The Toshiba Chromebook is the first Chrome OS laptop to feature a 13.3-inch display. It is the right computer for those who need something bigger than the standard 11.6-inch display, but feel like the 14-inch HP Chromebook is just a tad bigger than it should be.
We played around with the Toshiba Chromebook at CES 2014 and have to say the device is not half bad. It works just as any Chromebook should work – it’s fast, boots quick, and updates automatically. To summarize: it’s Chrome OS in a 13-inch form-factor.
Specs and first impression
- 13.3-inch 1366x768p display
- Intel Celeron processor (Haswell)
- 2 GB of RAM
- 16 GB SSD
- 2 x USB 3.0 ports
- Full-sized HDMI port
- SD card reader
- WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
It’s nice to have a larger screen for work and entertainment, but the Toshiba Chromebook is sticking with the standard Chroembook resolution. A 1366x768p display is nice, but it will make the screen seem less crisp compared to the smaller Chromebooks. A larger size also means bigger pixels, which some of you may not like.
The only other issue is build quality. Don’t get me wrong, the Toshiba Chromebook seems well-built for an affordable Chromebook, but they definitely could have done better. The computer is completely made of plastic. Also, it is very light, but it also feels like it’s empty inside.
I am not sure if this is because Toshiba just didn’t pack everything inside as tight as they could have, or if it’s simply because the computer is bigger and light. Regardless, it just doesn’t feel as solid as some other Chromebooks out there.
Price and availability
The Toshiba Chromebook is quite the deal at $279.99, especially if you want a bit of a larger screen. I am not quite sure it will be able to compete very well against the Chrome OS veterans, though.
The Acer C720P offers a touch screen for just $30 more. Not to mention the Samsung Chromebook and Acer C720, which only cost $200-$250 and offer pretty much the same (save for the larger screen). What do you think? Does the Toshiba Chromebook deserve its place at your desk?
It will be available this February 16 in US retailers and the Toshiba site. So you have some time to make your decision.
