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Best Chrome netbooks – what is a ChromeBook and top picks on such devices

Adrian — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 09:42:09 +0000

First there were laptops, then they started calling them notebooks, then netbooks came into the story and now you have ChromeBooks. While for technology geeks and fanatics these terms are easy to separate, for most people the computer market is starting to get a little confusing. As in reality, there’s a very thin line that separates all these types of portable laptops between them, making it difficult for the average computer user to distinguish which one is better suited for what he needs and his budget.

The following post will try to explain as simple as possible what is a chromebook( or a Chrome netbook), what are its characteristics, its strong and weak points and its convenience. Also, we will have a quick look at the first chromebooks available on the market right now and we will see if these are worth your money or not.

What is a Chromebook?

As you can probably guess, a Chromebook is a netbook powered by Google’s Chrome operating system. While it is basically very similar to a classic Windows operated netbook, there are several important differences between the two.

The Samsung Series 5 was the first chromebook released on the market

First of all, Chromebooks are designed to be used while connected to the Internet and therefore are consistently more capable than Windows operated netbooks when it comes to web surfing. At least in theory. In practice though, they are pretty much the same, but come with a big flaw: you can only use the apps associated with the OS when you have an Internet connection, as all of them are WebServices and they are not installed on the computer, hence cannot be used offline. For me, that’s a deal-breaker.

Netbooks with Google Chrome boot in eight seconds and resume instantly from stand-by (or at least that is what Google says). So they should offer you faster web access that regular Windows based computers do.

Another important difference between a Chromebook and a traditional PC is that a Chromebook updates itself automatically. Unlike a regular netbook or notebook, which will nag you with annoying update prompts, a Chromebook will itself take care of everything and will ensure your apps are always up-to-date and your operating system is always updated to the latest version. Last but not least, Chromebooks run the first consumer operating system designed from the start to protect against malware or viruses. In other words, you will not have to install yourself an antivirus or antimalware program, because Chromebooks provide multiple layers of protection, including sandboxing, data encryption and verified boot.

Strong/weak points

While Chromebooks come with some pretty interesting features and options, especially designed to hit Windows based netbooks and notebooks where it hurts them the most, there are some weak points to netbooks with Google Chrome.

The Acer AC700 is fast, strong, reliable and also affordable.

Besides the entire online only story, you can only run dedicated apps on Chrome netbooks. While the idea of getting your apps from a single place, the Chrome Web Store, is not bad, the reality is that the Chrome OS is still far from being a real competitor for Windows when it comes to applications (there are only few available right now and many of them aren’t really as easy to use as the ones on Windows based computers). Yes, maybe in time that might change, but for early adopters that’s a real problem and right now, the Chrome Web Store does not offer competitive alternatives for many of the programs we use on Windows or Mac.

Also, Chromebooks usually come with 16 or 32 GB of SSD storage space. Since most of your content and apps are “in the Cloud”, users should not need proper storage space on their machines. At least that’s what they say, I for one beg to differ.

Best available Chrome netbooks

If you are looking for the best Chrome netbook on the market right now, you don’t have to look far. There are only two models of netbooks operated by the Chrome OS, both of them released in the last two months.

The first is the Samsung Series 5, available right now at Amazon for 429.99 dollars( the Wi-Fi only model) or for $499.99( the 3G version). This Samsung netbook comes with a pretty decent design, being available in silver or white, and impresses in terms of portability, weighing only 3.3 pounds.

The Samsung Series 5 Chrome OS netbook is powered by a 1.66 GHz dual-core Intel Atom N570 processor and features a beautiful 12.1-inch high-resolution, non-glare display. The chromebook also features two USB 2.0 ports, a 4-in-1 memory card reader and a 1-megapixel webcam. Also, it comes with a battery that should last for up to eight and a half hours, but thosre more like 5-6 in practice.

The other chromebook that you can find right now on the computer market is the Acer AC700, which sells for 349 dollars( the Wi-Fi only version) or 430 dollars( the 3G model). This is very similar to the Samsung Series 5 in terms of features and technical specifications.

The Google Chrome OS is perfect for those of you who surf on the web most of the time spent on the computer

However, the Acer AC700 features an 11.6-inch HD widescreen LED-backlit LCD with 1366×768 pixels resolution and comes with a more modest battery, that only lasts for about six hours (more like 4 and a half in practice).

Wrap-up

There are many things we could add about Chrome netbooks. As a wrap up though, they are devices mainly designed for Internet activities: chatting, browsing, writing emails, watching some content online, etc. But all these are possible on a netbook as well, and even more, as those computers can actually be used offline as well, while Chromebooks can’t . Of course, these Chrome mini laptops boot up faster and are theoretically more secure (no viruses, malware, etc), but all these pail when faced with sluggish performances and poor apps (if available).

