Google Pixelbook: the high performance Chromebook

Google Launches Pixelbook: 12.3” LCD, Kaby Lake, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, Assistant, Stylus new Google Pixelbook laptop, which will run on Google’s Chrome OS operating system.

The new Pixelbook is a convertible laptop-tablet hybrid with a foldable screen. It is incredibly light at only 1 kilogram, or 2.2 pounds. It’s also thin at 10mm. Design-wise, the back of the display features a glass inlay that’s similar to the Pixel 2 smartphones.

Its 12.3-inch display is quadHD, which translates to 1440p.

It’ll come with Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, it’ll support up to 16GB of RAM, and will come with up to 512GB of fast SSD storage. That should be plenty of power for a Chromebook, and Google claims the Pixelbook will start up in seconds.

Battery-wise, Google claims the Pixelbook will have a 10-hour battery life, and will feature fast charging via USB-C for two hours of regular use from just 15 minutes of charging.

Chromebooks are usually most productive when they’re connected to the internet, but finding a WiFi connection isn’t always possible. Google added a nifty feature that will automatically connect the Pixelbook to your Pixel phone so it can use your Pixel phone’s data connection when you’re out of reach of WiFi.

You’ll be able to use Google’s smart AI assistant, called Google Assistant, to use voice commands for certain tasks on the Pixelbook, like playing a YouTube video or playing a song. Google recognized that users may not always want to make commands out loud with their voice, so there’s a special key that lets you type your request. My initial impression of this particular feature is that you might as well just perform your task the way you normally would instead of typing it out, which seems more difficult.

 

The Pixelbook will also be compatible with Google’s new Pixelbook Pen. With the Pen, you’ll be able to use Google Assistant to pull up information about what you see on the screen. You’ll just have to use the Pen to circle an image or a word, and Google Assistant will show you relevant information.

Android apps available on your Android smartphone will also be supported on the Pixelbook, which makes the Chromebook a lot more useful, as it’ll have many more apps to choose from than the relatively fewer apps specifically designed for Chromebooks. Even Snapchat will be available to use with the Pixelbook. With all that said, developers will have to build support for the Pixelbooks larger laptop screen into their apps, so it could take some time before the app you want is optimized for the Pixelbook’s display.

The Pixelbook’s keyboard is backlight and features a soft-touch texture, and the mouse pad uses touch processing algorithms to improve accuracy over time, as well as palm detection.

Performance hardware and software

Pixelbook starts up in seconds, stays fast throughout the day, and won’t slow down over time. Chrome OS provides a more secure computing experience, with multiple layers of security and automatic updates. Pixelbook uses Intel® Core™ i5 and i7 processors and plenty of RAM to smoothly handle your multitasking needs.

With storage options up to 512 GB, you can store documents, movies, music and apps, and Google Drive will sync your most recent Google Docs, Sheets and Slides to your device, so you can keep working and watching even when you’re offline. Pixelbook’s battery lasts up to 10 hours and if you run low on juice, 15 minutes of charging gets you up to two hours. You can also use your Pixelbook charger with your Pixel phone, giving you one less thing to carry around.

Alongside Pixelbook we’re introducing the Google Pixelbook Pen, a smart, responsive stylus which gives you a natural and comfortable feel when you are sketching and writing. Pixelbook Pen uses machine learning for handwriting recognition, and we’ve reduced latency to just 10 milliseconds—so it feels as fast as writing with a pen on paper. It also has 60 degrees of angular awareness and 2,000 levels of pressure sensitivity, so it’s fast and responsive and naturally follows your hand movements.

Google Pixelbook
		Entry	Mid-Range	High-End
Display	Diagonal	12.3″
	Resolution	2400×1600
	Brightness	400 cd/m²
CPU		Core i5	Core i5	Core i7
Graphics		Intel, integrated
RAM		8 GB	8 GB	16 GB
Storage		128 GB SSD	256 GB SSD	512 GB NVMe SSD
Wi-Fi		802.11ac Wi-Fi module
Bluetooth		supported
USB		2 × USB Type-C (5 Gbps?) for data, charging, display output
Other I/O		720p webcam, TRRS connector for audio, speakers, microphone
Dimensions (H × W × D)		290.4 mm × 220.8 mm × 10.3 mm 11.4″ × 8.7″ × 0.84″
Weight		1.1 kilograms / 2.4 pounds
Battery Life		10 hours
Price		$999	$1249	$1649