Toshiba's latest stab at a Chrome OS laptop is a mixed bag
The idea of a non-Windows laptop that relies on web apps may still seem radically new, but laptops using Google’s Chrome OS have been around for a while now. In fact, almost all the major laptop manufacturers are already on to their second- or third-generation Chromebooks. Toshiba is no exception, and the Chromebook 2 is its latest attempt at a budget Chrome OS laptop.
As with Toshiba’s original Chromebook, this has a plastic construction, though the dimpled lid provides an additional touch of class. It’s noticeably less chunky, having been slimmed down to 1.3kg from the original’s 1.5kg. While the casing flexes under pressure more than we’d like, it’s still reasonably sturdy -especially when compared to many laptops in this price range.
Its lightweight design makes it ideal for use while out and about. Its battery lasted a reasonable seven hours 15 minutes when handling undemanding apps such as Google Drive and WordPress, though other Chromebooks can last as long as 13 hours.
Most Chromebooks have comparatively low-resolution 1366x768-pixel llin screens. The Chromebook 2, on the other hand, has a 13in screen with an impressive 1920x1080 resolution. This means there’s easily enough room to work on two documents side by side. The downside of combining a high resolution with a small screen is that text can become hard to read - especially for those with less than perfect eyesight. Increasing the zoom level isn’t always an option because some web apps struggle with zoomed text.
The screen is dazzlingly bright, with wide viewing angles, and colour accuracy and contrast that’s surprisingly good for a budget laptop. We suspect the high quality of the Chromebook 2’s screen is why it costs around £70 more than most other Chromebooks.
Although we’ve been unimpressed by the performance of the Intel Celeron N2840 dual-core processor in Windows laptops, it’s fast enough for the lightweight Chrome OS and the vast majority of web apps. Starting up and waking from sleep is almost instantaneous thanks to the built-in SSD.
While the keyboard doesn’t have sufficient feedback or travel, we could still type quickly and comfortably after a little practice. The touchpad is large and accurate, but gestures such as swiping two fingers up or down to scroll through web pages often felt juddery.
The Toshiba Chromebook 2 is by no means a bad budget laptop, but its screen, touchpad and keyboard won’t suit everyone, and rival Chrome OS laptops have longer battery life. If you’re still tempted, you should try it in a store first or buy it from a retailer with a generous returns policy.
A few design niggles leave this Chromebook trailing the competition.
SPECIFICATIONS
2.16GHz Intel Celeron N2840 dual-core processor • 4GB memory • 16GB SSD • Intel integrated graphics • 13.3in 1920x1080-pixel screen • 802.11a/b/g/n/ ac • Chrome OS • 1.4kg (1.6kg with charger) • 19x320x214mm (HxWxD) • One-year warranty