Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

The new Google Pixelbook Go is a $649 Chromebook with some finesse

By

Update: Digital Trends got the chance to take a look at this laptop up close with our Google Pixelbook Go hands-on review.

Recommended Videos

After a slew of comprehensive leaks, Google made it official at its Pixel hardware event on Tuesday: The Pixelbook Go will launch at $649. This announcement came alongside the new Pixel 4 and Pixel 4XL, Google Stadia’s launch date, and the Pixel Buds 2.

The Go is a follow-up to the original $999 Pixelbook, which launched in 2017. Unlike the original, the Pixelbook Go is a clamshell laptop rather than a 2-in-1 device. It’s far more conventional, offering a 16:9 13.3-inch screen. Google hasn’t been specific yet about the details of the screen, but previous rumors point toward the option of either a 1080p or 4K “Molecular Display.” This would be the same display branding that debuted on the 3000 x 2000 Pixel Slate screen.

The laptop comes in two color options: Just Black and Not Pink. Both feature a bumpy, textured finish on the bottom, as well as a more rounded chassis.

Speakers flank each side of the new keyboard, and a large touchpad is found below. There’s a new “ultra-quiet” keyboard with “Hush Keys” and a typical Chrome OS layout. The laptop still features some hefty bezels above and below the screen, but the side bezels have been cut down quite a bit — like many of the best laptops and Chromebooks.

On either side of the device is a USB-C port, along with a headphone jack.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Though it can’t flip around to be used as a tablet, it does still feature a touchscreen for use with Android apps and weighs in at “just barely 2 pounds.” The laptop is made out of magnesium with a matte finish, which allows for that extreme lightness. It’s also just 0.5 inches thick.

The Pixelbook Go starts with the dual-core Intel Core m3 processor, but it can be upgraded to Core i5 or Core i7. Other configuration options include 8GB or 16GB of RAM, and storage ranging from 64GB to 256GB.

Google also says that battery life is also a focus with the Pixelbook Go, which features a 15% larger battery than the Pixelbook, resulting in “up to 12 hours” of usage. Google also says you’ll get two hours of battery after 20 minutes of charging.

At last year’s event, Google launched the Pixel Slate, a 2-in-1 tablet that was swiftly canceled just months after it was released. The switch to a more conventional Chromebook marks a significant turn in strategy for Google hardware.

Google didn’t mention a final release date, but it’s available for pre-order today in both the U.S. and Canada.

The Pixelbook Go was launched alongside the Pixel 4 and a slew of new smart home products at Google’s big event. Which means now might be a great time to find laptop deals and Chromebook deals.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Luke Larsen
Luke Larsen
Senior Editor, Computing
Luke Larsen is the Senior editor of computing, managing all content covering laptops, monitors, PC hardware, Macs, and more.
Google is bringing new Pixel 6 features to older Pixel devices
Bezel comparison of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.

The Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro come with a slew of features that include new hardware, new cameras, a Google Tensor chip, and more. Some of these are based on the new Tensor chip and require the SoC to function, while the rest are based on the software. The latter set of software-based features can be ported to previous-gen Pixel devices. And Google is now working on introducing such features to the older Pixel smartphones.

"As with all Pixel features, we aim to bring as many features as possible to older Pixels where technically possible — though it might take some time to develop and offer a different experience," a Google representative told Android Authority. However, there is no firm date for rollout to older Pixels at this point in time.

Read more
The Pixel Fold’s no-show is a massive missed opportunity for Google
Woman holding the Kinda Coral Google Pixel 6.

The Google Pixel Fold and all its tantalizing potential remain a rumor, as only the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro were on show during the company’s October 19 event. I’m not saying the Pixel 6 isn’t good enough. Not at all -- it certainly appears to have all the right ingredients to push Google smartphones forward compared to previous models.

But what they don’t do is push the mobile hardware industry forward, at least not in the same way a folding smartphone would. At a time when interest in folding smartphones is at its highest, Google has missed a golden opportunity.
Fold me once, Google
Google has made attractive, colorful, and apparently extremely capable new smartphones with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. They both look like they have good cameras, an interesting new processor, and a design that doesn’t threaten to put me into a coma -- all at a very competitive price. Unfortunately, the same can usually be said about a new OnePlus, Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, or Oppo phone right after launch, so although these are big steps for Google, they’re not really unusual in the wider industry.

Read more
Google’s new Pixel Stand is environmentally friendly and as ugly as sin
Pixel stand feature shot.

As a part of today's Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro launch, Google announced the latest iteration of its Pixel Stand. Dubbed a "superfast wireless charging station" by the company, it will deliver 23 watts of power and is compatible with Pixel phones, Pixel Buds, and “hundreds of Qi-certified devices.” It also comes with the added bonus of being environmentally friendly -- and the rather significant downside of being ugly as sin, with a big increase in bulk compared to the previous-generation Pixel Stand.

There is some reason for the bulk, though. Users can expect built-in fans to keep devices cool while they’re charging. When the Pixel 6 or 6 Pro is docked, it can also be used as a smart hub for all of your Google devices, including Nest cams, thermostats, and more.

Read more