In this time of the pandemic, chances are you are slaving away from home with the trusty device your office has given you. There are surely times when everyone is busy at home, whether doing their work or attending school, using their own devices at the same time that there is probably no backup device that a family member can use if their personal device conks up. Also, is there an extra device anyone can use for other activities like gaming, social media, or leisure (aka Netflix marathons)? If there is none, then you should definitely be in the market for a backup or extra device. You should not wait for someone to have that blue screen of death because of a bloated battery (a common problem with laptops) or someone asking for the Netflix app to be installed on their laptops that should only for attending online classes. You definitely cannot afford kids to court temptation!
So, your choices for trusty backup devices are pretty much limited to three – a Chromebook, a Windows-run laptop, and a MacBook. You cannot have a tablet server as a backup or “family” device because it’s too handy that its current user may just bring it to his/her room, defeating the purpose of having a single device that everybody in the family can use. Your three options, Chromebook, Windows-run laptop, and MacBook have their own pros and cons and what you should choose would ultimately depend on you and your family’s preferences. So, which among the three should you go for?
Chromebook
Chromebooks would be your best option if you are looking for the most budget-friendly option. Of the three options, they are the least expensive, but they are also the most underpowered and limited, as Chromebooks run on apps that are web-based. This means that without an Internet connection, a Chromebook is pretty much limited in what it can do for you. Thus, if you are looking for a device where you can do a lot of offline activities, don’t choose a Chromebook or you will just get frustrated. On the other hand, if you are on a strict budget and have stable Internet, then a Chromebook is a wise choice.
The majority of Chromebooks cost significantly less than your average laptop. Chromebooks can be still be bought for as little as $200, with mid-range models in the $300-400 range. That makes them a very attractive proposition for budget conscious shoppers. However, there are a growing number of Windows laptops in the very same price range, so the price advantage is not nearly as great as it once was.
(Via: https://turbofuture.com/computers/Are-Chromebooks-Good-Enough-to-Replace-My-PC)
Macbook
Compared to Chromebooks, MacBooks are certainly more powerful. You can do a lot of things in MacBooks without having to rely on the Internet as most of its apps are not web-based. The products are, of course, required to be compatible to or have their own versions for macOS. These tend to be much more expensive, however, and Mac data recovery tends to be more expensive if the device fails. Compared to Windows-run laptops, MacBooks are relatively more stylish and lighter. And yes, with the sleekness and style of MacBooks comes a higher price tag compared to Windows-run laptops and Chromebooks.
The MacBook is notorious for its sleek style and students often gravitate towards one due to its high level of compatibility with other Apple products. With its iconic look and impressive retina display, the decision to go with a MacBook will be easy for some.
(Via: https://screenrant.com/apple-macbook-vs-google-chromebook-best-students/)
Windows-run Laptops
Finally, we have laptops that run on Microsoft OS. In terms of features, these laptops are pretty much head-to-head with MacBooks, with more people claiming it to be better because Windows is something everyone is already used to. Apps and programs are also local, so unlike Chromebooks, you can do pretty much everything offline using your laptop. Storage capacity is also bigger with Windows-run laptops compared to Chromebooks.
While 128GB is considered plentiful in the Chromebook world, Windows and macOS laptops with that amount of storage are lacking. If you have a huge collection of movies, videos, photos, music, and other resource-intensive files, you might want to consider going with Windows or macOS. Taking advantage of the cloud is another great alternative.
(Via: https://www.androidauthority.com/chromebook-vs-laptop-1014646/)
Good luck with your backup device shopping. On the other hand, if you need to recover missing or accidentally deleted files from your laptop, you need more than good luck. You need our expertise in recovering your precious files.