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Let’s be real nobody buys a Chromebook for gaming.
But for playing games?
That’s a “no” from me.
Considering their price differences, though, that’s to be expected.
Of course, and Chromebooks present that chance.
Surely, thebest Chromebooksof today could manage to pull off decent gaming performance, right?
Great, the games are here, but the real question is: can a Chromebook handle them?
There’s everything from Roblox and Among Us to Dead Cells, Stardew Valley and Loop Hero.
Then there are addictive card-based titles such as Balatro, Slay the Spire and Marvel Snap.
I booted up Balatro first, and it worked like a charm.
It’s not exactly a demanding title, and it’s easily playable on many smartphones.
And yes, now a full 30 years later, it can be played on a Chromebook.
Hardly a surprise, but it’s an engaging title to play on a Chromebook nevertheless.
Now, I decided to up the stakes a tad.
Even after looking at the minimal troubleshooters online, like reinstalling the app, none of it worked.
Apparently, it only works on certain Chromebooks, and one of them isn’t mine.
So Genshin Impact it is.
Not my general cup of tea, but a popular title fit for any gaming gear.
Unfortunately, though, to no avail.
Afterward, though, it crashed.
After booting it up multiple times, it kept crashing.
Of course, this leads me to believe this isn’t made for 3D graphics.
More than anything, this all depends on your internet speeds and Wi-Fi connections.
The gamer-ready Acer Chromebook 516 GE even comes with an Ethernet port for uninterrupted streaming.
Lo and behold, it is!
The thing is, these games need a controller to get going.
Without any installs, I tried out the latest, upscaled edition of Ryu Hayabusa’s action-packed adventure.
I then tried Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and had a far better time.
A tiny stutter here and there, but nothing game-breaking.
Of course, though, this all depends on your internet speeds.
There’s no chance my Chromebook could trigger the likes of Cyberpunk 2077.
Instead, I stuck to more 2D indie games, such as Hotline Miami.
Truthfully, I don’t think gaming on a Chromebook is a terrible option anymore.
However, that doesn’t mean games can’t be played on one.
Will I continue to game on a Chromebook?
Unlikely, especially when I have a proper gaming laptop and PS5 at hand.