Five makers, one laptop: Googlebook pre-orders open from $899
Googlebook laptop lineup (Credit: Google)
Pre-orders for the Googlebook opened on Monday, starting at $899, with the first units reaching shops in the United States on 4 October. In Canada, the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, and Australia, they will arrive on 5 October. Google has not disclosed prices for these markets, with only the dollar amount mentioned.
There are five models, each from a different manufacturer:
- Acer’s is the only convertible.
- ASUS’s weighs 2.2 pounds.
- Lenovo’s features a 15-inch screen and caters to users who keep multiple windows open.
- Dell and HP fill the gap between these two.
Despite variations, all models offer:
- 16GB of memory (upgradable to 32GB in some configurations)
- OLED touchscreens up to 2.8K resolution
- Cases made from aluminum, magnesium alloy, or carbon fiber
- Backlit keyboards
- Glass haptic trackpads
- Six speakers
Buyers can choose between Intel’s Core Ultra Series 3 and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite, both with a neural processing unit exceeding 45 TOPS.
Googlebook OS is based on the Android stack, incorporating desktop elements from ChromeOS, and includes:
- Full Chrome browser with extensions
- Android apps adapted for large screens and mouse input
- Native support for Photoshop, Lightroom, and CapCut
- Offline downloads for Netflix and HBO Max
Every unit comes bundled with:
- 12 months of Google AI Pro, including 5TB storage and Gemini Advanced tools
- 3 months each of YouTube Premium and Adobe Photoshop
- 1 year of GeForce NOW
The developer-focused aspect is particularly noteworthy. The security architecture leverages ChromeOS’s capabilities, incorporating:
- Google’s Titan hardware root of trust
- On-device malware detection
Additionally, each laptop includes a Level 5 security-certified pKVM hypervisor, a first for laptops according to Google. Developers can program their own animations for the Glowbar, which lights up during boot.
While European pricing and storage options remain undisclosed, Google has provided limited details about specific model costs beyond the entry price.