16 ms·

Google Pixelbook – A High Performance Chromebook

221 points by vyrotek 9y ago

minivan 9y ago
Here's a youtube promo video for those of us in Europe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umhPrOo47-A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umhPrOo47-A The link in the post redirects to the Google store that only shows a Chromecast. Oh well.
- hexrcs 9y ago
  I'm curious why Google doesn't sell its Chromebooks in Europe? Is it because of some EU regulations or it's just Google that's not willing to expand its Chromebook territory here? I can definitely see the market here.
  - vesak 9y ago
    Perhaps some current or upcoming EU regulation (GDPR anyone?) will stop them from milking their users. Is it the whole Europe though, or just the smaller countries?
horsecaptin 9y ago
What sort of privacy guarantees come with a Google Device?
- dabockster 9y ago
  Absolutely none. Source: Ran a Nexus 5 for a few years and found out about Google Location History after I traded it in for an iPhone.
  - Twirrim 9y ago
    Oh, you mean just like the iPhone does too? http://www.iclarified.com/36198/how-to-view-the-location-history-of-your-iphone http://www.iclarified.com/36198/how-to-view-the-location-his... FWIW, you can disable location tracking on Android phones too.
    - millstone 9y ago
      Android phones send your location history to Google. iPhone location history stays on the phone. That's the key difference.
      - dabockster 9y ago
        This exactly. Android phones can't do a thing without connecting to some privacy-invading cloud service. And yeah, I've tried Replikant. Nice proof of concept, but not usable.
        Sir_Cmpwn 9y ago
        Try LineageOS without GApps. More usable, but contains driver blobs.
      - cryptoz 9y ago
        > iPhone location history stays on the phone. Not if you take photos and use iCloud.
        dymk 9y ago
        There is a clear difference between using iCloud (which is opt-in) with geotagged photos (which you can disable from on-phone settings), and your phone sending your location to Google at regular intervals.
        cryptoz 9y ago
        Yes for sure. Defaults matter and I agree that Google and Apple do things differently here. However, the phrase "iPhone location history stays on the phone" is false for nearly every iPhone user (100% of iPhone users I know).
        kllrnohj 9y ago
        Location history is opt-in as well although the assistant will push you to turn it on during setup.
  - colemickens 9y ago
    You mean the feature clearly listed on their privacy dashboard that can be disabled and have it's history wiped with two clicks? That you opt'd into when activating the Android phone and turning on Google Now?
  - Mikeb85 9y ago
    That's a feature. Helps me find my car in parking lots, tells me what traffic is like on my commute, helps me retrace my steps after a heavy night of drinking...
- mtgx 9y ago
  That's like asking if there's cold beer in Hell. (spoiler: there isn't any)
  - Filligree 9y ago
    Even for the devil?
- AmIFirstToThink 9y ago
  It's guaranteed that you would be tracked.
dabockster 9y ago
> High Performance > Chromebook Pick one, not both.
- Scirra_Tom 9y ago
  What aspect of it is not high performance?
  - dabockster 9y ago
    The fact that it's hard to install a non-Google OS on it without having dev mode warn you on every boot.
dchuk 9y ago
Interesting that there is no reference to targeting developers/coding at all for this device. Seems targeted at creatives with the Pen and Lightroom/etc on it. Other than that, none of the example apps it can support seem to me to really require "high performance" at all. Which is too bad, because it's a pretty device. Just seems like it's in a weird uncanny valley where it's probably way too much horsepower for most of those apps (documents, instagram, etc) and way too inflexible for true high performance stuff (coding, 3d modeling, video/photoshop stuff, etc) because you can't install anything.
- Zee2 9y ago
  I really agree with the "uncanny valley" judgement. I would absolutely love to ditch my Windows 10 laptop for a smooth, efficient, and secure ChromeOS device. However, it simply doesn't have the software support, unfortunately. What I see a lot of "power users" doing is simply using their Chromebook to remote into their desktop for their application work. However, what then is the point of putting such powerful hardware in the Chromebook? Either you make a "thin" portable client that is used to remote into your "real" PC, or you make a powerful portable device that is self sufficient. An overwhelmingly powerful device that can only be used to remote into another system to do the "real" work is simply a waste.
  - __MatrixMan__ 9y ago
    Most of the time if I'm using a chromebook for anything other than web browsing, it's in a chroot environment--so I have all of the same functionality as my desktop at home. Then again, my workflows are pretty all light weight, so I probably wouldn't notice the extra horsepower anyway.
  - cauthon 9y ago
    > What I see a lot of "power users" doing is simply using their Chromebook to remote into their desktop for their application work. Naive question - how would one set up a desktop at home to make it securely remotely accessible?
    - 9y ago
pibefision 9y ago
In 6 months it could be obsolete, like any other Nexus phones.
- dabockster 9y ago
  With absolutely no replacement parts available (even officially). So good luck trying to run it longer than a year before it starts falling apart.
  - robert_foss 9y ago
    You've got a good FUD posting streak in here.
    - dabockster 9y ago
      So explain for everyone here why I couldn't find a battery for my Nexus phone through official channels after only a year. That kind of support drop off is embarrassing.
- robert_foss 9y ago
  Sorry, but obsolete how?
- cowmoo728 9y ago
  I put galliumos (ubuntu with some tweaks for the hardware) on the last google chromebook pixel i5 and I've been using it since release. It's solid hardware, just like this one. However, I don't think I would get another since the keyboard not having proper function keys gets pretty annoying.
  - Filligree 9y ago
    You can change make them act like function keys by default, if you want. I don't think I'd want a laptop with two rows.
malkia 9y ago
Will it run crouton? That's all I need :) (oh, and proper "xorg", because "xiwi" is not as fast).
- malkia 9y ago
  e.g. I'm using Acer 4GB RAM, 32GB SSD (actually 22-23GB useable) running CLion, bazel, clang, etc. It's great, but it just needs a bit notch up. For personal needs just switch to normal ChromeOS for netflix, etc. Having android apps on it is also good feature (like I'm able to play Heroes Of Might and Magic III on it).
- VikingCoder 9y ago
  I prefer GalliumOS.
  - malkia 9y ago
    Thanks for that - it could be an even better choice!
    - VikingCoder 9y ago
      The subreddit for it is quite nice: https://www.reddit.com/r/GalliumOS/ https://www.reddit.com/r/GalliumOS/
Jerry2 9y ago
>Pixelbook They now have the same branding as Apple's Macbook.
- mtgx 9y ago
  Not quite. The Pixelbook doesn't run Pixel OS. If anything, the original "Chromebook" name was more like Apple's Macbook.
- xigency 9y ago
  This seems like a successor to the Google Pixel [1] whose name was eclipsed by the Google Pixel smartphone. [1] See here: https://www.amazon.com/Google-Chromebook-Laptop-Screen-Processor/dp/B00CK2AAWY https://www.amazon.com/Google-Chromebook-Laptop-Screen-Proce...
- gxs 9y ago
  It's uncanny how Google's decided that it can't beat apple, so it's joining it. At least in terms of product and marketing. If only they'd do the same for privacy.
zitterbewegung 9y ago
I'm not sure why Google tries to make a really expensive version of their Chromebooks . If this came out before the new iPad Pro's and Surface laptops it might be compelling to buy. But, if I want a walled garden experience I would choose an iPad Pro. And if I want a real keyboard with a stylus there is the Surface Book and many others. It is even competing with the lower end Chromebooks due to the price. It would be a great laptop for someone that likes Linux but then you are probably going to overwrite ChromeOS with whatever you want. EDIT: Meant to say Surface laptop not surface book.
- dabockster 9y ago
  > I'm not sure why Google tries to make a really expensive version of their Chromebooks. I'm guessing they're going after the "idiot boss" market who will eat this up if given the chance.
  - PaulHoule 9y ago
