Google Chromebook – The First Reviews Are In!

The tech blogs have received their review units of Google Chromebook, a few weeks before the public launch, and the first reviews are ticking in as we speak.

So are the reviewers impressed with the Chromebook hardware? Is the cloud-only Google Chrome OS practical without any offline apps? Are Google Chromebooks worth the money when you can get more powerful Windows laptops at lower prices? Let’s see what the pundits have to say on the Chromebook:

Joanna Stern of ThisIsMyNext writes:

Where the laptop and its 16GB SanDisk SSD really shine is with boot up and resume times. Samsung and Google promise 10-second boot times and that’s more or less accurate. It took only nine seconds to get to the login screen and then another two seconds to get into the browser.

For the most part, I noticed real slow downs when I had a number of tabs open in two windows or I was running a Flash-heavy site in the background. Not only was scrolling slow, but it would take a few seconds for it to recognize my keystrokes.

Adrian Covert of Gizmodo writes:

The hardware isn't powerful enough to handle the more exciting aspects of the web. Despite the dual-core processor, the Samsung Chromebook struggles with Flash video. Standard definition video functions well enough, but when you start watching HD quality web videos, you'll notice choppiness. Same goes for 3D web games.

Sherri Smith of LaptopMag writes:

The Series 5 is great for watching video, playing casual games, and doing light tasks such as creating spreadsheets and documents, but it really can't handle much more heavy lifting.

A fast boot time and bookmarks masquerading as apps can't make up for the fact that we can't use Google Docs offline, we have to hunt around for our local files, or that the Series 5 can only deal with one peripheral at a time.

Thomas Claburn of InformationWeek writes:

Chromebooks make a lot of sense for businesses that want a system for employees that provides Web access without the management burden of a full-blown computer. For individuals, the Chromebook value proposition is less clear.

Brad Linder of Liliputing writes:

I’m a bit skeptical that a Chrome OS device could replace a traditional laptop for everyone, but if you’re in Google’s target audience of people who spend most of your time on a computer interacting with a web browser, it might just do the trick.

Dana Wollman of Engadget writes:

We had no problem juggling a dozen open tabs, a list that included Gmail, Google Calendar, several news stories, Scoutmob, and the content management system we use to compose posts. Only when we pushed the system to take on a ludicrously unrealistic workload did it start to falter. And by ludicrous, we mean opening the same YouTube clip in two windows, with half a dozen tabs apiece. By the fourth tab of the first window, we noticed the pages were slower to load, and formed something of a queue. The sixth outright crashed. But somehow, we're guessing that's not what you'll be doing with your Chromebook.

Jason Cross of PCWorld writes:

You can find plenty of Windows-based laptops in the $430-to-$500 range that may not have the sleek look of a Series 5 Chromebook, and may not boot up as quickly, but offer such vastly superior functionality that I can't imagine recommending a Chromebook instead. For now, laptops based on Chrome OS feel like a novelty for tech enthusiasts. Even Android 3.0 tablets feel more powerful, flexible, and useful.

Joshua Goldman of CNET writes:

The Series 5 works as promised and looks good doing it. However, for its price you can buy a more capable Windows Netbook or laptop - even if you just want something for couch use. You can do a lot of things with one of those (or a smartphone, an Android tablet, or iPad for that matter). Right now, though, there are just a lot of things you can't do with a Chromebook.

Overall, most reviewers agree that Google Chromebooks are small and look attractive, the battery life is impressive, they boot instantly but the performance is average to poor (depending on how many tabs are you working with) and the web-only Google Chrome OS can be a real limitation.

Google Chromebooks are now up for sale on Amazon.com. If you wish to know how it is to use a web-only notebook, here's a guided tour: