Chrome OS Flex has been released

In February of this year, Google introduced a free lightweight Chrome OS Flex operating system that can be installed on virtually any PC, including fairly old ones. Chrome OS Flex is based on the CloudReady project from Newerware. Recall that Google took over this company at the end of 2020.

Note that this system does not support running Android applications. This feature is present in the regular version of Chrome OS, which is installed on Chromebooks.

Google believes that Chrome OS Flex has the potential to significantly reduce e-waste as the operating system is cloud-based and can run on older computers, reducing the need for frequent device updates. It is also expected that the power consumption of devices running Chrome OS Flex will be reduced by 19% compared to other operating systems.

System requirements:

• Architecture: x86-64, chips from Intel or AMD
• RAM: 4 GB
• Storage: 16 GB
• USB Boot Support
• BIOS: full access to boot from a USB drive and make changes if problems arise.
• Processor and Graphics: components released before 2010 may cause problems in the operation of the OS.
  Note. The Intel GMA 500, 600, 3600, and 3650 graphics do not meet Chrome OS Flex performance standards.

Devices that meet the system requirements will be certified by Google. Currently, more than 400 devices have been certified.

You can find instructions for downloading and installing Chrome OS Flex here. on the official site. If you are using the CloudReady operating system, it will be automatically upgraded to Chrome OS Flex.