    Also media attention. Places like toms hardware seem to drool over 'flagship' phones such as the Fire Phone, Essential Phone, etc. Google Home and Nest devices are also over expensive and over designed. I mean, Johnson Controls has been making smart thermostats for 30 years! The trouble with that strategy is there is just one company that seems to profit from expensive and overdesigned hardware and we know who that is.
    - dabockster 9y ago
      > there is just one company that seems to profit from expensive and overdesigned hardware and we know who that is Lockheed Martin with the F-35 project? Because it's so hot that it takes my breath away.
  - geofft 9y ago
    Can you explain what you mean? I am trying to extract any meaning out of your comment and failing. Why would an idiot boss (as compared to a ... non-idiot boss? non-boss idiot?) specifically want an expensive Chromebook?
millstone 9y ago
What's the actual chip used - HQ, U, or Y series? Odd they call it "high performance" but don't publish even the clock speed.
- fgblanch 9y ago
  Wired says it is Y series: http://www.wired.co.uk/article/google-pixelbook-release-date-uk-price-specs-pre-order http://www.wired.co.uk/article/google-pixelbook-release-date... So according to the intel website it should be this one: https://ark.intel.com/products/95441/Intel-Core-i7-7Y75-Processor-4M-Cache-up-to-3_60-GHz https://ark.intel.com/products/95441/Intel-Core-i7-7Y75-Proc...
  - bryanlarsen 9y ago
    And it's fanless, so more likely to throttle. They're calling it "high performance" but that might be a bit of a stretch, at 4.5W the latest iPads will probably run rings around it.
vyrotek 9y ago
Who is the target audience for a $1k Pixelbook? How much friction will there be to try and use it as a dev laptop? I'm in the market but at the moment I'm more attracted to something like the SurfaceBook for something I can dev on, have a pen, and watch stuff in tablet mode.
- Filligree 9y ago
  Well, there's Termux, but I don't think this is any good for developing on yet. Maybe once Android Studio is ported?
Radial3D 9y ago
My initial observations: * 12.4" 2400x1600 (235 ppi) is great * Battery life looks good at "up to 10 hours" * 4 Mics for noise cancelling is interesting * $99 for the pressure sensitive Pixelbook Pen seems steep * Core i5 options ship in 3-4 weeks * Core i7/16GB/512 SSD option puts you on a waitlist * Fully spec'd out: i7, Pen, and Preferred Care is $1997 * Why only two USB-C ports?!
- cuu508 9y ago
  My initial observations: * bezel
  - notatoad 9y ago
    it's a convertible tablet. they all have huge bezels, because that's where you put your thumbs.
    - stupidcar 9y ago
      How big are these thumbs supposed to be? Because the screen on this thing looks like a postage stamp in the middle of a football field.
      - notatoad 9y ago
        This guys thumbs don't look freakishly large to me, and they can only partially grip the side bezel: https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9379055/jbareham_170921_2006_0384.jpg https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9379055/jb...
- ant6n 9y ago
  "1) Up to 10 hours of use. Battery performance is based on a mix of standby, web browsing and other use. Actual results may vary." On standby, the laptop isn't "life".
math0ne 9y ago
The thing this doesn't explain is what you need the performance for on a chomebook....
duxup 9y ago
As a fan of my Chromebook Plus ... I'm kinda lost on what more you do at that price / performance other than being able to multitask a few more apps and tabs. It's not like there is much in the way of high performance demanding applications on ChromeOS.
- alkonaut 9y ago
  Either these apps are already predicted to arrive or google will make sure they do. I can't see why Google would want people to do computing on their own machines though. This looks a lot like an attempt to grab some would be MacBook buyers that are unhappy with the latest models.
  - colecut 9y ago
    "Either these apps are already predicted to arrive or google will make sure they do." This argument could have been made when they released the 2013 Chromebook Pixel for $1,300, yet here we are.
  - JCzynski 9y ago
    >I can't see why Google would want people to do computing on their own machines though. https://www.cnet.com/forums/discussions/unable-to-set-default-browser-in-windows-10-except-edge/ https://www.cnet.com/forums/discussions/unable-to-set-defaul...
napa15 9y ago
I dont know why anyone would buy this unless the pen drawing experience is a lot better than on the Surface Pro and Ipad Pro and you're primarily an artist. The Surface Pro has a real OS with Windows on it, I'm sure somebody will hack the Pixelbook to allow Linux but it will probably have a bunch of stuff removed and unsupported then. It makes zero sense to buy this locked down device for 1k as far as I'm concerned.
- craftyguy 9y ago
  Well, for one, it doesn't run windows.
  - 201709User 9y ago
    We are trying to list features, not defects.
    - zeta0134 9y ago
      Speak for yourself. A lot of members in this community, myself included, find being locked to a Windows workstation for any task to be a misfeature and a defect. Option are good! I'm not sure if the Pixel is a particularly attractive option, but I'll welcome any new competition that can help dissolve the Microsoft lock-in problem.
      - NiveaGeForce 9y ago
        > that can help dissolve the Microsoft lock-in problem. So that you can have a Google lock-in problem.
    - craftyguy 9y ago
      I support having options and not being forced into using only products that run a shitty operating system.
      - zeveb 9y ago
usaphp 9y ago
This landing page is incredibly laggy on my mid 2015 Retina MBPRO, scrolling is super annoying.
- roselan 9y ago
  Out of the US the landing page redirects you to the chromecast one.
fgblanch 9y ago
As a Chromebook user for almost a year now (since December 2016, using a pixel 2 LS) I can't be more excited about a computer like this. My only regret on my current computer has been not been able to use containers properly (i used rkt and not docker) because of kernel restrictions but now this should be solved with ChromeOS kvm support. Imagine the performance of being able to run Android apps thought for much less powerful processors(Mediatek ARMs) in an i7 chip. While on the Mac you are using chromified version of the webapps (electron) which eat all the RAM. Also a lot of android apps are very innovative versions of desktop computer ones ( for example adobe ideas, now Illustrator) That you are not able to run on a Mac. The filesystem perfectly integrated with the cloud is another advantage. In addition, Chrome OS is as simplified as a phone, which removes much of the legacy complexity in current OS. And in case you are missing anything, the project crouton allows you to run a fully functional linux system. (Now probably even better thanks to the KVM+ wayland integration support https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromiumos/platform/crosvm/+/837b59f2d97b005ef84ac36efa97530c1bbf2a79/README.md https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromiumos/platform/crosvm...) I total win for me
- Kudos 9y ago
  > My only regret on my current computer has been not been able to use containers properly (i used rkt and not docker) because of kernel restrictions but now this should be solved with ChromeOS kvm support. If it does end up resolved, I'll definitely pick one of these up.
- Sodman 9y ago
  As a Pixel 2 LS owner, crouton user and fan of ChromeOS: I'm not as hyped about this laptop as I thought I'd be... The high end model costs more than the LS did, but still sports 16GB Ram, and a slightly newer i7 processor. The SSD upgrade to 512 is awesome (the 64 on the LS can be a struggle), but you lose a bunch of battery life too. The pen doesn't do much for me, neither does the google assistant button. Although the tablet mode is a nice option, I just don't see it being worth the upgrade. Most importantly, they killed the light-bar. Those monsters.
  - fgblanch 9y ago
chrissnell 9y ago
What's the experience like for Linux-on-Chromebook these days? Can I expect hardware support that's equal of what I get with a Lenovo T470s?
- bbunix 9y ago
  GalliumOS is beautiful, period... great hardware support
- kllrnohj 9y ago
  I think you'd probably just use crouton instead in which case you'll get flawless hardware support since it's using Chrome OS's kernel & drivers.
- Nightshaxx 9y ago
  It's pretty great (I don't have one, but I have heard universal positivity for it) That said, you loose a lot of the security features that come with a Chromebook when you enable Dev mode.
  - beagle3 9y ago
