Chromebook Palmrest&Keyboard

Chromebook Size and Weight
The first thing you should decide on is the actual physical size of the Chromebook. You have plenty of choices to pick from-various sizes between 10" to 17"-so that's a pretty tricky decision to make. Among these sizes, we do not recommend an 11.6" or smaller screen. We feel that 11.6" is too small for any kind of laptop device and if you want something that portable, you might fair better with an 8" or 10" tablet instead. Indeed, most 11.6" Chromebooks have a maximum resolution of 1366x768, which doesn't provide much screen space and can feel quite cramped, especially if you come from a larger screen running in Full HD (1920x1080). Some 13.3" Chromebooks have the same maximum resolution, but at least newer ones can go up as high as 3840x2160 (4K UHD). Chromebooks have improved a lot since they debuted in 2011. They're good enough that you may actually want to consider a Chromebook over a laptop for your next computer, especially if you're looking for the ultimate travel device. Unfortunately, Chromebooks still carry the stigma of numerous debunked myths, like the idea that Chromebooks don't work offline. They do! In addition, Chromebooks have plenty of advantages that make them far more useful than many even realize.

Chromebook Size and Weight
The first thing you should decide on is the actual physical size of the Chromebook. You have plenty of choices to pick from-various sizes between 10" to 17"-so that's a pretty tricky decision to make. Among these sizes, we do not recommend an 11.6" or smaller screen. We feel that 11.6" is too small for any kind of laptop device and if you want something that portable, you might fair better with an 8" or 10" tablet instead. Indeed, most 11.6" Chromebooks have a maximum resolution of 1366x768, which doesn't provide much screen space and can feel quite cramped, especially if you come from a larger screen running in Full HD (1920x1080). Some 13.3" Chromebooks have the same maximum resolution, but at least newer ones can go up as high as 3840x2160 (4K UHD). If portability isn't a big concern, consider the 15.6" size. It's the best overall size for any laptop because it provides a comfortable amount of screen estate, but it also comes with a heftier price tag and more weight to lug around. Thinking of using your Chromebook as a primary machine? Definitely get a 15.6" or bigger machine. On top of screen size, which is measured diagonally from corner to corner, you should think about device depth or thickness. For example, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook is 0.39" thick while the Google Pixelbook Go is 0.50" thick-yet both are 13.3" devices. Although 0.11" might not seem like a lot on paper, it's significant enough that you'd notice it if you saw the two placed side-by-side or held them both in your hands. One last thing to worry about, at least as far as portability is concerned, is the device's weight. Chromebooks weigh anywhere from two to four pounds on average, and bigger devices are obviously going to weigh more. Body material can also make a big impact, for example, plastic, aluminum, etc. Bottom line? A 15.6" or bigger Chromebook will be your best bet for an all-around device, but a 13.3" screen is better for lots of traveling, in which case you should also look at slimness and weight. Even a single pound can make a big difference when you're carrying it around for hours.

Chromebook Performance
Let's be clear right off the bat: Chromebooks aren't meant to be high-performance machines yet. That doesn't mean they're terrible, but it does mean that you need to have proper expectations going into your purchase. Most Chromebooks utilize integrated graphics cards that are notably worse than dedicated graphics cards, so don't expect top-notch video performance. Integrated cards are perfectly fine for watching YouTube and streaming Skype videos but not so good for gaming. However, you can find some models with dedicated graphics cards as well. Picture quality, on the other hand, is determined more by the build of the screen itself than the graphics card. Some Chromebooks can reach brighter whites, others can get darker blacks, and still, others have sharper contrast. Unfortunately, picture quality specifications aren't standardized, so it's hard to know what's "good" or "bad" without physically comparing with your own eyes.

How to Modify Chromebook Keyboard Settings Chromebook Storage, Battery Life, and More
Pick One with a Solid State Drive: Chromebooks with SSDs are pretty much the norm these days, which is great because SSDs are way faster than HDDs. There is a third type of memory called eMMC that offers better performance than HDDs but is slower when compared to SSDs. We recommend choosing an SSD. 64GB storage is quite common among Chromebooks. However, we recommend that you go for at least 128GB to be on the safe side. Moreover, you can utilize Chromebook's great integration with Google Drive to save data in the cloud.
Battery Life Is Important for Travelers: Chromebooks are meant to be used portably, so it makes sense to get one that can last a while between charges. One of the best performers in this area is the HP Chromebook x360 14, which can last over 13.5 hours out of the box. Still, Chromebooks have excellent battery life in general, so it's not worth fussing over too much. Most of them can last anywhere from seven to ten hours, which is more than enough juice for the average user.
Make Sure It Has the Ports You Need: Don't make the mistake of getting a laptop with only a single USB port. Always check the availability of ports on every device you intend to buy. Modern Chromebooks come equipped with two to three USB ports as standard. In the majority of cases, you'll find a port for USB 3.0 and one port for USB-C. Other ports that you might want: HDMI, headphones, microphone, and memory card slots.