In a new post about its upcoming Xeon Scalable processor, code-named Sapphire Rapids, Intel let slip that it is pushing production to 2022.
Sapphire Rapids CPUs are designed for data centers and based on the refined 10 nanometer process, called 10nm Enhanced SuperFin (10ESF).
“Given the breadth of enhancements in Sapphire Rapids, we are incorporating additional validation time prior to the production release, which will streamline the deployment process for our customers and partners," wrote Lisa Spelman, Corporate Vice President, General Manager of the Xeon and Memory Group, in a blog post.
"Based on this, we now expect Sapphire Rapids to be in production in the first quarter of 2022, with ramp beginning in the second quarter of 2022."
While Spelman pins the delay on “incorporating additional validation time”, AnandTech believes a lack of adequate fabrication facilities could be responsible. There’s also the ongoing chip crunch, which has already backed up production lines around the world.
Rapid fire details
In the build up to the news of the delay, Spelman shared more details about Sapphire Rapids.
Digesting the details, The Next Platform reports the Sapphire Rapids chip is based on the “Golden Cove'' core, which has a new microarchitecture that includes two new accelerators. It theorizes that one of these, dubbed Advanced Matrix Extensions (AMX), is designed to better handle machine learning inference and training workloads.
The other accelerator, called Data Streaming Accelerator (DSA), which Spelman said has been added at the request of specific hyperscale customers, will reportedly help with all kinds of high-performance workloads.
The best Chromebook 2021 has to offer is much more capable than people give it credit for. It may be different from traditional laptops, specifically because the Chrome OS that powers it is more lightweight than the macOS or Windows 10. However, it’s just as reliable for multitasking and performing everyday computing tasks as some of the best laptops.
In terms of handling daily tasks, build, and features, the best Chromebook 2021 comes with top-notch build, strong specs, a great feature set, and a surprisingly long battery life. In fact, many Chromebooks boast similar features as the best 2-in-1 laptops like that 2-in-1 form factor, touchscreen capability, and pen support. That’s while keeping things affordable and accessible to budget-minded buyers.
As long as you’re ok with a lightweight operating system, you’ll find the best Chromebook 2021 has to offer to be powerful enough to handle all your daily tasks, some photo editing, and even a bit of light gaming. It might even work in your favor if you don’t really need anything powerful, as it is more economical than the best MacBook or the best Windows 10 laptop.
Whether you should move to a Chromebook depends a lot on what you need out of a laptop. Our guides on whether or not you should buy a Chromebook and comparing Chromebooks vs laptops can help you make up your mind. Also check out our Chromebook reviews, or at least our reviews of the ones below so you can get a better idea of how these machines work.
CPU: Intel Core m3 - Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 615 | RAM: 8GB - 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) or 4K LCD touchscreen | Storage: 128GB - 256GB eMMC
Incredible battery life
Amazing ‘Hush’ keyboard
Iffy pricing at mid- to- high-end
No biometric login
Google continues its tradition of making the best Chromebooks in the world. While it's older Pixelbook used to occupy the top spot, it's been replaced by Google's latest Chromebook: the Pixelbook Go. This is a Chromebook that proves that these devices can be just as stylish and powerful as traditional laptops, and the Pixelbook Go brings a lot of the original Pixelbook's premium features to a more affordable device.
One of it's most impressive features is the fantastic battery life, which can outlast many traditional laptops with ease, and means you can go a full work or school day without needing to charge it. We also love the fact that you can close the lid, leave it for a few days, and when you pick it up again, it's still got plenty of battery life left - something Windows 10 laptops never achieve.
Its brilliant keyboard is also worth pointing out. It feels fantastic to type on, and makes working on it incredibly comfortable. In fact, this has meant we've stopped using much more powerful (and expensive laptops) in favor of the Pixelbook Go - it really is that good.
Is it a Chromebook or is it a tablet? Well, luckily, you won’t have to decide with the brilliant Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook. True to its name, this Chromebook delivers two form factors in one, while utilizing the versatility of the Chrome OS and setting you back much less than many of the top Windows tablets out there.
Of course, like all the best Chromebooks, its battery packs an incredibly long life of almost 22 hours – so you could pull an all-nighter, work through the day and mid-afternoon, and you’ll still pass out before it runs out of juice.
For this price, sacrifices have to be made, naturally – the keyboard is tiny, the trackpad isn’t as reliable, and the charger and headphones share one port. However, if budget is your top priority, those are definitely not deal-breakers.
The Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook lands straight in our best Chromebooks list due to the fact that it is one of the most powerful Chromebooks money can buy in 2021. While you're going to pay extra for this kind of horsepower, especially if you want some of the best features that come with the high-end models, it's well worth it if you're looking for something future-proofed. Based on the Chromebook reviews we've done, we can tell that this one is going to last you for years to come.
