Review on 🔍 Slim and Versatile Samsung Chromebook Plus V2: 2-in-1, 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC, 13MP Camera, Chrome OS, 12.2" Display, Sleek Stealth Silver (XE521QAB-K01US) by Rick Everett

I've been using the 13.3 inch MacBook Air every day for several years. When the MacBook fell and the display was beyond repair, I looked for a cheaper and smaller option. The 10-inch and 11-inch convertible books seemed too small to work comfortably for hours, so I was interested in the Samsung Chromebook XE521 for its 12.2-inch HD screen and metal. Construction. Right now I like the size, construction, fit and finish etc. It feels like a much more expensive laptop. ADVANTAGES: - Large size and comfortable to wear. - Good construction, good fit and finish. "Chrome OS is great. Very simple and fast but does everything I really need. CONS: My old MacBook Air spoiled me by giving me 8-9 hours of consistent use on a single charge. I haven't tested it in detail, but the Samsung Chromebook XE521 gave me about 5 hours of average usage. It's not awful, but it's pretty far below what I'm used to. I also noticed that apps and processes are a bit slower than my old Core i5 MacBook. Still fully suitable for basic applications and web browsing. I found reviews about the hinge breaking AFTER the purchase. The ability to hack the screen just by opening the lid bothered me so much that I bought a $57 two-year protection plan from Asurion. Now I am sure that even if my device breaks, I will fix it. I will say that the left hinge feels particularly heavy when opening and closing. To see if I could smooth it out a bit I put a few drops of very light gun oil on the hinge assembly. I didn't remove the case or anything so I was just counting on the oil seeping into the moving parts. I don't think it made a huge difference, but maybe enough to prevent the hinge from binding and breaking the screen? I plan on adding a few tiny drops of oil every month (if I remember). Four stars. It would definitely be five stars if the battery life and processing speed were a little more impressive and didn't have potentially catastrophic looping issues on the horizon.