Googlebooks get their first big update, freeing up 3GB to 6GB of RAM
The Googlebook November update also fixes roughly 30 bugs across all five launch machines. The memory optimization applies to the Acer Googlebook 14, Asus Googlebook 14 and Lenovo Googlebook 15, the three launch models based on Intel's Core Ultra 5 Panther Lake chips. Read Entire Article
Just a month after the launch of Googlebooks, Google has rolled out their first significant software update. This update frees up between 3GB and 6GB of RAM on the Acer Googlebook 14, Asus Googlebook 14, and Lenovo Googlebook 15 models, which are based on Intel's Core Ultra 5 Panther Lake chips. Google has credited this improvement to an updated NPU driver and reworked memory management.
On a 16GB laptop, this translates to approximately 20% to 38% of total RAM. This is a substantial gain, revealing the amount of memory the AI stack was consuming before the fix.
Currently, the Dell XPS Googlebook and HP Googlebook 14 are not included in this update, as they are based on the Snapdragon X Elite SoC. However, all models receive a tweak to browser memory stability under heavy tab loads. The update also addresses various bugs, including issues with Netflix and other DRM-protected video displaying a black screen on external monitors, display driver crashes that could restart the laptop when unplugging a monitor or USB-C device, and Zoom crashing when using background blur.
Other fixes include improved performance for the beta Linux terminal, better SSH port forwarding, and preventing system updates from wiping user storage or custom server configs in the Linux VM.
Google has also patched 60 security vulnerabilities with the November 1 Android update. This update is a reminder that on-device AI is not free, as Google has set 16GB as the minimum memory requirement for Googlebooks. This release shows how much of that memory the AI layer can occupy when left unchecked. Despite the inclusion of new features and fixes, Googlebook OS, a platform built on Android rather than ChromeOS's Linux base, still lacks some features like Chrome profiles and phone-to-laptop continuity.
The November update is rolling out gradually to all five launch models, with owners able to check for build CL3B.260622.286.R2 under Settings > System > Software updates > System update.
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