I’m ditching Chromebooks and switching to a Surface instead

In the words of our own Andrew Myrick, Chromebooks are simple, versatile laptops that can be great tools for students and professionals. These convenient 2-in-1 laptops/tablets are designed to meet most of your on-the-go needs, such as a lightweight portable workstation. But they’re not ideal for everyone, which I’ve accepted over time.

Since I travel a lot, it made sense to get myself one of these stylish items. My everyday machine is an HP Victus 16, which is a big girl. It’s a nightmare having to take it out of my hand every time I go through airport security, which sometimes happens multiple times in a single trip if I have connecting flights.

I wasn’t expecting smooth navigation, as we’ve all heard that ChromeOS has its quirks. However, some people swear by Chromebooks and the actual capabilities of these budget-friendly devices. After using a Chromebook on and off for over a year now, I’m forced to admit that it’s not all rainbows and sunshine. It doesn’t meet my needs and I’ve gotten to the point where I’m just going to get a Microsoft Surface instead.

ChromeOS has so much potential. It could one day become the perfect love child of Android and Windows. But for now, I personally feel like that day is very far away. Students can get by with a Chromebook, but working professionals will find it extremely difficult to work with a Chromebook for more than a day or two.

To be honest, my job as a writer and editor doesn’t require much. But I was amazed at how boring it was to do the simplest tasks that took me a few seconds on my Windows laptop. The ordinary task of resizing an image to a specific size or sharing files to and from a ChromeOS tablet is needlessly frustrating. Who would have thought that I would struggle with something as simple as editing or using the search function on slides?

Of course, there are plenty of workarounds that bridge the gap between what can and can’t be done on ChromeOS, but honestly, who has time for that when you’re working away from home and don’t have everything just don’t have the time or resources to do it? hand to support the fixes?

Another problem with Chromebooks is that not all accessories work well with them. Keyboards and mice must be prepared to work with ChromeOS. So despite having an amazing Logitech mouse, universal Android styluses, and a bunch of cool mechanical Bluetooth keyboards, I was forced to buy new accessories for my Chromebook. This upset me even more.

Yes, traveling with something as light as a Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 or Acer Chromebook Spin 714 has its advantages. But having to rely on a bunch of add-ons, which also need to be packed and carried around, negates the benefits of portability. I would rather go through annoying security checks than feel handicapped when working abroad.

I’m not sure if I’m old school, lazy, stupid, or a creature of habit, as I’d rather just buy a Windows 2-in-1 for my on-the-go business needs. This explains why I have my eyes on a Surface laptop – the Microsoft Surface Go 3to be exact.

You might be wondering why the Surface Go 3 in particular? You see, it’s the perfect replacement for a Chromebook (or maybe it’s the other way around). All I need is a powerful enough tablet PC with all the apps I need to work, an ecosystem of decent accessories that I don’t need to search for myself and an easy-to-use operating system that I’m familiar with.

The Go 3 ticks all the boxes for me, and it’s also pretty cost-effective, even when comparing it to ChromeOS machines. You can purchase a keyboard, stylus, and mouse for the device if you want to use it as a laptop. The 2-in-1 can also be used as a tablet, and since it runs Windows 11, you can use it like any other computer. Additionally, it supports memory cards for expandable storage.

It’s a battle of convenience, and Microsoft won in my eyes. A Surface just feels more complete than a Chromebook. Of course, when it comes to Windows tabletsthere are a ton of other great competitors available that offer good value and all of the above.

Just because Windows 2-in-1s work for me and Chromebooks don’t doesn’t mean they won’t be good enough for you. I invite you to try using a Chromebook for a few months to find out if this breed of computer is compatible with your lifestyle and needs.