Samsung Chromebook 3 XE501C13-K02US, Intel Dual-Core Celeron N3060, 11.6" HD, 4GB DDR3, 32GB eMMC, Night Charcoal

Having used the Lenovo Thinkpad, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, the Acer Chromebook and now the Samsung Chromebook 3, I know that the Chromebook is superior to the other devices. It is less "touchy" than the Thinkpad, which I found too sensitive to touch. It is almost the same size and weight as my Galaxy Tab 2, plus has the keyboard, which I LOVE! The Acer is similar but bigger and heavier...not benefits to me. I have one HUGE suggestion for anyone who needs apps from Google Playstore like I did. My device did not come loaded with the Playstore App but I had researched enough to know it was capable of using it. After hours of experimentation on my own, I finally called 1-888-891-0696. They gave me their Chromebook reps, who told me I had to call Google to get the necessary update. I called 1-844-613-7593 and was told that they used to handle calls regarding the update but they no longer do, so directed me back to Samsung. This time I called 1-800-SAMSUNG and got a rep that told me they are not capable of doing Google updates, only Google can. She happened to ask did I have any updates that needed attention on my device. Being new to the device, I wasnt sure, but she walked me through it and in fact I did. IT WAS THE GOOGLE PLAYSTORE APP that I needed!!! Problem solved! Just look down near your photo in the box for the update sign. Once I completed the update and downloaded the Playstore App, I was able to get the Brother printing app I needed, as well as others that I commonly use. Hope this review can save others from the initial hassle I endured because the Chromebook 3 looks terrific in any other way.

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This thing is great! I bought the 4GB model which will hopefully last me a few years but its nice and snappy now. The 16GB of SSD storage is perfect as I use it for school and the biggest file I might be storing would be a picture. It integrates perfectly with my google account! This thing boots up super quick and it sleek and beautiful. Its lightweight, has a long battery life and although its smaller than a standard laptop, the keyboard is easy to use. Google and partners have done great with Chromebooks and have plenty of features to accommodate. There are multiple physical keyboard shortcuts running along the top of the keyboard to quickly adjust settings. There are also several different hotkey menus which are accessed by keyboard combinations. The only thing Im bummed about is the lack of Google Play. Im still giving this thing 5 stars because the Play store should be released soon as it is already available on other Chromebooks. I would highly recommend this to anyone, but especially to someone wanting something that is affordable, easy to use and just a bit more than a tablet. UPDATE 7/21/17 - STILL ROCKS Ive gotten more use out of this thing than I first envisioned. I have a Samsung Galaxy S8 and can easily access my Google Drive files that I create and edit on the Chromebook via Goggle Docs. Its still nice and snappy; I have Amazon Prime music running in one tab, working on a Google Docs file in another and browsing Reddit or searching something on a third tab and theres no hesitation. Ive enabled the beta build and enjoy several Google Play Store applications. I added an SD card which has expanded on the 16GB of storage. Im getting very used to the multiple finger shortcuts on the touch pad when navigating Chrome. For instance: putting 2 finger tips on the touch pad and swiping left or right will act as the forward or back button. Also, "clicking" on a link by using 2 fingers and pressing on the touch pad, you bring up a menu to open in a new tab among other things. I watch Netflix and HBO Now and can definitely notice the lack of 1080p but its a "get what you pay for" situation, and I knew that going in. This thing is still fantastic for what it is. If you want a proper laptop then buy one -- this is a Chromebook. Ill be back to give another update in a few months.

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Im a heavy user and completely in the cloud and this is my only computer. I use it for business. I have it linked to my Android Note 8 (through a third party Chrome app) and its seamless. It will run apps from the Google Play store. I usually have many multiple tabs open, expect it to operate like a full blown PC laptop and it generally does exactly what I want it to do. I watch videos, do photo editing, type thousands of words a day on it, stream movies and create Google Docs, Slides and Sheets. I bought this to replace my three year old version of the same Chromebook because all of the letters were worn off the keyboard and some of the keys werent working ... Im actively using my Chromebook probably 8 or more hours a day so it would probably last even longer for most people. Its lightweight and fits easily in a tote or backpack. It holds up well. I use it sort of all day and night and I havent found anything it wont do. The only place I notice this being slow is ironically when I open up Google Inbox and then I get to practice patience for a minute. Occasionally it will get sort of slow and then Ill go to settings and clear the image cache and that takes care of it. I handle a lot of images so the memory fills up a bit after a while. It comes with 100 gigs of free storage for two years from Google and Im sold on Chromebook. I usually run it off home wi-fi but I can also tether it to my phone or use public wi-fi. The bluetooth connects easily to everything. The keyboard is nice. I type 100 wpm and I like the keyboard and touch pad a lot. The keys are responsive and quiet. Its a nice, clean, simple design and easy to keep clean. The only thing I wish Samsung would do is make a little indent where the power cord goes in to help guide the plug in because you kind of have to look when youre plugging it in. The power cord is super compact and is just the plug and cord with no big clunky thing on it. Ive been able to find cloud based solutions for every piece of software I was using previously and I dont miss the PC at all since I went into the cloud in 2015. I really dont miss having to constantly update my system and all of the software. Google updates are super fast. You basically just restart and youre ready to go. It boots in seconds although I usually just leave it on constantly. I set my browser downloads to save to my Google Drive so theres no personal information stored on the Chromebook at all. Its under $200 and its better than my $1200 PC laptop I replaced when I switched to Chromebook three years ago. Its absolutely silent. No fans grinding away. I sit with it in my lap all day long and it never gets hot. I dont play video games but I imagine that it would play cloud-based games fine. Ive inadvertently had more than a dozen YouTube videos playing at the same time and it was sort of noisy but it wasnt lagging. And when you want to replace it, you just backup anything youve stored on the small hard drive and run the power wash on it. The only program I couldnt find a cloud solution for was Scrivener. But now you can get a virtual hard drive in the cloud for a fairly reasonable monthly rate and run any software you want on the Chromebook. It holds up to constant use and its really sturdy despite being really slim and lightweight. The screen hinge is super strong and its hard to imagine it breaking unless you dropped it.

