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Chromebook vs Laptop: What a Chromebook Can’t Do (and When That Doesn’t Matter)

By LaptopOwners · Updated · 10 min read

A Chromebook is enough for a student whose classes all run in a web browser or Google’s apps. It’s the wrong buy the moment one class needs a Windows or Mac program: ExamSoft’s Examplify, QuickBooks Desktop and desktop Microsoft Office don’t install on ChromeOS, and Adobe’s desktop Photoshop requirements cover only Windows and macOS. So the answer depends on your syllabus, not the laptop. Check your class first.

What a Chromebook does well is cheap, simple and long-supported. Google promises 10 years of updates, and a Chromebook Plus guarantees at least 8 GB of memory and 128 GB of storage.

What a Chromebook can’t run, app by app

Most of the gap is desktop software. The browser versions of the same tools usually work. Here’s what each maker’s own page said on October 22, 2026.

App or task Chromebook Windows 11 laptop Mac Maker’s page
Examplify (ExamSoft exams) Won’t run Runs: 24H2, 25H2 or 26H2, not S mode Runs: Sequoia, Tahoe or Golden Gate ExamSoft
Respondus Monitor (proctored quizzes) Runs on ChromeOS’s long-term support version or newer Runs, not in S mode Runs on macOS 12+ Respondus
QuickBooks Desktop 2024 Not listed Runs: Windows 11 64-bit, not ARM Separate Mac Plus edition, macOS 12+; Intuit stopped selling new US Mac Plus subscriptions after Sept 30, 2024 (Intuit) Intuit
QuickBooks Online Chrome browser listed; ChromeOS not named In a browser In a browser Intuit
Photoshop (desktop) Page covers “Windows and macOS” only Runs Runs Adobe
Photoshop on the web ChromeOS 102+, 8 GB RAM recommended Windows 10+ macOS 10.15+ Adobe
Microsoft 365 desktop apps Won’t install Runs Runs Microsoft
Microsoft 365 web apps Runs in the browser Runs Runs Microsoft
Steam games Google set the beta’s end for January 1, 2026 Installer offered Installer offered Steam, 9to5Google

“Not listed” means the maker’s page names other systems and doesn’t mention ChromeOS; we don’t read more into it than that. Adobe’s desktop page describes requirements “on Windows and macOS”; our tools couldn’t read its full tables. Pages read October 22, 2026. Intuit’s pages were updated August 4, 2026; Microsoft’s September 26, 2026; Respondus’s July 1, 2026; Adobe’s web page March 27, 2025.

Three of these are hard stops. ExamSoft says plainly that “Examplify will not run on Chromebooks, Android, or Linux operating systems.” Microsoft says “You can’t install the Windows or Mac desktop versions of Microsoft 365 or Office 2016 on a Chromebook.” And Intuit says QuickBooks Desktop needs “Windows 11, 64-bit, natively installed,” adding that it “does not work with ARM processors” and that “Linux, Windows 10 S Mode, emulators, and virtual environments are not supported.”

That last line matters because people suggest Linux on a Chromebook as a workaround. It doesn’t help here: ExamSoft excludes Linux too, and its page calls running Examplify in a virtual machine “a violation of the End-User License Agreement.”

What works in a browser instead

The browser covers more than it used to. Microsoft’s advice for Chromebooks is to use the web apps at Office.com, and it says the Android versions of Office, Outlook, OneNote and OneDrive “are not currently supported on a Chromebook.” Without a Microsoft 365 subscription you can only “view files and do basic editing.”

Adobe lists Photoshop on the web for ChromeOS 102 and later, with 8 GB of RAM recommended. Intuit lists Google Chrome as a browser for QuickBooks Online, though its page doesn’t name ChromeOS. Google Docs, Sheets and Slides work offline, and Google’s help page says offline “will automatically be enabled if you are a ChromeOS user.”

Android apps have limits too. Google says the Play Store “is available for only some Chromebooks,” and that on a school Chromebook you “might not be able to add the Google Play Store or download Android apps” without your administrator (Google).

