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The Dell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1 is a low energy Chrome OS laptop computer designed for training. The rugged design is a key promoting level that ensures it’s going to serve even probably the most accident-prone college students, however its low finish parts imply something however primary doc enhancing and internet searching is past it.
Professionals
- Nearly indestructible
- 360 diploma hinge design
- Moveable
- OK battery life
Cons
- Display is small and low res
- Keyboard could possibly be higher
Key Specs
- Evaluation Worth: £412
- 11.6-inch, 1366 x 768 decision contact display screen with Gorilla Glass
- Intel Celeron N4000 CPU
- 4GB / 8GB RAM
- 32GB / 64GB storage
- As much as 13 hour battery life
- Chrome OS
Exterior of Google’s Pixel line, Chromebooks aren’t that glamorous – and that is still the case with the Dell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1.
Like comparable education-focused Chromebooks earlier than it, the Dell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1 unashamedly places perform over design and visible flare – it’s wrapped in chunky black plastic and has a 360 diploma hinge, which helps you to fold it into pill or have it sat in your desktop, which feels stable and strong.
This mixed bundle ticks sufficient bins for the Dell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1 to be a stable selection for varsity children in want of a borderline-unbreakable examine assist. For older college students and common laptop computer consumers, nonetheless, there are higher worth choices out there.
Dell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1 design – Constructed for punishment
The Dell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1 isn’t the prettiest machine you’ll discover, even by Chrome OS laptop computer requirements. Opening up the clamshell, you’ll be handled to a large 2cm bezel straight out of the Nineties, plastic chiclet keys and a chunky chassis with rubber edges.
However that’s intentional, as Dell’s constructed this convertible Chromebook to be as rugged as attainable. Dell says that it meets MIL-STD specification, a normal set by the US navy that you simply don’t usually see on a client merchandise – the LG Gram 14 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab Lively 2 being different exceptions.
Dell says that the Chromebook 3100 2-in-1 has been examined to outlive 5000 micro-drops and 30-inch drops onto metal, so it must be powerful sufficient to face up to classroom put on and tear. That mentioned, the small-print on Dell’s web site says that the usual guarantee “doesn’t cowl issues ensuing from accidents reminiscent of drops” – so maintain that in thoughts.
It won’t seem like the nicest laptop computer ever, however the Dell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1 wasn’t designed to win magnificence contests
It’s additionally why the Chromebook 3100 is so chunky and has rubberised sides – it’s actually received shock absorbers. Throughout testing I discovered the Chromebook’s 360 hinge is especially nicely constructed. It doesn’t look fairly, nevertheless it has a stable locking mechanism and affords subsequent to no flex, even when met with average pressure.
The splash-resistant keyboard additionally continued working after an unintended workplace espresso spill. As a remaining take a look at, having “unintentionally” dropped it onto a hardwood kitchen ground and let a rampaging 4 12 months outdated use it as a WWE-style metal chair on certainly one of her enemies (a dad and mom’ unsuspecting leg) I can personally attest to the Chromebook 3100’s sturdiness.
Regardless of it being designed to face up to a beating, the entire thing weighs simply over a kilogram (1.41kg), so it’s gentle sufficient to be dropped right into a backpack and carried round all day.
Dell’s additionally executed an affordable job loading the Chromebook with all of the ports a typical schoolchild or scholar will want. Round its sides you’ll discover two USB-C, two USB-A ports and a single microSD card reader – all you want for transferring recordsdata and photographs.
Associated: Greatest Chromebook 2019
The keyboard doesn’t win any awards right here, nevertheless it’s additionally mainly the identical as what you’d get on most different Chromebooks
Dell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1 specs – Fundamental {hardware}, nevertheless it does the job
To this point so good? For probably the most half, sure. However be warned, exterior of its ruggedness, the Chromebook is in any other case a really primary gadget and comes with a few compromises which hinder its usability as a day-to-day laptop computer.
Underneath the hood, the tech working the present could be very primary, even when in comparison with equivalently priced Home windows laptops, no matter which of the configurations you decide.
That is largely as a result of each possibility runs utilizing a low powered Intel Celeron N4000 CPU. From there you might have a selection of 4GB (within the case of the mannequin we examined) or 8GB of LPDDR4 reminiscence and between 34GB and 64GB of eMMC storage.