    Does it still take one wrong key press at the wrong time during boot to delete all local files when in dev mode?
jamespo 9y ago
"Proper" crouton, not getting beeped at, waiting for boot delay & sacrificing security etc would be the only way this could be compelling.
- Finch2193 9y ago
  what are the drawbacks of the current crouton implementation making giving you pause?
  - jamespo 9y ago
    What I list really, having to put the laptop into dev mode. My mrs accidentally wiped crouton by following the prompts to take it out.
bubblethink 9y ago
I hate this trend of dumbing down product specifications. I don't know who started it (probably Apple?), but everyone does it now. Like what fucking i5 or i7 processor ? Is the storage soldered even for the nvme option ? It doesn't help that Intel keeps playing tricks with their naming either. i7 used to be quad core, then it became dual core for thin laptops. Now they are back to low freq quad core in some SKUs. For a $1k-$2k device which is supposed to be the pinnacle of science with billions of transistors, they spend all of the 20 minutes they have on stage showing puppy and kid pictures.
- Romanulus 9y ago
  ... but... four mics!
- rimliu 9y ago
  What do you think majority of the users will do with those $1k-$2k devices—desoldering storage or looking at the pictures of cats and kids? The CPU or RAM specs alone don't tell much how well the device will perform.
  - uniformlyrandom 9y ago
    But who are the majority of users here? If all the developers betrayed by latest Apple's MBP lineup migrate to a new platform, suddenly 'majority' starts to care about number of cores and upgradable memory. But that is not likely to happen, given the dumbed-down specs and OS.
    - rimliu 9y ago
      Last I heard new MBS were doing just fine. Do not confuse very local minority with all. And "betrayed"? Apple did not promise anything to anybody.
    - BinaryIdiot 9y ago
      Didn't the latest MBP line have the best sales in MBP history? I get many people were upset by some of the changes (including myself) but that doesn't mean people are migrating in mass. Also, a chromebook? No developers are migrating to a chromebook. This is targeting the normal user who wants a nice laptop to do normal web surfing and text work.
mtgx 9y ago
What I'd like to know is if the support for this is still 5 years (I believe that's what's promised for Chromebooks), or more, and also if Google ends to use Ryzen APUs in the future, too. Google with its architecture-agnostic OS has zero reasons to maintain Intel's monopoly for yet another platform.
RcouF1uZ4gsC 9y ago
I think a major issue is what happens if Google locks your account for some reason. There have been instances in the past where Google has locked the account of a user for some TOS violations. http://m.gadgets.ndtv.com/mobiles/news/google-pixel-resellers-see-their-google-accounts-locked-for-violating-terms-of-service-1626948 http://m.gadgets.ndtv.com/mobiles/news/google-pixel-reseller... http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/aug/1/jordan-b-petersons-youtube-account-locked-during-b/ http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/aug/1/jordan-b-peters... http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-08-21/one-statistics-professor-was-just-banned-google-here-his-story http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-08-21/one-statistics-prof... Given that Google has a propensity to lock you out of your account completely if they suspect you violating TOS on any of their services, I would be very wary of this device. Do you want this computer and anything you created with it inaccessible because Google didn't like a video or blog post you made?
- shams93 9y ago
  That's a good point it's also a risk if you use googles phone service although I haven't run into problems if I did I could only communicate via my thinkpad Linux system, Ubuntu won't lock you out of your machine they don't control your login.
- Scirra_Tom 9y ago
  Is picking a few cases then concluding it's Google's propensity perhaps a bit hyperbolic?
  - raesene9 9y ago
    I think it's worth illustrating the concept. A device that's heavily reliant on a cloud service (in this case Google's) means you have to worry about the risk of being locked out of that account especially if getting access after that lockout is difficult. These devices are very different to traditional computing devices (e.g. Windows/Linux PCs) which mostly store content locally as there lockout from a single cloud is unlikely to be catastropic. As the major consumer OS makers (Apple/Google/Microsoft) go more in the direction of an integrated experience where cloud storage is key, how they handle possible ToS violation and account lockout/closure will become increasingly important.
fictionfuture 9y ago
Are you guys crazy? This is a great computer, in case you didn't notice it's a tablet AND a laptop AND it runs Android. As a long time Apple guy and mobile web dev, I can tell you this has several development advantages. I'm sure it will let you use Chrome development tethering to test and debug on Android devices. I'm also a big fan of the Android ecosystem as it isn't a walled garden, a clear advantage for developers.
- michel-slm 9y ago
  I'm tempted by this (had the previous 2015 Chromebook Pixel, ran great except storage is limited, which this version fixed, and the battery is now dying). I've just splurged on some hardware this year though, but keeping an eye for this and hope that with Google's Pixel strategy they're now serious about hardware (yearly refresh etc.).
superbaconman 9y ago
What's with the third button on the lower left? Is it somehow hooked up with google assistant? Why not just integrate that with tab? I really liked having only ctrl and alt down there.
aknosis 9y ago
How much cheaper does this need to be to capture any market share from a traditional laptop user? I think I would bite at $500.
- Filligree 9y ago
  It's basically an up-specced Asus C302CA, as far as I can tell. Those also come in $500 versions, that's the one with the m3 CPU. I don't think you'd lose much; still has the Android apps and such.
- amalag 9y ago
  Who needs a $1000 12" laptop? I can't understand why they don't go for bigger screens.
hnnsj 9y ago
Forgive my ignorance, but when I was introduced to the Chromebook concept a few years ago, it was basically supposed to be a cheaper "thin" (not physically necessarily but spec-wise) computer mostly running web apps. Now they're instead high-end laptops. Are they no longer about running mostly web apps, or what? What changed in the last couple of years? Why is this hardware needed? I don't get it.
- Filligree 9y ago
  Now they run Android apps as well. Also, the web changed; there are webapps that require gigabytes of memory out there, such as Gmail. All respect to Google, I use a Chromebook for offline writing and general browsing and it's wonderful, but I agree that I'm not seeing the use-case for this one yet. Maybe they'll port Android Studio to it? That might be pretty nice.
- terminalcommand 9y ago
  Nowadays browsers use relatively a lot of resources. I don't know how ChromeOS handles tabs, but I imagine running everything in a browser takes a toll on performance. I remember the agony I experienced when I needed to use Word365 online for a project. The javascript implementation was so slow and resource heavy that I was almost going to go crazy. Google Docs on the other hand worked fine most of the time. But none of them could replace a native MS Office or Libreoffice. Maybe with webassembly things are going to get different, but adding abstraction layers come at a cost. Also these machines need to run videos and process pictures and maybe movies. With those requirements performance doesn't hurt.
colemickens 9y ago
I'm disappointed that the 16GB models aren't ready and that they didn't announce (or open up any additional documentation) about crosvm or Project Termina. They didn't even highlight that this is the first Chromebook to have a non-Chromebook keyboard... The keyboard looks aimed directly at developers. I really hope the Chromium wiki releases some new documentation soon. (If anyone has gleaned more details about Termina from Chromium git logs or has other speculation, I'd love to know /read more about it. Thanks)
- fgblanch 9y ago
  Agree, on everything. It would be great to have more technical details on the new version.
- pa7ch 9y ago
