Unlike its predecessors, Toshiba Chromebook 2 is not an ugly laptop loaded with good specifications. The Chromebook 2 delivers in both aspects. It is a light weight laptop measuring just 1.35 Kg. The dimensions are quite similar to the 13 inch variant of Apple’s MacBook Air.
The width is 320mm and the depth measures 214mm. At this price, the laptop looks stunning. The cost is considerably less when compared to the MacBook Air, but the design is almost equally impressive. The corners boast elegant curves and though the silver coloured plastic body is not super strong, it is quite durable. The visual appeal is quite satisfying. The 13.3 full HD IPS display offers a great viewing experience.
A lower resolution model is also available, but the full HD screen earns its money. The colours are beautiful, even while gaming. A full HD video plays the way it should as details look nearly perfect. The screen is bright enough to work outdoors as well. The speaker tray is virtually invisible, thanks to the design by Skullcandy.
The black tiled keyboard takes a little getting used to as the layout is not like the traditional windows laptops. However, the trackpad is large enough and responsive. Given the cost, in terms of design and display, the Toshiba Chromebook 2 is an absolute stunner.
The full HD device is powered by an Intel celeron processor along with 4 GB of RAM. Ram decreases to 2 GB in the HD version. The performance is not over the top, but satisfactory nonetheless. The internal storage capacity measures 16GB, but that was expected as it a Chromebook.
The cloud storage offered is 100 GB. The cloud storage requires 24*7 Internet connectivity and all cloud apps don’t work without such connectivity. The hardware the device houses is 802.11ac+agn Wi-Fi, but strangely, some connectivity issues are occasionally observed. The Chromebook runs day-to-day tasks with relative ease and general users will definitely not be dissatisfied. However, extensive multi-tasking is not efficient enough. The OS featured is Google’s very own Chrome OS.
The functionality is really different when compared to windows and OS X. The operating system runs web apps instead of normal applications. Without a good enough Internet connection, the Toshiba Chromebook 2 is practically useless. However, this isn’t that big an issue as Internet connectivity in available in almost every household.
A very big disadvantage of the Chrome OS is that it lacks some very popular apps. Skype is not available, VLC doesn’t make it to the list and ITunes is also nowhere to be found. Alternatives like Hangouts and Spotify are present, but the absence of iconic apps is still felt.
The Chrome OS is very different from windows and OS X, but an easily accessible guide is provided in the status tray lying at the bottom of the screen. Some alternatives to immensely popular apps are also suggested there. The Chromebook 2 is a breath of fresh air, and functionality is not really limited.
Toshiba claims that the full HD version can lat up to 9 hours on a single complete charge whereas the HD version can stretch up to 11.5 hours. A very noticeable issue is the low battery warning system. The alert flashes when the battery is as low as 1%. Again, this isn’t a big issue.
If you can live without some highly popular apps and want to see what a Chromebook can do, Toshiba Chromebook 2 is your best bet!
Price: AED 1700
