Christmas time means Christmas lists, which means running around trying to find everything on that list in order to make the holiday complete. Chromebooks are a hot product these days, sure to appear on many such a gift list, which means that they may not be as easy to get as you think.
So, what if you’re faced with the prospect of finding a substitute for that Chromebook-loving person on your list? Fear not, for you’re about to see some alternatives that will fit the bill just as nicely. Read on, and be put at ease.
ASUS X200MA 12-inch Touchscreen Laptop
We’re going to start with an excellent system that meets the criteria of being similarly priced to Chromebooks, in other words, around $199. The X200MA is equipped with a 1.86GHz Celeron processor, 4GB RAM, and a 500GB hard drive. It’s equipped with a 12″ touchscreen, to best take advantage of the Windows 8 operating system, despite the fact that many people can’t stand it. If the system has any negatives, it’s the reported short battery life (less than six hours). Maybe not the best portable system, if you go by battery life.
ASUS EeeBook X205
The X200MA has a short battery life, so let’s find one at the other side of the spectrum. The EeeBook X205 has an average battery life of a half a day. That’s right- 12 hours. On top of that, the EeeBook X205 has a 1.33GHZ Intel Atom processor, a 11.6″ screen, 2GB RAM, 32GB system storage, and a two year free subscription for 500GB ASUS WebStorage. It relies on the Windows 8.1 upgrade as its operating system. This is a system that really give the Chromebook a run for the money.
Acer Aspire E
Let’s get away from the ASUS love-fest and check out a different manufacturer. The Aspire E costs a bit more, but it’s not too far from that $199 price tag. The Aspire E retails for about $250. It features an Intel Celeron N2830 Dual-core 2.16 GHz processor, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard drive, a 15.6″ HD monitor, and Windows 8.1 as the operating system. The Aspire E meets the criteria of being inexpensive while delivering a good amount of power and versatility.
Toshiba Satellite NB15t Netbook
The Satellite is a more expensive system, coming in at around $380. It gives you 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive, a 2.0GHz Intel Celeron processor, and has a 11.6″ touchscreen display. Unfortunately, it’s known for having a short battery life. It also has Windows 8, which many discerning PC users consider a detriment as well, but your actual mileage may vary. At least it’s a lightweight, coming in at 3.3 pounds.
HP Stream 11
Finally, we finish of the list by going back to something more affordable and in line with the basic Chromebook prices. The first thing you notice is that it has a 14″ screen, so you know you’re in for something special. For power, it has a AMD A4 Quad-Core 1.6GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 32B Internal flash, webcam, and also comes with 100GB of storage space in One Drive, free of charge for the first two years.
So if Chromebook scarcity is getting you down, one of the above five systems should make you forget your troubles. And bear in mind, they deliver more versatility than the Chromebook, so you have that going for you too! Good luck!