Chromebook 3, 11.6", 4GB RAM, 16GB eMMC, Chromebook (XE500C13)

Now first off, this is not a powerbook, or any high end high power notebook computer. We have pretty basic internet and computing needs. We currently own 3 ipads, 2 iphones, ad 2 ipod touches. These and their predecessors have mostly served 100% of our internet needs over the last 5 or years. However our school aged children have started having some issues with homework. Our school district uses iready (funny that it uses a moniker similar to Apple), and iready does not work on any of our i-devices. It works with google chrome. Now there may be some clunky backdoor way to get it to work through a chrome page on an i-device, but that is just going to complicate the situation.I figured if Chrome is the preferred operating system, then a Chromebook would be ideal. Doing some math homework, and some reading homework, on a notebook is not supercomputer stuff, so these budget Chrome books really looked to fit the bill. Plus we prefer using ipads for most internet stuff anyway, so I did not want to buy a high end machine. I found a great deal on a brand new Samsung Chromebook (I know Apple fan, buying Samsung. I do own Samsung stuff:Robot vac, refrigerator, camera, on and on), and this thing is perfect for its intended task. Oh, and it is fun to mess around with on other stuff as well. I got the 4 GB ram version so I could do more stuff, more quickly. I opened several windows, and messed around on the internet for a while and I could not lag it down. Now we do have Spectrum 100/100 internet, and I get about 113 mbps via my Orbi wifi network, so my internet is very fast.My kids are finally able to do all their iready homework, including extra math. The results are showing in test scores. I wish I had gotten this thing last year, they would be way ahead of the game. We kept hearing iready will be apple ready soon. 18 months later, I gave up and ordered this Chromebook, and it is worth every penny.This is the perfect setup for students. It is larger than an ipad, but small enough to be easily portable. It is fast enough to handle most any task you throw at it. I cant ask for more!I'll update if the honeymoon period wears off.

Compact design, good battery life. good screen size, good keyboard and mediocre speakers. For the price you can't go wrong. For those who don't know a Chromebook uses the chrome browser instead of dedicated apps. However that just changed with the newest update. You can now download and install apps from the playstore! This is a game changer for Chromebooks, which were previously held back by only using the chrome browsers (a few app exceptions). That being said, Chromebooks are still predominately web browsing laptops, as some apps from the playstore may not work correctly or be buggy. If you are unsure if a Chrombook is right for you, do this test for yourself. Avoid any apps on your pc / laptop, open the chrome browser and run everything through chrome for about a week. If you find you can complete 90% or more of tasks then pull the trigger and get one! You won't regret it. If however you rely on incompatible apps, or just find sticking to chrome isn't for you then you may want to avoid a Chromebook.Cont. Samsung is an overall great brand and you will enjoy this product. Be aware, these usually aren't very powerful so you may run into bouts of lag, crashes, and in compatibility. Videos tend to load slowly, but once buffered offer a seamless experience. My model has 4 gigs of ram. I think once these start shipping with a tad bit more ram it will be in that perfect sweet spot of saving money without too much sacrifice.