Chromebooks

If 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. 

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook is the first new Chromebook we’re hearing about ahead of CES 2023, and it looks like it will be a killer offer in the budget market with an affordable price, but lots of premium features.

Chromebooks 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.

One of the first “gaming” ChromeOS devices, the Acer Chromebook 516 GE is the definitive device for cloud gaming, even if that’s an oxymoron.

After 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.

Chromebooks are no longer just a category within the broader laptop form factor. ChromeOS-powered devices span from affordable to midrange and premium, as well as traditional notebooks, convertibles, and tablets. Google now wants to make cloud gaming Chromebooks happen in a rather bold (and literal) play.

This week the Framework Chromebook was announced as the first modular ChromeOS laptop. The ideas behind Framework are ambitious, to say the least, but how will this Chromebook version differ from the Windows option, and what about modules? In a Q&A on Hacker News, Framework’s founder has answered some of the community’s biggest questions around this new device.

Google and Framework are working together on a modular Chromebook that can be upgraded with various components over time and is set for early December availability with pre-orders opening today.

While there are more and more premium Chrome OS devices, the category very much excels at the cheaper end of the market. When buying those Chromebooks next year, you might notice that it will be running an “Intel Processor” instead of Pentium or Celeron.

ChromeOS has long looked to Google’s own hardware as its trendsetter, an example of “the best” the platform had to offer. But in 2022, Google is mostly absent from its own platform. The last Pixelbook was the “Go” model released in 2019, which was mostly underwhelming. Now, though, HP has reinvigorated that flame with the Elite Dragonfly Chromebook – a Pixelbook reborn.

Lenovo is kicking off IFA 2022 and its holiday lineup with the IdeaPad 5i Chromebook, as well as a ThinkCentre M60q Chromebox Enterprise.

As part of a series of “Green Day” announcements — no, not the band — Acer has unveiled its first Chromebook in the eco-conscious Vero series, which promises to be repairable and recyclable.

Two things saw explosive growth in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic: Chromebooks and Zoom. Now, the video-calling app is shutting down its previous Chromebook app to make way for something better.

Chromebooks are quite popular in schools for their mix of affordability, ease of management, and utility. Another growing use case sees libraries across the US acquire Chrome OS laptops and make them available to patrons for extended periods of time. Here’s our non-exhaustive list of library systems that let you borrow a Chromebook and internet hotspot.