Google has partnered with Back Market to release an inexpensive ChromeOS Flex installation dongle, although the initial supply has already sold out. More than six months after Windows 10 reached the end of support, many users continue to depend on it. Google is now expanding its push by introducing a $3 USB kit designed to simplify the setup process.
Through a partnership with refurbished hardware vendor Back Market, Google is extending ChromeOS Flex to a wider audience, including enterprise and institutional deployments. Google frames the platform as a practical route for repurposing aging laptops into secure, environmentally conscious devices with active support.
The newly announced ChromeOS Flex USB Kit is a physical flash drive priced at $3 or €3. It allows customers to install the web-based operating system on Windows or Mac hardware, replacing outdated software with a more modern environment. Google says the drive is intended as a simple, accessible tool to help counter planned obsolescence.
However, for now, the dongle is already out of stock on Back Market’s website.
ChromeOS Flex was launched several years ago to expand ChromeOS beyond standard Chromebook devices. Google provides a list of certified laptops that should perform well with the OS, but notes that installation on non-certified hardware may not always work.
Google notes that maintaining long-term software support is difficult and not unique to Microsoft. The company has extended update commitments to 10 years for Chromebooks and seven years for Pixel devices. Microsoft is also offering eligible Windows 10 users an additional year of security updates, which run through October 2026.
Despite its aging status, Windows 10 remains widely installed, with a growing segment of hardware failing Windows 11 requirements. Google is marketing ChromeOS Flex as a lightweight alternative suited to extending the life of these systems for browser-centric and low-intensity productivity use.
ChromeOS Flex is available either through a specialized dongle, including Back Market’s USB drive, or as a direct download from Google’s help center. Google notes that the OS doesn’t require additional hardware and can reduce the carbon footprint linked to upgrading devices.
Google notes that manufacturing a new laptop contributes heavily to its total environmental footprint, while ChromeOS Flex is intended for existing devices. The company adds that ChromeOS may reduce energy consumption by up to 19 percent compared with “comparable” operating systems. How directly this compares with Windows, Linux, or macOS is still uncertain.
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