Android Tablet vs Chromebook

I have 2 Fire tablets, a Surface Pro and a PC. Not necessarily recommending any of those but there are differences in what I can do between the various toys. Some websites don't fully support mobile platforms. You can usually get to the site but might not be able to interact with it. The tablets are useful for checking email, short email responses, games, most internet activity, etc. The PC and Surface Pro give me more options. I can attach documents to email, edit them, edit photos, have more control over printing options, have a full keyboard, etc. The Surface Pro let's me work in both touch screen and keyboard. I normally use Chrome. If I go to a foreign website it will translate. On my Fire tablets I often can't get it in English unless the website itself offers it.

I'm not familiar with Chrome books but have owned a Samsung tablet (it died). No tablet would fulfil all my computer needs.

I know you said you don't want to change operating systems but would recommend for travel the 7" Fire tablet. Under $ 50 and frequently offered for less. It will take care of most travel needs, is small and cheap enough that it isn't a major deal of it gets stolen. Then something more substantial for home use.

I suggest you go to Chrome Unboxed, for your research on chromebooks. I've used a chromebook for years, it's my travel go-to device. I leave my Mac at home. https://chromeunboxed.com/

When my beloved Nexus died I replaced it with a Samsung Galaxy TabA that is, like yours, starting to do the glitchy thing and lose battery storage. I am squarely in Camp Android and have used Pixel phones since the first generation. My school district uses Chromebooks for students and staff, and I have been using mine a lot more now at home since we are using continuous learning with physical schools closed. It is lightning fast and very reliable, mine is 3 years old. I really like it.
The syncing across various features is my #1 plus.
However, the Pixel phone is so useful I often find myself using it at home now instead of the ever- slowing tablet, for everything except actual school work/writing or watching Netflix. On my last trip ( sigh) I barely used the tablet in a 3 week period, only for watching downloaded movies on the plane. I used the phone as my camera and photos instantly synced to my Google Photos, etc.
I really wouldn't have a use for the Chromebook, if I was retired ( sigh) and if (sigh) I was traveling a lot again. It's too big and heavy for travel, at least for me. Just like travel, it's such a personal preference. And travel used to guide all my decisions like this!
Anyway, the Chromebook is great, in my opinion, if that helps!

I'm still on my Samsung Tablet S2 and it's as fast and as capable as it was since the day I first used it which is more than I can say for my iPad. I use it daily and travel with it all the time. My wife has the newer version and has the keyboard/case attachment which makes writing easier.

If I was going to replace mine I would opt for the latest Samsung and most likely with a keyboard case. It does everything a Chromebook does but is lighter, more portable and with a better spec.

Thanks, I'm leaning towards the tablet. The larger one is not that much bigger than the mini but my old eyes will probably appreciate it more. And I'm hoping the official extra keyboard will work, and connect, better than my bluetooth foldable.

Since I'm using it in my travels, size and weight matter.

The Amazon Fire tablets won't work for me because they don't have bluetooth.

A chromebook is not a specific brand of or model of computer. It is any of multiple different brands of laptop computer that uses the chrome operating system. There are desktop computers that use Chrome operating system too. I type myself a supposed itinerary before I travel. A laptop computer is higher functioning or objectively better due to having a physical keyboard and typing software. Can the chromebook can handle something like microsoft word, word perfect, or open office?

If you are buying what will be your only computing device beside your phone, buy a chromebook.

If you already have a desktop computer, buy the android tablet.

I have a windows custom desktop computer I bought myself, and an Apple Ipad from November 2013 that I got as a gift. My phone is android. I didn’t know I needed a tablet computer before I got the ipad. I use it for e-books. I even bought 2 travel guidebooks early this year in electronic format. If the ipad dies I probably would buy an android tablet.

Frank II
Based upon your criteria I would pick the Chromebook.

It's integrated into Google drive, has a keyboard, syncs with your android phone, has easy access to Google docs/sheets, most can be folded back to act as a tablet, most are small in size, and it can run android apps (although some are clunky).
I use the following for comparison:
Windows 10 Surface pro - for all 3d modeling, drafting, and work-related stuff (architect).
Android tablet - for watching Netflix or other videos that's about it. It takes too long to type and runs slow.
Chromebook Acer R11 - for everything else, taxes, Facebook, google docs, blogging, google earth, and trip research. It boots quickly, has automatic free updates, and is easy to use. It will also give you an upgrade to your drive space for 2 years.
Just my 2 cents. I hope you find what is right for you!

It seems an Android tablet and keyboard can do just about anything a Chromebook will do.

I opted for a tablet for travel. The first and still working (but slowly) was a Nexus 7. Last summer I bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019). Used it for a month in Italy: Android 9, decent screen, GPS, expandable memory, good wifi capability, ear phone jack, bluetooth, excellent battery life, cheap, etc, etc. The on screen keyboard is adequate for my fat-fingering without too many back spaces. One neat feature is dedicated home screen and back buttons so no matter how weird things get, back to home is easy. The tablet fits my hands just fine which a 10" wouldn't. The tablet also fits nicely in my messenger style camera bag riding on my hip or in a leg pocket of my travel pants.. When next we travel to Europe, I expect to have a similar tablet with cellular ability to use Internet on the move without having to hot spot with my wife's phone.

I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, 8 inch tablet. It is a few years old, but is still very fast. I carry it with me everyday in a small shoulder bag along with my phone, wallet and keys. I can do work on it. The screen is much more easier to read than my Pixel 3a phone. I don't miss having a keyboard when I am mobile. I am quite fast with thumb-typing in portrait mode. I could actually use the google voice typing which is amazingly accurate, but prefer not speaking aloud. However, I have always found that my thinking and composition was the rate limiting step, not my typing speed.

One neat feature is dedicated home screen and back buttons so no matter how weird things get, back to home is easy.

This is also one of my favourite features. I've lost count of the number of times I've picked up the kids iPads and can't remember how to get back to the home screen or the previous screen! Absolute breeze with the Samsung.