As a 2-in-1 device, it's got the flexibility that many other Chromebooks lack, and the screen on this thing is stunning. Best of all, it comes packing the new AMD 3000C-series processors - starting with an Athlon 3150C and scaling up to a Ryzen 7 3700C - and this means you'll get more processing power out of this Chromebook than many of it's competitors.
For students especially, then, this is one of the best Chromebooks money can buy right now.
CPU: Intel Celeron N2840 – N2940 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics | RAM: 2GB – 4GB | Screen: 14-inch, HD (1,366 x 768) BrightView | Storage: 16GB – 32GB eMMC
Excellent keyboard, trackpad
Crisp, vivid screen
Slower than some rivals
Average battery life
The best Chromebooks balance a bargain price and efficient use of Chrome OS – and the HP Chromebook 14 is the perfect example of that.
While it’s similar to the Acer Chromebook 15 in a lot of ways, this 14-inch Chromebook is a tad more compact and looks slightly better. Complemented by a bright blue finish and a screen made to astound, the HP Chromebook 14 offers excellent value – that's based on the many Chromebook reviews we've ever done. Even if the battery life and performance are average – the HP Chromebook 14 is easily one of the best Chromebooks to date.
We were particularly impressed with how slim and light this Chromebook is, and it means the HP Chromebook 14 is a great device for anyone who wants a long-lasting laptop that they can comfortably carry around with them. If you want a laptop to work on while lounging on a sofa, this is a great choice as well.
Also, unlike some other Chromebooks, the HP Chromebook 14 comes with plenty of ports, including HDMI-out, USB 3.0 and a microSD card slot, making this a brilliantly versatile Chromebook for the price.
The Asus Chromebook Flip is a brilliant Chromebook that proves that these devices can be sleek, stylish and premium - and not just budget.
With an Intel Core processor and a full-HD display, the Asus Chromebook Flip is a powerful performer that will keep up with any day-to-day task you require it to perform, and offers plenty of value without compromising on performance - a tricky balancing act that many other Chromebook makers fail to achieve.
This is a Chromebook that's been out for a while now, but it still impresses with brilliant performance and an excellent build quality that's thin and light, and puts many more expensive laptops to shame. If you're on a budget, this is one of the best Asus laptops to consider.
CPU: Qualcomm Adreno 618 | Graphics: Kryo 468 | RAM: up to 8GB | Screen: 13.3" Full HD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 IPS Touchscreen | Storage: 64 GB Flash Memory
USB-C power
Strong battery life
2-in-1 design
Performance falls short of competing Chromebooks at this price
Stylish, affordable and versatile, the Acer Chromebook Spin 513 is one of the best Chromebooks to come out this year, boasting a 2-in-1 design, a great looking panel, and a great battery life of up to 13 hours. That means it’s a great value laptop to those who don’t need a lot of firepower. It’s a good thing since the Snapdragon CPU that powers isn’t as powerful as its rivals. There’s a great trackpad as well, and fast USB-C charging.
Massive bezels drastically reduce actual screen size
If versatility is a top priority, then look no further than the Acer Chromebook Spin 311. This all-rounder has all the makings of a great Chromebook, from its good battery life to its robust build and solid usability.
However, the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 takes it further with its impressive levels of versatility, thanks to its abundance of ports considering its size, 2-in-1 design, portable size and excellent touchscreen display. It also boasts a keyboard and a touchpad that are not only reliable, but also satisfying to use. That’s a rare thing in a machine at this price point.
The small size of this Chromebook means it's really easy to carry around with you, so if you're looking for the best Chromebook for travelling with, this is it. However, that small size may mean some people find it uncomfortable to use for long periods of time, especially if you're more used to larger laptops.
Premium Chromebooks occupy their own space in the laptop market, bridging that gap between powerful traditional laptops and super lightweight Chromebooks.
And, the Asus Chromebook Flip C436F is perhaps one of the very few examples of these out there, with its combination of superb power, terrific feature set, premium build and a price tag that’s cheaper than its rivals.
During our time with the Asus Chromebook Flip C436F, we were really impressed with its gorgeous design, with a magnesium alloy body, stunning 1080p screen, and wonderful keyboard. This could easily rival premium laptops like the Dell XPS 13 or MacBook, and it even comes with features like Wi-Fi 6 support and a fingerprint sensor.
If you’re looking for a lightweight OS machine that touts more power than the rest of the clan, this is one of the best Chromebooks on offer.
With a solid build quality that rivals a MacBook, it’s easy to excuse the Acer Chromebook 15’s aversion to 2-in-1 form factors. Still, given that the best Chromebooks rolling out this year are fully convertible, thanks to the wide adoption of Android app support, the Acer Chromebook 15 had to prove itself with more than great style.
Beyond its aptitude for laying flat using a 180-degree hinge, this beautiful 15-inch Chromebook also makes a great impression with its battery life, lasting nearly 17 hours in our battery test.
