on /r/chromeos there were quite a few "hurt" souls upset with you turning down chromebooks as a viable option. As someone who did uni with one, I have to agree with your analysis though.
Yeah I could do "most" stuff on the chromebook, but then when i got caught out, i had to spend time on workarounds. For the small price increase for a windows PC (sometimes if at all), it's just easier to get a windows machine.
I like my chromebook, but am realistic of it's limitations.
tbh, when a friend asks me for an entry level laptop advice, I jump on various local websites, - sort by price, screen size, remove certain brands, and bingo, im down to a few options.
Also, things might have changed, but i really don't like the "felt" keyboard on the surface series. I'm sure for every hater, there is someone who loves it, but my work surface just got filthy very quickly, and i didnt like the typing feel. The build quality though, i felt was fantastic.