  I've been trying to track the termina project (along with the KVM and vm_launcher bits). From what I can glean: termina is a minimal flavor chromeOS designed to be run with the vm_launcher that will support OCI based containers. I have no idea how the UI will look around it or be exposed. The virtio wayland stuff requires support from the guest VM and termina has it. Tatl and tael are just the x64 and arm flavors of termina. So as a developer you could easily spin up your own VM (I guess without a GUI) to mess around with, but use a single instance of termina to launch a bunch of container based linux apps for yourself so you don't run out of ram launching tons of vms. This is a bit of speculation on my part mostly from picking through docs and commits messages. I'm not sure how it will all come together. I'd be completely sold on a NVMe pixelbook once I see some announcements or commitment to something like this for developers.
  - fgblanch 9y ago
    Maybe Project Termina is what they use at Google CLoud? https://cloud.google.com/container-optimized-os/docs/ https://cloud.google.com/container-optimized-os/docs/
koiz 9y ago
When will google learn. I don't want a search button in place of caps lock. idiots.
- Filligree 9y ago
  Um, there's a config option for that. You can set it to be Ctrl instead. Like God intended. Or you can turn it into escape, if you're that sort of person. Or... I suppose you could make it lock...
  - koiz 9y ago
    Never existed on the nexus 9, pixel c or 2015 pixel chrome book. Not every 'chromebook' is the same.
    - Filligree 9y ago
      The first two you named are Android tablets, not Chromebooks. The last one, I'm not sure. Perhaps it didn't at the time?
      - koiz 9y ago
        The first two started the trend of the search button. The last one did not have the option and other chrome books that share this search key are hit and miss. Just another reason to stay away from Chrome OS features disappear/appear on a whim or never exist at all.
d3ckard 9y ago
I don't really see what is the point - no new use cases, so why the power? Does Google do it only to have a premium product in the portfolio, or are they trying to access new market segment? And if it's supposed to be more universal/pro machine, why only 2 usb ports? Connectivity is the key.
bhouston 9y ago
Is there is a docking station that allows me to drive 4K monitor(s) from it? THat would be amazing.
plg 9y ago
can you use it without an internet connection? e.g. on a plane without wifi?
- Filligree 9y ago
  Sure. Some web apps will even work, though Android apps are a fair bit more reliable. Otherwise it works as well as any browser under those conditions.
vesak 9y ago
Do they lock out also paying customers, i.e. those with a gsuite account?
nikolaj 9y ago
I bought an ASUS c302 Chromebook for $500 earlier this year, and somehow this doesn't seem that different. More CPU/RAM (does this matter on a chromebook), and maybe a pen. The c302 has a pretty high res display, does the flip thing and is a touch screen, runs all day, and boots in a couple seconds. The case feels a bit flimsy, but withstood the rigors of my 6yo twins wrestling over it on a road trip to play the next netflix show... ..which btw is a great consumer feature. Being able to run Android Netflix on a laptop and download shows in offline mode.
- Filligree 9y ago
  I really suspect they partnered with Asus for this one, yeah. Which should be a good thing. I love my C302CA.
z3t4 9y ago
Web apps!
baybal2 9y ago
41 Whr battery That is so so, my atom based vivobook has 60 just to last real world 10h of intensive use
planetjones 9y ago
I have no faith left in google as a provider of products. Switzerland is their European hub apparently but they never bothered selling the pixel phone here. Same with the link above. It’s region specific and there’s no mention of the pixelbook. Google obviously feel a country where over 1000s of their employees work is not a priority. Hence why I stick to apple products.
Touche 9y ago
What's interesting to me about this marketing page is how little ChromeOS is mentioned. I'm probably reading too much into it, but could it mean the long-predicted pivot towards Android being the OS? Or is it an attempt to remove focus from the operating system (because it's the web, after all)?
oldgun 9y ago
Feels like really decent hardware to run Linux on.
bischofs 9y ago
There is a lot of comments in here confused with chromeOS and all the justification for an expensive machine that doesnt really run that much software. I agree with most of the sentiment and I think they should just keep the nice UI but switch to a debian distro so that devs and some creatives could use all the linux software if they know how to install it. I would use the crap out of a google UI debian distro.
Wheaties466 9y ago
Is anyone else excited to see how this will run on Linux?
hysan 9y ago
For a high end products, one of the things I will splurge on is warranty since I tend to keep bigger purchases on a much longer update cycle. Considering Google's reputation for poor customer service, I took at look through their "Preferred Care" addition to see what it actually does.[1] The terms seem pretty comparable but one thing stood out: * We'll protect your laptop for two years ... through our service provider, Assurant. Now this scares me as: 1. The number of complaints against Assurant that I've heard from Project Fi compatible phone owners is a big red flag. (I'm a Fi user so I frequent those circles.) 2. Separating repair and customer support is bound to lead to communication issues. 3. 3rd parties are not going to go above and beyond with making you feel like a valued customer. There is nothing in it for them after all. For this reason alone, I would not buy a Pixelbook. [1] https://store.google.com/magazine/preferred_care#4b4ba03b5f5cc2f3 https://store.google.com/magazine/preferred_care#4b4ba03b5f5...
methodin 9y ago
My crappy Chromebook is honestly the most pleasant out of all the laptops I have ever used. I would like to be able to load software on it but that's it's only shortcoming. ChromeOS is actually the best overall experience for me - especially since I do most of my work via SSH and vim. Not sure this solves much for me unless dev-mode linux is first-class, then it might be worth looking at.
jrs95 9y ago
Goddammit, all I want is 32GB of RAM in something like this. If Intel isn't going to get around to doing LPDDR4 anytime soon, AMD should.
leephillips 9y ago
The point of these things is to install real Linux on them. The hardware is excellent and they make great laptops for doing real work. Here are some notes about installing Xubuntu on the 2013 model. I hope some of this transfers to newer models: https://lee-phillips.org/pxsetup/ https://lee-phillips.org/pxsetup/
hughes 9y ago
Is there a supported way to run non-android games (esp. my steam library) on a chromebook yet? I want to want this chromebook, but I also want to be able to play games from my library while travelling. Even just games with linux support would be great.
fludlight 9y ago
The base model is Core i5/8gb ram/128gb ssd. That's the same specs that I got on my MacBook Air in 2013 for ~$1300. Four years and the only improvement is a slight drop in the price and nvme. Btw, 128gb is woefully inadequate of this thing is going to sync pictures and video from your phone.
ElijahLynn 9y ago
I like this hardware, especially the built in assistant and convertible mode with pen but 2 things I would like improved: 1) No mobile radio for Project Fi data-only SIM 2) 720p camera (like that it is 60fps though), really wish it would be at least 1080p
lostmsu 9y ago
Does every single new product from <insert company name> deserve its place here? There's nothing in this laptop out of the ordinary.
qbaqbaqba 9y ago
"We aren’t in your country yet" Oh well then.
thinkythought 9y ago
Any updates on ever getting these serviced ever? last i checked google wouldn't even repair screens or other issues on the pixel 1/2 Also... Why is the pixel 2 still $700 on ebay now that this is out? I kinda want one, but not for more then $400. The inflated value of these years out is worse than macbook pros which is... amazing
plg 9y ago
whatever happened to the Chrombooks with cellular data built-in, and no—limit data plans worldwide (or was it US-wide?) for a nominal fee? I feel like if they brought that back it would sell like hotcakes.
alexozer 9y ago
I'd consider replacing my Linux MacBook Pro with it if only its screen was larger than 12 inches.
purplezooey 9y ago
No IPS screen??
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
amalag 9y ago
$1000 for a laptop with a 12" screen. But its ultra thin!
hobarrera 9y ago
Link in op is "unavailable in my country". Anyone have a non region-locked reference to this?
aug-riedinger 9y ago
Shall be a nice linux-ready laptop then!

