Google has just announced the new Chromebook Pixel, which looks identical to the old version, but it’s much better. You are likely to want one, but it’s not something you may want to consider to spend so much money on.
About two years ago, Google released a stunning laptop, the original Chromebook Pixel. It featured a beautiful screen, great hardware, a battery that forced you to carry the power cable everywhere you go, and only did one thing… Run the Chrome web browser. Perhaps, the worst feature from the old version was the price, at $1299, it was crazy expensive.
In the 2015 version of the laptop, Google is fixing pretty much everything that was broken from the first model. The new Chromebook Pixel starts at $999, which still very expensive for such device, because it is twice as expensive and because most Chromebooks on sale today start at the same price as any great Windows PC or even a Mac.
You really need to think long and hard, before spending this kind of money, on a device that only runs Chrome and a few Android apps.
The new design is completely unchanged from the previous model. The Chromebook Pixel still features boxy corners and clean lines, all metal and glass material. The uniqueness of the device is that is not trying to copy a Mac or PC, the Chromebook Pixel has its own look.
The laptop weight 3.3 pounds, the keyboard and trackpad has been improved, and you can even knock on top of it to check the battery, which is a nice feature to have.
Google is sticking with the 3:2 aspect ratio on this 12.85-inch, 2560 x 1700, touch-enabled computer. The screen also reproduces better colors and 239 ppi. However, one of the biggest features can be found at either side of the device, where usually the power port goes. The new Chromebook Pixel comes with two USB-C ports and they are a huge deal.
On the new MacBook, the new USB type C port is huge deal, because they are ports that can be used for virtually anything: power, display, data transfer, you name it. The idea of being able to use one port for everything has been a dream since people starting creating connectors. Google is aiming the new USB-C ports mainly for charging, and it’s worth noting that having two ports for charging is very convenient.
Unlike the MacBook, you’ll get two type C USB connectors, two USB 3.0, and SD card slot, so basically you don’t have to carry any type of adapters.
The battery life on the Chromebook Pixel is fantastic, the company claims 12 hours per charge. If you don’t use the device often, the battery could last a lot. Google says, charge it at night and use it all day without carry a power cable.
Now, let’s talk about power, because the Chromebook Pixel is crazy fast, loading web pages is fast, scrolling is fast, even pinch-to-zoom is fast. The basic model priced at $999, packs an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 32GB of SSD, while the $1299 model comes with a Core i7, 16GB of RAM, and 64GB of Solid-State Drive, which Google calls the “Chromebook Pixel LS” (for “Ludicrous Speed”), and 1TB of cloud storage that you get from Google Drive for three years.
Although, Google Chrome has grown in the past two years, you shouldn’t consider it as your primary laptop, as you cannot do a lot more photo and video editing, or other tasks that require more advanced software. However, there are a few apps you can use to get things done, and you can work offline, with a few of the apps.
The Chromebook Pixel is a great machine for the money Google is asking for, and it better be! The operating system has come a long way, but there is still a long way to go, before you can use it as your main operating system.
The new Chromebook Pixel (2015) is available for sale immediately from the Google Store.
