ChromeOS

The rise of AMD-powered Chromebooks has arrived, with Acer’s new Chromebook Spin 514 being one of the first big launches. After a brief spin with it last year, I’ve been using the Spin 514 with its AMD Ryzen 5 5000 series processor for the past few weeks. Here’s what you should know.
Expand Expanding CloseChromeOS 109 is rolling out over the next few days as a smaller update in terms of user-facing changes, though there are a handful of tweaks.
Expand Expanding CloseChromebooks are incredible tools, so long as they’re able to receive updates to keep them up and running properly. This guide will help you find the schedule of exactly how long your Chromebook should receive updates so you can be confident in using it for years to come.
Expand Expanding CloseThe HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook might be the next “flagship” for the platform, and at CES 2023, we had the pleasure of checking it out in person.
Expand Expanding CloseThe selection of Chromebooks has evolved over the years, but has always been built on the back of one core market – affordable laptops. Coming later this year, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i is the latest affordable Chromebook from the company, and it might just be one of the most exciting machines on 2023’s ChromeOS roadmap so far.
Expand Expanding CloseWith Google pushing gaming Chromebooks so heavily, more manufacturers are breaking ground with some of the best-performing and heavily equipped Chromebooks we’ve ever seen. The Vibe CX34 – announced at CES 2023 from ASUS – is one of those, boasting a gorgeous display, attractive chassis, and internals that would make you question the idea of ChromeOS entirely.
Expand Expanding CloseAcer’s new “Add-In-One” system is an attempt to make a modular, upgradeable, all-in-one experience that runs on ChromeOS.
Expand Expanding CloseWith the Pixelbook Go seemingly on the cusp of being discontinued, let’s take a look at each ChromeOS laptop/tablet successor that the Made by Google team appears to have canceled in the last four years.
Expand Expanding CloseWhile it’s up to the market to prove (or disprove) Google’s belief that Android Tablets are the “future of computing,” the other big obstacle comes from within the company. Chromebooks can very much compete for that mantle, with Android and ChromeOS once again converging in functionality and use case.
Expand Expanding CloseIf one thing became clear about the Google Pixel lineup in 2022, it was that Google is pushing hard to create a proper ecosystem of hardware. In 2023, that will include a folding phone and the Pixel Tablet, but one thing missing from the equation is a new Pixelbook.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle’s ChromeOS is a great tool for so many different reasons. One neat feature is the Phone Hub, which turns your Chromebook into an extension of your Android phone, allowing you to view notifications, continue browsing the web, and even share photos in seconds. This guide will take you through how to connect your Android phone to your Chromebook and use the Phone Hub.
Expand Expanding CloseChromebooks have certainly made their mark for those who need productivity on the go without all the prowess of an energy-sucking laptop. It seems though, that the tables have turned, and the era of gaming Chromebooks is here, starting with the impressive Lenovo i5 Gaming Chromebook.
Expand Expanding CloseThe Files app on ChromeOS has seen a steady pace of updates in the last year, but the biggest upgrade to the experience yet is the concept of a Trash can.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle’s ChromeOS team is working on a way to quickly and easily share GIFs when chatting with friends from your Chromebook.
Expand Expanding CloseAfter nearly a year in development, Google’s Material You redesign of ChromeOS is finally taking shape, bringing dynamic colors, a quick settings revamp, and more.
Expand Expanding CloseZoom for Chromebooks started off without many of the features as the same experience on Windows and other platforms but finally caught up thanks to the debut of its Progressive Web App (PWA) last year. Now, Zoom finally defaults to the PWA on Chromebooks.
Expand Expanding CloseAfter using a Chromebook with a 120Hz display, I’m impressed with the things that work well, but ChromeOS still has some catching up to do.
Expand Expanding CloseAs one of the best mobile video editors, LumaFusion is now widely available on Android and ChromeOS courtesy of any early access phase. We’ve gone hands-on to see just how it holds up after bridging the iOS-Android/ChromeOS divide.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle is preparing to make ChromeOS a bit more delightful by playing a sound effect when you plug your Chromebook into power.
Expand Expanding CloseWhile Intel and AMD rule the premium laptop sector on ChromeOS, MediaTek has shown time and time again to be a pretty solid choice for entry-level Chromebooks. This week, MediaTek is announcing the Kompanio 520 and 528 chips, which improve display support among other things for affordable Chromebooks.
Expand Expanding CloseChrome has long made use of different channels to test new browser and operating system features before they become widely available to the public. Google has now launched a ChromeOS Beta Tester Hub.
Expand Expanding CloseOne of iOS and iPad’s most popular video editing suites is now available on Android and ChromeOS as LumaFusion arrives in beta.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle and Valve have finally launched the fruits of their partnership to bring Steam to ChromeOS; here’s which Chromebooks are ready for playing games and which titles are supported.
Expand Expanding CloseAfter Android apps and the cloud, Steam is the third way you can play games on ChromeOS. Steam is now entering beta and supporting several more Chromebooks.
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