Google Pixelbook Go Review: A Premium Chromebook Experience
Google's new Pixelbook Go is a bit of an anomaly in the company's line of Chromebooks. Neither a folding, swiveling ultra-premium device like the original Google Pixelbook, nor a tablet like the Pixel Slate, the company's newest release is a traditional clamshell design, although one that features a touch-enabled display. It looks, feels, and behaves like a conventional laptop, but with its magnesium chassis, 1080p touchscreen, and quiet "Hush Keys," one that's small, light, feature-rich and well-made. That said, though its premium mobile laptop is fairly conventional, Google's Pixelbook line takes a somewhat unconventional cloud-first approach to computing on the go.
Pixelbook Go accessories available from Google - purpose-built backpack ($129), fitted sleeve ($49)
The new machine is also unusual in another way; it's affordable. Well, affordable for a Pixelbook, at any rate. While the original Pixelbook lists for $999 and can be found on the street for as little as $899, with the Pixel Slate for as little as $775, you can snag the entry-level Pixelbook Go for $649.
But then things get confusing, and needlessly so.
There are actually three versions of the Pixelbook Go. The $649 entry-level machine includes an 8th-gen m3 processor, 8GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a very sharp, glossy, 16:9, 1080p touch-enabled display. For an additional $200, you get the same beautiful magnesium chassis and display, plus a Core i5 processor and 128GB of storage. You can keep going, but, honestly, you probably should consider thees moves carefully. $1000 gets you an additional 8GB of RAM, and a top-of-the-line Pixelbook Go includes a 4K display, Core i7 processor, and 256GB of storage that will run you $1,400. Pro tip: $1,400 is a helluva lot of money for a Chromebook. If you're buying a Chromebook, that is if a Chromebook will do the job for you, you probably don't need to spend the extra money on more storage and higher-end displays. After all, you'll probably be working with fairly mainstream workloads with a Chromebook, and for most such undertakings, the basic Pixelbook Go will more than do the job.
Google sent us the $850 Core i5 / 128GB of storage model, and this evaluation will center on this variant that we feel will satisfy most Chromebook use cases with ease.
Google sent us the $850 Core i5 / 128GB of storage model, and this evaluation will center on this variant that we feel will satisfy most Chromebook use cases with ease.
Pixelbook Go Test Unit Configuration Specs
- Display: Glossy, touch-enabled 13.3-inch
- Operating System: Chrome OS
- Processor: Intel Core i5-8200Y Dual-Core Processor
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 128GB SSD
- Connectivity: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth
- Power: 45W USB-C charger
- Ports: (2) USB-C, headphone
- Weight: 2.33 lbs.
- Dimensions: 0.6 x 12.25 x 8.12 in.
Google's new Chromebook is available in only two colors: There is a jet black unit the company sent us to review and then something Google insists on calling "not pink." (Spoiler: It's pink.)
The new machine is also unusual in another way: It's affordable. Well, affordable for a Pixelbook, at any rate. While the original Pixelbook lists for $999 at the Google Store and the Slate starts at $799, you can snag the entry-level Pixelbook Go for $649.
But then things get confusing, and needlessly so.
There are actually three versions of the Pixelbook Go. The $649 entry-level machine includes an 8th-gen m3 processor, 8GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and an excellent glossy, 16:9, 1080p touch-enabled display. For an additional $200, you get the same beautiful magnesium chassis and display, plus an i5 processor and 128GB of storage. You can keep going, but, honestly, you shouldn't: $1000 gets you an additional 8GB of RAM, while the top-of-the-line Pixelbook Go includes a 4K display, an i7 processor, and 256GB of storage, and will run you $1,400. Pro tip: $1,400 is a hell of a lotta money for a Chromebook. If you're buying a Chromebook, that is, if a Chromebook will do the job for you, you probably don't need to spend the extra money on more storage, a fancier display, etc. After all, you'll probably doing fairly basic things with your Chromebook (not that you’re limited to that; see below), and for most such undertakings, the basic Pixelbook Go will more than do the job. Stick to the $850 version; even the $649 version will more than suffice in most cases. (Google sent us the $850 i5 model, so this review will center on that.)
