Chrome OS devices/Chromebook - ArchWiki

# Chrome OS devices/Chromebook

Main article: Chrome OS devices.

## Introduction

### First generation of Chromebooks

The first generation of Chromebooks: Google Cr-48, Samsung Series 5 500 and Acer AC700 use Insyde H2O firmware and not Coreboot firmware. There are three approaches how to install Arch Linux on these devices:

- Flash a custom H2C firmware (only available for Google Cr-48) and install Arch as on any other UEFI laptop.
- Take the ChrUbuntu approach which uses the Chrome OS kernel and modules.
- Build and sign your own kernel, see [1].

## Hardware Comparisons

Warning: The availability of SeaBIOS doesn't promise device compatibility for Linux or that the pre-installed SeaBIOS works properly. Before purchasing a device visit its page on the ArchWiki and look for Linux users' posts about that model.

Chromebook Models
Available | Brand | Model | Processor | RAM | Storage | Upgradable | Screen | Resolution | Weight | SeaBIOS | Remarks
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Dec 2010 | Google | Cr-48 | 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N455 | 2GB DDR3 | 16GB SSD | mSATA | 12.1 in (30.7 cm) | 1280x800 (16:10) | 3.8 lb (1.7 kg) | Unavailable for 1st generation | Custom H2C firmware available
Jun 2011 | Samsung | Series 5 XE500C21 | 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N570 | mSATA | 3.06-3.26 lb (1.4–1.5 kg) | Unavailable for 1st generation |
Jul 2011 | Acer | AC700 | mSATA Mini | 11.6 in (29.5 cm) | 1366x768 (16:9) | 3.19 lb (1.4 kg) | Unavailable for 1st generation |
May 2012 | Samsung | Series 5 XE550C22 | 1.3 GHz Intel Celeron 867 1.6 Ghz Intel Core i5 2467M | 4GB DDR3 | mSATA | 12.1 in (30.7 cm) | 1280x800 (16:10) | 3.3 lb (1.5 kg) | In custom firmware only | Custom firmware available
Oct 2012 | Series 3 XE303C12 | 1.7 GHz Samsung Exynos 5250 | 2GB DDR3 | 16GB eMMC | No | 11.6 in (29.5 cm) | 1366x768 (16:9) | 2.43 lb (1.1 kg) | Unavailable on ARM | Supported by Arch Linux ARM
Nov 2012 | Acer | C710 | 1.1 GHz Intel Celeron 847 1.5 GHz Intel Celeron 1007U | 2-4GB DDR3 | 320GB HDD 16GB SSD | SATA 2.5" 7,9.5mm | 3-3.05 lb (1.4 kg) | In custom firmware only | Custom firmware available
Feb 2013 | HP | Pavilion 14 Chromebook | 1.1 GHz Intel Celeron 847 | SATA 2.5" 7,9.5mm | 14 in (35.6 cm) | 3.96 lb (1.8 kg) | In custom firmware only | Custom firmware available
Lenovo | ThinkPad X131e Chromebook | 1.5 GHz Intel Celeron 1007U | 4GB DDR3 | 16GB SSD | mSATA | 11.6 in (29.5 cm) | 3.92 lb (1.8 kg) | In custom firmware only | Custom firmware available
Google | Chromebook Pixel | 1.8 GHz Intel Core i5 3427U | 4GB DDR3 | 32GB iSSD 64GB iSSD | No | 12.85 in (32.6 cm) | 2560x1700 (3:2) | 3.35 lb (1.5 kg) | Yes | Custom firmware available