CPU: Intel Pentium 4417U – Intel Core i5-8350U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 610 – UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 14" Full HD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 – 14" Full HD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 Touchscreen | Storage: 32GB – 64GB flash memory
Seriously solid metal chassis
Strong battery life
Slightly dated styling
Keyboard a little mushy
The best Chromebook for professionals currently available might just be the Acer Chromebook 714 whose premium and seriously solid chassis is just the ticket for the business-oriented bunch. It’s not especially stylish, sadly, but that decent performance and strong battery life make up for its lack of fashion sense. And, aren’t those all the more important if you’re meeting with clients, tackling paperwork and balancing the books all day? In fact, the quad-core processor is good enough for light content creation tasks, making it a boon for those starting out in the content creation industry as well.
The 4th of July mattress sale event has arrived early which means you can find sales right now from popular brands like Nectar, Purple, Tempur-Pedic, and more. To help you sort through the maze of offers, we're rounding up the best 4th of July mattress sales that are happening right now.
Mattresses are one of the most popular categories discounted during 4th of July sales, with some of the best promotions you'll find all year. Retailers offer sitewide sales on their best-selling mattresses and throw in free accessories with your purchase. Luckily for you, most brands have launched their official 4th of July mattress sales, and we've included the best of the bunch just below.
Some highlighted offers include a $400 discount on Nectar's Memory Foam mattress plus $399 in free sleep accessories, 20% off sitewide at Tuft & Needle, and a 30% discount from Tempur-Pedic on its best-selling Tempur-Cloud mattress.
Below you'll find more of the best 4th of July mattress sales, followed by the stand-out deals. Make sure to bookmark this page, as we'll be updating it with all the best offers leading up to the holiday weekend event.
Nectar Memory Foam mattress:from $798$499 + $399 of free gifts at Nectar
Editor's choice - The Nectar Memory Foam is a popular medium-firm mattress, with a new cooling cover that aims to stop you overheating at night. Our sister site Tom's Guide recommends it as the best mattress you can buy, and we found it extremely comfortable and supportive when we slept on it. This discount isn't new for July the 4th, but it is phenomenal value, with $400 off, plus $399-worth of free sleep accessories. Throw in the 365-night risk-free trial and forever warranty, and this deal is tough to beat.
Cocoon by Sealy Chill mattress:from$999$649 + free pillows and sheet set
Best budget cooling mattress - Save 35% off the Cocoon by Sealy Chill Hybrid mattress, plus you'll receive two free premium pillows and a sheet set - a total saving of up to $799. The 12-inch Chill Hybrid is a medium-firm memory foam mattress with advanced cooling properties thanks to the cooling cover that absorbs and dissipates heat. A Twin starts at $649.99, and you'll enjoy free shipping that conveniently ships in a box to your doorstep.
Lucid Memory Foam mattress:$399.99$365.14 at Amazon Save $35 - The Lucid Memory Foam Mattress is one of Amazon's top-rated mattresses and an "Amazon's Choice" recommended buy. This mattress features a 12-inch medium-firm feel that's perfect for back, side, or stomach sleepers. The Queen size is currently in stock and on sale for just $365.14.
Saatva Classic mattress:from $849 at Saatva - get $200 off when you spend $975 Best luxury mattress - When it comes to premium mattresses, top brand Saatva is a market leader. The award-winning Saatva Classic is the company's most affordable luxury mattress, made from eco-friendly foams and a cushioning Euro pillow top, with a durable dual steel coil support system underneath. It aced Tom's Guide's tests, and comes in three different firmness levels and two heights - plus you get white glove delivery as standard too. With $200 off when you spend over $975, it's now extremely competitively priced.
Tempur-Essential Mattress: from $1,659now $1,161 Save up to $995 - Tempur-Pedic's 4th of July sale has an impressive 30% discount on the Tempur-Essential Mattress. The Essentials Mattress is a special edition medium-soft mattress with three layers of high-performance foam which provides adaptive pressure relief and personalized comfort, while a breathable cover wicks moisture away.
Tuft & Needle Original Mattress:from $450$405 at T&N Save up to $150 - Save up to 20% off sitewide at Tuft & Needle's official 4th of July sales event. That means the company's popular budget foam Original mattress is now on sale for just $405 (was $450) for a twin, while a queen now costs $625.50, down from $695 - a fantastic price for a quality mattress.
The DreamCloud:from $799$699 + $399 of free gifts at DreamCloud Best value hybrid mattress - DreamCloud's 4th of July sale has a $200 discount on the luxury hybrid DreamCloud (it's medium-firm), and includes a free mattress protector (worth $99), a sheet set (worth $150), and a cooling pillow (worth $75) added to your order for free. It also comes with a year-long risk-free trial.