Gaming: Google set an end date for Steam on Chromebooks

If you want PC games from Steam, buy Windows or a Mac. Steam’s own download page offers installers for Windows, macOS and Linux, while its ChromeOS icon links to a Google help page instead.

Google’s in-app notice, as reported by 9to5Google on August 7, 2025, said “The Steam for Chromebook Beta program will conclude on January 1st, 2026,” and that games installed through the beta “will no longer be available to play.” Google’s own help page still described Steam as a beta, with no date, when we read it on October 22, 2026. We found no Google notice extending it, so we’d treat it as finished.

Check your class first

Before you compare laptops, open three pages: your program’s technology page, each course syllabus, and the exam tool’s requirements. One line on any of them can settle the question.

Health programs are where Chromebooks fail most. Of the 14 nursing program pages we read on October 18, 2026, 11 ruled out Chromebooks, and the reason is usually exam software. Our nursing school laptop requirements table has every program’s wording. Law schools and bar exams run on Examplify too, so a Chromebook can’t sit the bar exam either.

It isn’t all bad news. Respondus Monitor supports ChromeOS, so an online course that proctors through Respondus may accept a Chromebook. If you’re unsure which tool your class uses, ask the instructor before you buy. Our Examplify compatibility guide covers every device type.

One yes rules out a Chromebook Decision diagram for a student choosing between a Chromebook and a Windows laptop or Mac, based on makers’ requirement pages read October 22, 2026. Check 1: does any class name Examplify, QuickBooks Desktop, desktop Photoshop or desktop Office? If yes, buy Windows (not S mode) or a Mac. If no, check 2: does your school or program page rule out Chromebooks? If yes, buy Windows or a Mac. If no, check 3: do you want to play Steam games on the laptop itself? If yes, buy Windows or a Mac, because Google set January 1, 2026 as the end of the Steam for Chromebook beta. If all three answers are no, a Chromebook Plus is enough; check its automatic update date on Google’s list before you pay. One yes rules out a Chromebook Three checks before you buy, from makers’ requirement pages, October 22, 2026 1. Does any class name Examplify, QuickBooks Desktop, desktop Photoshop or desktop Office? 2. Does your school or program page rule out Chromebooks? 3. Do you want to play Steam games on the laptop itself? Yes Yes Yes No No No Windows (not S mode) or a Mac Windows or a Mac Follow the school’s list Windows or a Mac Beta end date: Jan 1, 2026 All three no: a Chromebook Plus is enough. Check its update date on Google’s Auto Update list before you pay.
Source: our decision steps, from the requirement pages of ExamSoft, Intuit, Adobe, Microsoft and Steam, read October 22, 2026.

What “Chromebook Plus” guarantees

Chromebook Plus is Google’s label for the faster tier. Google’s current Chromebook Plus page promises “8GB+ of RAM, and 128GB+ of storage,” and nothing else in hardware terms (Google, read October 22, 2026).

When Google launched the label in October 2023, its list was longer: a Core i3 12th Gen or Ryzen 3 7000 chip or better, a 1080p webcam and a Full HD IPS screen (Google blog, October 2, 2023). Every Chromebook Plus in our price table below uses Intel’s Core 3 N355 instead, so by our reading the 2023 chip line no longer applies. Read the spec sheet rather than trusting the badge for the screen or camera.

Is it worth the extra? For a student, yes. A plain Chromebook can ship with far less: ASUS lists its Chromebook CR11 (CR1104CTA) with 4 GB of memory and 32 GB of storage (ASUS), and 8 GB is the memory Adobe recommends for Photoshop on the web.

How long a Chromebook gets updates

Google says “ChromeOS devices receive 10 years of updates,” counted “from the platform release date,” not from the day you buy (Google Auto Update policy). After the last update, Google says policies “may not work as intended, and technical support will not be provided.” The page lists every model’s date under “Automatic updates until” and tells buyers to “check the date when making a purchasing decision.”

