Acers Swift 3 Is A Solid Laptop For Students
At a $649 list price , the question isnt Does the Acer Swift 3 laptop knock your socks off? The question is Does it get the job done, and where are you asked to compromise? The compromises exist, but the gist is that, for Google Docs work, Zoom calls, streaming, emailing, and other tasks that many students spend the day doing, the Swift 3 does the trick. And it offers the combination of portability and durability thats perfect for a campus experience or other on-the-go lifestyles.
Acer Swift 3 laptop
What Size Screen Does My Chromebook Need
Most Chromebooks fall between 11 and 13 inches. That means you won’t have trouble choosing a smaller model, such as the 11-inch Acer Chromebook 11 N7 , the 12.5-inch Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA and the 13-inch ThinkPad 13 Chromebook.
These models often weigh less than 3 pounds, making them the most portable, and great options for kids. However, the screen size and keyboards may seem cramped for adults.
Those looking for more real estate for web surfing, getting work done, watching movies and playing games can pick up the 14-inch Acer Chromebook 14 or the 15-inch Acer Chromebook 15, a few examples of the growing batch of Chromebooks with big screens. Lenovo took it a step further with the Yoga Chromebook C630, a 15.6-inch laptop with a 4K display.
While the demand for larger Chromebooks is increasing, don’t look for a 17-inch Chromebook they simply don’t exist yet.
The Acer Chromebook 715 and 714 are 15.6-inch and 14-inch aluminum notebooks with fingerprint readers. The Chromebook 715 also sports a number pad.
How To Choose The Best Chromebook For You
These days, the majority of our daily computing happens in a browser. Most apps can be replicated online, through a browser, and so cloud-based Chromebooks make a lot more sense than they might do at first glance.
The Chromebooks of 2021 have learned a few tricks from Windows laptops too: some fold over to double as tablets, some sport all-day battery life, and some have upgraded internals on a par with a Windows 10 machine, for example.
What’s more, most new Chromebooks that appear on the scene now come with support for Android’s huge library of apps as well. If there’s something you need to do that can’t be done through the browser, maybe you can find an Android app to help.
When it comes to specs, these aren’t quite as important as they are for Windows or MacBook laptops, but you’ll still want a generous serving of processor speed and RAM, particularly if Android apps are involved.
One of the key specs to look out for is screen size, as this will determine how much room you’ve got for webpages and apps, and how easy it is to lug your Chromebook around.
Ultimately the reasons to buy a Chromebook are that they offer secure, lightweight systems that are always kept right up to date. Say your Chromebook gets stolen replace it with another, log in, and everything will still be where you left it in the cloud.
Read Also: Factory Reset Windows 10 Hp Laptop
Flaws But Not Dealbreakers
| Google Pixelbook Go | 15:11 |
In our mid-2021 web-browsing battery test, the Flex 5 lasted 10 hours, about two to three hours short of most Chromebooks we tested in 2020 and 2021. The Flex 5i lasted about half an hour less when we tested it in late 2021. Both models still have enough battery to make it through a full day of work or classes, but thats pushing it, especially if you crank up the screen brightness. Wed prefer a couple more hours of battery life, but our picks excel in so many other ways that we think its worth this small trade-off.
The lid can be a little tricky I frequently found myself needing two hands to open the Flex 5 and Flex 5i. We wish our picks had a lip, as some of Lenovos Yoga models do, to make the laptop easier to open. Otherwise, the Flex 5 and 5i offer excellent build quality.
The charger that came with our Flex 5 review unit emitted an annoying coil whine when it was plugged in and charging. While irritating, this isnt a dealbreaker, and we didnt encounter the same issue with the Flex 5is charger, nor see widespread reports of other people having this issue.
Can I Run Windows Apps On Chromebooks
Yes and no. Parallels Desktop for Chromebook Enterprise is a new feature that on Chromebooks, but not all of them. Parallels provides quick access to legacy and full-featured applications, like Microsoft Office, locally on Chrome OSwhich means that theyll even work offline. However, Parallels is a managed solution for enterprises with IT managers, meaning that you wont be able to take advantage of this with a cheap Chromebook that youll buy from Amazon.
Instead, only very specific enterprise Chromebooks will be able to access Parallels Desktop for Chromebook Enterprise: the HP Pro c640 Chromebook Enterprise, the HP Elite c1030 Chromebook Enterprise and the upcoming HP Chromebox Enterprise G3, all powered by Intel Core i5 and i7 processors.
Could this capability to run Windows apps be extended to consumer Chromebooks in the future? Possibly. But right now its out of reach for most users.
A better solution may be Windows 365, Microsofts program for running Windows via the cloud. Windows 365 is essentially the Windows equivalent to cloud gaming Windows lives in the cloud, and is streamed down to the local PC. However, Microsoft designed Windows 365 for business users, so consumers wont have access to this for now.