Purple Mattress:from $599$574 at Purple Save up to $300 - Purple has just launched its 4th of July sale and the retailer is offering up to $100 on the flagship Purple mattress — and you can bump the discount up to $300 by adding a sleep bundle (pillows, sheets, and a mattress protector) to your order. The mattress uses an innovative, responsive gel grid and dual layers of foam to deliver support and flex and has a 10-year warranty.
Serta iComfort Mattress:from $999$799 at Serta Save up to $1000 - Score some of the biggest discounts we've seen all year at the Serta 4th of July mattress sale event. You'll find all iComfort mattresses up to $400 off with prices starting at $799 for a twin ($200 off) and the queen iComfort on sale for $949 ($150 off). Plus, Serta is offering a Visa Prepaid Card of up to $150 when you purchase the company's affordable Perfect Sleeper mattress.
Casper Original Mattress: from $595$506 at Casper
Save up to $194 - Casper just launched its 4th of July sale which gets you 15% off all mattresses including the best-selling Casper Original. Built to suit all types of sleepers, the Casper Original features three layers and an eco-friendly, removable cover that's machine washable. After the discount, you can get the Casper Original Mattress (twin) for $506 (was $595) or the Casper Original Mattress (queen) for $931 (was $1,095).
Leesa Original Mattress:from $799$699 + 2 free pillows at Leesa
Save up to $259 - The Leesa 4th of July sale is happening right now, and the retailer is offering $200 off the Leesa Original mattress, plus you'll receive two free pillows with your order. The Leesa Original has a breathable top layer with pressure-relieving memory foam underneath and comes with a 100-night trial. A twin-size is on sale for just $699 (was $799), and the queen is now down to $949 from $1099.
Avocado Latex Mattress:from $1,499$1,399 at Avocado Save $100 - Go natural with Avocado's 4th of July sale, which includes a $100 discount on its green and vegan hybrid mattresses when you use code SLEEPFREE at checkout. Rated 7.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, Avocado's latex mattress is 100% organic certified, non-toxic, and biodegradable, too, and is best for black and stomach sleepers.
If you're interested in more bargains you can see our roundup of the best 4th of July sales from retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, Home Depot, and more.
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Should I buy a Chromebook? Many have asked this question, wondering if these devices are just the affordable yet capable portable they’ve long been looking for.
That’s because while Chromebooks have been around for some time now, their pioneers hitting the shelves back in 2011, they haven’t quite hit mainstream success until recent years. That means that there’s still a lot of laptop users out there who don't know anything about them besides their existence.
So, what exactly is a Chromebook? In essence, Chromebooks are laptops that run on this lightweight operating system called ChromeOS, which is a lot less demanding than Windows 10 or the latest macOS and mostly relies on the Chrome browser – and therefore, internet connectivity – to perform tasks.
Not that this operating system’s reliance on the Chrome browser renders any Chromebook useless without the internet, however. It has expanded its capabilities over time to support apps so you can tackle productivity-related and creative tasks, as well as play games and consume media, while offline.
Chromebooks may be more powerful now than before, but they are still intended to help you with lightweight tasks like word processing, browsing the internet, streaming videos, and playing mobile games – perhaps even some light photo editing every now and then.
So, to answer your “should I buy a Chromebook?” question, it ultimately depends on what you need from your portable. Chromebooks are excellent traditional laptop replacements if you don’t require sheer power and if your daily computing needs don't include using processor-hungry apps or specific software unavailable in the Chrome OS.
Much like traditional laptops, not all Chromebooks boast the same features, capabilities, and price tags. Some are more powerful than others, a handful are more feature rich than the rest, and a small number even come with a premium price tag.
These days, there are Chromebooks that will set you back $1,000/£1,000/AU$1,300, even though they still won’t be able to run software from outside the Google Play and Google Chrome Stores. They just have higher specs and more premium builds. Some Google Chromebooks, like the Google Pixelbook, will set you back even more. Still, most Chromebooks are either cheap, making them excellent for students, or at least reasonably-priced at the very least.
Feature-wise, there areChromebooks that come loaded with them like touchscreen, a 2-in-1 form factor, and the ability to expand your storage. Meanwhile, some lower-end ones come with only the most basic features.
Software for Chromebooks
The key difference between Chromebooks and other laptops is the operating system. These laptops come with Google Chrome OS installed instead of the traditional Windows or macOS.
ChromeOS is rather like a mobile phone operating system and can only run apps from the Chrome Web Store or the Google Play Store. That’s on top of heavily utilizing the Chrome browser for most tasks.
Chrome OS can run apps from the Chrome Web Store, as well as Android apps from the Google Play Store
Although that sounds a tad restrictive, you’ll be happy to know that there are thousands of apps to choose from and all the basics are covered. For text documents, spreadsheets and presentations you have Google Docs, Sheets and Slides. For movies and TV, apps like Google Play Movies, Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video are on hand. There are even apps for quick photo editing including Adobe Photoshop Express.
However, Chromebooks work best when connected to the internet. Chrome OS will update silently in the background when you’re online, and your documents sync to your Google account so you can access them anywhere. But, thanks to these apps, you can now use Chromebooks while offline.
