Google acquired Neverware back in December 2020 and launched Chrome OS Flex "to breath new life into old PCs" in February 2022. This web-based, free-to-use operating system provides quick access to web apps and is now faster than ever before. The best thing about Chrome OS Flex is that it works with a wide range of third-party devices. It has been promoted as an operating system that can extend the life of older PCs Macs that are no longer receiving new updates. Chrome OS Flex is free to download and can be installed on Intel Macs. After being released in Feb 2022, I installed the all new Chrome OS Flex which is still in the production phase.
I installed Chrome OS Flex on my laptop and here's what I would recommend.
I was expecting some bugs because Chrome OS Flex is still in early access. These, however, were not "some."
Installation Process: The installation process is quite simple.
First check if your device is in the Supported Devices. Now, head over to the Official Page , register with your email address and you will get instructions on installing it. You can also install manually, but you'll get support and priority will be given to your reviews if you register with them.
Bugs with Chrome Browser:
After installing the Chrome OS Flex, I tried Chrome Browser and I am currently writing this post from the Chrome itself. The Chrome Browser used is the Developer Edition of Chrome and is highly unstable. There were problems with downloading. As soon as I pressed the 'download' button on the website, the whole system crashed and restarted. The same was with installing any of the extensions from the webstore.
Wi-Fi chipsets not supported:
These Wi-Fi chipsets are currently not supported on Chrome OS Flex:
- Broadcom brcmfmac43455
- Intel AX210
- Killer ax500 (also known as Qualcomm QCA3690)
- Marvell AVASTAR 88W8897
- Realtek RTL8192EE
- Realtek RTL8821AE
- Realtek RTL8821CE
So if your system has any of the above, be prepared to use Ethernet to access the internet.
Internal speakers don't work while headphones are attached
Internal speakers automatically mute while 1/8 inch headphones are plugged into devices, even if you use audio settings to select internal speakers for output. Also, you don't see any change in sound unless you mute the volume.
NVIDIA GPUs are currently unstable:
NVIDIA GPUs with known issues include:
- C79 / GeForce 9400
- GK208M / GeForce
GT 730M GT218M / NVS 3100M Multiple generations of Intel graphics are unsupported on Chrome OS Flex and will not boot it.
Intel Generation 3 and older, including GMA 900, 950, 3100, 3150
- Intel PowerVR graphics, including GMA 500, 600, 3600, 3650
Final Vedict:
Since Chrome OS Flex is still in its early access state, it is expected that there will be bugs, so bear this in mind if you want to give the new OS a try. It is expected that a stable version of Chrome OS Flex will become available in the coming months, but a concrete release date hasn’t been announced yet. But it is worth a try!