Google Pixelbook (i5, 8 GB RAM, 128GB) (GA00122-US)

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The item is a fantastic product and the most premium chromebook you can buy. However, I would say that unless you specifically want the pixel pen or the google assistant feature, you can get other chromebooks costing $400-500 and pretty much have the same experience. However, since I love having the best and am huge fan of chromebooks, I would definitely buy again. Its thin, fast, beautiful, and feels great in your hands. The pen is useful although not absolutely necessary. Its worth it if you get it cheaper than full price. Again, the selling point (in comparison to other chromebooks) is the pixel pen & google assistant feature. (Update April 1) So I was accidentally messing with the Chromebook and cracked the screen. And I researched it and found that they have a fixing program through uBreakiFix, I took it to the to the store and for $480 they will fix the screen. Actually what they do is they send the laptop back to Google and Google sends you a brand new laptop. Obviously although this is quite expensive, this is an amazing feature because you get a completely new pixelbook which actually includes a new charger. I was very pleased with this program they overnight shipped it and I have a brand new pixelbook. Im very impressed with Google on this.

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I recently chose to switch from Windows to Chrome OS. I purchased the Samsung Chromebook Pro back in May of 2017. I liked it quite a bit, however I was not impressed with the keyboard. I decided to upgrade to the Pixelbook, even though it took some convincing on my part because the $1,000 price tag seemed extremely high. I have to be honest, I have not regretted the purchase for even one second. This is, by far, the greatest laptop I have ever owned. The design is flawless, the silicone palm rests are a fantastic detail, and there is nothing you can throw at this machine that will slow it down. It is a productivity monster. Within 15 to 20 seconds of turning the laptop on, I am online and working. There is no slow boot up, no annoying updates, and no expensive antivirus program necessary. Plus, productivity software comes free. No need to purchase a separate program like Microsoft Office Student or anything. Google Docs, Sheets and Slides come free with my Google account and provide everything I need. If anyone out there is on the fence about buying this, let me make your decision easier: You will absolutely love this laptop, and if you already use Google apps, or you are considering switching to Chrome OS, I promise that you will not regret this purchase at all. Thank you, Google, for making the best laptop of the year and one of the best laptops ever made. Update, 2/8/18: Well, it has been nearly four months, and I am still loving my Pixelbook. It has become my one and only daily driver, and I have sold my old Windows desktop PC. I keep discovering more and more things that I can do with this awesome laptop. Below is a pic from Starbucks last night, as I chatted with a friend on Google Hangouts, worked on a spreadsheet for work, edited an audio file, and listened to a YouTube video. I have fully converted to Chrome OS, and I foresee my Pixelbook being my one and only computer for a long time to come. Absolutely buy the Pixelbook if you are in the market and have the funds available. Once you realize that you can do absolutely everything you need to do on one, you will never use any other type of computer. Edit Tuesday, 8/21/18: Business trip, and as you can see in the picture, I have my Google Pixelbook with me as always! It has been nearly a year since I took the "Pixelbook Plunge", and I could not be happier with my decision. The Pixelbook has inspired me to completely embrace Googles vision of the cloud method of personal and business computing. and my only regret is that I did not do it sooner. And now that the Pixelbook is discounted down to $749 and the pen is down to $82, there could not be a better time to get yours. Buy the Pixelbook, you wont regret it!

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I bought the Pixelbook base model (i5 128GB) through a different retailer but holy cow I just had to give this thing a quick review! This thing blows all competition out of the water. It is lightening in a bottle! If you understand what Chrome OS can do and want a premium product look no further. Is it an expensive Chromebook? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes. I wanted a top end experience with top end hardware and this device does not disappoint. The keyboard and touch pad are top notch. The performance is amazing. Most people use their computers for internet-centric uses and this thing does not disappoint. If you are new to chrome OS I would do some research because it is a different experience but is very quick to get the hang of. Now that there are android apps this OS platform is amazing. Ask me anything and I will respond as soon as possible! EDIT 1: 3 weeks in and it is still going strong! If you sign into the device in Guest Mode you can get higher benchmarks than the ones I have in the photos. All of the android apps I use work very well so far: Netflix, Play Music, Weather Underground, MyRadar, Google Photos, Clash of Clans, Mobile Legends Bang Bang, Minecraft, Package Buddy, Scanner Radio, System Monitor, Snapseed, Force Arena, and a handfull of others. Wow I didnt realize I used that many android apps! :o