221 points by vyrotek 9y ago

Here's a youtube promo video for those of us in Europe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umhPrOo47-A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umhPrOo47-A The link in the post redirects to the Google store that only shows a Chromecast. Oh well.

hexrcs 9y ago
I'm curious why Google doesn't sell its Chromebooks in Europe? Is it because of some EU regulations or it's just Google that's not willing to expand its Chromebook territory here? I can definitely see the market here.
- vesak 9y ago
  Perhaps some current or upcoming EU regulation (GDPR anyone?) will stop them from milking their users. Is it the whole Europe though, or just the smaller countries?

horsecaptin 9y ago

What sort of privacy guarantees come with a Google Device?

dabockster 9y ago
Absolutely none. Source: Ran a Nexus 5 for a few years and found out about Google Location History after I traded it in for an iPhone.
- Twirrim 9y ago
  Oh, you mean just like the iPhone does too? http://www.iclarified.com/36198/how-to-view-the-location-history-of-your-iphone http://www.iclarified.com/36198/how-to-view-the-location-his... FWIW, you can disable location tracking on Android phones too.
  - millstone 9y ago
    Android phones send your location history to Google. iPhone location history stays on the phone. That's the key difference.
    - dabockster 9y ago
      This exactly. Android phones can't do a thing without connecting to some privacy-invading cloud service. And yeah, I've tried Replikant. Nice proof of concept, but not usable.
      - Sir_Cmpwn 9y ago
        Try LineageOS without GApps. More usable, but contains driver blobs.
    - cryptoz 9y ago
      > iPhone location history stays on the phone. Not if you take photos and use iCloud.
      - dymk 9y ago
        There is a clear difference between using iCloud (which is opt-in) with geotagged photos (which you can disable from on-phone settings), and your phone sending your location to Google at regular intervals.
        cryptoz 9y ago
        Yes for sure. Defaults matter and I agree that Google and Apple do things differently here. However, the phrase "iPhone location history stays on the phone" is false for nearly every iPhone user (100% of iPhone users I know).
        kllrnohj 9y ago
        Location history is opt-in as well although the assistant will push you to turn it on during setup.
- colemickens 9y ago
  You mean the feature clearly listed on their privacy dashboard that can be disabled and have it's history wiped with two clicks? That you opt'd into when activating the Android phone and turning on Google Now?
- Mikeb85 9y ago
  That's a feature. Helps me find my car in parking lots, tells me what traffic is like on my commute, helps me retrace my steps after a heavy night of drinking...
mtgx 9y ago
That's like asking if there's cold beer in Hell. (spoiler: there isn't any)
- Filligree 9y ago
  Even for the devil?
AmIFirstToThink 9y ago
It's guaranteed that you would be tracked.

dabockster 9y ago

> High Performance > Chromebook Pick one, not both.

Scirra_Tom 9y ago
What aspect of it is not high performance?
- dabockster 9y ago
  The fact that it's hard to install a non-Google OS on it without having dev mode warn you on every boot.

dchuk 9y ago

Interesting that there is no reference to targeting developers/coding at all for this device. Seems targeted at creatives with the Pen and Lightroom/etc on it. Other than that, none of the example apps it can support seem to me to really require "high performance" at all. Which is too bad, because it's a pretty device. Just seems like it's in a weird uncanny valley where it's probably way too much horsepower for most of those apps (documents, instagram, etc) and way too inflexible for true high performance stuff (coding, 3d modeling, video/photoshop stuff, etc) because you can't install anything.

Zee2 9y ago
I really agree with the "uncanny valley" judgement. I would absolutely love to ditch my Windows 10 laptop for a smooth, efficient, and secure ChromeOS device. However, it simply doesn't have the software support, unfortunately. What I see a lot of "power users" doing is simply using their Chromebook to remote into their desktop for their application work. However, what then is the point of putting such powerful hardware in the Chromebook? Either you make a "thin" portable client that is used to remote into your "real" PC, or you make a powerful portable device that is self sufficient. An overwhelmingly powerful device that can only be used to remote into another system to do the "real" work is simply a waste.
- __MatrixMan__ 9y ago
  Most of the time if I'm using a chromebook for anything other than web browsing, it's in a chroot environment--so I have all of the same functionality as my desktop at home. Then again, my workflows are pretty all light weight, so I probably wouldn't notice the extra horsepower anyway.
- cauthon 9y ago
  > What I see a lot of "power users" doing is simply using their Chromebook to remote into their desktop for their application work. Naive question - how would one set up a desktop at home to make it securely remotely accessible?
  - 9y ago

pibefision 9y ago

In 6 months it could be obsolete, like any other Nexus phones.

dabockster 9y ago
With absolutely no replacement parts available (even officially). So good luck trying to run it longer than a year before it starts falling apart.
- robert_foss 9y ago
  You've got a good FUD posting streak in here.
  - dabockster 9y ago
    So explain for everyone here why I couldn't find a battery for my Nexus phone through official channels after only a year. That kind of support drop off is embarrassing.
robert_foss 9y ago
Sorry, but obsolete how?
cowmoo728 9y ago
I put galliumos (ubuntu with some tweaks for the hardware) on the last google chromebook pixel i5 and I've been using it since release. It's solid hardware, just like this one. However, I don't think I would get another since the keyboard not having proper function keys gets pretty annoying.
- Filligree 9y ago
  You can change make them act like function keys by default, if you want. I don't think I'd want a laptop with two rows.

malkia 9y ago

Will it run crouton? That's all I need :) (oh, and proper "xorg", because "xiwi" is not as fast).

malkia 9y ago
e.g. I'm using Acer 4GB RAM, 32GB SSD (actually 22-23GB useable) running CLion, bazel, clang, etc. It's great, but it just needs a bit notch up. For personal needs just switch to normal ChromeOS for netflix, etc. Having android apps on it is also good feature (like I'm able to play Heroes Of Might and Magic III on it).
VikingCoder 9y ago
I prefer GalliumOS.
- malkia 9y ago
  Thanks for that - it could be an even better choice!
  - VikingCoder 9y ago
    The subreddit for it is quite nice: https://www.reddit.com/r/GalliumOS/ https://www.reddit.com/r/GalliumOS/

Jerry2 9y ago

>Pixelbook They now have the same branding as Apple's Macbook.

mtgx 9y ago
Not quite. The Pixelbook doesn't run Pixel OS. If anything, the original "Chromebook" name was more like Apple's Macbook.
xigency 9y ago
This seems like a successor to the Google Pixel [1] whose name was eclipsed by the Google Pixel smartphone. [1] See here: https://www.amazon.com/Google-Chromebook-Laptop-Screen-Processor/dp/B00CK2AAWY https://www.amazon.com/Google-Chromebook-Laptop-Screen-Proce...
gxs 9y ago
It's uncanny how Google's decided that it can't beat apple, so it's joining it. At least in terms of product and marketing. If only they'd do the same for privacy.

zitterbewegung 9y ago

I'm not sure why Google tries to make a really expensive version of their Chromebooks . If this came out before the new iPad Pro's and Surface laptops it might be compelling to buy. But, if I want a walled garden experience I would choose an iPad Pro. And if I want a real keyboard with a stylus there is the Surface Book and many others. It is even competing with the lower end Chromebooks due to the price. It would be a great laptop for someone that likes Linux but then you are probably going to overwrite ChromeOS with whatever you want. EDIT: Meant to say Surface laptop not surface book.

