Willie V. Hughes
Ive been a Chromebook fan since 2015. Many people writing reviews on Amazon about their frustrations with certain Chromebooks are almost entirely confused about-- or unfamiliar with-- the OS, so they take it out on the machine. Thats not fair or accurate. By way of background, I also need to explain that I bought a pair of ASUS C100PA-DB02 10.1-inch Chromebook flips with touchscreens back in 2015. They have very glossy/shiny screens which glare, but the touch screen feature is nice. They also feature an actual aluminum metal chassis which is very elegant and classy looking (although prone to scratches). I saw this "ruggedized" version of a Chromebook on Amazon and thought Id pick one up. Im already an Asus fan, I like the Chromebook OS, and I was looking for a more durable Chromebook to literally throw in my backpack or briefcase and head out the door-- without worrying about a sleeve, case, or possible scratches if none of these was used. Well, this "ruggedized" version looks like itd be great for children. Not so great for professional adults whove been spoiled with the nicer Chromebooks or laptops. I dont mean to be harsh because the chassis isnt awful, but it does have more of a look of Fisher Price or Leapfrog than Apple or PC. The Screen: The screen on this laptop is dimmer and more grainy (of that makes sense) than my other two laptops (both my other Chromebook and a PC laptop). The screen is anti-glare to be sure (a good thing), but you can sort of see a matrix pattern on the screen (a bad thing). The colors are also ever-so-slightly more washed out and dull. I compared all the screens side-by-side. If youre a student or a parent buying this for a child in grade-school, I dont think youll be disappointed. If youre a photographer, visual artist, or someone who with a keen eye who enjoys HD movies, youll notice that this screen is simply not up to par with other laptops on the market. The Keys: The keys on this laptop are my biggest frustration. While many keyboards today are back-lit, that would be a luxury on a Chromebook. Fair enough. But is it too much to ask for high-contrast silk screening? Maybe a phosphorescent or white print color for the keys? Apparently so. This keyboard has mid-to-dark-blue lettering on black keys. A really, really stupid choice that makes no scientific or practical sense other than to match the color blue to the "ruggedized" cover trim. These keys will be hard to see in low-lighting. Lastly, the keys on this keyboard are noticeably taller than on my other Asus Chromebook. Probably twice as tall. You feel like youre typing on a manual typewriter. Very poor design choice. Summary: If I were a parent, Id buy my kid this laptop in a heartbeat. Its compact, durable, water-resistant, has excellent battery life, access to the Internet, if used with Google Drive and Google Docs all work is saved and backed-up automatically, the laptop is somewhat immune to viruses, and its certainly rugged. However, if I were a college student and wanted all the above *plus* the ability to really enjoy streaming movies and to comfortably type-up term papers for hours on end, Id probably get a Chromebook with a nicer screen and better keyboard. Sadly, for me, this laptop was a no-go and Ill be returning it. Sticking with the aluminum Asus 2-in-1 with touchscreen. If you found this review, please give me a thumbs up. Cheers.