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This chromebook is very capable with a powerful i5 processor and an adequate amount of memory to keep dozens of tabs operating at full speed. I wish there were a version of the i5 based Pixelbook with 16GB memory. The i7 based pixelbook with 16GB memory is almost twice the price; memory is what chromebooks love the most, few will need the power of the i7 processor. With 12 tabs open I am consuming 6GB of the 8GB available, so there is some wiggle room but not a lot. WIsh the memory was easily upgradeable. The power switch is near the front of the laptop on the side and I find myself pressing it accidentally as I reposition the laptop on my lap. A more conventional power button on the keyboard would make more sense. Thankfully chrome OS prompts me for what I want to do when its pressed. The screen is crisp and clear, but having become accustomed to monitors and laptops with 16:9 form factor its weird going back to a screen thats 4:3. Youtube is more cramped in 4:3 format. USB-C is in theory amazing, a single connector that can be used for power, video, audio, everything. However the realities of USB-C are that many devices are incompatible with each other. I have an HP USB-C docking station that is very good. The Pixelbook doesnt even recognize the device or accept a charge from the docking station. I would prefer one HDMI port to be present to eliminate the need for a dongle for presentations. The aluminum case is very sleek looking, but I do find it a little slick when carrying the laptop. I can see myself dropping this if I dont take care. The touchpad is totally amazing. Until you experience a touchpad this good, you dont know what youve been missing. The pixelbook is totally silent thanks to it having no fan. Shortly after setup I experienced very poor battery life, less than 2 hours and the laptop got quite hot. An Android service was using all available CPU cycles constantly. I did a powerwash, even though I had the pixelbook just 24 hours, the laptop works great now. Not sure what went wrong during initial setup. The beauty of the Chrome OS platform is that rests and power washes are a small inconvenience, setup is pretty much seamless. Te keyboard is a little cramped compared to larger laptops, I find myself pressing the wrong key more often than Id like. The operation of the keyboard however is awesome. The Google assistant feature is more useful than I thought it would be. It may become one of my favorite features. The ability to run Android apps coupled with android messages all on the Pixelbook means I can do pretty much all things I need to from this device. I can relegate my Pixel phone to only times Im away from home. This device can do pretty much anything you need, and does so quickly and without fuss. With some chromebooks Ive run low on storage, many come with just 16GB. This chromebook comes with 128GB, a huge amount of storage for Chrome OS. I wont have to send time managing disk space with this unit.

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I wanted to love this product. Simplicity of chrome OS, beautiful screen, nice design in a compact package. There were drawbacks and I knew that going into it. Everything was ok for the first two months, I had no regrets, it was what it was. BUT, something started just recently that I cant accept. The speaker just randomly started getting distorted and crackling at normal volume. The pixelbook is already not known for its speaker and audio playback, and I knew that, and I could live with that. What I cant live with is this distortion and crackling, making it impossible to listen or play anything. If you search the web, theres a long thread in the user forums for the pixelbook going back to the beginning, and theres NO solution. So disappointed.