To non-techies, these are very low energy elements. The sunshine system necessities of Google’s Chrome OS imply common issues, like internet searching and doc enhancing, work simply advantageous however even primary photograph enhancing in Pixlr may trigger the machine to stutter. This was mirrored within the gadget’s Geekbench 4 scores, which put it on a par with an reasonably priced smartphone in the case of efficiency.
Chrome OS is nice if you happen to primarily use Google apps – like Google Docs and Google Sheets – because it affords a stripped down and streamlined interface that’s primarily based across the tech large’s providers. There’s no have to fork out for Microsoft Workplace licenses right here.
However, it’s nonetheless restricted in comparison with full fats Home windows and gained’t allow you to set up third occasion apps. Every thing must be downloaded from the Google Play Retailer. I’m additionally not satisfied Chrome OS takes full benefit of the Chromebook 3100 2-in-1’s contact display screen performance and pill mode.
Most Chrome OS apps aren’t contact optimised. If you wish to use it this manner you’ll usually be higher off putting in an Android app from the Play Retailer, however this generally is a dangerous gamble as not all of the apps have been correctly optimised and supply pretty buggy consumer experiences. Apps from smaller builders commonly crashed and I couldn’t even get Photoshop Parts to work to a passable stage on the Chromebook 3100 2-in-1 throughout testing.
Associated: Greatest laptop computer for college students
One of many USB-A and USB-C ports of the Dell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1
Older consumers or college students also needs to remember that the gadget’s compact dimensions, small display screen and fewer than stellar keyboard imply could make for an uncomfortable working expertise throughout extended use.
In addition to having a large bezel, the Chromebook 3100 2-in-1’s display screen affords a reasonably low decision of 1366 x 768, whereas most laptops as of late offers you a Full HD (1920 x 1080) show.
The show’s brightness and battery life partially make up for this and reinforce its standing as an training product. The 274 nits max brightness I detected throughout testing is sweet sufficient for the display screen to stay legible in most circumstances, exterior of direct daylight – in these circumstances the Gorilla Glass coating can get pretty reflective.
Color house protection can be very low – 60.4% sRGB, 44% Adobe and 46% DCI-P3 – and the color temperature I recorded – 7064K – can be approach off the 6500K splendid. What this implies in actual phrases is that the Dell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1’s show is completely unsuitable for photograph work.
Patrons of a laptop computer like this are unlikely to care about such findings, however they’re value together with, if solely so you may see how good the show of one thing just like the Dell Inspiron Chromebook 14 7000 2-in-1 is against this.
The chiclet keyboard additionally feels low-cost to the touch and is among the solely elements of the gadget that feels flimsy, providing poor journey and a spongy feeling actuation level. That is additionally typical of Chromebooks, and isn’t a failing of Dell, per se.
Working the Geekbench 4 battery benchmark, the Chromebook 3100 2-in-1 lasted round eight hours with the display screen set to 150 nits brightness, the extent most individuals will really feel snug utilizing in a classroom or lecture corridor. That is quite a bit lower than the quoted 13 hour battery life, however I discovered it carried out noticeably higher with actual world use. With common use I simply received a full nine-to-five work time out of the machine with change to spare with out having to achieve for the charger.
Associated: Greatest laptop computer 2019
The 360 hinge of the Dell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1 is among the sturdiest we’ve seen
Ought to I purchase a Dell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1?
For those who’re on the lookout for a tough, powerful Chromebook in your child to take to high school, or are an accident-prone scholar in want of an essay writing station that gained’t break anytime quickly, then the Dell 3100 2-in-1 is an OK possibility.
Exterior of the keyboard, the gadget feels near indestructible, is highly effective sufficient for primary essay writing and internet searching, and has an extended sufficient battery life to final a full faculty day.
The one draw back is that it’s display screen is a bit on the small facet and it’s low energy parts imply it may well battle with even primary photograph enhancing. The £400-plus value can be pretty excessive for a Chromebook. For those who don’t want the rugged design there are higher worth choices in each the Chrome and Home windows ecosystems.
Verdict
The Dell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1 is powerful and durable, nevertheless it’s additionally very primary.
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