Of course, if you require specialist software for your everyday tasks, then a Chromebook might be a little underpowered for you. Photographers or designers who rely on the full version of Photoshop should still go for a MacBook or Windows laptop and serious gamers should still stick with a gaming laptop.
Chromebook hardware
There are two types of Chromebook: traditional laptops and two-in-one devices that effortlessly turn into tablet-like computers. Many Chromebooks have touchscreens, but those that don’t won’t work as well with apps downloaded from the Google Play Store, since those apps are designed chiefly for mobile devices.
Chrome OS can run on less powerful hardware than Windows 10 or macOS, which means Chromebooks are often more affordable than other laptops. For example, the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook is a great Chromebook that comes in at under $250/£200/AU$300 – ideal for a student budget.
Just remember that often, the cheaper the Chromebook is, the less storage space it’ll have – typically 32GB or 64GB. If you’re using Google Docs, Sheets and Slides for your work, this won’t be an issue as all your documents will be saved to the cloud rather than your device. It’s also not a problem if you’re streaming video and TV shows.
The Asus C300M is a great example of a budget Chromebook – small, light and ideal for everyday work and web browsing
However, if you plan on keeping large files on your device like photos and videos, you’ll need to add an SD card. Luckily, most Chromebooks have a slot for one. And, if you’re looking for one that doesn’t have an SD card slot, you can always invest in an external HDD or a portable SSD.
There are also some premium Chromebooks with more storage, like the Google Pixelbook, if you have the budget for it. Just bear in mind that for that same price, you could get a Windows 10 laptop with equally good specifications.
Finally, there are limitations to the peripherals you can connect to a Chromebook. You can connect a printer, keyboard, mouse or even monitor as long as that accessory doesn’t require its own driver or software to work. Luckily, most peripherals these days are plug and play, and only really utilize their accompanying software for customizations.
The battle between Chromebooks vs laptops has always been inevitable, and much more so in the budget price range where many students are going to be looking. Although Chromebooks and laptops can be vastly different in terms of specs and capabilities, they have many similarities in terms of form, function and target audience. So, a side-by-side rundown is only fair.
If you’re trying to decide between a traditional Windows PC laptop and a Chromebook, you’re not alone. Many people really don’t know the difference between the two – or even what a Chromebook is really. That’s on top of the fact that choosing the ideal portable for you is already a tough enough task if you aren’t familiar with computers and their components.
That’s where we come in. We’ll make the Chromebooks vs laptops debate easier for you to digest, in order to help you decide which portable is most ideal for you. Whether that means it’s the best laptop for college or the best Chromebook for students you need, we’ll help you make the right choice. Deciding between Chromebooks vs laptops doesn’t have to be a hard choice.
First thing’s first. You likely already know what a laptop is. However, before you delve into the Chromebooks vs laptops rabbit hole, you must first understand what a Chromebook is and how it differs from a traditional laptop. So, let’s start there.
A Chromebook is a laptop that runs on Google’s Chrome OS, a lightweight operating system that largely relies on the Chrome browser as its main user interface. This means that anything you can do with the Chrome browser, you can do on a Chromebook.
That doesn’t mean that you can only use a Chromebook when there’s an internet connection. Google has designed Chrome OS to be able to run apps from the Chrome Web Store or the Google Play Store on which there are thousands to choose from to cover all the basics – from word processors and spreadsheets to quick photo editing and light gaming. And, many of these apps work even when a Chromebook isn’t connected to the internet.
What's the difference between a Chromebook and a laptop?
To the untrained eye, a Chromebook and a laptop may look the same. After all, a Chromebook is technically a laptop, just with a different operating system. Both are notebooks with a keyboard, a camera, a built-in screen, and a trackpad. And, just like laptops, many Chromebooks are clamshells, while quite a few others tout touchscreen displays and a 2-in-1 form factor.
Internally, however, the two couldn’t be more different. If you’re doing a Chromebooks vs laptops comparison in terms of power, a strong case is made for laptops. That’s because typically they have more capable microprocessors – usually from Intel or AMD – and more robust integrated or discrete graphics powering them.
On the other hand, Chromebooks usually have lower-performing chips and graphics inside, although a handful of premium Chromebooks have been known to run on Intel Core chips. The reason for this is two-fold: the Chrome OS is lightweight enough that it really doesn’t need a powerful chip to run, and it keeps the cost of Chromebooks down.
Traditional laptops run on much more robust operating systems Windows 10, macOS and Linux, an open source operating system. These Windows laptops and MacBooks usually require high-powered graphics cards and processors, as well as faster memory, which means they tend to cost more. The upside is that students can use the same computer to write a term paper on that they do to play Overwatch post-homework.
