Why Chromebook Plus is a great option for students
Michael Irving
STACK Writer
Chromebook Plus juices up Chromebooks with extra power and features, while keeping them affordable and easy to use for students. Here are five things you should know about them.
Multiple models
Like the earlier line, Chromebook Plus isn’t just one device but a whole category, produced by a range of manufacturers like Acer, HP, Asus, and Lenovo. This means that they’ll come in different types and sizes – for example, some will have touchscreens, and some will be able to fold flat or backwards. This gives you a bit more freedom to pick and choose the right device to meet your needs, style and budget.
Better hardware at a minimum
Naturally, the specifications of each device will vary, but Google have laid down some ground rules about the minimum hardware requirements to earn the Chromebook Plus badge:
CPU: Intel Core i3 12th Generation or above/AMD Ryzen 3 7000 series or above | RAM: 8GB or higher | Storage: 128GB or higher | Webcam: Full HD resolution or higher with Temporal Noise Reduction | Display: Full HD IPS display or better
This means that whichever model you choose, you’ll know you’re getting a zippy processor, plenty of storage space, and a crisp, high resolution display.
Armed with AI
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing the world, and the Chromebook Plus helps you tap into that. Magic Eraser, an AI editing feature found in the Google Photos app on smartphones, is coming to Chromebook Plus, letting you seamlessly remove background objects or people in photos.
Built-in AI also makes sure you look sharp by adjusting the clarity, lighting and background of your video feed. These settings are applied in ChromeOS, so they work with whichever video call app you’re using – Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.
Future updates will also add generative AI, Google says. This will let you quickly create your own images to use as wallpapers or video call backgrounds, or even inject a bit of humour into social media posts.
An army of apps
The extra power means greater productivity, with the help of an army of apps. Chromebook Plus devices come with a suite of Google apps pre-installed, including Google Photos, Drive, Meet, Docs, Sheet, and Slides.
It also opens up a range of other apps, downloadable from the Google Play Store, that previous Chromebooks might not have had the power to run. This includes creative apps like Adobe Photoshop and Express, as well as the video editing suite LumaFusion.
Same security and simplicity
Even with all these new features, Google doesn’t let Chromebook Plus devices get too cocky. They still have the same simple interface, multi-layered security systems and, of course, the lighter price tag, that make Chromebooks such an attractive choice in the first place.
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