dabockster 9y ago
> I'm not sure why Google tries to make a really expensive version of their Chromebooks. I'm guessing they're going after the "idiot boss" market who will eat this up if given the chance.
- PaulHoule 9y ago
  Also media attention. Places like toms hardware seem to drool over 'flagship' phones such as the Fire Phone, Essential Phone, etc. Google Home and Nest devices are also over expensive and over designed. I mean, Johnson Controls has been making smart thermostats for 30 years! The trouble with that strategy is there is just one company that seems to profit from expensive and overdesigned hardware and we know who that is.
  - dabockster 9y ago
    > there is just one company that seems to profit from expensive and overdesigned hardware and we know who that is Lockheed Martin with the F-35 project? Because it's so hot that it takes my breath away.
- geofft 9y ago
  Can you explain what you mean? I am trying to extract any meaning out of your comment and failing. Why would an idiot boss (as compared to a ... non-idiot boss? non-boss idiot?) specifically want an expensive Chromebook?

millstone 9y ago

What's the actual chip used - HQ, U, or Y series? Odd they call it "high performance" but don't publish even the clock speed.

fgblanch 9y ago
Wired says it is Y series: http://www.wired.co.uk/article/google-pixelbook-release-date-uk-price-specs-pre-order http://www.wired.co.uk/article/google-pixelbook-release-date... So according to the intel website it should be this one: https://ark.intel.com/products/95441/Intel-Core-i7-7Y75-Processor-4M-Cache-up-to-3_60-GHz https://ark.intel.com/products/95441/Intel-Core-i7-7Y75-Proc...
- bryanlarsen 9y ago
  And it's fanless, so more likely to throttle. They're calling it "high performance" but that might be a bit of a stretch, at 4.5W the latest iPads will probably run rings around it.

vyrotek 9y ago

Who is the target audience for a $1k Pixelbook? How much friction will there be to try and use it as a dev laptop? I'm in the market but at the moment I'm more attracted to something like the SurfaceBook for something I can dev on, have a pen, and watch stuff in tablet mode.

Filligree 9y ago
Well, there's Termux, but I don't think this is any good for developing on yet. Maybe once Android Studio is ported?

Radial3D 9y ago

My initial observations: * 12.4" 2400x1600 (235 ppi) is great * Battery life looks good at "up to 10 hours" * 4 Mics for noise cancelling is interesting * $99 for the pressure sensitive Pixelbook Pen seems steep * Core i5 options ship in 3-4 weeks * Core i7/16GB/512 SSD option puts you on a waitlist * Fully spec'd out: i7, Pen, and Preferred Care is $1997 * Why only two USB-C ports?!

cuu508 9y ago
My initial observations: * bezel
- notatoad 9y ago
  it's a convertible tablet. they all have huge bezels, because that's where you put your thumbs.
  - stupidcar 9y ago
    How big are these thumbs supposed to be? Because the screen on this thing looks like a postage stamp in the middle of a football field.
    - notatoad 9y ago
      This guys thumbs don't look freakishly large to me, and they can only partially grip the side bezel: https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9379055/jbareham_170921_2006_0384.jpg https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9379055/jb...
ant6n 9y ago
"1) Up to 10 hours of use. Battery performance is based on a mix of standby, web browsing and other use. Actual results may vary." On standby, the laptop isn't "life".

math0ne 9y ago

The thing this doesn't explain is what you need the performance for on a chomebook....

duxup 9y ago

As a fan of my Chromebook Plus ... I'm kinda lost on what more you do at that price / performance other than being able to multitask a few more apps and tabs. It's not like there is much in the way of high performance demanding applications on ChromeOS.

alkonaut 9y ago
Either these apps are already predicted to arrive or google will make sure they do. I can't see why Google would want people to do computing on their own machines though. This looks a lot like an attempt to grab some would be MacBook buyers that are unhappy with the latest models.
- colecut 9y ago
  "Either these apps are already predicted to arrive or google will make sure they do." This argument could have been made when they released the 2013 Chromebook Pixel for $1,300, yet here we are.
- JCzynski 9y ago
  >I can't see why Google would want people to do computing on their own machines though. https://www.cnet.com/forums/discussions/unable-to-set-default-browser-in-windows-10-except-edge/ https://www.cnet.com/forums/discussions/unable-to-set-defaul...

napa15 9y ago

I dont know why anyone would buy this unless the pen drawing experience is a lot better than on the Surface Pro and Ipad Pro and you're primarily an artist. The Surface Pro has a real OS with Windows on it, I'm sure somebody will hack the Pixelbook to allow Linux but it will probably have a bunch of stuff removed and unsupported then. It makes zero sense to buy this locked down device for 1k as far as I'm concerned.

craftyguy 9y ago
Well, for one, it doesn't run windows.
- 201709User 9y ago
  We are trying to list features, not defects.
  - zeta0134 9y ago
    Speak for yourself. A lot of members in this community, myself included, find being locked to a Windows workstation for any task to be a misfeature and a defect. Option are good! I'm not sure if the Pixel is a particularly attractive option, but I'll welcome any new competition that can help dissolve the Microsoft lock-in problem.
    - NiveaGeForce 9y ago
      > that can help dissolve the Microsoft lock-in problem. So that you can have a Google lock-in problem.
  - craftyguy 9y ago
    I support having options and not being forced into using only products that run a shitty operating system.
    - zeveb 9y ago

usaphp 9y ago

This landing page is incredibly laggy on my mid 2015 Retina MBPRO, scrolling is super annoying.

roselan 9y ago
Out of the US the landing page redirects you to the chromecast one.

fgblanch 9y ago

As a Chromebook user for almost a year now (since December 2016, using a pixel 2 LS) I can't be more excited about a computer like this. My only regret on my current computer has been not been able to use containers properly (i used rkt and not docker) because of kernel restrictions but now this should be solved with ChromeOS kvm support. Imagine the performance of being able to run Android apps thought for much less powerful processors(Mediatek ARMs) in an i7 chip. While on the Mac you are using chromified version of the webapps (electron) which eat all the RAM. Also a lot of android apps are very innovative versions of desktop computer ones ( for example adobe ideas, now Illustrator) That you are not able to run on a Mac. The filesystem perfectly integrated with the cloud is another advantage. In addition, Chrome OS is as simplified as a phone, which removes much of the legacy complexity in current OS. And in case you are missing anything, the project crouton allows you to run a fully functional linux system. (Now probably even better thanks to the KVM+ wayland integration support https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromiumos/platform/crosvm/+/837b59f2d97b005ef84ac36efa97530c1bbf2a79/README.md https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromiumos/platform/crosvm...) I total win for me

Kudos 9y ago
> My only regret on my current computer has been not been able to use containers properly (i used rkt and not docker) because of kernel restrictions but now this should be solved with ChromeOS kvm support. If it does end up resolved, I'll definitely pick one of these up.
Sodman 9y ago
As a Pixel 2 LS owner, crouton user and fan of ChromeOS: I'm not as hyped about this laptop as I thought I'd be... The high end model costs more than the LS did, but still sports 16GB Ram, and a slightly newer i7 processor. The SSD upgrade to 512 is awesome (the 64 on the LS can be a struggle), but you lose a bunch of battery life too. The pen doesn't do much for me, neither does the google assistant button. Although the tablet mode is a nice option, I just don't see it being worth the upgrade. Most importantly, they killed the light-bar. Those monsters.
- fgblanch 9y ago

chrissnell 9y ago

What's the experience like for Linux-on-Chromebook these days? Can I expect hardware support that's equal of what I get with a Lenovo T470s?

bbunix 9y ago
GalliumOS is beautiful, period... great hardware support
kllrnohj 9y ago
I think you'd probably just use crouton instead in which case you'll get flawless hardware support since it's using Chrome OS's kernel & drivers.
Nightshaxx 9y ago
It's pretty great (I don't have one, but I have heard universal positivity for it) That said, you loose a lot of the security features that come with a Chromebook when you enable Dev mode.
- beagle3 9y ago
  Does it still take one wrong key press at the wrong time during boot to delete all local files when in dev mode?

jamespo 9y ago

"Proper" crouton, not getting beeped at, waiting for boot delay & sacrificing security etc would be the only way this could be compelling.

