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Comparing: Processor: Atom n450 (single-core 1.6ghz vs Arm 15 (dual core 1.7ghz) Fan: Yes vs No HDD: Spinning rust vs. SSD Weight: 2.75lbs vs 2.lbs Screen

by fr0sty 14y ago

Comparing: Processor: Atom n450 (single-core 1.6ghz vs Arm 15 (dual core 1.7ghz) Fan: Yes vs No HDD: Spinning rust vs. SSD Weight: 2.75lbs vs 2.lbs Screen 10.1" 1024x600 vs 11.6" 1366x786 Innovation continues apace from what I can see.

mtgx 14y ago
This also probably runs a lot better with this chip and ChromeOS. I have one of those old netbooks myself with Windows 7, and the experience is very frustrating. You can't even switch to a different Chrome tab sometimes because the CPU is too busy loading another tab.
- MatthewPhillips 14y ago
  I have the 1st gen Chromebook with an atom and the experience is the same, laggy.
  - Lewisham 14y ago
    The last Chromebook (which I used as a Google Intern, so take with a pinch of salt) wasn't laggy at all. They're a lot better since Rev 1.
- rbanffy 14y ago
  I've been using a i5 Windows 7 box for some office work and it has been, by far, the worst desktop experience I had in years. For other activities, I'm using a first gen Acer netbook running Ubuntu on an Atom processor and it's much smoother. The Atom is not the problem here.
jetti 14y ago
What sells me on the netbook is that I have 100GB of space for the life of computer, not for the 2 years after I buy my netbook.
- jbigelow76 14y ago
  At 250 bucks and the rate at which technology advances you'll probably be tempted to swap it out before 2 years is up.
  - jetti 14y ago
    For what it does, there is no reason to need to swap it out in the next two years.
    - genwin 14y ago
      Agreed, and nowadays for ~$250 it's an 11+" screen at 1366x786, with 250GB drive.
  - dmpk2k 14y ago
    We really shouldn't be encouraging more garbage in our dumps...
pajju 14y ago
Aren't these Chromebooks subsidized by Google to get into mainstream? I always felt there were big tie-ups. (See Asus Nexus tablet pricing) Unlike Microsoft, here Google pays for every device. :)
- mtgx 14y ago
  I don't think they are. The only thing that they might've subsidized (as in you get it for free) is that 100 GB of Google Drive storage, that you only get for 2 years.
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
mark-r 14y ago
So they're lying when they say it can play 1080p videos - the screen is barely larger than 720.
- fr0sty 14y ago
  1080p is via the HDMI port, I reckon.
- ebbv 14y ago
  Yeah, that was the first thing I looked at on the specs. I was amazed they were going to include a 1080p screen in this machine. I think that's very misleading. The average consumer is just going to take that claim at face value and believe they are getting a 1080p screen.
- jxi 14y ago
  Is Dell lying when they say their desktops can play 1080p? They don't even have a screen at all! Playing 1080p is more a gpu/cpu performance thing. Chromeboxes can do 1080p on 2 monitors, which is quite a feat considering their hardware.
- nsomething 14y ago
  agreed. Totally misleading
rbanffy 14y ago
At least for me, it has a nice plus. The new Chromebook is not only Windows-free, it's Windows-proof. Not that I would want to install Windows on it, but it certainly feels nice to have a machine like that.
wvenable 14y ago
Despite having a few other my portable devices my original single-core atom netbook (that came with XP!) is still one of the most remarkably useful devices I own. I sort of lament how useless my Android tablet is in comparison. It's by far a better device for consumption but nothing beats a full desktop experience (even at a laughably low resolution).

by fr0sty 14y ago

mtgx 14y ago

This also probably runs a lot better with this chip and ChromeOS. I have one of those old netbooks myself with Windows 7, and the experience is very frustrating. You can't even switch to a different Chrome tab sometimes because the CPU is too busy loading another tab.

MatthewPhillips 14y ago
I have the 1st gen Chromebook with an atom and the experience is the same, laggy.
- Lewisham 14y ago
  The last Chromebook (which I used as a Google Intern, so take with a pinch of salt) wasn't laggy at all. They're a lot better since Rev 1.
rbanffy 14y ago
I've been using a i5 Windows 7 box for some office work and it has been, by far, the worst desktop experience I had in years. For other activities, I'm using a first gen Acer netbook running Ubuntu on an Atom processor and it's much smoother. The Atom is not the problem here.

jetti 14y ago

What sells me on the netbook is that I have 100GB of space for the life of computer, not for the 2 years after I buy my netbook.

jbigelow76 14y ago
At 250 bucks and the rate at which technology advances you'll probably be tempted to swap it out before 2 years is up.
- jetti 14y ago
  For what it does, there is no reason to need to swap it out in the next two years.
  - genwin 14y ago
    Agreed, and nowadays for ~$250 it's an 11+" screen at 1366x786, with 250GB drive.
- dmpk2k 14y ago
  We really shouldn't be encouraging more garbage in our dumps...

pajju 14y ago

Aren't these Chromebooks subsidized by Google to get into mainstream? I always felt there were big tie-ups. (See Asus Nexus tablet pricing) Unlike Microsoft, here Google pays for every device. :)

mtgx 14y ago
I don't think they are. The only thing that they might've subsidized (as in you get it for free) is that 100 GB of Google Drive storage, that you only get for 2 years.

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

mark-r 14y ago

So they're lying when they say it can play 1080p videos - the screen is barely larger than 720.

fr0sty 14y ago
1080p is via the HDMI port, I reckon.
ebbv 14y ago
Yeah, that was the first thing I looked at on the specs. I was amazed they were going to include a 1080p screen in this machine. I think that's very misleading. The average consumer is just going to take that claim at face value and believe they are getting a 1080p screen.
jxi 14y ago
Is Dell lying when they say their desktops can play 1080p? They don't even have a screen at all! Playing 1080p is more a gpu/cpu performance thing. Chromeboxes can do 1080p on 2 monitors, which is quite a feat considering their hardware.
nsomething 14y ago
agreed. Totally misleading

rbanffy 14y ago

At least for me, it has a nice plus. The new Chromebook is not only Windows-free, it's Windows-proof. Not that I would want to install Windows on it, but it certainly feels nice to have a machine like that.

wvenable 14y ago

Despite having a few other my portable devices my original single-core atom netbook (that came with XP!) is still one of the most remarkably useful devices I own. I sort of lament how useless my Android tablet is in comparison. It's by far a better device for consumption but nothing beats a full desktop experience (even at a laughably low resolution).