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A tale of two Chromebooks: one size doesn't fit all
I've been spending a lot of time with Chromebooks. About one a month for the last six months, if my math is correct. Lately, though, I've found myself in the somewhat unusual situation of testing two models at once. Two very different models, I should add. On the one hand, we have the Toshiba Chromebook 2, which brings a full HD, 1080p display and a relatively big 13-inch screen. At $330, it's a good deal compared to similar machines, but it's also on the pricier end for a laptop that basically just runs the Chrome browser. On the other, we have Samsung's newest laptop (also called the Chromebook 2), which has a smaller size and also a smaller price: just $250. But the design is nice and in a way, so is the keyboard. So what matters more, then? A dazzling screen or a faux-leather lid? Robust audio or being priced to sell? Check out our two reviews (Samsung and Toshiba) and decide for yourself. [Image credit: Will Lipman]
Chromebook 2 review (11-inch, late 2014): Samsung's entry-level laptop returns with longer battery life
Just what the world needed, right? Another Chromebook. And yet, here I am, reviewing my sixth one in about as many months. Still, there's a reason I'm testing Samsung's newest model, the 11-inch Chromebook 2. It's because it replaces what for the longest time was our favorite Chromebook -- the one Samsung released all the way back in 2012. This new edition costs the same, at $250, but it's purportedly better in almost every way: The battery life is longer; the design is nicer; and the performance should be stronger, thanks to a new Intel Celeron processor. As we know, though, two years is a long time, and indeed, Samsung now has much more competition than it used to. For $250, you could get Sammy's new entry-level Chromebook, or you could also go with models from Acer, ASUS and HP, just to name a few. Is Samsung's still the best after all these years?
Samsung Chromebook 2 review: A $400 laptop never looked so good
Chromebooks seem to be having a moment. Which is odd, because for a while there, nobody seemed to be giving them a chance. Since the first Chromebook came out, about three years ago, Chrome OS devices have gotten flak for not being able to do as much as Windows machines. And to be fair, they couldn't, especially in the beginning. Manufacturers responded by slashing prices, but that led to a whole other problem: endless netbook comparisons. Indeed, many Chromebooks until now have been small, dirt-cheap and woefully low-end. To be avoided, mostly. Lately, though, the tides have been changing. Nearly every PC maker is making a Chromebook, if not several, and many will soon be upgrading their models with heavier-duty Intel Core i3 CPUs -- processors so powerful you might actually consider a Chromebook for your next laptop. Samsung, meanwhile, is taking a different approach: It's decked out its new 11- and 13-inch Chromebook 2 laptops with a stylish faux-leather lid, similar to what it did on the high-end Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note Pro. Samsung also went with a full HD screen on the 13-inch model, making it the only notebook I know that's this cheap with this nice a display. With a starting price of $320 ($400 for the 13-incher), the Chromebook 2 is on the pricey side, but then again, you're paying for better quality. So is it worth it?
Samsung's latest Chromebooks come wrapped in faux-leather, on sale next month for $320 and up
It's been over a year since Samsung released a new Chromebook, and since then the competition has been heating up: Dell, HP, Lenovo and Toshiba all sell Chrome OS devices now, as does Acer, which has been at it from day one. Accordingly, Samsung is refreshing its lineup: the company just announced the Chromebook 2, which comes in 11- and 13-inch screen sizes, and will ship next month starting at $320 for the smaller version (the bigger one costs $400).