Finch2193 9y ago
what are the drawbacks of the current crouton implementation making giving you pause?
- jamespo 9y ago
  What I list really, having to put the laptop into dev mode. My mrs accidentally wiped crouton by following the prompts to take it out.

bubblethink 9y ago

I hate this trend of dumbing down product specifications. I don't know who started it (probably Apple?), but everyone does it now. Like what fucking i5 or i7 processor ? Is the storage soldered even for the nvme option ? It doesn't help that Intel keeps playing tricks with their naming either. i7 used to be quad core, then it became dual core for thin laptops. Now they are back to low freq quad core in some SKUs. For a $1k-$2k device which is supposed to be the pinnacle of science with billions of transistors, they spend all of the 20 minutes they have on stage showing puppy and kid pictures.

Romanulus 9y ago
... but... four mics!
rimliu 9y ago
What do you think majority of the users will do with those $1k-$2k devices—desoldering storage or looking at the pictures of cats and kids? The CPU or RAM specs alone don't tell much how well the device will perform.
- uniformlyrandom 9y ago
  But who are the majority of users here? If all the developers betrayed by latest Apple's MBP lineup migrate to a new platform, suddenly 'majority' starts to care about number of cores and upgradable memory. But that is not likely to happen, given the dumbed-down specs and OS.
  - rimliu 9y ago
    Last I heard new MBS were doing just fine. Do not confuse very local minority with all. And "betrayed"? Apple did not promise anything to anybody.
  - BinaryIdiot 9y ago
    Didn't the latest MBP line have the best sales in MBP history? I get many people were upset by some of the changes (including myself) but that doesn't mean people are migrating in mass. Also, a chromebook? No developers are migrating to a chromebook. This is targeting the normal user who wants a nice laptop to do normal web surfing and text work.

mtgx 9y ago

What I'd like to know is if the support for this is still 5 years (I believe that's what's promised for Chromebooks), or more, and also if Google ends to use Ryzen APUs in the future, too. Google with its architecture-agnostic OS has zero reasons to maintain Intel's monopoly for yet another platform.

RcouF1uZ4gsC 9y ago

I think a major issue is what happens if Google locks your account for some reason. There have been instances in the past where Google has locked the account of a user for some TOS violations. http://m.gadgets.ndtv.com/mobiles/news/google-pixel-resellers-see-their-google-accounts-locked-for-violating-terms-of-service-1626948 http://m.gadgets.ndtv.com/mobiles/news/google-pixel-reseller... http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/aug/1/jordan-b-petersons-youtube-account-locked-during-b/ http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/aug/1/jordan-b-peters... http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-08-21/one-statistics-professor-was-just-banned-google-here-his-story http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-08-21/one-statistics-prof... Given that Google has a propensity to lock you out of your account completely if they suspect you violating TOS on any of their services, I would be very wary of this device. Do you want this computer and anything you created with it inaccessible because Google didn't like a video or blog post you made?

shams93 9y ago
That's a good point it's also a risk if you use googles phone service although I haven't run into problems if I did I could only communicate via my thinkpad Linux system, Ubuntu won't lock you out of your machine they don't control your login.
Scirra_Tom 9y ago
Is picking a few cases then concluding it's Google's propensity perhaps a bit hyperbolic?
- raesene9 9y ago
  I think it's worth illustrating the concept. A device that's heavily reliant on a cloud service (in this case Google's) means you have to worry about the risk of being locked out of that account especially if getting access after that lockout is difficult. These devices are very different to traditional computing devices (e.g. Windows/Linux PCs) which mostly store content locally as there lockout from a single cloud is unlikely to be catastropic. As the major consumer OS makers (Apple/Google/Microsoft) go more in the direction of an integrated experience where cloud storage is key, how they handle possible ToS violation and account lockout/closure will become increasingly important.

fictionfuture 9y ago

Are you guys crazy? This is a great computer, in case you didn't notice it's a tablet AND a laptop AND it runs Android. As a long time Apple guy and mobile web dev, I can tell you this has several development advantages. I'm sure it will let you use Chrome development tethering to test and debug on Android devices. I'm also a big fan of the Android ecosystem as it isn't a walled garden, a clear advantage for developers.

michel-slm 9y ago
I'm tempted by this (had the previous 2015 Chromebook Pixel, ran great except storage is limited, which this version fixed, and the battery is now dying). I've just splurged on some hardware this year though, but keeping an eye for this and hope that with Google's Pixel strategy they're now serious about hardware (yearly refresh etc.).

superbaconman 9y ago

What's with the third button on the lower left? Is it somehow hooked up with google assistant? Why not just integrate that with tab? I really liked having only ctrl and alt down there.

aknosis 9y ago

How much cheaper does this need to be to capture any market share from a traditional laptop user? I think I would bite at $500.

Filligree 9y ago
It's basically an up-specced Asus C302CA, as far as I can tell. Those also come in $500 versions, that's the one with the m3 CPU. I don't think you'd lose much; still has the Android apps and such.
amalag 9y ago
Who needs a $1000 12" laptop? I can't understand why they don't go for bigger screens.

hnnsj 9y ago

Forgive my ignorance, but when I was introduced to the Chromebook concept a few years ago, it was basically supposed to be a cheaper "thin" (not physically necessarily but spec-wise) computer mostly running web apps. Now they're instead high-end laptops. Are they no longer about running mostly web apps, or what? What changed in the last couple of years? Why is this hardware needed? I don't get it.

Filligree 9y ago
Now they run Android apps as well. Also, the web changed; there are webapps that require gigabytes of memory out there, such as Gmail. All respect to Google, I use a Chromebook for offline writing and general browsing and it's wonderful, but I agree that I'm not seeing the use-case for this one yet. Maybe they'll port Android Studio to it? That might be pretty nice.
terminalcommand 9y ago
Nowadays browsers use relatively a lot of resources. I don't know how ChromeOS handles tabs, but I imagine running everything in a browser takes a toll on performance. I remember the agony I experienced when I needed to use Word365 online for a project. The javascript implementation was so slow and resource heavy that I was almost going to go crazy. Google Docs on the other hand worked fine most of the time. But none of them could replace a native MS Office or Libreoffice. Maybe with webassembly things are going to get different, but adding abstraction layers come at a cost. Also these machines need to run videos and process pictures and maybe movies. With those requirements performance doesn't hurt.

colemickens 9y ago

I'm disappointed that the 16GB models aren't ready and that they didn't announce (or open up any additional documentation) about crosvm or Project Termina. They didn't even highlight that this is the first Chromebook to have a non-Chromebook keyboard... The keyboard looks aimed directly at developers. I really hope the Chromium wiki releases some new documentation soon. (If anyone has gleaned more details about Termina from Chromium git logs or has other speculation, I'd love to know /read more about it. Thanks)

fgblanch 9y ago
Agree, on everything. It would be great to have more technical details on the new version.
pa7ch 9y ago
I've been trying to track the termina project (along with the KVM and vm_launcher bits). From what I can glean: termina is a minimal flavor chromeOS designed to be run with the vm_launcher that will support OCI based containers. I have no idea how the UI will look around it or be exposed. The virtio wayland stuff requires support from the guest VM and termina has it. Tatl and tael are just the x64 and arm flavors of termina. So as a developer you could easily spin up your own VM (I guess without a GUI) to mess around with, but use a single instance of termina to launch a bunch of container based linux apps for yourself so you don't run out of ram launching tons of vms. This is a bit of speculation on my part mostly from picking through docs and commits messages. I'm not sure how it will all come together. I'd be completely sold on a NVMe pixelbook once I see some announcements or commitment to something like this for developers.
- fgblanch 9y ago
  Maybe Project Termina is what they use at Google CLoud? https://cloud.google.com/container-optimized-os/docs/ https://cloud.google.com/container-optimized-os/docs/

koiz 9y ago

When will google learn. I don't want a search button in place of caps lock. idiots.