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I purchased the base model Pixelbook about three weeks ago for $820. I love it. There are a lot of other good Chromebooks - including the new high-end Samsung and HP ones. So why did I feel so compelled to buy this pricier Chromebook - and write a lengthy review on a Saturday morning when I rarely write reviews? I have a Windows 10 PC, but I bought a Chromebook because I value the simplicity, speed, and reliability of it far more than I value the ability to install very specific desktop software. I was tired of all of the automatic updates and bloated features that Microsoft would randomly roll out. I noticed I havent installed software in some time. Instead, I was spending nearly all of my time working in Chrome - between Google Apps and a variety of web-based software (which is far superior to its desktop counterparts in most cases, sans with very specific technical/creative work). And instead of things like Microsoft Office, I rely on GoogleDocs because I value the ease of creation and sharing far more than I value all of the extra features I dont need. After realizing that I spend 90%+ of my time utilizing my web browser for everything (including work), the decision to get a Chromebook was a no-brainer. And it helped that I started on an HP Chromebook 14 5 years ago - which still worked, though I wanted something faster and sleeker. As stated above, there are a few other high-end Chromebooks to choose from, as well as some good middle-range ones, so why the Pixelbook? Ill say that the discount on the device to $820 (from $999) was the catalyst. I determined that Id much rather spend the extra ~$200 on the absolute best Chromebook over another certainly good Chromebook - in order to get the improved build quality and most optimized Chromebook that I could get, including with the Google ecosystem. I love my Google Pixel 2 phone, so Ive seen how Googles hardware is top-notch. Also I know HP and Samsung hardware can be a bit iffy, and Samsung has had a bloatware issue with installing extra things. The Pixelbook looks/feels super sleek, the keyboard + trackpad are fantastic, and the wrist rests are a very nice touch. The screen is bright with great resolution. At a few of my previous employers, we all received a Macbook Air. I essentially was looking for the sleekness and build quality of the Macbook Air, without the Apple OS (which I couldnt stand / I always found cumbersome). I believe the Pixelbook reaches that standard. When it comes to performance, this computer is super fast, with a ton of RAM and a high-end processor. You can be confident this thing will continue to fly through whatever Chrome tabs / extensions (and probably Android apps) you throw at it. I have only one main qualm with the Pixelbook which doesnt bother me too much - the bezels (the black empty space between actual display and the frame of the computer) are insanely big. I share the same gripe with my Pixel 2 phone. Hopefully Google stops this in the future. The only other qualm is that the Pixel Pen stylus is insanely expensive. With a lot of research, I purchased a ~$15 off-brand stylus which I look forward to gently trying (researched to ensure it didnt scratch the screen). Who will love the Pixelbook: someone who uses mostly a web browser when on the computer (and open to continuing to use web applications over desktop ones) - and really values the premium on high-end hardware and ensuring that they have the best performance. From standard web browsing to the continually increasing number of business applications that by default run in the cloud. *If you fit a lot of the above in terms of computer usage but dont usually have a ton of tabs open / dont need the fastest thing and price is definitely more of a priority, there are some great Chromebooks from brands like ASUS and Acer in the $250 - $400 range, some of which even have metal bodies and touchscreens, which youd likely be very pleased with. My mother is approaching 70 and consistently has a ton of problems with her Macbook Pro, so Im continuing to work to get her to sell that and get one of these instead. I think Chromebooks in general are perfect for seniors and young children. Who will not like the Pixelbook: if you are super huge Mac enthusiast and love their ecosystem (get a Macbook Air then), if you are super into gaming, or if you rely on demanding desktop software for creative/technical purposes. What comes to mind is if youre a full-time pro and need the advanced features of software for video production, Adobe CC, specialized finance requiring extremely complex Excel functionality (though maybe the cloud version of Excel has those features), data scientist requiring desktop-only software, or even someone like an Architect that needs industry-standard CAD software. But for the majority of us doing basic computer things, a Chromebook is an extremely wonderful breath of fresh air. It boots super fast, updates are quick and barely noticeable, and its a reliable computer. If price happens to be a priority, Chromebooks have you very well-covered. It is a tremendous relief not thinking about renewing licenses, installing updates, or other things getting in the way of you just firing up a browser and doing your normal things. And if having the best speed and hardware is something you really appreciate -- I would highly recommend the base model Pixelbook. To be totally honest, Im not sure if Id recommend it at $999, but Id recommend it for as high as $850 (remember I bought it for $820). Good news is that Ive seen a bunch of other sales like that, and its even gone multiple times down to $750. I personally dont see the value in the higher-end Pixelbooks in terms of noticeable performance differences for the significant price boost over the base model.

