Why I generally pick up my Chromebook, not my MacBook

Many of you who have been following along for a while now know that I am a hybrid OS user, meaning I use a Chromebook for most of my daily work but I also have a Macbook Pro that I use for all of our video editing. Although you can use a Chromebook for basic video editing, there is no denying that the Macbook Pro is a powerhouse for creative tasks and is a better fit for intensive pro-level video editing but the truth is that I pick up my Chromebook for everything else. I know my workflow is maybe not the most common but I think my reasons for picking up my Chromebook might shed some light on the beauty of ChromeOS and could help some of you decide to make the switch. So let’s dive into a few reasons I love ChromeOS and why I generally pick up my Chromebook instead of the Macbook Pro.

Reason #1: Copy and Paste Productivity

The first reason is a big one and it’s the ChromeOS Multi-Paste feature. It’s something that I immediately miss every time that I use the Macbook Pro. By simply pressing the Search (Everything) Key + V, you can access the last five items you copied and easily paste whichever one you want. No more tedious back-and-forth clicking! This is a game-changer for grabbing links or images, which I do a lot when writing articles, curating newsletters, and working on our financial spreadsheets. It’s a feature that makes me faster and more efficient for sure and is one that I miss dearly every time I use the MacBook.

Reason #2: Touchscreen Versatility

In a similar productivity vein, the next reason is screen versatility. While the MacBook Pro offers a beautiful Retina display, the touchscreen on my Chromebook adds a whole new dimension and is something you get used to quickly. Signing documents and quick markups feel intuitive and fluid when you can simply reach up and touch the screen. It’s something that doesn’t seem like a big deal but it’s truly something I use constantly. I am not an artist and don’t take notes on my Chromebook so I don’t need a convertible or tablet but the Dragonfly Pro (my normal daily driver) is a great example of how a clamshell device with a touchscreen can be super handy. It’s simple but useful.

Reason #3: True Cloud Integration

With ChromeOS, gone are the days of external hard drives, thumb drives, and lost files. Although I use Drive for Mac to mount my Google Drive files on the MacBook, the OS is more of a “desktop” model, where files live on the device using local storage. With Chromebooks, everything is built on cloud computing. Just log into your account on any device and you’re ready to go – all of your files and settings are the same. And if there is a problem for whatever reason, just Powerwash your device, log back in, and everything is still there. This fundamental difference is a big win for ChromeOS in my book and is my preferred method of computing.

Reason #4: Easy Updates

Part of the reason I wanted to write this article is because of updates. Over the past several weeks, I had been putting off a macOS update to Sonoma because I knew it was going to take a few hours of my day. I also knew that after the update I would need to learn some of the new features and make sure there were no bugs in Final Cut. Although there are supplemental updates throughout the year, the yearly version updates (from Monterey to Ventura, to most recently Sonoma) are normally the ones that bring the big notable updates and changes to the OS.

Chromebooks, on the other hand, update every 4 weeks in the background and are installed with a simple restart. I don’t have to wait for a big update once a year – ChromeOS is constantly updating and iterating. Chromebook updates are exciting and I look forward to getting a notification that my Chromebook has an update. In comparison, this recent update to Sonoma took about 3 hours total and was something that I dreaded. I simply love the easy updates on ChromeOS and this is just another reason I chose to pick up my Chromebook instead of the MacBook Pro.

In the end, these are just a few of the everyday examples and because ChromeOS is constantly updating, a new killer feature might be right around the corner. My Chromebook brings me joy and is a device that I love using. For me, the MacBook Pro serves a specific purpose and, yes, it does it quite well, but for most of my daily tasks, the Chromebook offers a simpler, more efficient experience that I prefer overall. So if you’re looking for a lightweight, cloud-focused device that excels in daily tasks, I’d recommend that you give a Chromebook a try. You might be surprised at how much you like it!