Filligree 9y ago
Um, there's a config option for that. You can set it to be Ctrl instead. Like God intended. Or you can turn it into escape, if you're that sort of person. Or... I suppose you could make it lock...
- koiz 9y ago
  Never existed on the nexus 9, pixel c or 2015 pixel chrome book. Not every 'chromebook' is the same.
  - Filligree 9y ago
    The first two you named are Android tablets, not Chromebooks. The last one, I'm not sure. Perhaps it didn't at the time?
    - koiz 9y ago
      The first two started the trend of the search button. The last one did not have the option and other chrome books that share this search key are hit and miss. Just another reason to stay away from Chrome OS features disappear/appear on a whim or never exist at all.

d3ckard 9y ago

I don't really see what is the point - no new use cases, so why the power? Does Google do it only to have a premium product in the portfolio, or are they trying to access new market segment? And if it's supposed to be more universal/pro machine, why only 2 usb ports? Connectivity is the key.

bhouston 9y ago

Is there is a docking station that allows me to drive 4K monitor(s) from it? THat would be amazing.

plg 9y ago

can you use it without an internet connection? e.g. on a plane without wifi?

Filligree 9y ago
Sure. Some web apps will even work, though Android apps are a fair bit more reliable. Otherwise it works as well as any browser under those conditions.

vesak 9y ago

Do they lock out also paying customers, i.e. those with a gsuite account?

nikolaj 9y ago

I bought an ASUS c302 Chromebook for $500 earlier this year, and somehow this doesn't seem that different. More CPU/RAM (does this matter on a chromebook), and maybe a pen. The c302 has a pretty high res display, does the flip thing and is a touch screen, runs all day, and boots in a couple seconds. The case feels a bit flimsy, but withstood the rigors of my 6yo twins wrestling over it on a road trip to play the next netflix show... ..which btw is a great consumer feature. Being able to run Android Netflix on a laptop and download shows in offline mode.

Filligree 9y ago
I really suspect they partnered with Asus for this one, yeah. Which should be a good thing. I love my C302CA.

z3t4 9y ago

Web apps!

baybal2 9y ago

41 Whr battery That is so so, my atom based vivobook has 60 just to last real world 10h of intensive use

planetjones 9y ago

I have no faith left in google as a provider of products. Switzerland is their European hub apparently but they never bothered selling the pixel phone here. Same with the link above. It’s region specific and there’s no mention of the pixelbook. Google obviously feel a country where over 1000s of their employees work is not a priority. Hence why I stick to apple products.

Touche 9y ago

What's interesting to me about this marketing page is how little ChromeOS is mentioned. I'm probably reading too much into it, but could it mean the long-predicted pivot towards Android being the OS? Or is it an attempt to remove focus from the operating system (because it's the web, after all)?

oldgun 9y ago

Feels like really decent hardware to run Linux on.

bischofs 9y ago

There is a lot of comments in here confused with chromeOS and all the justification for an expensive machine that doesnt really run that much software. I agree with most of the sentiment and I think they should just keep the nice UI but switch to a debian distro so that devs and some creatives could use all the linux software if they know how to install it. I would use the crap out of a google UI debian distro.

Wheaties466 9y ago

Is anyone else excited to see how this will run on Linux?

hysan 9y ago

For a high end products, one of the things I will splurge on is warranty since I tend to keep bigger purchases on a much longer update cycle. Considering Google's reputation for poor customer service, I took at look through their "Preferred Care" addition to see what it actually does.[1] The terms seem pretty comparable but one thing stood out: * We'll protect your laptop for two years ... through our service provider, Assurant. Now this scares me as: 1. The number of complaints against Assurant that I've heard from Project Fi compatible phone owners is a big red flag. (I'm a Fi user so I frequent those circles.) 2. Separating repair and customer support is bound to lead to communication issues. 3. 3rd parties are not going to go above and beyond with making you feel like a valued customer. There is nothing in it for them after all. For this reason alone, I would not buy a Pixelbook. [1] https://store.google.com/magazine/preferred_care#4b4ba03b5f5cc2f3 https://store.google.com/magazine/preferred_care#4b4ba03b5f5...

methodin 9y ago

My crappy Chromebook is honestly the most pleasant out of all the laptops I have ever used. I would like to be able to load software on it but that's it's only shortcoming. ChromeOS is actually the best overall experience for me - especially since I do most of my work via SSH and vim. Not sure this solves much for me unless dev-mode linux is first-class, then it might be worth looking at.

jrs95 9y ago

Goddammit, all I want is 32GB of RAM in something like this. If Intel isn't going to get around to doing LPDDR4 anytime soon, AMD should.

leephillips 9y ago

The point of these things is to install real Linux on them. The hardware is excellent and they make great laptops for doing real work. Here are some notes about installing Xubuntu on the 2013 model. I hope some of this transfers to newer models: https://lee-phillips.org/pxsetup/ https://lee-phillips.org/pxsetup/

hughes 9y ago

Is there a supported way to run non-android games (esp. my steam library) on a chromebook yet? I want to want this chromebook, but I also want to be able to play games from my library while travelling. Even just games with linux support would be great.

fludlight 9y ago

The base model is Core i5/8gb ram/128gb ssd. That's the same specs that I got on my MacBook Air in 2013 for ~$1300. Four years and the only improvement is a slight drop in the price and nvme. Btw, 128gb is woefully inadequate of this thing is going to sync pictures and video from your phone.

ElijahLynn 9y ago

I like this hardware, especially the built in assistant and convertible mode with pen but 2 things I would like improved: 1) No mobile radio for Project Fi data-only SIM 2) 720p camera (like that it is 60fps though), really wish it would be at least 1080p

lostmsu 9y ago

Does every single new product from <insert company name> deserve its place here? There's nothing in this laptop out of the ordinary.

qbaqbaqba 9y ago

"We aren’t in your country yet" Oh well then.

thinkythought 9y ago

Any updates on ever getting these serviced ever? last i checked google wouldn't even repair screens or other issues on the pixel 1/2 Also... Why is the pixel 2 still $700 on ebay now that this is out? I kinda want one, but not for more then $400. The inflated value of these years out is worse than macbook pros which is... amazing

plg 9y ago

whatever happened to the Chrombooks with cellular data built-in, and no—limit data plans worldwide (or was it US-wide?) for a nominal fee? I feel like if they brought that back it would sell like hotcakes.

alexozer 9y ago

I'd consider replacing my Linux MacBook Pro with it if only its screen was larger than 12 inches.

purplezooey 9y ago

No IPS screen??

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

amalag 9y ago

$1000 for a laptop with a 12" screen. But its ultra thin!

hobarrera 9y ago

Link in op is "unavailable in my country". Anyone have a non region-locked reference to this?

aug-riedinger 9y ago

Shall be a nice linux-ready laptop then!