The 400 nits of brightness help hugely with this. The panel works stunningly for movies and photos, as well as photo editing.
It’s in the same class as the 227 ppi 13-inch MacBook Pro and the 267 ppi Surface Pro 6. At 235 ppi with accurate color reproduction, the Pixelbook display rivals some of the best around, Chromebook or otherwise. The Pixelbook earns the ‘pixel’ when it comes to the 3:2 display. We also love the subtle, deeply satisfying clicking sound the keys make – it’s different from every laptop keyboard we’ve tested, and now we’re going to expect it everywhere. The backlit keyboard’s keys are well-spaced, and its 0.8mm travel is a delight with forceful feedback. Likewise, the Pixelbook keyboard is among the best we’ve ever used. However, we found that the trackpad doesn’t like us resting our thumb on it to click while tracking with our index finger – a common use case, but not this editor’s personal preference. On the upside, the glass trackpad is a pleasure to use as it tracks smoothly and precisely, both in single- and-multi-touch gestures. Fortunately, a 3.5mm audio jack is there to let you use the best headphones with the Pixelbook. This has become normal in thin and light notebooks: Google has crammed the speakers beneath the keyboard, and the result is tinny sound. The same can’t be said of the audio, however.
Which reminds us – the webcam is just as suitable for an increasingly video-centric future with a 720p resolution and 60 frames per second capture rate. Still, the Google Pixelbook is at least future proof. However, if you haven’t purchased a laptop in the last few years, you might have a hard time accepting the lack of ports. From the brushed aluminum frame with flush edges to the rubberized palm rest and underside, every design element has achieved style and substance in equal measure. It’s easy to say that this is the most stunning and remarkably designed computing device from Google yet.
But, the Pixelbook could also be seen as a sort of coming of age for Google’s design philosophy. The Google Pixelbook is the result of years of incredible work on Google’s part in refining a unified design across its hardware offerings.
The Pixelbook is to the Chromebook what Microsoft’s Surface was to the Windows 10 2-in-1 laptops that succeeded. However, the Google Pixelbook is a future-facing device. That said, they’re both beautiful Chromebooks in their own right, even if they offer significantly less memory and local storage.Īt the end of the day, these two Chromebooks are a better bargain for what the Chrome OS platform currently offers. On the upside, this processor produces low heat, which lets it take advantage of fanless chassis designs. However, they’re both noticeably less powerful as well, only fitted with the same 6th-generation Intel Core m3 processor. Both of these 2-in-1s are considerably more affordable, with Samsung and Asus currently selling for $599 (about £468, AU$869) and $469 (£366, about AU$680), respectively.
Now, let’s talk about how this holds up against 2017’s Samsung Chromebook Pro and the Asus Chromebook Flip, both of which were designed in close conjunction with Google to jumpstart the company’s Android app push on Chrome OS. That means they’ll either have to settle for the competition or import it from the US, in which case they might have to shell out more for shipping. Unfortunately, for our friends Down Under, this beauty hasn’t made in Australia.
All of these processor options are Intel’s low-power, low-heat Y series chips, which means all of the Pixelbook models are fanless. On the other hand, the top-end 512GB option comes packing a Core i7 processor with 16GB of memory. Starting at $999 or £999 and capping out at $1,649 or £1,699 – even without including the $99 (£99, about AU$130) Pixelbook Pen, though Google is generously throwing in a pen loop for those in need of a place to secure the pen.įor that premium price, however, you’re also getting 7th generation Kaby Lake Intel Core i5 processors on both the entry-level 128GB configuration and $1,199 (£1,199, about AU$1,555) mid-range 256GB configuration, each paired with 8GB of memory. There’s no denying it – the Google Pixelbook is an expensive Chromebook. Size: 11.4 x 8.7 x 0.4 inches (290.4 x 220.8 x 10.3mm W x D x H) Price and availability Here is the Google Pixelbook configuration sent to TechRadar for review:ĬPU: 1.2GHz Intel Core i5-7Y57 (dual-core, 4MB cache, up to 3.3GHz)