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I purchased the entry level Pixelbook for a family member who like me is a longtime Android and Google user. ( i5 CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) After a few frustrating hours, we decided to return it. I don’t write many reviews, and usually none this long, but this experience was so maddening I wanted to share it for other potential buyers. tl;dr The Pixelbook is far too limited to be called a true laptop; its not even as capable as a current Android smartphone. It seems like an expensive toy designed to promote Google Assistant. Heres a detailed list issues we found through basic everyday use in the first 2 hours. - Google "apps" in the taskbar -Sheets, Gmail, - arent "apps". Theyre links to browser plugins. So after you just signed into the laptop, you open the Gmail "app" and get prompted to sign in again. This is a worse user experience then a phone. - The ability to install Apps from the Play Store is a big selling point. So you can install the Gmail Android app to keep a persistent login. But guess what? There are no system sounds installed, so you don’t get notifications, which is the next problem... - Notifications are useless. There is a counter in the bottom tray but there is no visual popup or sound to alert you like Windows 10 Android or iOS or any consumer electronic OS made in the past 25 years. When you get an email you dont know until you open the "app" in the browser. - Checking the interwebs we found a "workaround" to install an Android app with its own sounds built in. Or copy your own sounds from another device into the Notifications folder. That leads to t he next problem, local File Management . - The native File Manager hides most files from you. You cant access the Notification folder to import sounds from a USB stick. Nor can you easily create a new folder, drag and drop files, or do other core tasks any laptop should provide. You have to download a 3rd party file explorer from the Store to do that. We went through all this and still the system didnt recognize added sounds. Notifications foiled again! - Back to the file system. It seems Google expects you to sync everything to My Drive. But on a laptop dont most people have some sensitive files they store locally only? Good luck doing this with the built in File Manager. - Likewise, you cant open password protected MS Office files in Google apps. Its not supported. I found a very crass comment on support forums saying "Drive is password protected, why would you need to protect individual files?" Missing the point totally…. - No worry though you can install the free Android Excel app and open password protected files just like on your phone right? Wrong. Microsoft requires an O365 subscription to use their apps on the Pixelbook or any device with screen over 10". So something you can do or free on any Android phone costs you $10/mo on the $1000 and up Pixelbook. Foiled yet again - Maybe you heard Chrome OS can run Linux apps in Developer mode. Not for the average user, but your desperate now. While great, you can install LibreOffice the opensource MS Office alternative. Except you need to know how to use the Linux terminal to do it. Even if you do Linux apps are run in a secure container. You cant access your folder structure, you have to copy files you want to work with to a Linux only folder then move them back later. Another half-baked idea not ready for prime time. - More on running Android Apps. Chrome OS is not the same as Android OS. Under the hood ,the latest Chrome OS 71 is still using the out of support Android version 7.1.2 which no longer gets security updates as of Nov 5, 2018. So the brand new device you just bought is already unpatched! Google brags how secure the device is which makes this even harder to stomach. - And last, even something as simple as playing music didn’t work right. I loaded a few albums from a USB stick. The stock barebones music player and Play Music apps couldn’t display the .JPG albumart. GMMP Android player from the store could. These are the same albumart files that work on Android phones for years... All of this is what two reasonably tech savvy users uncovered in just a few hours with the Pixelbook. As longtime Android users we know its not unusual for Google products to get released in a nascent state then be refined over time. But this product has been on the market for a year already and it still feels like its barely a Beta version. I cant believe they make a $2000 i7 CPU, 16GB RAM, 512 SSD version for something with so many issues which can only run browser and Android apps. I can not recommend the Pixelbook to anyone at any price.

