Chromebooks can be seen as an acknowledgment of the amount of time we spend online. These lightweight and relatively inexpensive laptops were developed to be familiar to those of us already using the Chrome browser on our Windows or macOS computers.

While the first Chromebooks were fairly limited in how they could be used outside of browsing, email, and YouTube videos, that has slowly changed. With the advent of more and more sophisticated online applications and the increasing popularity of online applications, Chromebooks have become a practical alternative for day-to-day computing, getting work done, and even playing some (limited) games. While Chromebooks are meant to be largely used online, they do offer a reasonable amount of storage and apps that can be used even if you’re not currently connected.

In addition, you can now use many of your favorite Android apps on your Chromebook. There are still decent models to be had for under $300, but you can now get higher-end, faster laptops (such as Google’s line of Pixelbooks) with better-quality components, more storage, and increased memory.

If you own a Chromebook or are looking to get your first model, The Verge guide to Chrome OS and Chromebooks is the place to be. Enjoy our reviews about the latest and greatest Chromebooks along with practical tips on how to get the most out of your Chrome OS device.