During Google I/O, we learned that Chromebooks will soon be able to support Android apps via the Google Play store. In fact, just today the ASUS Chromebook Flip received the update, which is excellent considering how recently this addition was announced. This move is a big one for Chromebook considering that it hasn’t been seen as much more than a glorified web browsing machine until now, and I predicted that it would even move in to threaten low-end Windows PCs.

I also mentioned that I’m considering picking up a Chromebook of my own, which is something I’m still mulling over. I’m the type of person that weighs the pros and cons of various products for a long time before eventually coming to a decision, and the idea of purchasing a Chromebook – something that I previously had no interest in until the recent addition of Android apps – is no different. While Chromebooks are among the most affordable “laptop replacements” on the table, the Surface Pro and even the iPad Pro have certain perks over the current line-up of Chromebooks.

Specifically I’m thinking about the inclusion of an active stylus. Both the Surface Pro and the iPad Pro, as well as a select few other devices on the market, have first-party active styli. An active stylus makes note-taking or drawing a much smoother and seamless experience than the “old days” where your primary option was to use a rubber-tipped capacitive stylus. Active styli excel because they feature pressure sensitivity and, equally as important, palm rejection. These little features can be extremely important in emulating an experience that’s as close to note-taking or sketching on paper as closely as possible, and ultimately results in more accurate production. And while there are several third-party active styli on the market, the inclusion of the a first-party option (at least with the Surface Pro and iPad Pro) tend to work better, and take the guesswork out of trying to figure out which stylus works best with a particular gadget model. 

However, no Chromebooks on the market currently come with an active stylus, not even separately. But I suspect with the new addition of Android apps that this might change sometime in the near future. And honestly, I really hope that’s the case.

I’ve been hesitant on pulling the trigger on both the iPad Pro and the Surface Pro as well. Both are excellent options in their own rights, and it’s the option of either the Apple Pencil or Surface Pen that really draw me in. However, both options are quite expensive for somebody who just wants to sketch and maybe do some school work and writing here and there. Chromebook is probably the best bet when it comes to hoping for a device with an active stylus that won’t cost a fortune.

With Samsung having moved on to Windows tablet territory (and who could blame them? The Android tablet experience just isn’t all that great), the Android corner of the tablet market with a good active stylus is wide open – and although Chrome OS isn’t technically an “Android” tablet, the new update practically makes it so – and I think the new update to Chromebooks may just be the opportunity to fix the jaded view of the “Android tablet” experience. Something with the flexible 2-in-1 design of, say, the Asus Chromebook could easily benefit from the addition of an active stylus. Or perhaps if Google were to release something like the Pixel C with Chrome OS and an active stylus, which seems like an ideal solution as well.

Readers, what do you think? Are you waiting for a Chromebook with an active stylus, or would you prefer one of the other options already available? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!