Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go 14"
The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go 14" is an entry-level Chromebook introduced by Samsung, positioned as a budget-friendly and durable laptop suitable for both work and casual usage. The Chromebook body is primarily a plastic build. It comes in a "timeless silver" color, giving it a sleek yet modest look that reflects its budget pricing. One of the standout features of the Chromebook Go is its optional LTE connectivity, a feature usually found on more expensive laptops, allowing users to stay connected on the go. In addition, it supports Wi-Fi 6 and has passed the military standard 810G testing, suggesting a degree of durability that could appeal to a range of users, particularly those in education settings or those who travel frequently.
The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go 14" features a 14-inch display, a step up in size compared to its sibling, the Galaxy Chromebook 2. However, the display resolution is a mere 1366 x 768 pixels, notably lower than the Full HD resolution found on most modern laptops. As noted by multiple reviewers, the result is a less-than-ideal viewing experience, with text appearing fuzzy, washed-out colors, and poor viewing angles.
Under the hood, the Chromebook Go houses an Intel Celeron N4500 processor. Paired with 4GB of memory and 32GB of eMMC flash storage, the device provides adequate performance for light tasks such as web browsing and document editing. However, reviewers have pointed out that it is underpowered for more demanding tasks and may perform poorly with heavy multitasking, with apps taking noticeable time to launch or respond.
According to Eric Grevstad from PCMag, the laptop's limited 4GB of RAM and 32GB eMMC flash storage are at the lower end of what we expect for Chrome OS devices. In addition, he noted that the device's performance is somewhat slow, with apps and responses to external devices like USB drives taking an extra few seconds to load. This sentiment is echoed by the reviewer from Tech Spurt, who also encountered instances where apps took a while to load.
The Chromebook Go's keyboard and trackpad have drawn mixed responses from reviewers. The keyboard lacks a backlight, which might be inconvenient in darker environments. However, it is spill-resistant, a handy feature for accident-prone users. Some reviewers praised its comfortable typing experience, while others described it as flat and dull.
Battery life is an essential feature of any portable device. The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go 14" is advertised to provide up to 12 hours of use on a single charge. While some reviewers could get close to this figure, others were skeptical, noting that other Samsung laptops often fell short of their advertised battery life in their tests.
While the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go 14" is one of the most affordable laptops offered by Samsung, its price-to-performance ratio has been a topic of debate among reviewers. Some feel that it's not a good value proposition due to its underwhelming performance and display quality, despite its lower cost. Eric Grevstad shared his views, indicating that despite its low price tag of $250, the Chromebook Go could be a bad deal, primarily due to its underwhelming performance and unsatisfactory display quality. A reviewer from Chrome Unboxed chimed in with a similar sentiment, highlighting that while the Chromebook Go may be acceptable, it certainly isn't the best choice within this price range.
Summarizing the sentiment from customer reviews, a common point of praise was the device's durability and the inclusion of optional LTE support. Customers also appreciated its lightweight design and easy-to-use interface, courtesy of Chrome OS. However, criticism was consistently leveled at the subpar display and the sluggish performance of the device, particularly when multiple tabs were open or when attempting to multitask.
In conclusion, while the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go 14" is positioned as an affordable and durable Chromebook, it doesn't quite deliver the expected performance or viewing experience for its price. The consensus among reviewers suggests that the device needs to improve in critical areas, particularly display, and performance. In addition, while it does come with some unique features like LTE support and a spill-resistant keyboard, these are not enough to compensate for the core weaknesses of the device.
