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The Dell Chromebook 13 marks a new era for Chromebooks, where they are as at home in an office environment as more established Windows and Mac notebooks. Its black carbon fiber exterior and mag-alloy chassis looks great in both the office and home, and it has the performance to support the needs of both life and work. And it does this all without necessarily hurting your wallet.
Although it can feel a little heavy at times, especially for a small system, the exceptional battery keeps you productive while on the go without having to search for an outlet all the time.
We liked
Although the Dell Chromebook 13 has a minimally designed black carbon fiber and metal exterior, less is definitely more in this case. It's sleek, attractive, and looks right at home when placed alongside Windows or Mac notebooks.
While Chrome OS is still a matter of taste, users can be productive with the notebook (even offline) without having to spend too much money. While the base model's hardware isn't too different from what you'd find in many other competing Chromebooks, it still offers impressive performance and quickly loads web pages.
Outside of business use, the crisp FHD screen is perfect for watching streaming video and is complemented by loud and well-positioned speakers. Then there's the battery, which can go all day without needing a charge or for you to bring the power plug.
We disliked
Even with its small size (or perhaps because of it), the system can feel a little heavy for a Chromebook, especially given how there are competing notebooks available that are faster, lighter, and cost about the same or less.
Other than that, there isn't a whole lot to dislike about the Dell Chromebook 13, except for perhaps some minor issues like how the picture practically turns black in sunlight unless the brightness is turned all the way up. In fact, the base model performs well enough that it makes me wonder if it's even worthwhile to spend the spend the extra money on a higher-end model, considering how Chrome OS relies heavily on the cloud.
Final verdict
The Dell Chromebook 13 is a great looking little notebook that, at first glance, is almost indistinguishable from other brands of business class systems. It offers strong performance and is ready for both work and play. However, its weight is noticeable after an extended period of time, and you pick up a competing system such as the HP Chromebook 13, which offers some better features, for roughly the same amount of money.
Either way, the Dell makes an excellent addition to the Chromebook lineup, and should impress both in and out of the office.
