Question from Kyle: I have a high-end Macbook Pro that I currently use for both work and pleasure. The “pleasure” part consists almost exclusively of watching YouTube videos, and I watch a LOT of them.
I’d like to purchase a good, but cheap 2nd laptop just for watching YouTube.
A friend recommended that I skip Windows this time and get a Chromebook instead.
That sounds appealing since they’re designed for Internet use and their prices start at well less than $200, but I have a couple of questions to ask you before I decide:
1 – Are they any good?
2 – Do they work well with YouTube?
I’d like to spend as little money on this machine as possible, but I do want a decent laptop. Thanks in advance for your advice!
Rick’s answer: I think your friend hit the nail on the head Kyle. A Chromebook is an outstanding and very affordable option for anyone who primarily wants to visit websites, chat, and send and receive email.
And yes, they also work extremely well with YouTube (Chrome O.S. and YouTube are both owned by Google and they take pains to make sure they work well together).
As far as the quality of Chromebook hardware is concerned, I think they are pretty much on a par with most entry-level laptops.
The primary downside to owning a Chromebook is its inability to run Windows programs, but it sounds like that won’t be an issue for you in your situation.
Bottom line: If all you want your new laptop to do is serve up YouTube videos, I doubt if you’ll find a better option for the money than a Chromebook.
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Great to know. TY
You’re very welcome, Barbara.
Well, that’s actually more or less all that they can do haha. But, I’m not saying that they are bad. They are actually surprisingly fast for entry level Laptops.
George, it’s true that Chromebooks are Internet-only devices (more or less), but they do a great job at virtually any Internet-related activity. A “real laptop” is a lot more flexible, but some people don’t really need that extra flexibility.
Thanks for your feedback. i really appreciate your input!
So I am planning to get a chromebook soon and i was wondering if you can stream videos on it.. like could i download adobe flash player and stream movies?
Yes Zana, you can stream videos just fine on a Chromebook.