The reason for this is two-fold: the Chrome OS is lightweight enough that it really doesn’t need a powerful chip to run, and it keeps the cost of Chromebooks down. On the other hand, Chromebooks usually have lower-performing chips and graphics inside, although a handful of premium Chromebooks have been known to run on Intel Core chips. That’s because typically they have more capable microprocessors – usually from Intel or AMD – and more robust integrated or discrete graphics powering them. If you’re doing a Chromebooks vs laptops comparison in terms of power, a strong case is made for laptops. Internally, however, the two couldn’t be more different.

And, just like laptops, many Chromebooks are clamshells, while quite a few others tout touchscreen displays and a 2-in-1 form factor. Both are notebooks with a keyboard, a camera, a built-in screen, and a trackpad. After all, a Chromebook is technically a laptop, just with a different operating system. To the untrained eye, a Chromebook and a laptop may look the same. What's the difference between Chromebooks and laptops? And, many of these apps work even when a Chromebook isn’t connected to the internet. Google has designed Chrome OS to be able to run apps from the Chrome Web Store or the Google Play Store on which there are thousands to choose from to cover all the basics – from word processors and spreadsheets to quick photo editing and light gaming. That doesn’t mean that you can only use a Chromebook when there’s an internet connection. This means that anything you can do with the Chrome browser, you can do on a Chromebook. So, let’s start there.Ī Chromebook is a laptop that runs on Google’s Chrome OS, a lightweight operating system that largely relies on the Chrome browser as its main user interface. However, before you delve into the Chromebooks vs laptops rabbit hole, you must first understand what a Chromebook is and how it differs from a traditional laptop. You likely already know what a laptop is. (Image credit: Future) What is a Chromebook?įirst thing’s first.

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