Recommended Reading: Where To Sell Gaming Laptop
How Much Does The Best Hp Laptop Cost
What Are The Options For Replacing Laptop Keyboards
Many individuals who are unfamiliar with laptops and their functionalities wonder whether they can replace their own laptops keyboard. To such, I would answer, Why not? You can do it, and everyone should do so in order to save money. Meanwhile, Ill walk you through the whole operation in a few stages.
Step #1:-
First and foremost, you must acquire a great keyboard by fulfilling the requirements outlined above. After that, you must pay close attention and begin reading the service manual book so that everything is apparent.
Remove the battery from the laptop as well as all of the circuit connections. The reason for this is because your laptop should be turned off.
Step #2:-
Change it to the side and place it on the laptops back. Here, you must remove its screws and begin to clean its components thoroughly.
Step #3:-
Its now time to remove the broken keyboard from the systems motherboard, as well as the tape that had been used to repair it. Furthermore, you must use caution while doing this activity.
Step #4:-
However, you will need to install a new keyboard and then rebind the keys in the opposite order. Meanwhile, pay care and use tape to seal the socket.
Step #5:-
Since everything has been completed, carefully close each hook, screw, and bolt.
Recommended Reading: Hotkey To Shutdown Windows 10
Chromebook Apps: Can I Use Android Apps
These machines were primarily optimized for Google apps, such as Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Drive, however, every modern Chromebook now has access to the Play Store. This deep integration can be either positive or negative, depending on how you use a PC. Chromebooks will be easy to set up if you already use those apps. And if you need help using incognito windows, we have a guide for that too.
Android apps are available on all new Chromebooks. This gives Chromebooks access to more games, productivity options and other apps to make these machines more versatile, though the apps seemingly run via an emulator with mixed results. Also, not all apps are optimized for a larger screen , so you might encounter some scaling issues. Check out our guide to the best Chromebook games for specific gaming app recommendations.
It may be best to stick with the Office Android apps or Office Online if you’re bringing a lot of files over to your Chromebook. There are often formatting issues when importing third-party documents into Drive. Fortunately, Google Drive allows you to save documents to Microsoft formats, so you’ll still be able to share files with non-Chromebook users through Microsoft Word or other programs.
What Is The Chromebook
The Chromebook is a very thin, lightweight laptop. Pioneered by Google and named after the most recognizable web browser, Chromebook is a distinct piece of hardware.
If youre looking for a regular laptop, keep looking.
The Chromebook has particular specifications. It was designed as an affordable laptop alternative thats supposed to fill a void in the tech world.
As such, it isnt suitable for everyone.
Recommended Reading: Can I Mirror My Iphone To My Pc
What Makes A Chromebook Different
Chromebooks were pioneered by Google, the search engine company that has also introduced game-changing products in other areas, such as the Android operating system for mobile devices. The first Chromebooks hit the market in 2011 and since then, nearly every major PC manufacturer has teamed with Google to create branded Chromebooks of their own.
The big innovation in the Chromebook was its elimination of the typical, multi-function PC operating system that did everything from boot the system and sort documents to run software programs and play DVDs. Instead, Chromebooks use Google’s minimalistic Chrome OS, based on open-source Linux. The Chrome OS, in turn, uses the Chrome web browser as its primary user interface .
As most actions start from the Chrome web browser, most activities performed on a Chromebook are conducted over the web — viewing movies or other popular content, using web-based office software, saving files to cloud storage, and so on. And because most activity is conducted online, Chromebooks can cut costs by eliminating traditional optical devices and using comparatively small solid-state storage drives.
Is A Lenovo Laptop Worth It
In terms of performance, Lenovo laptops have recently shown significant improvements. In addition to their improved graphics, laptops have shrunk in size, making them more convenient and travel-friendly than ever before. This is despite the fact that powerful processors and graphics cards are becoming the standard.
Read Also: Verizon Fios Watch On Pc
Look At Online Reviews
A repair shop may offer cheap prices online, but they may not be reputable or up to standard. Looking at reviews can help you avoid these places. Search online for repair shops in your area.
See if people flag any shops for unnecessary charges, long waiting times, or shoddy repair work.
If youre going to a new repair shop, always get a quote before you hand over your laptop. You may not get the exact price until they see the damage, but they should be able to give you an estimate.
Agree To Continue: Lenovo Chromebook Duet
Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it contracts that no one actually reads. Its impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit agree to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people dont read and definitely cant negotiate.