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I have been using a Chromebook now for three years and am totally satisfied. I bought this This Samsung 11.6" as a replacement for an older Chromebook that is showing its age a little. For the price you cant beat a Chromebook. I do 99% of my work on a Chromebook. Chromebooks are light weight and start up immediately and are very easy to use. Ive gotten to where I despise Windows computers due to their bulk and all of the crashes and problems Ive had over the years with Windows. My old Chromebook is an Acer and Ive had absolutely no problems with it. I chose to purchase a Samsung Chromebook this time just to try out a different company and because it was inexpensive ( I paid $189.00). To be honest, I like the feel of the Acer keyboard a little better than this Samsung, but thats probably because Im so used to the Acer. Ive used the Acer so much that Ive worn off the letters of several keys. This Samsung works as expected and is a good, basic Chromebook.

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I’ve been using this Chromebook for about a week prior to writing this review. So far, I’m impressed with the amount of value Samsung brought to this device. The N3060 processor is perfectly suitable for my daily tasks. This Chromebook is able to stream 1080p/60fps videos, load ad/image-heavy websites relatively fast, multitask without slowdown, and run Android apps/games well. For example, 3d games such as Max Payne, GTA San Andreas, and Star Wars KOTR from the Google Play Store are perfectly playable at their default settings (If you’re wondering about the controller, the DualShock 3 is compatible with this model). As for the general build quality, I have no complaints. The spill-resistant keyboard is comfortable to type on, the mousepad is responsive, and the design of this laptop both looks and feels more premium than the price suggests. The only downside I have for this laptop is the screen. Compared with my old Chromebook, the Acer Chromebook 11 (2016), it’s no contest. The IPS screen on the Acer Chromebook has much better viewing angles and the colors are more saturated. That being said, I wouldn’t say that the screen on the CB3 is bad. The colors are decent when you find an optimal viewing angle and the anti-reflective screen is well suited for brightly-lit environments. You can tilt the screen about 30 degrees outside of the optimal viewing angle before the colors get washed out. Also, Ive had no issues running this Chromebook through my 1080p monitor. In the future, the Samsung Chromebook 3 will have Linux support with Crostini. Currently, you can switch this Chromebook to the Canary channel to test this feature out. Unfortunately, I was unable to get Linux to work because of mounting issues. Hopefully Google will get this feature ironed out in the future, since having 64gb of storage is optimal for installing a plethora of Linux apps. To conclude this review, I’d recommend this Chromebook to anyone that wants to install both Linux apps (either with crouton or crostini) and Android Apps on their Chromebook. Having 50gb of usable internal storage makes this Chromebook an excellent device to use both online and offline. Pros 1. Decent processor with 4gb of RAM 2. Anti-glare screen 3. Comfortable keyboard and responsive trackpad 4. Less than $300 5. 8-10 hours of battery life 6. Google Play is supported and Crostini (Linux apps inside Chrome OS) is coming in the near future. Cons 1. Colors get washed out when the screen is tilted out of optimal range. 2. Quiet speakers *Update - 1.5 months later* The Samsung Chromebook 3 officially supports Crostini Linux in the beta channel. Even though I initially had a few issues getting the terminal to install on this Chromebook, Linux apps work quite well. For example, the Libre Office suite (a Linux substitute for Microsoft Office) works very well and I havent experienced any crashes with it. The same thing can be said for Filezilla, Gimp photo editor, and GnuCash. However, if youre using Linux apps that rely on sound and video/graphics (Spotify desktop, VLC Media Player, watching videos through Firefox, games with Steam), the performance is quite laggy and all of these apps have audio problems (scratchy audio or none at all). Therefore, it still has a long ways to go when it comes to replacing a dedicated Linux distro. If youre interested with a smoother Linux experience with this Chromebook, Id recommend installing Gallium OS and dual boot it with chrx. I was able to get Counter Strike GO playable through steam (at very-low graphics) and the rest of the apps Ive had problems with in Crostini worked in Gallium.

