You can now use Windows apps on Chromebooks — but there's a big catch

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You can now use Windows apps on Chromebooks — but there'southward a big catch

(Image credit: Parallels)

Chromebooks brand for corking affordable laptops that can get a surprising amount of stuff done, even with a spec sheet that looks disappointing at first. But as capable as Chrome Os has get, information technology'due south still more than limited than Windows 10.

All the same, you can now go around those limitations by running a virtual version of Windows 10 within your Chromebook, cheers to Google's partnership with Parallels. The Parallels Desktop for Chromebook Enterprise allows a full version of Windows to be launched and run aslope Chrome OS and the Android apps it now supports.

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This effectively turns a Chromebook into a bit of a do-everything machine, but there's a grab. The Parallels service is aimed at businesses that desire to get more out of their Chromebooks; there'southward no consumer version yet. And accessing Parallels Desktop for Chromebook Enterprise costs $69.99 per user, per twelvemonth.

Then you'll probably be all-time off with a Chromebook that has a higher spec, such as a Core i5 processor rather than a low-end Celeron CPU, as well as 8GB of RAM. But most upwards-to-date Chromebooks should support Parallels.

Licensed versions of Windows x are besides needed to exist able to configure Chromebooks to access a virtual version of Microsoft's operating organisation. In brusque, this isn't likely to be a tool any Chromebook user tin but install and get started with.

Only once it's upwards and running yous tin can finer admission a Windows desktop within a window on Chrome Os. What might sound similar the start of a bad software-based joke, is actually a rather powerful tool to access the wider app back up and functionality of a Windows automobile on a Chromebook.

This is all a good sign on how the ability of the internet, and the ability to stream content to all fashion of devices, has the potential to effectively boost the capabilities of Chromebooks without needing powerful new hardware. We're already seeing how services like Google Stadia let games to be streamed to Chromebooks, essentially turning low-powered machines into gaming devices.

The apply of virtual machines and virtual desktops are nothing new. But they are seemingly getting easier to use and prepare, which in turn is expanding the capabilities of various laptops and low-powered computers. And beingness able to do more with less, it a pretty tantalising concept in the world of calculating.

Roland Moore-Colyer is U.1000. Editor at Tom's Guide with a focus on news, features and opinion articles. He oft writes well-nigh gaming, phones, laptops and other bits of hardware; he's also got an involvement in cars. When not at his desk Roland can be found wandering effectually London, often with a look of curiosity on his face.

Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/you-can-now-use-windows-apps-on-chromebooks-but-theres-a-big-catch

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