Google Pixelbook Go review: a worthwhile Chromebook

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From superior build quality to impressivespeakers, the Google Pixelbook Go is the best Chromebook you can buy today. This compact laptop does not force Chrome OS to do something that it is not very good at.

I would also call the new Pixelbook Go a safe device.

Specifications

Design and appearance

Chromebook Screen

Performance

Battery autonomy

Device flaws

Alternatives to the Pixelbook Go

Should I buy?

Features of the Google Pixelbook Go

Display

13.3-inch, 16: 9 touch; HD (1920 × 1080) or 4K (3840 × 2160)

CPU

8th Generation Intel Core m3, i5 or i7

Ram

8/16 GB

ROM

64/128/256 GB SSD

Connection

Wi-Fi: 802.11a / b / g / n / ac, 2 × 2 (MIMO), 2.4 GHz / 5.0 GHz

Bluetooth version

4.2

Camera

2-MP, 60 frames per second, video 1080p

Battery

12 hours, with quick charge

Thickness

13.4 mm

Weight

1043 grams

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Exquisite design

Design can be called minimal, at leastjewelry and details. The top of the laptop is very similar to last year's Pixel Slate, the same solid color and thin Google logo in the corner. The Pixelbook Go has a standard 13.3-inch screen, but despite the fact that it is touch-sensitive, the hinge here does not rotate completely, and besides, when working with it, you cannot use the Pixelbook Pen.

Although Go’s design is less adventurous,than the original Pixelbook, it's no less perfect. The whole body consists of several pieces of magnesium. The thickness of the laptop is only 1.27 cm, and the weight is 1.04 kg. Despite the fact that it is portable, I did not find any signs of bends or creaks. The most interesting feature here is the ribbed pattern along the bottom. By the way, this makes it easy to carry the laptop and adds uniqueness to its appearance.

I had only two complaints about the designPixelbook Go The first is the large display bezels, they are really very thick, especially on top, where the webcam and microphones for Google Assistant are located. This feature makes Go look a bit outdated. Unlike the Google laptop, the main competitors of Samsung Chromebook 4+ and Lenovo Yoga Chromebook C630 fixed this problem.

The second complaint is the colors of this laptop model. The manufacturer offers only two color options, Just Black and Not Pink. The Just Black model looks too formal, and Not Pink looks too elaborate.

Some users may also be disappointed with the limited choice of ports, but for a laptop like this, two USB-C connectors are enough.

Chromebook Screen

Displays are often a cheap issue.laptops, but not with the Google Pixelbook Go. Here we get a really bright screen with a resolution of 1080p. It has a warmer shade than the Surface Pro or MacBook, and it is more pleasant for browsing the web, video and in general for any work.

My test version with a resolution of 1920 × 1080pixels, inferior in this characteristic Pixelbook. The aspect ratio here is 16: 9. Many would prefer a ratio of 3: 2 or even 16:10, but Google chose the usual aspect ratio.

Pixelbook Go has a short keyboardthe move Google calls Hush Keys. It is more convenient to print on it than on the MacBook Pro or even on the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1. The activation of the keys is softer and they work much quieter. In fact, this is one of the quietest laptop keyboards that we have encountered. And most importantly, the awkward round keys that debuted on the Pixel Slate have disappeared.

The glass touchpad is sleek and responsive, whichis a great achievement for a laptop in this price range. As already mentioned, the display is touch-sensitive, so you can control your laptop even with your finger. Chrome OS is now compatible with many Android applications, and thanks to the touch screen they are intuitive for users.

Google claims to have spent a lot of timeto fine-tune the speakers, and this is noticeable. The sound quality here is just a pleasure. The speakers are directed upward, clear, quite loud to fill a large room, and even give out a little bass.

Iron productivity

The new Google Pixelbook Go costs 41 560 r, (649$), and it’s the most expensive Chromebook in the world. Typical devices cost about two or three times less, and have weak processors like Intel Celeron or Pentium.

Pixelbook Go configurations start with Intel Corem3, 8th generation dual-core chip, 8 GB of RAM and 64 GB of SSD drive. Unlike laptops on Windows 10, dual-core processors in Chrome OS are capable of excellent performance. If you do not belong to the category of people who are always connected to a 4K monitor with fifty tabs open, the starting configuration should be enough for you.

For testing, I got a laptop withprocessor version of Intel Core i5. It is also an 8th generation chip supporting up to four cores. I could not identify its limit in multitasking, it easily cope with web applications and a large number of open browser tabs.

Is Intel's 10th Generation Processor Better? Probably yes. However, this is one of the most powerful Chromebooks you can buy. If you need more performance, there is a Pixelbook Go with a Core i7 processor on sale.

Better autonomy for work

For a student or someone who needs a laptop fortravel, model Core m3 for 41 560 p. ($ 649) is a great choice compared to the clumsy legacy Windows 10 PCs available for the same money. Effective fanless Intel processors help increase battery life. Chromebooks are renowned for their long battery life, even though the Google Pixelbook Go exceeds all expectations.

The tested Pixelbook Go worked like a localtest with looped video, and when viewing web pages, more than 13 hours. This is more than Google claimed - 12 hours, and the best time I've seen on a Chromebook.

He has a place to grow

I liked the Pixelbook Go overall, but somehe still lacks functions. There is no biometric entry. In addition, there is no fingerprint scanner or face recognition. This is a little disappointing, given that Google has just introduced Face Unlock technology in Pixel 4. By the way, Apple laptops also still lack Face ID in the MacBook line.

There are also a couple of other minor mistakes,related to the choice of processor. Since these are 8th generation Intel processors, you won’t get access to the new Wi-Fi 6 standard, which will come in handy in the future. With this equipment, you will also not have access to wireless high-speed data transmission over LTE.

Alternatives to Google Pixelbook Go

Pixelbook Go's closest competitor is AcerChromebook 13. The build quality there is far from so good, but the screen has a higher resolution. The basic model for 45 thousand p. ($ 700) comes with a similar dual-core processor, but only 32 GB of memory.

There are some more impressive ones on the market.15-inch Chromebooks, although they do not have the same mobility as Go. For example, Lenovo Yoga Chromebook - 15-inch screen and impressive performance.

For about the same money, you can buy the Asus ZenBook 13 UX333 on Windows, which has better performance, thin bezels and a larger selection of ports.

Total

You can consider that 42 thousand rubles. too expensive for a chromebook. On the one hand, you are right, because on other similar devices you can get similar features for a lower price. But, on the other hand, Google Pixelbook Go is more attractive and reliable than the models offered by competitors. It also has the best performance score among Chromebooks. This is reinforced by the fact that today, Chrome OS is able to work as an alternative to Windows or MacOS when using the right hardware.

Google supported the original Pixelbook byconstant software updates, which allowed the laptop to remain surprisingly fast. Therefore, I expect the Pixelbook Go to be updated for a long time to come. We only have a one-year warranty, but you can renew it with Preferred Care from Google for an additional 9,600 p. ($ 150).