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I love this Chromebook! The keyboard is easy to use, and there is no external noise to contend with. All that was necessary for set up was turning it on and logging into google account, exactly as advertised! I use a computer, primarily for internet access and saving/posting photos. It is fantastic for the things that I need a computer for. Defiantly well worth the money & then some. I highly recommend the Samsung Chromebook for browsing the internet, and for note taking. I couldnt be happier with this product!

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I have used this computer daily now for about 6 months, spending hours per day on it for an EMT/paramedic class. I havent added any apps to it or done anything other than log into my online portion of school and complete lectures, so I can only speak for its basic tasks. Its extremely fast and has very little lag when opening pages or surfing the web.(*coughQuizletcough*) I use this hooked up to my mobile hotspot from my cell phone mainly, and it allows me access anywhere I have cell service. At school my cell service sucks so I have it set to automatically connect to Wi-Fi and it works great. The size is perfect, its easy to toss it in my satchel or backpack along with my textbook and notebooks and have plenty of room. I use the Amazon basics sleeve to protect it, and use an electronic mouse to help perform tasks a little quicker. Its highly recommended that you purchase an SD card for this to store any documents etc., as it doesnt have large built in memory. I feel this computer is perfect for students who dont want to carry around a large laptop and add more weight to your already heavy backpack, but can still perform most of the same tasks as the larger ones and do the majority of school work you need to do. I highly recommend.

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So, Im going to be comparing this Chromebook with the really well rated Asus Flip. I wouldnt have changed, except for the fact that the screen on my Flip cracked when I was bumped into and dropped my backpack. Pros: It just looks more expensive/high end. The Asus Flip, in my opinion, looks cheap. This laptop looks like a sleek little machine. The screen is sharper and the colors are brighter. Nearly $80 cheaper for the same specs. The Flip has a touch screen, sure, but not a very good one. I constantly found it registering touches all the way across the screen from where I touched. The hinge feels very durable, far more durable than the Flip. The Flip hinge wobbled every time I even used the touchscreen. Touchpad flows a lot better and its slightly bigger. HDMI port, SD card port, and 2 USB-A ports. Good enough! Cons: The keyboard is noticeably smaller, so I find myself making a few typing mistakes. Im sure this will go away as I use the laptop more and more. The charger!!! Really, Samsung? A unique charger in this day and age? It was so nice to only have to carry one charger for my phone, laptop, and Switch (USB-C for all 3). This laptop has a unique charger and its really irksome. The future is USB-C, and Im not sure why Samsung refuses to jump onboard. Like other reviews have said, it does get smudgy. I would invest in a skin or a hard snap on case. Overall, for the price, it is great. I bought this in a pinch because my Flip screen is totally destroyed from the drop and Im a college student who needs a laptop. I would definitely recommend this laptop over the Flip.

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Pros: -Extremely lightweight. Weighs less than my journal. I can carry both of them in a reasonably sized purse and not hurt my shoulder. -Boots up in a blink. Hit the power button and plug it in, it will be ready before you are. -Looks and feels nice. The plastic seems sturdy, the keys dont stick*, the mousepad feels pleasant. -Reasonable volume and brightness settings. It doesnt get super loud, but for normal usage situations its fine. -Syncs flawlessly with my android phone. Googles integration is as good as apples now, I get notifications on the chromebook a little faster than the galaxy usually! -The battery life is excellent (I get 6-8 hours of normal university student usage out of it) and even when Im using it, it charges as fast as my phone. Cons: -It does slow down noticeably if youre doing too much at once. If I have a video call going on facebook messenger, chrome will take three or four seconds to respond. However, other than video calls it does really well. I can play a browser game while watching youtube and chatting with friends with only a split second delay when switching tabs. If youre going to be doing a lot of heavy lifting, this might not be the chromebook for you. -The spacebar is finnicky. It doesnt like to be tapped too close to the mousepad and sometimes it wont respond if you press it too quickly. Not an issue for most people, but if youre a speedy typist it could be an issue- I only notice this problem when Im going 75+ wpm. Could also just be a flaw in my unit. - The screen touches the keys when the screen is closed, so your keys transfer smudges from the corners to your screen. Ive only had it for a month but Ill be monitoring for any long-term damage this could cause. Overall, the problems are fairly minor and for the price Im happy with what I got. Im travelling overseas with it, and it goes everywhere I do and does everything I do- except I can no longer multitask and annoy my mother in video calls!

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First time Chrome OS user, very streamlined and easy to use. Works great right out of the box, as advertised. Amazing battery life, I could go on. Would definitely recommend, especially at the current price.

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