouton is more integrated with ChromeOS, it also needs to modify the internal ChromeOS filesystem during installation.



If you’re installing either on USB or SD card, you might want to try to get a reasonably fast SD card, or use USB 3.0 if possible. If you have enough space on your internal SSD (or have upgraded it), you might prefer to install GalliumOS on a separate partition here for best performance, and then use USB/SD storage for large data/media files etc. With Crouton, you can follow the normal install process to install on internal SSD, or look at the “Mapping Chroot to SD Card” instructions



You can also try out some of these Both Crouton and GalliumOS can be installed on either the internal SSD or external storage such as SD card or USB stick, however since Crouton is more integrated with ChromeOS, it also needs to modify the internal ChromeOS filesystem during installation.If you’re installing either on USB or SD card, you might want to try to get a reasonably fast SD card, or use USB 3.0 if possible. If you have enough space on your internal SSD (or have upgraded it), you might prefer to install GalliumOS on a separate partition here for best performance, and then use USB/SD storage for large data/media files etc. With Crouton, you can follow the normal install process to install on internal SSD, or look at the “Mapping Chroot to SD Card” instructions here to put the Crouton files on SD card.You can also try out some of these hints/tweak suggestions after installing Crouton.

The Benefits LibreOffice (Free Microsoft Office alternative), Linux compatible Steam games, Minecraft, Thief-like game The Dark Mod (see our install guide



Note: If you want to make use of Linux on Chromebooks, it’s recommended to get an Intel or AMD CPU Chromebook due to the much higher level of compatibility with various software packages and greater emulation possibilites. You might also want to look at getting a higher spec (4-8GB) RAM and storage, either in a particular model configuration or as a DIY upgrade (see below). LibreOffice (Free Microsoft Office alternative), Linux compatible Steam games, Minecraft, Thief-like game The Dark Mod (see our install guide here ), Google Earth, WINE emulator for Windows apps, Arcade/console/8-bit emulators, local development environment and more..If you want to make use of Linux on Chromebooks, it’s recommended to get an Intel or AMD CPU Chromebook due to the much higher level of compatibility with various software packages and greater emulation possibilites. You might also want to look at getting a higher spec (4-8GB) RAM and storage, either in a particular model configuration or as a DIY upgrade (see below).







Upgrade your Chromebook storage or RAM

Most Chromebooks come with a 16GB or 32GB internal SSD drive and 2GB or 4GB or RAM, which is fine for the majority of users of Chrome OS. However for more demanding users (if you keep a ton of browser tabs open at once, you will probably appreciate more than 2GB of RAM), you can upgrade some models yourself.





2018 Update: 2GB RAM is very uncommon in newer Chromebooks and shouldn’t be considered except for very light usage. New Chromebooks do not generally have DIY upgradeable RAM and very few allow storage upgrades, so unless you’re getting an older model, it’s better to assume that you won’t be able to upgrade it yourself.



We’ve listed details here where there have been reports of successful upgrades. In some cases, there is no clear information, especially for the newest models. Note that in many cases, such modifications may invalidate your warranty, and there is no absolute guarantee that replacement RAM or SSD drives will be compatible.



Where the storage upgrade is listed as “Unlikely”, it’s probably because it’s an eMMC module instead of SSD drive, and integrated into the motherboard without other expansion options.



Before upgrading your Chromebook, make sure to create a recovery image on USB or SD card by following the instructions here. You can then restore ChromeOS on to a new SSD by simply inserting the recovery image USB or SD card at the prompt after powering up.





Over to you..

Did you find this guide helpful or have any suggestions for improvements?

Let us know in the comments below.

Also, feel free to share your Chromebook experiences or any tips or recommendations you might have for others.





