You're way off. Chromebooks fit cheap hardware with an appropriate operating system, such that performance is still acceptable. For example, that Samsung Chrome

You're way off. Chromebooks fit cheap hardware with an appropriate operating system, such that performance is still acceptable. For example, that Samsung Chromebook with the ARM processor. It has a low-performance chip in it that only uses (I think) about 4 watts. So the battery can be tiny and it still gets very good battery life. Which means the whole machine can be very small, very easily. And it has a very nice trackpad and keyboard, with a reasonable screen. Samsung was able to cut costs in places that Chromeos doesn't _need_ it and make what is a very good machine for $250. Put Windows 8 on that thing and in two weeks the tray will be full of crapware icons and the whole thing will grind to a halt.