Face-off: Nexian Chromebook vs XOLO Chromebook

Chromebooks require Web connectivity for apps to work.

Google’s Chrome operating system (OS) is perhaps the simplest PC platform available. The two recently launched Chromebooks—one by XOLO (known for its Android smartphones), and the other by Nexian (an Indonesian company)—could be the perfect buys for some users.

Both the Chromebooks are powered by a Rockchip quad-core 1.8 GHz processor with 2 GB RAM and have 16 GB internal storage, an SD card slot, 11.6-inch display, two USB 2.0 ports and HDMI out. On paper, these are quite basic specifications, enough for simple computing tasks. Also, the 16 GB internal storage will fill up quickly if you start storing music, videos and high-resolution photographs on the device. If you do decide to buy a Chromebook, we would recommend that you purchase a 64 GB memory card along with it, to add some more space. The other problem is the small screen size, which could become an issue if you read a lot.

Both have a good battery life—anywhere between 5-7 hours of constant Web browsing across multiple tabs and some online videos thrown into the mix.

The Nexian Chromebook, which comes only in white colour, looks cool and is well built. The strip of leather on the lid gives it a distinct look. While the Nexian Chromebook has rounded edges, the XOLO one has a sharper design. The XOLO’s matte finish on the lid and the underside are in contrast to the reflective plastic layer on the keyboard deck. The Nexian machine has an SD card slot, while the XOLO has a microSD card slot, which makes it easier if you want to quickly use the phone’s memory card for the time being.

The keyboard layout and key size is same in both Chromebooks, but the Nexian offers better key travel and response.

Chrome OS has received subtle usability tweaks over the past year, and continues to do so—every six weeks. But the overall positives and limitations still largely remain the same. It is simple to use and runs smoothly even on basic hardware. Google Now cards have been integrated into the app drawer window. But the problem is that the Chrome OS apps still require a fast and reliable Internet connection to work smoothly—use of cloud storage is the basic premise behind these laptops. Users can draft a mail (using Gmail) offline, which will be sent as soon as the Internet is working, but that simplicity isn’t available across all apps. And, the user is still restricted to the Chrome Web browser for most tasks.

These Chromebooks would work well for students, who will use it on Wi-Fi at home, or school. This could also be a simple laptop for most homes for Web browsing, watching YouTube videos and Facebook. For using Chromebook as a laptop for work, it is a bit of a mixed bag. If your organization relies on Google’s wide range of services (Gmail, Drive, Docs and Hangouts), this could just be the ticket for a simple and clutter-free computing experience. However, travellers will have to rely on limited local storage to carry data and media. Power users will not like the limited apps and ability to tweak functionality. Plus, if your work requires you to use any specific software designed for Windows or Mac computers, it may not necessarily run on Chrome OS.

It is too close a call between the two, with both priced at Rs.12,999. The Nexian Chromebook (available on Amazon.in) has a good keyboard, while the XOLO Chromebook (available on Snapdeal.com) has a slightly sharper display.