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Ive been reading about chromebook for about a year and a half before I pull the trigger. Ive been testing the keyboard and responsiveness in every store that sells chromebook. I was always impressed with the pixel book but because of the steep price I always try to justify why the others are better. I was going to buy the C302ca of asus but I didnt like the way it feels and in terms of responsiveness the pixelbook is better. Now when I saw the priced dropped I didnt hesitate and bought the pixelbook yes it is still 300 more than c302 but I am satisfied that I bought what I really like. Dont let the reviews decide your future chromebook. Everything has a flaw no matter what computer you buy, but if you buy the one that you really like then you will be satisfied even with the flaws. Now what I really love about this Chromebook. It is quick to boot, resume and put away. My main reason for buying this Chromebook is for email, reviews, shopping, google docs, picture editing, occasional social media, streaming movies from netflix, hulu, crunchyroll, and lastly online banking. I am a PC gamer and now I dont have to worry about antivirus on my PC because the only thing it has is steam. If I need some quick guide on potions or crafting for my games then I can quickly pull out my chromebook and surf without using 1 of my 3 monitors as a surf monitor. I am also looking forward with the linux support so I will probably try runescape again. I wouldnt dive down on the IT tools that you can use because of google play integration since not everyone here is a system administrator. Now go visit some brick and mortar store and test those chromebooks then check amazon if it has the best price. :)

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Summary: As a google fanboy, I still cannot recommend this device for the price theyre asking. Though very beautiful, it is stuck in BETA. Googles fresh-faced entry into the hardware business proves it has a lot to learn, as there arent enough exclusive Google "goodies" - other than the built in assistant - to warrant the purchase. Go with a cheaper Asus Chromebook C302 if you must, or the less expensive Macbook Air/Surface (yes, you can absolutely find them brand new, for less than a Pixelbook - dont give me that look). Pros: *The design is like nothing youve ever seen. Sleek and sexy. (However, see cons on this) *Touchscreen is very fast and responsive. *Chrome OS is super fast and a joy to use. No fuss, no maintenance. *Blazing fast processor and very little heat coming from the device. *Tablet mode allows for multiple viewing angles (but also see cons on this) *Keyboard is phenomenal and has excellent key travel w/ backlight. *Google assistant is built in and can recognize the "ok/hey google" command word. *Android apps are available and are continually improving. Cons: *The design is uncomfortable. In tablet mode, the corners are sharp the device is heavy. In laptop mode, the small keyboard footprint causes my wrists to rest on the edge of the device & on the table -- not on the silicon pads. This might not be a problem if you have smaller hands. *Accessories for this thing are nonexistent due to its "newness," or often have poor ratings. *The screen is very blue with high contrast - so blue that it hurts my eyes. While logging into the device, my profile picture often looks like a shiny ghost. This is also evident when comparing the color of the app icons to my phones. *Android apps... they exist but feel very.... BETA -- I dont care what Google says. While many of them work, youll notice from my pictures there are alignment issues. The apps just arent designed for laptop screens so they often appear stretched out or as a jumbled mess. *Google Assistant. Shes a lovely lady, but she has her bugs. Every time I ask her to show my reminders, she crashes...slap that big fat BETA stamp on your forehead. Side-note: The engineering team told me they are working on this issue. *EXE programs are missing entirely. Yes, we all know chromebooks cant run full programs, so why is this a con you ask? We have to go back to that big ole BETA stamp from earlier. Want Excel? Outlook? Word? Sure, try the Android app, but just beware you need an office 365 subscription -- not to mention these apps crash and are missing important features of their counterparts. (Example: I cant open two spreadsheets at one time.) Stick to Google Docs/Sheets. BIGGEST CON AKA DEAL BREAKER *Not enough exclusive OS features to draw consumers to the premium "Pixel" brandname. Bear with me....I understand Google loves spreading their services around to as many devices as possible, to reach as many people as possible -- but what on the software level makes this laptop any different from Asus or Acer? The only added addition is the google assistant which still seems to be in BETA. Where are the exclusive synergies between the Pixel 2 phone and this laptop? Why cant I send texts/files and check my phones status from this device? Why do I need 3rd party chrome extensions to do the aforementioned feature?

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Great Device and User Experience. In Chrome its much faster than my 4K€ MacBook Pro. I love the Design and the Hardware is top notch. Had quite some situations were I opened up the Pixelbook in a meeting and had jealous looks. I use it on a daily basis and can do 95% of my work on the device. Webapps work great and most Android apps also work great. Only thing Im missing is a proper video editor but lets wait for Linux containers in Chrome OS as this will open up endless possibilities.

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