Windows laptops also usually have a lot of local storage, from 128GB on the low end – those apps and files, after all, take up a lot more space. Chromebooks typically include about 16GB of storage. This is because Chrome OS, and the apps it runs, do not need as much storage space as Windows and are designed to save your documents to the cloud.
Is a Chromebook or laptop better for school work?
A Chromebook is a good choice for a student that is primarily using the computer for web browsing, word processing, or streaming video and audio. Storage isn't a problem if Google-focused students can store their files with Drive. They can also use SD cards and USB drives to keep hold of their documents.
A Chromebook is also a great low-cost option, with prices dipping as low as $100/£120/AU$140 during the holiday season for the low-end models. However, the price of a Chromebook can skyrocket to $1,000/£1,000/AU$1,400 if you choose a corporate or luxury option like the Google Pixelbook.
For school work, the Chromebook is a winner because it has so few features. Without extra games or a lot of applications, the Chromebook becomes a homework powerhouse, allowing students to access their lessons online with few distractions.
Students can write their papers with Google Docs and share their work straight from the Chromebook to their teacher or parent, no printing necessary. The Microsoft Office suite is also available online, so students can create Word documents with ease.
The Chromebook is also just a hard device to break. If your student is prone to installing virus-laden programs, the Chromebook can be wiped and reset with ease. If the child isn't particularly tech-savvy, there are few confusing functions: the Chromebook is a plug in and play device. Some of the newer Chromebooks are a little more delicate physically, but most can take a tumble, as many of the parts are plastic.
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
As for a Windows laptop, it's more of an investment, but it provides a lot of versatility and convenience. You have the ability to create almost anything on a laptop and store files on it as well.
A laptop also has a lot of the drawbacks of owning a full-fledged computer. It will take time to boot up, it will require updates, and even the occasional "blue screen of death" can occur. Chromebooks very rarely crash, and when they do, a simple restart is an easy fix.
However, there are some tasks that are just easier on a Windows device. Chromebooks have traditionally struggled with direct printing, while laptops make quick work of printing out documents. Accessing and organizing files can also be a bit of a pain on the Chromebook, but there are workarounds.
In some way, though, a Windows laptop's versatility is a weakness, as there are more features available for hackers to attack on a laptop. PCs need regular maintenance to keep them secure, even if it's just keeping on top of scheduled software updates.
Chromebooks require far less upkeep, and Google has developed Chromebooks with safety and security in mind, and there are defenses working behind the scenes to keep you protected while you browse the web.
One way to determine the right option for you is to give a Chromebook a test drive. You could try using Google Chrome exclusively as your browser on your desktop computer for a few days, and determine whether your student needs more features than the browser can provide. Only use Chrome extensions, and use online apps like Google Docs.
However, Windows offers a far more complete computing experience, but Google OS is a much cheaper, scaled down alternative that may be just what your student needs in the classroom.
Horizon Forbidden West is the long-awaited sequel to the critically-acclaimed Horizon Zero Dawn and it's coming to PS5, and perhaps somewhat surprisingly, PS4 sometime in 2021.
Horizon Forbidden West continues Aloy's story, and takes her to a post-apocalyptic western United State to recover a piece of ancient technology needed to stop a mysterious threat. The game will offer a whole new open world to explore replete with new machines, gadgets for traversal and weapons.
In the latest 14-minute trailer for the game shown during the May 2021 State of Play, we got a chance to see Aloy in action using the new grappling hook, breathing mask and glider to easily navigate the ruins and rubble of the coastal environments, as well as two new weapons to take down a mammoth-like Tremortusk. The visuals look stunning, but it is – admittedly – still a work in progress and a solid release date is yet to be confirmed.
Want all the juicy details? Here's what we know about Horizon Forbidden West so far, including its release date, trailer and more.
What is it? The sequel to the critically-acclaimed Horizon Zero Dawn
When will it release? Late 2021/2022
What platforms will it be available on? PS5 and PS4
Horizon Forbidden West release date
(Image credit: Sony)
While the Horizon Forbidden West release date was notably absent from the gameplay reveal, developer Guerrilla Games released a dev diary video last year confirming that the Horizon Zero Dawn sequel will release in 2021. We now know it will also come to PS4, too – meaning you won't have to upgrade to new hardware to play the game.
Developer Guerrilla Games took to Twitter shortly after the May 2021 State of Play to address the absence of a confirmed release date for Horizon Forbidden West. While offering nothing concrete, Guerrilla reassured fans that "development is on track" and will have more updates "very soon."
Thanks for watching our #HorizonForbiddenWest gameplay reveal! We don't have an exact release date just yet, but development is on track and we will have an update for you very soon - thank you as always for your ongoing support!May 27, 2021
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Back in February, PlayStation boss Jim Ryan told GQ he felt "pretty good" that Horizon Forbidden West will still arrive in 2021. Fairly recent social media advertisements have also stated that Horizon Forbidden West will arrive in "late 2021" or "second half of 2021", meaning it's likely we won't see the game until the tail end of this year.
However, PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst has expressed a cautious approach to the release date, saying in a PlayStation Blog Post: “We think we are on track to release this holiday season. But that isn’t quite certain yet, and we’re working as hard as we can to confirm that to you as soon as we can.”
Horizon Forbidden West trailers
We got our latest look at Horizon Forbidden West during a May 2021 State of Play. 14 minutes of gameplay were shown off, giving us a better idea of what we can expect from Aloy's adventures out west. Watch it for yourself below:
Sony and Guerrilla Games revealed the first Horizon Forbidden West trailer at the PS5 games reveal event on June 11, 2020. The trailer below provides a three-minute glimpse at the kinds of varied landscapes you'll explore in the second game, and which machines you can expect to fight (mammoths and alligators, by the looks of it).
We also get the sense that Horizon Forbidden West will be heavy on underwater gameplay, based on how much of a big deal the trailer makes of Aloy using her scuba gear at the 1:40 mark above, and the shots of underwater ruined cities.
Horizon Forbidden West setting, story and gameplay
(Image credit: Sony)
We know that Horizon Forbidden West sees Aloy traveling to post-apocalyptic California and will feature locations such as San Francisco and Yosemite. Based on the trailer it seems like Aloy's journey could take her all over the Western Seaboard, down the coast to Mexico, and potentially back out east to the Caribbean Sea.
Along the way, we'll see a bunch of new enemies, including the velociraptor-esque Clawstriders and some new aquatic machines that look pretty intimidating. To make matters worse, raiders have learned to control some of the machines, making Aloy's life out west that much harder.
We'll learn more about the game's plot as we move closer to launch, but the key point is that there's a blight that could destroy all of the life on the planet – and it's up to Aloy and her crew to stop it before it does.
Horizon Forbidden West news and rumors
(Image credit: Sony)
We've compiled all the latest Horizon Fordbiden West news and rumors below for your perusal:
Developing for PS4 hasn't held anything back
Horizon Forbidden West is coming to PS4 and PS5 but according to the game’s director, getting the game ready for last-gen’s consoles hasn’t held it back or forced the team to scale back.
Speaking with Hardware Zone (via VGC), Mathijs de Jonge said, “I don’t think the cross-generation development was limiting in any way. When we started with the concept of this game, we had so many great ideas that ended up being included – to the point that we didn’t really think about hardware limitations or anything, we just wanted to design a really nice, unique experience for the player. An awesome adventure.
“That’s how we also brainstormed all the quests and events the player is going to go through.”
That said, there are differences between what the consoles can do and de Jonge added, “I think that the big delta between these two consoles, apart from the 3D audio, quick loading and DualSense of course, is on the graphical side of things. On the PlayStation 5, we can add so much more detail graphically. We can see the tiny hairs on Aloy’s face, for example. You can also see a ton of detail from far away.”
This lines up with a previous interview with Game Informer, in which de Jonge revealed that “A lot of the development has taken place on the PlayStation 4, and a lot of playtesting has been done on PlayStation 4. So we are ensuring that owners of that console have a great experience and the game will look fantastic on that console.”
Huge variety of weapons Writing in a PlayStation Blog post, Narrative Director Ben McCaw explained how Aloy will have a "huge variety of weapons" at her disposal, with combat having an emphasis on tactics and choice.
"Aloy’s trusty Spear is good for close combat and enables a new set of combos," McCaw wrote. "Bows with specialized ammo types strip armor off machines to expose their weak spots. Adhesive grenades can be fired from slingshots, temporarily stalling foes. Plus many more, and all of them can be upgraded at a workbench."
New tools Aloy will have a bunch of new tools at her disposal in Horizon Forbidden West, according to Narrative Director Ben McCaw. Writing in a PlayStation Blog post, McCaw said:
"This dangerous and unfamiliar land is full of challenges and threats, but Aloy will have new tools to help her on her way. The Pullcaster speeds up climbing, getting her quickly out of trouble; the Shieldwing allows her to safely descend from great heights (or surprise enemies from above); and with the Diving Mask, a whole new underwater world is open for exploration. Not to mention big upgrades to her Focus, which now shows areas that allow free-climbing and gives her the ability to override more machines for mounts or combat."
(Image credit: Sony)
60fps mode and other advantages on PS5 In an interview with French YouTube content creator Julien Chièze, Guerrilla Games confirmed that the PS5 version of Horizon Forbidden West will feature a 60fps mode, double the frame rate of the original PS4 game and the recent gameplay footage. It's not clear at this time what visual cutbacks (lower resolution, for example) will be required to achieve this frame rate, though.
In an interview with Game Informer, Game Director Mathijs de Jonge said that because of its power, “the PlayStation 5 can go much further [than the PlayStation 4]”. De Jonge explained that, “Visually we can add a lot more detail. Graphically, the rendering technique for the underwater scenes is special for the PlayStation 5, it has extra details and extra systems, like the wave technique is better on that system.”
