Google Brings Chromebook Concept to New High With Pixelbook Hybrid

Google’s media event Oct. 4 might have focused on the company’s new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones. But Google also introduced a Chromebook model called the Pixelbook, which might catch the eye of business, school and home users. With a base price of $999, the Pixelbook runs the Chrome OS and has a hybrid design, allowing it to be used as a notebook or a tablet. It also supports digital writing with a new Pixelbook Pen stylus. With help from Google Assistant, it should also prove to be perhaps the smartest Chromebook to reach the market thus far. The Pixelbook’s features and design show why Google has won plenty of converts to the Chromebook concept with its cloud-centric Chrome OS. Read on to learn more about the Pixelbook.

Google’s Pixelbook is designed to be used in four configurations. The first is the notebook. It also can be folded and left flat on the table for tablet use or propped up on its edges in a “tent” configuration. Or, users can flip the screen up and the keyboard down to watch video content from afar.

Pixelbook features Google Assistant, which Google says is a major selling point.  With Google Assistant, users can perform web searches, update their personal calendar, call up data stored on the computer or adjust device settings. Google Assistant can be activated with the Pixelbook Pen or by pressing a dedicated button on the keyboard.

Google has designed the Pixelbook to be among the most portable hybrid notebooks the market, which could appeal to corporate and education customers. The device is just 10.3mm thick and weighs only 2.4 pounds. It’s not the smallest computer on the market, but it’s small enough to accommodate road warriors.

Google’s Pixelbook supports the Pixelbook Pen, a stylus that allows users to digitally write on the Chromebook’s touch screen. According to Google, the Pixelbook Pen is pressure-sensitive to allow for color shading and has been optimized to reduce on-screen writing lag time.

There are more powerful computers on the market, but the Pixelbook is no slouch. It runs on a seventh-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor and allows for 4K video output to an external monitor. Users can bulk up the Pixelbook with up to 16GB of RAM to enhance its performance with resource-intensive apps. There’s also a TPM chip for additional security.

Google’s Pixelbook is capable of lasting 10 hours on a single charge, the company promises on the device’s webpage. It also comes with fast-charging feature that boosts battery life up to two hours in just 15 minutes of charging.

Storing data with the Pixelbook shouldn’t be a problem. The machine provides access to Google Drive cloud storage and includes 128GB of onboard storage to start. Users also have the choice of 256GB and 512GB Pixelbook options.

As noted, the Pixelbook runs Chrome OS, which relies on the cloud to access applications and data. Chrome OS supports a wide range of apps from Google and third parties, including Google Docs, Lightroom and Slack. There also are apps that will work well with the Pixelbook Pen, including Evernote and Nebo.

Owners of the Pixel 2 smartphone likely will get the most benefit from the Pixelbook. That’s because the devices can tether and can share an internet connection when a WiFi signal isn’t available. Also, as both Pixelbook and Pixel 2 support USB-C, they can use the same fast chargers.

Although Chromebooks are generally affordable, the Pixelbook is pricey. The computer starts at $999 for the base model with 128GB of storage and jumps to $1,649 for the Intel Core i7 version with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The Pixelbook Pen is available for $99. Customers can order the computer now, but they won’t get their hands on it for weeks.