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Chromebooks may be cheaper and have less bloat but there are some tasks that they cannot do as well as their Windows or Apple counterparts, which consumers need to be aware of before buying one, according to David Nield, writing for Gizmodo. 

1. Use The Media Library When Travelling

Since Chromebooks store data in the cloud rather than on a hard drive, users cannot listen to music or watch movies when the Wi-Fi service is intermittent or erratic. Such situations happen aboard trains or airplanes or when they are staying in a cabin in the woods.

2. Play Video Games

Unlike laptops running Windows or macOS, Chromebooks do not have the capacity to store video games nor can they stream games at acceptable frame rates. 

3. Have Enough Power for Demanding Tasks

The Chrome OS that powers Chromebooks is not good at handling very big files nor complex processing. Although users can access a photo or a video editor from their Chromebooks, these apps are very rudimentary and are not as robust as those found on desktop computers. 

4. Chromebooks Cannot be Used in Multitasking

The Chrome OS lags behind the Windows and macOS systems in managing windows on the screen and how those windows show content. Since every window on the Chrome OS is a responsive website, the result is a slower interface.   

5. Files Cannot be Easily Organized

Files cannot be easily organized into folders and subfolders nor can they be easily copied or deleted as well. The very basic web interfaces of Google Drive makes file manipulation a bit of a chore. They are not as advanced as File Explorer or Finder in organizing data. 

6. Limited Customization Options

Extensive third-party plug-ins allow customization of the Windows and macOS, while customization on Chromebook is limited to using another wallpaper picture.  

7. Chromebooks are Useless if There is No Internet Connection

Not much can be really be done when Chromebooks are offline, particularly if files or documents have not been synchronized in advance. While changes can be synchronized in Google Docs or Google Sheet, their features are limited in offline mode.