On top of this, “The lighting on Aloy on PlayStation 5 has much more definition,” as they “use a special cinematic lighting rig, that on the PlayStation 4 is only used in cutscenes because the game is not running and we have more processing power in those scenes. But with the PlayStation 5 we have plenty of processing power, so we can have that lighting rig always available, so she always looks great with that lighting setup traveling with her anywhere.”
But PS4 owners shouldn’t be worried about the game’s performance. According to de Jonge, “A lot of the development has taken place on the PlayStation 4, and a lot of playtesting has been done on PlayStation 4. So we are ensuring that owners of that console have a great experience and the game will look fantastic on that console.”
In the "last stages of development" Horizon Forbidden West doesn’t have a solid release date just yet but in an interview with Hardware Zone, game director Mathijs de Jonge has said that it’s in the “last stages of development”.
“We have just successfully completed our beta milestone, which is pretty far along,” said De Jonge. “We’re now in the final stages of development. So we are polishing the game and fixing bugs. We are also wrapping up certain aspects of the game, like some of the machines being behind schedule - because it takes an enormous amount of time to build them. We’re working on the final cinematic. So, we’re really wrapping up. There’s still a lot to do with a game of this size and magnitude, but we’re in the final stages.”
This comes not long after PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst expressed a cautious approach to the release date, saying in a PlayStation Blog Post: “We think we are on track to release this holiday season. But that isn’t quite certain yet, and we’re working as hard as we can to confirm that to you as soon as we can.”
So, while anything could happen with the game’s final release date at the moment, it is in its final stages.
Climb anywhere and swim underwater in a larger world Following the new footage of Horizon Forbidden West revealed during the recent State of Play, Game Director Mathijs de Jonge and Narrative Director Benjamin McCaw spoke to IGN, touching on some of the advancements players can expect to see in the sequel.
Players can, for example, expect more freedom in free climbing, with de Jonge saying, “In terms of the traversal and the human combat, this was a point from Horizon Zero Dawn, where we wanted to improve the mechanics…you can now free climb anywhere in the world” thanks to an “automatic system that just detects if there is a latch somewhere in the geometry [of rocks, cliffs and mountain sides].”
Horizon Forbidden West will also have a larger, more dense game world than Zero Dawn. According to de Jonge: “The map is a little bit bigger, but in general, we’ve really looked at increasing the density, and adding more content, making sure there’s a lot more to do for the player across the map, and then making that content also engaging by telling little micro-stories.”
Some of the additional breadth and depth in the world is coming from new underwater exploration. Benjamin McCaw explained that “Exploration is really the theme. And it’s not enough for us to just show underwater. We wanted to make sure that it’s every bit as beautiful as what you see in the natural world above it. But it wasn’t just enough that you could swim around underwater. We wanted to do some things that are really surprising and interesting. And I think that’s where some of the story stuff comes in, and we just absolutely can’t wait for players to see what they’re going to experience.”
(Image credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment)
A brand new skill tree and how Valor Surge works In an interview with Game Informer, game director Mathijs De Jonge revealed that Horizon Forbidden West's skill tree hasn't simply been updated since the first game, instead the previous skill tree has been "completely redesigned and repopulated with new skills", with new options to allowing players to upgrade Aloy's skills to suit their playstyle.
De Jonge also explained how the skill tree is how players will be able to unlock 'Valor Surges', the powerful electric move we saw Aloy unleash during the recent Horizon Forbidden West gameplay reveal.
According to De Jonge, Valor Surges are unlocked by spending skill points in the skill tree, with players then being able to choose which Valor Surge is active at any moment.
To unleash a Valor Surge move, the Valor Surge bar in the bottom right of the screen needs to be filled. This is done by "playing technically", headshotting humans or removing components from enemies, which will reward players with specific technical combat XP, which is its own point system, that can be spent in the skill tree.
Guerrilla Games also revealed that Horizon Forbidden West will have full PS5 3D audio and DualSense support, a new free-climbing system and a new melee system that allows for combos.
Virtually no loading screens During a dev diary video from Guerrilla Games, Horizon Forbidden West game director Mathijs de Jonge explained how the sequel will utilize the PS5's super-fast SSD.
"With the PS5's SSD, there will be virtually no loading screens," Jonge said in the video. "In an open-world game like Horizon Forbidden West, if you open up the map and fast travel from one end to the other, or restart from a checkpoint, it will be super fast. When you boot up the game, you're right there in the action."
Check out the video below:
Adaptive triggers You can expect improved use of haptic feedback and adaptive triggers on the PS5, and Horizon Forbidden West is no exception, with its unique mix of bows, slings, and ropecasters. Guerrilla Game Director, Mathijs de Jonge, has said that "The DualSense wireless controller adaptive triggers will help us to make the weapons feel even more unique and satisfying to use."
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