Former Minister Nadiem Makarim: Chrome OS Cheaper Than Windows

Former Indonesian Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nadiem Makarim asserted that the operational costs of Chrome OS are significantly lower than those of Windows. He made this claim while presenting his defense, known as a 'duplik,' before the Jakarta Corruption Court on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.

Makarim detailed a comparison presented during a May 6, 2020 meeting, which he described as central to the alleged corruption case involving the digitalization of education. The comparison showed that Chrome OS does not incur software licensing fees, whereas Windows licenses range from $50 to $100 per laptop. Additionally, device management for Chrome OS costs $30 per laptop for its lifetime, compared to Windows' $200-$230 per laptop, which requires updates every three years.

Based on these figures, Makarim calculated that using Windows would make laptops at least $220 more expensive per unit, translating to over Rp 3 million per laptop. He stated that by opting for the free Chrome OS and more affordable device management, the ministry could save approximately Rp 3 million per laptop while maintaining equivalent functionality.

Makarim also addressed accusations that the selection of Chromebooks was intended to benefit Google at the state's expense. He argued that choosing Chrome OS was precisely to avoid potential state losses and maximize the number of devices acquired within the available budget. He questioned which scenario was truly supported by facts and evidence, emphasizing that only two options were presented, indicating a narrowed-down choice rather than a predetermined outcome favoring Google.

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Di paparan juga ditunjukkan bahwa device management untuk Chrome sebesar US$ 30 per laptop untuk seumur pemakaian, sedangkan device management untuk Windows berkisar US$ 200 hingga US$ 230 per laptop dan harus diperbarui setiap tiga tahun