Thus, if Chrome netbooks would run for like 200 bucks, they would be devices we could easily recommend as travel companions or secondary computers. I don’t see any reasons though why we should shove 400+ bucks for something that’s poorer than a $300 netbook during everyday use, just because it’s the “new thing”.

Cause all in all, right now Chrome netbooks could only be called “your other mini laptop”, useful for daily browsing when you don’t want to lug around a full-size machine. But once again, that’s what you get with netbooks as well and even more, for a lower price.

Samsung NF210 – maybe the best looking 10 inch netbook right now

Mark — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 15:47:51 +0000

The Samsung NF210 is one stylish netbook. As the description says, the design of the NF210 is inspired by sharks, this giving the 10 inch netbook a little edge and lots of personality in comparison with the bland devices we usually see everyday. Also, Samsung knows how to make a cool netbook when it comes to colours and elements around the screen, as well as nice keyboards.

The edges of the base have a curve factor unlike we haven’t seen before. Add to that the metal looking plastic and you have one charming netbook. The keyboard is also very nice, with soft keys with enough space between them to avoid typos. There’s little flex to them and hardly any noise, so typing away for hours won’t be a hassle for you or others around you. But is this all the Windows 7 Starter running NF210 has to offer?

The curver design is simply great

Actually no. The netbook keeps the pace also when we take a look under the hood. The NF210 is powered by a dual core, 1.5 GHZ, Atom N550 processor, which is Intel’s second best dual core chip, after the N570. True, the NF210 was launched at a time when the N570 was not around yet, but this shouldn’t keep Samsung from thinking about an upgrade.

The processor can have up to 4 virtual cores, which adds serious punch when it comes to productivity, something you couldn’t quite get on single core processors. The processor can deal with some HD, but 1080p played locally will be kind of choppy. On the other hand, HD Flash video will play a little better (although not perfect) and if you’re more into watching only streamed content, you’re good to go.

There’s only 1 GB of memory out of the box, but you can upgrade to a maximum of 2 GB. The HDD has 250 GB of capacity, while ports include the familiar stuff: USB, SDXC, audio jack, VGA. In terms of internet access, there’s WiFi, Gigabit LAN and blue tooth 3.0. The 10.1 inch screen has a 1024 x 600 resolution, and comes with a matte finish, which means you’ll be able to use it even outdoors.

The plastic exterior resembles metal and is really sturdy

This is made at the expense of the colors, which look a little bland at times and viewing angles are standard netbook fair, meaning visual quality decreases as you tilt the screen backwards or forwards. The battery life is a very solid argument in favor of the NF210, as the 6 cell juice maker can go for as long as 8 hours of video playback with WiFi off.

Sure, there are many variables when it comes to battery life, but the one on the NF210 will hold much more than most batteries in entry level netbooks. Samsung claims that the battery can last for about 14 hours, which is probably in idle mode- but even under normal circumstances it will take you through the day.

The NF210 is now available from Amazon for a reduced price of $328.99, which a good price, considering the exquisite design (I can hardly remember seeing something similar on netbooks from other manufacturers) and the dual core processor. Last, but not least, the battery life of the netbook is much more generous than what you usually get on 10 inchers, being capable of going through the day on a single charge.

The keyboard is good and really silent

Sure, more RAM and better video performance would have been nice, but for a netbook in the entry level category the NF210 delivers and is definitely a charmer. So if you’re looking for an afforable netbook with a few distinctive traits and good multitasking, you should definitely give the NF210 a go.

Samsung NF310- classy 10 inch netbook with premium HD screen

Mark — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:34:28 +0000

The Samsung NF310 is not your usual 10 inch netbook. It has some very interesting features and hardware setup and is surely a step forward from most mainstream netbooks.

This should be the weapon of choice for those who seek a little more from their everyday mobile computing (and of course are willing to pay a little extra in comparison with what you would normally pay for a modest netbook).

In terms of appearance, the NF310 looks classy, and has a faux metal finish, namely the Titan Silver finish. It sure looks great, but it might attract a fair amount of fingerprints after a while. The construction is very sturdy, we might add, so on the build side this surely is a winner. The keyboard and touch pad are also very well made, with the keys having little to no flex and being very silent.

the keyboard has lots of space between the keys and the touch pad has a great feel to it

And there’s so much space between them that typos are hardly an issue (maybe the space bar is a little small, though). The touch pad has a metal feel to it, being very pleasant to work with. The metal feel is present also on the palm rest, which is very comfy and will hardly get hot. Now, the screen. This is something you rarely get on a netbook and we’re talking about the 1366 x 768 wide screen display, which is able to play true HD video.

