Chromebooks have been around for three years now and as virtually all computing is moving online they're becoming real alternatives to fully functional laptops. If, like most people, your Web browser is the most clicked icon on your screen the Chromebooks' portability and low price tags are hard to ignore and they're only getting cheaper.
The first Chromebooks from Chinese manufacturers Hisense and Haier cost just $149 - that's $50 cheaper than any other Chromebook. The Haier Chromebook 11 is being sold by Amazon and the Hisense Chromebook is exclusive to Walmart. Both go on pre-sale March 31.
The two devices are very similar. Both sport 11.6-inch displays, two gigabytes of RAM, 16 gigabytes of storage and they promise all-day battery life. They both pack Rockchip processors, the Chinese-made chips optimized for low power consumption and heat dissipation. The Hisense has a 2.5 GHz processor compared to the Haier's 1.7GHz, but the slightly slower speed supposedly gives the Haier ten hours of battery life compared to the Hisense's advertised 8.5 hours. The Hisense is a bit bulkier at 3.3 pounds compared to the Haier's 2.5 pounds, not that either would keep you too weighed down.
Both devices are only on sale in the U.S. for now, but are expected in other countries very soon.
For an extra $100, customers will be able to get their hands on the new ASUS Chromebook Flip later this spring. It's the first convertible Google Chromebook and has a 360-degree hinge which allows you to rotate the 10.1-inch touchscreen all the way back so you can use it as a tablet. It also means that the keyboard can double as a stand when not being used. The Asus Chromebook Flip weighs less than two pounds and is just 0.59 inches thick. It's also powered by Rockchip which also means great battery life.
The Chromebook marketplace is certainly looking healthy in 2015 and Google is also promising imminent new releases from partners like Acer, AOPEN, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo and LG.
