I Ditched My Mac for a Lenovo Chromebook — And You Can Too (But Maybe You Shouldn't)

Developer John Ozbay decided that Apple's ecosystem is like a long-term relationship where you've forgotten what's keeping you together besides habit. So he bolted. Not to Windows, not into the arms of Linux, but to a Lenovo Chromebook. Yes, that same laptop from the school computer lab.

What did he find on the other side?

First off, for web development, Chrome OS is like a bicycle with a motor: not hype, but it moves. The Linux environment via Crostini works surprisingly well: you can install Docker, VS Code, even Node.js. But you'll have to dig through settings like an old trunk of drivers.

Second, the battery lasts so long you'll forget where you left the charger. And the Lenovo keyboard is like an old friend: no Touch Bar, just proper keys. No touch panels that live their own life.

But it's not all sunshine.

If you're used to Final Cut Pro or Xcode — forget it. You'll need to hunt for alternatives, like moving to a country where nobody speaks your language. And yes, some web apps still work poorly on Chrome OS — like old plugins on IE6.

The author's advice: don't sell your Mac right away. Try living with the Chromebook for a week. If by the end you don't want to throw it at the wall due to the lack of a proper Finder or offline editor — then maybe it's your path.

METABYTE studio comment: We're all for conscious transitions. But if you decide to experiment — don't forget about CI/CD on a Chromebook. We'll help you set up pipelines that run even on a Linux-powered coffee maker.