Google doubles minimum RAM and disk in 'Chromebook Plus' spec

Google has added a 'Plus' designation to its Chromebook spec that requires machines to offer at least an Intel Core i3 12th Gen or above, or AMD Ryzen 3 7000, plus 8GB of memory and 128GB of onboard storage. The spec also calls for a Full HD display with in-plane switching (IPS) – an LED tech that offers bright colors and wide …

[An_Old_Dog]

Simple Computer Standards: it's the 1980s, Again

Remember the simple computer standards/marketing tags "MSX", "MSX2", "MSX2+", and "MSX TurboR" of the late 1980s/early 1990s?

I expect we'll later be seeing, "Chromebook PlusPlus", "Chromebook Squared", "Chromebook Ultra" ...

(Icon for marketing)

[Dan 55]

Re: Simple Computer Standards: it's the 1980s, Again

Chromebook 128GB+2 in grey, Chromebook 128GB+3 in black.

I hope they don't use non-standard USB ports.

[Jou (Mxyzptlk)]

Re: Simple Computer Standards: it's the 1980s, Again

Thank you! What for? You made me feel young! That MSX norm, according to wikipedia, was en vogue when I just entered two digit age, so I missed it.

[David 132]

Re: Simple Computer Standards: it's the 1980s, Again

As a child of the '80s, I fondly remember the usual ones - ZX81/Spectrum, BBC B, C64 - but I do get a twinge of nostalgia when I remember the more obscure systems. MSX, Aquarius, Oric-1, TRS-80 (way more popular in the States than the UK), Dragon 32/64, Acorn Electron, Sam Coupe... sigh.

Is it beer o'clock yet? Is the sun over the yardarm? A pint raised to all those early 8-bit pioneers :)

[Alexander Giochalas]

Typo?

IPS is an LCD tech.

LCDs work using light polarization, hence the viewing angle problems. They only use white LEDs for backlight.

(O)LED displays should not suffer from this problem.

(sorry for the pedantic post)

[itbod]

Re: Typo?

120MHz refresh rate too!

[Pascal Monett]

Nice, just one question

Does the guarantee period still start when the Chromebook exits the factory, and not when the Chromebook is bought ?

Because I'm absolutely not interested in buying something with a guarantee that has been active for months before I bought it.

[Dan 55]

Re: Nice, just one question

The guarantee started 2 years ago when someone first thought of it and will last until you try and get into contact with Google support who will say it's a hardware problem and re-direct you to HP and HP will say it's an OS problem and re-direct you to Google support.

[ludicrous_buffoon]

Re: Nice, just one question

You can contact Google support? Are you personal friends with Larry?

[Inventor of the Marmite Laser]

Re: Nice, just one question

It'll be a lifetime warranty. When it fails that's the end of its life. Simple really.

[jglathe]

Re: Nice, just one question

Like on my Thinkpad X13, August 22. Yeah, I'm miffed.

[Inventor of the Marmite Laser]

640k ought to be enough for anybody

Sez Bill Gates

[Dan 55]

Nice spec for Linux netbooks

I assume some effort will be made to lock down the bootloader then...

[Mockup1974]

>Chromebook Plus models start at $399 in the US.

For that price, why not just buy a budget laptop (or used laptop) with a real operating system?

[Jou (Mxyzptlk)]

Weren't Chromebooks supposed to be low-end-use-as-terminal-only ?

I thought: Their niche is to be very cheap, have browser, done. Enough for quite a number of people.

Now: Evolving into a thick client? Isn't that even more niche than they already are? With that spec you can run the ARM64 version Windows 11.

[Doctor Syntax]

Re: Weren't Chromebooks supposed to be low-end-use-as-terminal-only ?

"With that spec you can run the ARM64 version Windows 11."

But you don't have to.

[jglathe]

Re: Weren't Chromebooks supposed to be low-end-use-as-terminal-only ?

Could be worse, though. If the sometimes odd hardware is supported and you can actually boot it, I'd prefer a decent Linux. Can live with both, tho

[doublelayer]

Re: Weren't Chromebooks supposed to be low-end-use-as-terminal-only ?

They gave up on that a long time ago. It made them seem even more pointless to me, because now they're no longer cheaper* than a laptop that can do more things**. Then again, I was never going to buy one that could only do the Chrome OS things, so maybe it was inevitable that they'd realize that dumb terminals weren't very popular when you could have a smart one without much difference.

* There are cheap Chromebooks the same way there are cheap Windows laptops. You can run Windows 10 on a dual-core Celeron or Athlon with 4 GB of RAM and an eMMC, and it won't even be unusable, but you still don't want to to the extent that buying used is a better idea if you really have that restriction in budget.

** Yes, I know, Chromebooks have a Linux VM, just like every other OS in existence. I prefer when I can select my own versions of Linux and, if the need is there, Windows. I'm not particularly interested in testing a bootloader that might be unlockable when I can buy lots of computers whose bootloader unlock procedure is pushing the right function key when it turns on and selecting a different disk from the menu.

[Jou (Mxyzptlk)]

Re: Weren't Chromebooks supposed to be low-end-use-as-terminal-only ?

Oh, I do (did) run Windows 10 on Zotac Pico 335, 4 GB RAM and 32 GB eMMC. It is used as downloadstation, for slow sources which need a few hours over night, since it usually runs with 3 to 4 Watt. Why (did)? I installed Server 2022 instead of Windows 10, needs less RAM and less storage.

[bofh1961]

An unattractive option becomes even less attractive

I'll stick with Linux on my 4th gen i5 Latitude.

[Anonymous Coward]

It's basically an overpriced five year old android phone with a keyboard. Any normal laptop is infinitely more useful.

Most chromebook owners bought them because their kid's school insists on them having one, unless of course the head teacher is an apple user, then they insist all the kids have ipads instead. Choose your kid's secondary school carefully!

Personally I think either one is a poor substitute for a textbook and exercise book and a pen.

[[e-mail]]

Well said! One must consider the entire computing in school scenario. Do kindergarten students truly need an iPad or a tablet when they could be out playing and developing real-life skills?

Some overpriced devices marketed for education can leave parents scratching their heads. The choice between Chromebooks , iPads or Windows in schools seems to be a never-ending debate.

[Steve Davies 3]

Ah... It all makes sense now

Here in the UK, at least one Mobile network is offering a [cough][cough] free Chromebook with every Flip Phone contract. They gotta get rid of the old stock somewhere haven't they?

There again, who really wants a flip phone? [don't answer that]

[EricB123]

Gear Aquisition Syndrome (G.A.S.)

"it's hard to know what products will actually give you what you need, at the price you want."

I thought that was the whole idea.