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It only has 16 GB of hard drive space!

I will admit, this was one of my biggest fears coming into the purchase of the Chromebook. However, it really isn't as big a deal as you might think. First of all, all new Chromebook users receive 100 GB of free Google Drive cloud storage. So there's that.

But more importantly, you don't need to have a big hard drive anymore. We live in a world where people are constantly switching in between devices. Everything is done in the cloud, or through streaming. I can stream music from Spotify, Grooveshark, and YouTube. I can stream TV shows and movies from Netflix. So what's the point in cluttering up a hard drive?

And let's not forget, that hard drive is a solid state drive (SSD). That means it's super fast. The Chromebook can go from powered off to web surfing in less than 10 seconds. My traditional hard drive Win7 desktop takes almost 5 minutes to get up and running. It's the kind of speed difference that changes the way you use a computer. The idea of turning the computer on and then walking away to make some coffee is gone. Because as soon as you sit down with your Chromebook, that little 16 GB drive has you up and running.

Better yet, you can close the lid and have it on sleep mode. When you return, it takes less than 1 second to be back up and working.

You can't do anything without the internet!

"The OS is based around Google Chrome, a web browser. So if you don't have the web, the computer can't do anything."

Chromebook haters say this with the smugfaces. And I'll admit, to an extent, they are right. The things that you can do on a Chromebook are indeed limited without the internet.

But isn't that the case with ANY laptop that's disconnected from the internet? I mean really, when there's a storm and your internet goes out, who's still sitting around at their computer? How useful is Windows or Mac offline? Sure, you may write (or rather, type) up documents, make spreadsheets, etc. But you can do that with a Chromebook offline too.

I realize that most programs in Windows work fine without the internet. But how many of them do you really use? I mean, maybe you use a lot of MS Paint while offline. But at the rate offline desktop apps are being developed for Chrome OS, there will probably be something comparable for you soon.

You can buy a Windows laptop for the same price!

For those of you that don't know, Chromebooks are cheap. Like $250 or less. Brand new. And yeah, you can find a Windows laptop for $250 or less. But I challenge you to find anything that isn't a pile of junk for that price. You can't.

Perhaps this is the most frustrating habit of Chromebook haters. They talk about how they NEED programs like Adobe Photoshop or Sony Vegas.

"Oh I could never use one. I need XYZsoftware for work."

If you can find me a computer for less than $250 which is capable of doing high quality photo or video editing work, then sign me up. But you can't. Because any laptop you find that cheap is going to be crap. The Chromebook on the other hand is surprisingly well built for its price. The outer shell feels sturdy, it's ultra light, like on the same level as a Macbook Air, and the battery life is fantastic.

Find me a laptop with Windows that is ultra portable, boots up in 10 seconds, and has 6+ hours of battery life under heavy use. Here's a hint- you can't. MAYBE you find a used one for that kind of money in your local Craigslist. But it won't have a warranty, and the only guarantee you get is that the previous owner bogged it down with pornographic adware. Oh yeah, another perk of Chrome OS, you don't have to worry about viruses.

You can't game on it!

It's true that EA and Activision aren't dedicating their efforts towards Chrome OS. And it's true that Google runs a processor similar to that of a Samsung Galaxy, so you don't exactly have a lot of power.

But once again, I challenge you to find me a laptop this cheap that is good for gaming. You can't.

And keep in mind, that many online games, like those developed in HTML are fair game. It's not hardcore gaming, but there's no reason you shouldn't be able to have some mindless fun just because you're not using a $1000+ Alienware computer.

So I should buy one?

If you are the average college student, or like the majority of computer users, then I absolutely believe the Chromebook is the best device you can pick up for the money. The SSD is better than any other laptop or tablet you can find for the price range, and you can achieve so much productivity and functionality within the Chrome ecosystem.

The only type of situation in which buying a computer like this doesn't make sense is if you absolutely NEED certain types of software that cannot be alternatively used online, or through Chrome Remote Connect, which allows you to control another computer right through your laptop. Many people who work in computer science type jobs will probably find themselves in situations like this. So will people who do jobs like graphic design or video editing. But as stated above, you won't be able to find a brand new laptop that can handle professional level graphic manipulation.

So, Chromebook haters, the ball is in your court. The next time you laugh at the modest specs of my ultra-portable computer, or point out that I could have had a crappy base-line Dell Inspiron for the same $200, I will refer you to this article. Come up with some new material, or join those of us that are very happy with our recent technological purchases.

Get Yourself a New Chromebook!