Back in 2023, I received a $200 Amazon gift card for volunteering as a trial user. I was curious about a specific product, so I bought it: the Asus Chromebook CX203. It cost about $185, and after taxes and duties, I paid roughly $20 extra.

I didn’t expect much given the low-end specs: 4GB RAM and 32GB storage.

When I first got it, it looked very rugged—and it was a bit heavier than I thought. The body is quite small, but it weighs 1.2kg. The usage is totally straightforward; you just have to connect to the internet to use it.

Why I Like It After One Year:

  1. Convenience: The small body makes it very easy to carry.
  2. Battery Life: I don’t have to carry a charger. With a 100% battery, it lasts more than 10 hours.
  3. Smooth Performance: Even with low-end specs, it doesn’t feel slow. My daily tasks are smooth because I mostly operate in the browser.
  4. No Distractions: There are no annoying pop-ups or “hard sell” services like you find on Windows.

The ChromeOS Shift

After using the Chromebook for a year, I decided to switch my Acer C24-420 All-in-One desktop from Windows 11 to ChromeOS Flex. It consumes fewer resources and feels like a brand-new machine. With 8GB of RAM, ChromeOS makes the desktop incredibly fast. It was the best decision I’ve made.

The Linux Side

One thing people don’t realize about Chromebooks: you can run a full Linux environment right inside ChromeOS. It’s called Crostini — a container that lets you install and run Linux apps without leaving ChromeOS. No dual boot, no risk. I use it for running scripts, managing files, and anything that needs a real terminal. It turns a $185 machine into a legitimate dev environment. Most people think Chromebooks are just for browsing. They’re wrong.

The “Advanced Minimalist” Philosophy

Today is March 18, 2026, and I am still using my Chromebook for blogging and work.

I never thought I would need so little to operate daily. We are often sold the idea that we need “more speed” and “more storage” to perform well. As an advanced user, I want to make the most out of the gears I use. We now live in an ecosystem where most services offer online operations; you don’t need to install everything on a hard drive.

My current workflow:

  • Coding: vscode.dev
  • Spreadsheets: Google Sheets
  • Building apps with AI: Claude Code
  • File storages: Dropbox, Google drive, Github
  • Accounting: Flowaccount

Hardware is just a gateway to the cloud. If the browser is fast, the work gets done.