Google has made free Chrome OS Flex, a lightweight operating system designed to install and run on older computers, including those made by Apple, available to everyone.
Testing of the system began last winter, and so far the company has eliminated 600 bugs to roll out Flex to businesses and schools. The platform is aimed at organizations where old Windows computers are still running: the developer is testing the system on numerous configurations from Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, LG, Toshiba and other OEMs. Google also assures that the system can run on some older computers from Apple, including models 10 years old.
The main advantage of Chrome OS Flex is the support for older hardware: the company is confident that the modern OS can run on old “hardware”. More than 400 PC models are officially supported and installation is easy – you just need an 8 GB USB stick or more. You can also try to install the system on a computer that is not on the list of certified computers – it may affect the performance or stability.
Google is addressing Chrome OS Flex to businesses and educational institutions that want to modernize or simplify their IT infrastructure, as well as improve its security. The developer says the platform is more secure than Windows, making it less likely to run into one of the ransomware viruses that have become a serious problem in recent years.
The new OS does not yet have the ability to run Android applications, and the system requirements include an Intel or AMD processor, 4 GB of RAM, 16 GB on the built-in drive and support for booting from a flash drive.