Here's why Google's Chromebooks are so awesome (GOOG, GOOGL)

AP

Google's Chromebooks just hit a huge milestone. For the first time, they outsold Macs in the US, a sign that a lot of people are looking for cheap, capable computers.

And soon, they're getting a huge update that'll let them run Android apps.

Here's why Chromebooks are so great, and why you'll probably want to buy one soon.

They're cheap.

You can get a really great Chromebook for around $200, or about one-fifth the cost of a 13-inch MacBook Air. Don't let the price fool you though. Just because Chromebooks are cheap doesn't mean they're bad. All the major computer brands like HP, Asus, and Samsung make excellent Chromebooks.

However, Google's own Chromebook Pixel, which has a sharp touchscreen and beautiful design, costs over $1,000. It's nice, but you probably don't need to spend that much to get the full Chromebook experience.

They're versatile.

Chromebooks come in all shapes and sizes, so you can find the right form factor to fit your needs. For example, some models, like the Asus Chromebook Flip (pictured here), have touchscreens and can fold over into a "tablet mode."

You can also get Chromebooks with any screen size, ranging from 10-inchers to 15-inchers.

They're perfect if you use Google services.

If you use Google's services for email, chatting, calendar, cloud storage, or anything else, the Chromebook is a great computer for you.

The Chromebook's operating system is a modified version of the Chrome web browser, which means it uses Google apps for all the standard stuff you want to do. Just sign into your Google account once and you're good to go.