To use the Lenovo Chromebook Duet, you have to agree to:
- Connect to Wi-Fi
- Let Assistant show you information related to whats on your screen
- Connect to an Android phone
Final tally: five mandatory agreements and seven optional ones
Speaking of Zoom, the Duet has two cameras, including a 2MP front shooter and an 8MP rear shooter. Both were actually better than the webcams I tend to see on laptops. My face on video calls was clear and not particularly washed out, and the rear camera doesnt take incredible photos but will do just fine if you need to snap a picture of your notes or a PowerPoint slide. The dual speakers delivered surprisingly well-balanced audio that was clear at higher volumes. They dont get as loud as many full-sized laptops do thats understandable given their size, but thats another reason there really should be a headphone jack on this thing.
Gaming was also a good experience. Flipping Legend and Monster Legends occasionally stuttered but were generally pretty smooth. They also looked sharp on the 1920 x 1200 screen.
Also Check: How To Share Your Phone Screen To Your Computer
Best Cloud Storage To Beef Up The Internal Storage On Chromebook
Thankfully though, with the three best cloud storage solutions for Chromebooks that I highlight below, you dont ever again have to worry about running out of space on your new laptop.
Even better, youll be able to access ALL of your data from ANY device with these cloud solutions.
It doesnt get much better than that!
Lets dive right in.
These three cloud storage can solve your Chromebooks lacking internal storage space problem with ease.
What To Look For In Cheap Chromebook Deals
The cheapest Chromebook deals are already pretty good for the price, and tend to be aimed at those who don’t want to blow all their cash on a single gadget purchase. You’re not picking up bags of storage at the lowest end of the price spectrum, but with Chrome OS removing the need for updates , you won’t need as much space as you would on a conventional laptop. Plus, everything will run through your web browser on a Chromebook, which means you need even less storage.
The models above all carry decent processors for the cash, so you’ll be sorted for an acceptable speed considering how little you’re spending on your laptop here. However, it’s worth checking out display quality and keyboard textures, as this is where manufacturers tend to cut corners in order to squeeze into these cheap Chromebook prices.
- Compare all of the best
- Now, here are the best Chromebooks weve reviewed bar none
TechRadar is scouring every retailer and rounding up all the top deals over the Black Friday period, and weve put all the best Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday deals in easy-to-navigate articles to help you find the bargains youre looking for.
If you’re looking for a more substantial machine for speedy multitasking or high performance software, why not check out our best cheap laptop deals of the week. There’s also some excellent gaming laptop deals to be had as well!
Recommended Reading: How To Screen Record On Dell Laptop
Chromebook Update Checking Tool
Below, we have listed all the Chromebooks from major brands due to expire before the year 2025, including those that have already expired.
Use the search bar to look for the model name of the Chromebook you’re interested in. Try to be as specific as possible and start your search with the model code to ensure you get the most accurate results.
This list was last updated in November 2021. Based on data from .
What Is A Laptop Fan
Firstly, it is important to make clear what we are talking about. What exactly is a laptop fan?
A laptop fan is a small fan that is usually inside the computer that helps bring cool air into the laptop and expel warm air. This is important because you computer can get easily overheated when it is being consistently used.
If the operating temperature of your laptop rises too quickly or becomes too warm this can damage the main and important components of your computer such as your hard drive or make your keyboard not work properly. This is because the electricity that goes through your laptop and is used to make it works can easily get too hot for the computer to handle.
It is important to also remember that you wouldnt want your laptop to be too cold as it then wouldnt work. Keeping your computer at the right temperature is crucial to it working as effectively as possible.
This is why if your laptop fan stops working you should make sure that you get it fixed as soon as possible.
Also Check: How To Screen Record On Hp Laptop Windows 10
Are Chromebooks Good For Students
If you’re heading to college, university or are looking for a new device for school, all the pros and cons of Chromebooks mentioned above apply to you. Below, we’ve listed four more perks that students might find particularly attractive.
1. They need next to no maintenance
Chromebooks dont slow down over time because software and files arent stored on the device. This means you wont be waiting half an hour for an update to install, and your device shouldnt slow down to the point that you have to make a cup of tea while waiting for your computer to boot up.
Whats more, Chromebooks are less of a target for viruses and malware, although you should still watch your step if you visit dodgy websites.
2. Free cloud storage
When you buy a brand-new Chromebook, Google will offer you 100GB of free Google Drive storage, which will be applied to your Google account for life. Thats a lot of space for your documents and other files.
3. Feels faster than equivalent Windows laptops
When you dont spend much on a laptop, the lack of speed is normally fairly obvious. And while a cheap Chromebook will never be fast, its slimmed down software means it feels more perky than many equivalent Windows laptops.
4. Great battery life
Chromebooks tend to have a better battery life than laptops in general, based on our independent tests. Here are our average battery life star ratings:
- 4.5 out of 5 stars for Chromebooks
- 3.5 out of 5 stars for all laptops