Here’s what the Chromebook Plus models sold by Best Buy itself cost on October 22, 2026, with the update date from our notes. Check the live price.

Laptop Memory, storage Price, Best Buy, Oct 22, 2026 Updates until (Google)
ASUS Chromebook Plus CX14 (CX1405CTA) 8 GB, 128 GB eMMC $429 (sale) June 2035
HP Chromebook Plus 14 (14c-na0003dx) 8 GB, 128 GB $449 (sale) June 2035
Lenovo Chromebook Plus 15 (83T1000RUS) 8 GB, 128 GB $629 January 2036
Lenovo Chromebook Plus 2-in-1 14 (83LN0004US) 8 GB, 128 GB $679 June 2033 (Google lists two matching rows; plan on the earlier)
HP Chromebook Plus 2-in-1 14 (14c-ce0013dx) 8 GB, 256 GB $679 June 2035
For comparison: Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15 (Windows) 16 GB, 256 GB $499.99 (sale) Windows

Prices from Best Buy listings sold by Best Buy, read October 22, 2026; update dates from Google’s Auto Update policy page. No Chromebook Plus was under $400 at Best Buy or a maker store that day. Best Buy’s page for the IdeaPad doesn’t state whether it ships in S mode.

That last row is the catch. On that day, a 16 GB Windows laptop cost about $70 more than the cheapest Chromebook Plus (our arithmetic). If there’s any chance a class needs desktop software, the gap is small.

What it means when you buy

Buy a Chromebook Plus if all your work is in Google Classroom, Docs, Microsoft 365 on the web or other browser tools, and no program page rules it out. It suits a younger student, a second laptop for note-taking, or anyone who wants the least to manage.

Buy Windows or a Mac if any course names a desktop program, an exam runs in Examplify, or you want Steam games. On a cheap Windows laptop, look for “S mode” in the listing. Microsoft says S mode lets you “only install the apps from Microsoft Store and requires Microsoft Edge for safe browsing.” Switching out is free and “one-way” (Microsoft).

If the deadline isn’t urgent, the best time to buy a laptop explains when prices usually drop, and our refurbished guide compares seller warranties if a full-price Windows laptop is out of reach.

FAQ

Is a Chromebook good for college students?

For some majors, yes. If every class runs in a browser and your program allows it, a Chromebook Plus does the job for less. Nursing, law and other programs that test in Examplify can’t use one, so read your program’s technology page first.

What can a Chromebook not do?

It can’t install Windows or Mac desktop programs. That rules out Examplify, QuickBooks Desktop, desktop Photoshop and desktop Microsoft Office. For Steam games, Google said its Chromebook beta would end on January 1, 2026.

Can you use Microsoft Word on a Chromebook?

Yes, in the browser. Microsoft says to use the web apps; the desktop versions can’t be installed, and the Android apps aren’t supported on Chromebooks. A free Microsoft account gives basic editing only.

Is Chromebook Plus worth it?

For a student, we’d say yes. Google guarantees at least 8 GB of memory and 128 GB of storage on a Chromebook Plus, and 8 GB is the memory Adobe recommends for Photoshop on the web. Check the update date on Google’s list too.

Can you use a Chromebook for ExamSoft?

No. ExamSoft says “Examplify will not run on Chromebooks, Android, or Linux operating systems,” and running it in a virtual machine breaks its license terms. Our best laptop for ExamSoft guide lists laptops that pass.

What to do next

  1. Open your program’s technology page and every syllabus, and write down each named program and exam tool.
  2. Look each one up on the maker’s requirements page, or paste it into our Will it run? checker.
  3. If Examplify is on the list, follow our Examplify compatibility guide and skip Chromebooks.
  4. If everything runs in a browser, pick a Chromebook Plus and check its date on Google’s Auto Update list.
  5. If you choose Windows, confirm the listing doesn’t say “in S mode,” or plan to switch out on day one.
  6. Short on time? Our laptop finder matches your use and budget to laptops on our shortlist.

Sources

All read October 22, 2026, unless a date is given.

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