Chrome OS Flex, any problems I should be aware of?

[Caffeine11]

Hi All

 

We are looking at installing Chrome OS Flex on some Dfe supplied laptops that have not got the guts for Windows. According to my research so far, the only downside is that there is no Play Store so we cannot use software or hardware that requires you to download and use an app. However, we do have iPads so we could use them instead. We use Papercut for printing. We can install it with WDS and manage it within Google Workspace if we buy a licence.

 

Before we go ahead and install it on 75 devices, I was wondering if anyone has come across any other possible show stoppers we should be aware of.

[DGardiner]

ive not used it since it became flex, but when it was neverware there was a list of stuff it couldnt do from a config standpoint.

 

wasnt a complete show stopper but some of it was the security side.

 

i quick google did show thats not as much the case now: https://support.google.com/chromeosflex/answer/11542901?hl=en

 

if you buy the licences you can also transfer them from the flex devices to real chromebooks within a year

[Oaktech]

The deal breaker for us is the lack of APK support. Practically everything the ICT or Science curriculum demands wants a app.

[PotNoodleTech]

Yeh lack of play store is a big drawback.  Without that, they are basically just internet browsers, which still maybe useful.

 

Also - test one device first before you buy all the licences, check if it even installs on the one device.  If it does, happy days!

Edited May 1, 2025 by PotNoodleTech

[dhicks]

1 hour ago, PotNoodleTech said:

test one device first before you buy all the licences, check if it even installs on the one device.

 

+1 for that. We've found ChromeOS Flex generally works very well, although it doesn't support the wireless hardware on our older iMacs (although wired network works just fine). We also had a specific model of NUC (9 devices in the staffroom) which just stopped working one day when ChromeOS did an auto-update to a newer version. We switched those devices for new Mini PCs (one actually on the ChromeOS supported hardware list) with no problems, but for a larger deployment it might have been more trouble / more expensive.

[synaesthesia]

Not had any issues with the lack of Play store, but it just isn't used that heavily.

One caveat is to never assume Flex will work on all machines. Flex does not work on the DFE supplied Dynabooks for example.

[simonjjuk]

No major issues, only installed it on older staff laptops    However have seen batteries drain so swapped older batteries for new.

[TwistedHelixis]

Originally I thought it would not be a good thing, due to the Play Store issue, but then the IT lead sat down for a while and found web based apps for about 95% of the Play apps they were using on the Chromebooks.  Recently I removed the Play Store apps from the Chromebooks, so all the devices work the same way.

[TwistedHelixis]

Quote

Flex does not work on the DFE supplied Dynabooks for example.

I managed to get it working. Think I needed to do a bios update or downgrade. Also needed some odd BIOS setting changing, cant remember now. 

[synaesthesia]

21 minutes ago, TwistedHelixis said:

I managed to get it working. Think I needed to do a bios update or downgrade. Also needed some odd BIOS setting changing, cant remember now. 

Interesting - I think they "worked" with the notable and important exception of the trackpad. I might have another play, the BIOS had about as much option as a vegan butcher shop!

[TwistedHelixis]

Perhaps it was something else and not a bios setting. Oddly, I don't seem to remember having an issue with the trackpad