Oct 2013 | HP | Chromebook 11 | 1.7 GHz Samsung Exynos 5250 | 2GB DDR3 | 16GB eMMC | No | 11.6 in (29.5 cm) | 1366x768 (16:9) | 2.3 lb (1.04 kg) | Unavailable on ARM | Unsupported by Arch Linux ARM installation identical to Samsung XE303C12
Nov 2013 | Chromebook 14 | 1.4 GHz Intel Celeron 2955U | 2GB DDR3 4GB DDR3 | 16GB SSD 32GB SSD | 42mm M.2 NGFF | 14 in ( 35.6 cm) | 4.07 lb (1.84 kg) | Yes | Custom firmware available
Acer | C720/C720P Chromebook | 1.4 GHz Intel Celeron 2955U 1.7 GHz Intel Core i3-4005U | 42mm M.2 NGFF | 11.6 in (29.5 cm) | 2.76 lb (1.25 kg) | Yes | Custom firmware available
Jan 2014 | Toshiba | CB30/CB35 Chromebook | 1.4 GHz Intel Celeron 2955U | 2GB DDR3 | 16GB eMMC | No | 13.3 in (33.8 cm) | 3.3 lb (1.5 kg) | Yes | Custom firmware available
Apr 2014 | Dell | Chromebook 11 | 1.4 GHz Intel Celeron 2955U 1.7 GHz Intel Core i3-4005U | 2GB DDR3 4GB DDR3 | 16GB eMMC | No | 11.6 in (29.5 cm) | 2.9 lb (1.31 kg) | Requires stock SeaBIOS patching | Custom firmware available
Jun 2014 | Lenovo | N20/N20P Chromebook | 2.1 GHz Intel BayTrail-M N2830 | 2GB DDR3 | No | 11.6 in (29.5 cm) | 2.86 lb (1.3 kg) | Requires writing SeaBIOS | Misc SeaBIOS bugs exist
Asus | Chromebook C200/C300 | 2GB DDR3 4GB DDR3 | 16GB eMMC 32GB eMMC | No | 11.6 in (29.5 cm) 13.3 in (33.8 cm) | 2.5 lb (1.13 kg) 3.1 lb (1.4 kg) | Requires writing SeaBIOS | Misc SeaBIOS bugs exist
Lenovo | ThinkPad 11e Chromebook | 1.83 GHz Intel BayTrail-M N2930 | 4GB DDR3 | 16GB eMMC | No | 11.6 in (29.5 cm) | 3.1 lb (1.4 kg) | Requires writing SeaBIOS | Misc SeaBIOS bugs exist
ThinkPad Yoga 11e Chromebook | No | Requires writing SeaBIOS | Misc SeaBIOS bugs exist
Samsung | Chromebook 2 XE503C12/C32 | 1.9 GHz Exynos 5 Octa 5420 2 GHz Exynos 5 Octa 5800 | No | 11.6 in (29.5 cm) 13.3 in (33.8 cm) | 1366x768 (16:9) 1920x1080 (16:9) | 2.65 lb (1.2 kg) 3.06 lb (1.39 kg) | Unavailable on ARM | Supported by Arch Linux ARM
Jul 2014 | HEXA | Chromebook Pi | 2.1 GHz Intel BayTrail-M N2830 | 32GB eMMC | No | 11.6 in (29.5 cm) | 1366x768 (16:9) | 2.6 lb (1.18 kg) | No | Custom firmware not available yet
Aug 2014 | Acer | CB5-311 Chromebook 13 | 2.1 GHz Nvidia Tegra K1 | 2GB DDR3 4GB DDR3 | 16GB eMMC 32GB eMMC | No | 13.3 in (33.8 cm) | 1366x768 (16:9) 1920x1080 (16:9) | 3.3 lb (1.5 kg) | Unavailable on ARM | Unsupported by Arch Linux ARM
Sep 2014 | Toshiba | CB30/CB35 Chromebook 2 | 2.16 GHz Intel BayTrail-M N2840 | 16GB eMMC | No | 2.96 lb (1.34 kg) | Requires writing SeaBIOS | Misc SeaBIOS bugs exist
Acer | CB3-111 Chromebook 11 | 2.1 GHz Intel BayTrail-M N2830 | 2GB DDR3 | No | 11.6 in (29.5 cm) | 1366x768 (16:9) | 2.4 lb (1.09 kg) | Requires writing SeaBIOS | Misc SeaBIOS bugs exist
Oct 2014 | C730 Chromebook 11 | 2.16 GHz Intel BayTrail-M N2840 | 2GB DDR3 4GB DDR3 | 16GB eMMC 32GB eMMC | No | 3.1 lb (1.4 kg) | No | Custom firmware not available yet
