Chromebook vs. laptop: Which one should you buy?

First off: What is a Chromebook, exactly?The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is one of the newest Chromebooks.Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable
Chromebooks are laptops that run on Google's ChromeOS instead of Microsoft's Windows 11 or Apple's macOS. They support Android apps from the Google Play Store as well as cloud-based apps (meaning apps you access over the web). Google offerings like Gmail, Drive, Meet, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and YouTube come pre-installed on all Chromebook models.ChromeOS is