Chrome OS Tablets: Here Is Everything You Should Know

HP Chromebook x2

Google and its partners announced the first Chrome OS tablets in spring 2018. While the browser-based operating system has been running on notebooks, all-in-one devices, and desktop PCs for years, Google has slowly optimized it for touch. By now, Chrome OS is running on several convertible notebooks and a couple of tablets.

Chrome OS is becoming more and more interesting as a tablet operating system since Google started to support the Play Store and Android apps. On almost all Chrome OS devices sold these days you can use most Android apps from the Play Store – with a lot of them being optimized for tablets. However, as of now, Chromebooks are mostly targeted to the education markets and are not widely available worldwide yet.

The first Chrome OS tablet announced is the Acer Chromebook Tab 10. It supports a Wacom stylus but resembles most Android tablets and the standard iPad. However, with the HP Chromebook x2, we get a 12.3-inch tablet with a keyboard dock, that directly competes with higher-end Windows tablets like the Microsoft Surface Pro. Android devices are not capable of competing with those as of now.

Chrome OS For Tablets: Better Than Android?

Compared to Android, Chrome OS has two major advantages. The first one is, that like Microsoft updates Windows 10 directly, Chrome OS updates are delivered directly by Google. Almost all Android tablets run old versions of that mobile operating system. Because of that, they are not just lacking the newest feature, but also are not as secure at the same time.

Since you can install Android apps and games on Chrome OS tablets, they can be used like an Android tablet can be. And in addition to that, Chrome OS is more productivity friendly. Because of that, it is an Alternative to Android, but also Windows 10 and Apple’s iPad Pro series.