Google smacks forehead, realizes $899+ thin-and-lights were what it was missing
'A new category,' insists the Chocolate Factory, not a premium Chromebook - yet some of the family resemblance remains
Google has unveiled five new Googlebooks in partnership with Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer, and Asus. These laptops, not to be confused with Chromebooks, aim to break the perception of cheap, subpar hardware associated with Google devices. Despite the $899 starting price for one model, other systems can cost up to $1,299, positioning them in the MacBook Air price range.
The Googlebooks feature high-end materials such as aluminum, magnesium alloys, carbon fiber, and haptic trackpads, paired with high-resolution touchscreens and powerful processors. Initial models come with either Intel Core Ultra 5 or Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processors, 16 GB of RAM, and 512 GB of storage. MediaTek will provide System on Chips (SoCs) for these systems.
While Google offers a baseline of 16GB of memory, this is the only configuration available for pre-order. The premium build quality and memory are intended to appeal to potential MacBook buyers, but some software limitations remain. Creative apps like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom are compatible, but they'll be running as web apps.
Gaming is possible through services like GeForce NOW, but the focus will likely be on cloud-based gaming. Google has also introduced multi-device productivity features, Android app support, and Gemini integrations, including a "Magic Pointer" that can locate the cursor using generative AI. The first five models are available for preorder with 12 months of Google AI Pro included.
Written by urgent.news from The Register Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