HP | Chromebook 14 G3 | 2.1 GHz Nvidia Tegra K1 | No | 14 in (35.6 cm) | 1366x768 (16:9) 1920x1080 (16:9) | 3.79 lb (1.72 kg) | Unavailable on ARM | Unsupported by Arch Linux ARM
Chromebook 11 G3 | 2.16 GHz Intel BayTrail-M N2840 | 16GB eMMC | No | 11.6 in (29.5 cm) | 1366x768 (16:9) | 2.8 lb (1.28 kg) | Requires writing SeaBIOS | Misc SeaBIOS bugs exist
Samsung | Chromebook 2 XE500C12 | 2GB DDR3 | No | 2.65 lb (1.2 kg) | Requires writing SeaBIOS | Misc SeaBIOS bugs exist
Feb 2015 | Dell | Chromebook 11 3120 | 2GB DDR3 4GB DDR3 | No | 2.74 lb (1.24 kg) 2.91 lb (1.32 kg) | Requires writing SeaBIOS | Misc SeaBIOS bugs exist
Acer | C740 (EDU) Chromebook 11 | 1.5 GHz Intel Celeron 3205U 2.00 GHz Intel Core i3-5005U | 16GB SSD 32GB SSD | 42mm M.2 NGFF | 2.87 lb (1.3 kg) | Requires writing SeaBIOS | Custom firmware script only writes SeaBIOS
CB5-571 Chromebook 15 | 16GB 32GB | Unknown | 15.6 in (39.6 cm) | 1366x768 (16:9) 1920x1080 (16:9) | 4.85 lb (2.2 kg) | Unknown | Custom firmware not available yet
Mar 2015 | C910 (EDU) Chromebook 15 | 1.5 GHz Intel Celeron 3205U 2.00 GHz Intel Core i3-5005U 2.2 GHz Intel Core i5-5200U | 4GB DDR3 | 16GB SSD 32GB SSD | 42mm M.2 NGFF | Requires writing SeaBIOS | Custom firmware script only writes SeaBIOS
Google | Chromebook Pixel 2 | 2.2 GHz Intel Core i5-5200U 2.4 GHz Intel Core i7-5500U | 8GB DDR3 16GB DDR3 | 32GB 64GB | No | 12.85 in (32.6 cm) | 2560x1700 (3:2) | 3.35 lb (1.5 kg) | Yes | Custom firmware script only writes SeaBIOS
Lenovo | N21 Chromebook | 2.16 GHz Intel BayTrail-M N2840 | 2GB DDR3 4GB DDR3 | 16GB eMMC | No | 11.6 in (29.5 cm) | 1366x768 (16:9) | 2.8 lb (1.29 kg) | Requires writing SeaBIOS | Misc SeaBIOS bugs exist
Haier | HR-166R Chromebook 11 | 1.8 GHz Rockchip RK3288 | 2GB DDR3 | No | 11.6 in (29.5 cm) | 1366x768 (16:9) | 2.4 lb (1.09 kg) | Unavailable on ARM | Unsupported by Arch Linux ARM
Hisense | Chromebook C11 | No | 3.3 lb (1.2 kg) | Unavailable on ARM | Supported by Arch Linux ARM

#### Remarks for the hardware comparison table

- Bay-Trail-M models: Although there are some issues that need to be resolved, the developers finally got a working SeaBIOS payload that can run a mainline kernel. For more info see John Lewis' blog post and visit the coreboot on Chromebooks Google+ community.
- Broadwell models: It seem like in contrast to Bay-Trail-M, Broadwell chips doesn't have eMMC controller integrated on the silicon die, so it's possible that most (if not all) of the Chromebook models based on Broadwell will feature a SSD SATA storage (IC soldered to the board or an extension and upgradable card), unlike models with eMMC storage there shouldn't be an issue for the developers to build custom firmware for those models that comes with SSD storage, for more info visit the coreboot on Chromebooks Google+ community.

Category:

- Laptops