Chromebooks/ChromeOS vs Windows: Which do you prefer and how do they compare?

[JSpaced]

I have been using Chromebooks for preference for quite a while now. There is nothing I can do on Windows that I can't achieve via ChromeOS.

 

However, persuading my Windows-additcted relatives is a mission: Successful conversions (away from Windows) so far: 0.

 

How are they with things like:

Video Editing (movie creation)

Blender (or alternative)

Python (or similar programming)

Safeguarding Monitoring and Filtering

 

I'm not familiar with Chromebooks, so I'm genuinely interested.

 

J

[6Foot2]

How are they with things like:

Video Editing (movie creation)

Blender (or alternative)

Python (or similar programming)

Safeguarding Monitoring and Filtering

 

I'm not familiar with Chromebooks, so I'm genuinely interested.

 

J

 

I think Chromebooks will probably be adequate for most (all?) of these tasks, but if you are looking for high performance in these areas, I'd say that they are not at that point yet.

 

However, others may have a different view or more input.

 

 

Edit: If a conversation on this topic "takes off" perhaps it should be in another (new?) thread.

 

Edited May 22, 2024 by 6Foot2

[mavhc]

How are they with things like:

Video Editing (movie creation)

Blender (or alternative)

Python (or similar programming)

Safeguarding Monitoring and Filtering

 

I'm not familiar with Chromebooks, so I'm genuinely interested.

 

J

 

They can run linux apps, so Blender, Python, all fine

[Danp]

I love managing Chromebooks, it's so easy!

 

They are not perfect, some apps can be awkward, video editing is one that gives me grief as most that are available on Play Store want you to pay, but Canva is free to education and can normally cover what is needed.

[LeMarchand]

While I guess the answer to most of my questions will be "use the web version", here are my first load:

 

 

• Firefox, because the thought of finding and setting up Chrome versions of my extensions gives me a headache, with different profiles preferably
  
• TVRename, which seems to be a exe only, unless there is something similar that wouldn't be too difficult to switch to
  
• Phone Link/Link to Windows (saves my eyes)
  
• 7zip
  
• A way to sync folders with a Windows PC
  
• A way to backup folders to an external drive
  
• Presumably WhatsApp, Outlook Mail, Outlook Calendar, MS To Do, Discord, Zoho Assist, Plex client and the various streaming solutions (Disney, Netflix, Apple, Amazon etc) are "use the web version" solutions
  

 

I'm sure I'll have more when I sit in front of my home PC (probably tomorrow night; cinema tonight).

[jthompson]

While I guess the answer to most of my questions will be "use the web version", here are my first load:

 

 

• Firefox, because the thought of finding and setting up Chrome versions of my extensions gives me a headache, with different profiles preferably
  
• TVRename, which seems to be a exe only, unless there is something similar that wouldn't be too difficult to switch to
  
• Phone Link/Link to Windows (saves my eyes)
  
• 7zip
  
• A way to sync folders with a Windows PC
  
• A way to backup folders to an external drive
  
• Presumably WhatsApp, Outlook Mail, Outlook Calendar, MS To Do, Discord, Zoho Assist, Plex client and the various streaming solutions (Disney, Netflix, Apple, Amazon etc) are "use the web version" solutions
  

 

I'm sure I'll have more when I sit in front of my home PC (probably tomorrow night; cinema tonight).

 

Beyond the "user the web version" option, I suppose "use the Android app" or "use the Linux app" options are worth investigating.

For file sync, Google Drive for Desktop on the Windows machine would be an easy option. You could also look into Syncthing, with an Android or Linux app on the Chromebook.

[LeMarchand]

For file sync, Google Drive for Desktop on the Windows machine would be an easy option.

 

But not cheap for TBs of media (on a personal account).

[rogerdnixon]

I daily drive a Chromebook myself and look after ~12000 of them across 28 sites. Chromebooks on a day to day basis take up zero amount of my time and just work. I'd need a much bigger team if we had more Windows devices. We are Google Workspace throughout - so they are really a no-brainer. Also removes the need for local server infrastructure and associated costs/security risks. To date there have been zero ransomware attacks on ChromeOS.

 

Specific points raised:

Video editing - we use Canva - device agnostic.

Blender - don't think anyone has ever asked for that...

Python - Coding with Chrome is good as are a number of other online IDEs

Safeguarding - we use Securly and that give filtering anywhere. We also use Securly Classroom so teacher can monitor and control devices.

 

I'd advise against enabling linux apps outside of admins as they allow pupils to install what they want and potentially get up to no good.

[mavhc]

> WhatsApp, Outlook Mail, Outlook Calendar, MS To Do, Discord, Zoho Assist, Plex client

 

Pretty sure the desktop versions all just websites anyway

[LeMarchand]

Actual "work" query: Can you RDP into a Windows machine/server from a Chromebook?

[mavhc]

MS have an html RDP client https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/clients/remote-desktop-web-client-admin

 

And an android client https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/users/client-features-android-chrome-os

 

that's before you get to 3rd party

[jthompson]

Actual "work" query: Can you RDP into a Windows machine/server from a Chromebook?

 

Haven't tried it but maybe using the RDP option within the pages of Windows Admin Center?

[Danp]

Actual "work" query: Can you RDP into a Windows machine/server from a Chromebook?

 

I use Chrome Remote Desktop, but that requires it to be setup with your Google account first.

Edited May 22, 2024 by Danp

[dhicks]

Chromebooks on a day to day basis take up zero amount of my time and just work.

 

Just posting to agree with the above. As a school, we have charging cabinets full of school-owned Chromebooks in all classrooms (devices stay in school, they don't get taken home). Chromebooks often tend to be designed specifically for the education market, and there's a number of robust-yet-affordable models available, the hardware mostly holds up pretty well to normal day-to-day use in a classroom. We found that devices with included styluses in the case got them instantly lost / eaten / poked into/up things by the children (better to remove them and have them kept by the teacher, maybe), but other than that we haven't had any huge issues.

 

For software, assuming you're in an education context, all the available web-based options are fine, and being web-based there's no on-site installation needed and pupils can use from home. For video editing, there's WeVideo as well as Canva. I find WeVideo isn't great for handling two-hour blocks of footage shot from multiple cameras (i.e. filming a school production from multiple angles and cutting between them), but it's fine for shorter clips.

 

TinkerCAD seems to look very promising for 3D / CAD design, we've just got one teacher started using it.

 

As suggested, Python / other languages work nicely in online development environments. Devices like Lego robots and BBC micro:bit, with web-based development environments and devices which can be flashed via a USB connection, work fine from ChromeOS, which can really bring usage into classrooms other than a dedicated ICT suite.

 

For filtering / safeguarding, we also use Securly. The nice thing, which I think people tend to forget, is that the filtering settings follow the user account around, not the device. This means that, as long as a pupil is logged in to a ChromeOS device (or Chrome on Windows / Mac) with their school account, they'll have their school filtering settings applied. If a parent wants a reasonable way to apply filtering for a child at home they can buy them an affordable ChromeOS device (or, of course, reformat an existing one with ChromeOS Flex for free) to use.

 

Actual "work" query: Can you RDP into a Windows machine/server from a Chromebook?

 

For remote desktop use by teaching staff, we have an instance of Guacamole set up behind a Cloudflare Zero-Trust gateway. This allows users to be authenticated with their Google credentials and use a remote desktop session inside a browser. The authentication is pretty much transparent, if you're already logged in to your school Google account the Cloudflare gateway just passes you straight through with no login screen even appearing to the user, so lovely and simple for staff to use.