Reply
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,999
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

i was looking at an Acer Chromebook on Amazon but am confused about the ''operating system'''.   One offers a  CHROME  and the other offers a CHROME OS.  Can you break it down for me what the difference is and which you would suggest I go with?  Thank you kindly in advance.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,665
Registered: ‎10-25-2016

Re: Chrome vs Chrome OS

[ Edited ]

@sarahpanda wrote:

i was looking at an Acer Chromebook on Amazon but am confused about the ''operating system'''.   One offers a  CHROME  and the other offers a CHROME OS.  Can you break it down for me what the difference is and which you would suggest I go with?  Thank you kindly in advance.


Hi @sarahpanda ,

 

I'm not quite sure what you're asking, so I'll do my best at trying to answer your question. Smiley Happy

 

A Chromebook has its own Operating System that runs it, called a Chromium Operating System.

 

It is not a Windows-based computer, like a Microsoft PC, for example.

 

It does not run on a Google Android Operating System like some phones have. 

 

What can also be confusing is that there is also the Google browser called the Chrome browser, that you can use on other computers, too, besides a Chromebook. 

 

A Chromebook also comes with a Chrome browser installed in it. You can only use the Chrome browser with it. 

 

You cannot use any Windows-based products on a Chromebook. 

 

If you want to add programs to your Chromebook, you have to do it through the Google Play Store, or through the APPs that are available in the Chrome Web Store.

 

Many of these programs are free to use. Smiley Happy

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,036
Registered: ‎08-07-2013

I have been working on CB'S since 2015 and I know that the operating system has always been Chrome OS We have gotten improvements with the arrival of the play store and the Chrome docs for documents and soon we will be getting cloud based games and that will be very exciting there will be no limits to what we can do. It updates very often.