Most netbooks come with a 1024 x 600 screen and deliver fair performance, but the NF310 raises the stakes and comes with an extravagant display. Also, the screen has a matte coating, meaning you can use it also in sunny places, like a park or something. The screen uses LED technology, which allows for thinner screens and better battery life, as well as crisp and sharp images.

Moving on to the hardware, we’re as happy as we were when talking about the screen. At the core of this netbook, there are actually two cores . I’m talking about the Intel Atom N550, which has two cores running at 1.66 GHZ. The N550 offers twice the performance in comparison with single core processors. Plus, it’s much better when it comes to power management, as it takes in less than first generation processors.

The HD screen brings a different experience than most netbooks can produce

In terms of graphics, there’s also an on board video card, namely the Intel GMA 3150, which is able to decode HD video up to 720p (add that to the dual core chip and HD screen and you have a great multimedia netbook). A less bright side of the netbook is that it comes with only 1 GB of RAM, but you can of course add up to 2 GB.

The limited amount of RAM is motivated by the OS, which is Windows 7 Starter, the cheapest version of the OS not being able to cope with more than 1 GB. Most manufacturers put in only 1 GB to keep the price down, but users usually go for a clean Home or Premium install after purchase, so adding more system memory will be very easy.

The HDD has a 250 GB capacity, which should be enough to keep all your stuff in one place (or most of it, anyway). In terms of ports, everything is there, including USB, card reader, audio jack and the works. If we’re at the audio part, you should know the netbook comes with SRS Premium Audio, which should complement the HD experience.

The Titan Silver is surely an eye catcher...but will do the same with fingerprints

Connectivity wise, nothing spectacular, as you get WiFi and blue tooth 3.0 Battery tests indicated that the juice maker can go on a single charge for about 9 hours, but I doubt it can do that while playing HD video. The NF310 is available from Amazon for a reduced price of $369.99, which is a no brainer, basically, considering the great screen and HD capabilities of the processor.

It’s a setup you don’t find on any netbook and the extra 60 or 70 bucks in comparison with mainstream netbooks is surely worthwhile. Also, like other Samsung netbooks, the NF310 has a very stylish design and a great keyboard.

Watch a demo of Samsung Galaxy Player 50

Mark — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:48:17 +0000

These days, everything looks like an Iphone. It’s also the case of the new Samsung Galaxy Player 50, first displayed at IFA. Since then, Samsung was ultra silent about this new toy, at least until now. We found a video over at netbooknews.com, teasing us with some really cool features streamed in a posh little video, of course featuring landscape recording of the Eiffel Tower, making it probably the most recorded place in the world.

Moving on, maybe the most important thing about this “media player and more” is that it runs on Android 2.1 OS, being the first one of its kind to do that and it’s always nice to see history in the making. This means we’ll have tons of features on a music player (we’ve come a long way since 256MB, USB stick style mp3 players). Some of them are pretty standard…for a smartphone or tablet!

There’s a quick Google search widget that is really fun to use on the 3.2-inch capacitive screen (but there’s also a voice feature so just say what you want to look for), Google Maps, with a tap tap oriented interface, an organizer for everything from your stocks to birthday calendars and weathers forecasts. Probably part of this data will be retrieved depending on your location and personal information, so you’ll get useful updates.

Samsung Galaxy Player 50

Listening to music or the radio might be as awesome as possible thanks to the sound field effect SoundAlive. You can listen to it with ear plugs or by an external speaker that is pretty loud for such a small device. You can also shoot videos or photos with a 2 MP camera, but the 8 or 16GB internal memory might get insufficient pretty fast, so you’ll have to supplement with a micro SD card.

Watch the video below for some more of Samsung’s Galaxy player 50 that will be available for purchase in November.

Samsung NC20 Review by Laptopmag

Andrew — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:14:07 +0000

Laptop’s Joanna Stern has published her review of the Korean version of Samsung NC20, several hours before the US version landed in the US. She got a full review of the netbook and of course I have not read it yet. I’m waiting for another video review because I kinda understand and learn more with multimedia.

The Samsung NC20 is powered by VIA Nano processor at 1.3GHz with almost everything VIA inside. The review unit has 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD, and a beautiful 12.1″ display at 1280 x 800 resolution. Actual price as reviewed is $478, but let’s expect it to go down in a few days. Plus you can certainly get discounts if you just wait.

Read the review at Laptop.