Google Chromebook Pixel: First full-powered Google Laptop

[Schadenfreude]

Available Now

I don't get it. Hardware-wise it's definitely sexy piece of kit, but definitely with some caveats; first, the wifi only version has only 32 Gigs of Storage and second - and more important - there aren't any apps out there currently that demands this much hardware for the chrome OS. What gives? It looks like a chicken-and-egg scenario;

- If Chrome is looking to release more CPU-intensive apps, the obvious bottleneck is the storage.
- Conversely, if they're looking to utilize cloud computing, they wouldn't need this much hardware.

What do you guys think? For me, if they update the same laptop w/ haswell, I can swap out the storage/RAM and install Win8 on that badboy I'm sold; of course all those things I mentioned essentially ignore the point of the Chromebook altogether . . .. I guess I really don't see the point.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Welp... I don't want a Surface Pro anymore.

 

[DaveSimmons]

It might make more sense as a DroidBook that could run native Android apps, instead of as a ChromeBook that can only run a web browser and web apps.

$1,300 for a browser-puter isn't something I've been wanting. I'd much rather just open a Chrome browser window on a laptop that can run anything else I want to.

 

[Kaido]

The only thing that stands out to me as a negative is the ridiculous price...for $200 more, you can buy a Retina Macbook Pro. Most computers with SSD's boot up in like 20-30 seconds now, and wake-from-sleep is really fast, and you can run real apps on them...so why is an Internet-surfing machine $1299? Why not just get a Retina iPad with a keyboard case if you want touchscreen? To me, the whole point of a Chromebook has always been a low-cost Internet machine. $1300 just seems nuts...I just bought my mom a new 15" Windows 8 laptop for $329 from Best Buy that works awesome...nearly $1,000 less.

Just trying to wrap my head around the price...

 

[dave_the_nerd]

$329 laptop? 15" Best Buy? Works "awesome?"

Why don't you love your mother? :biggrin:

 

[Kaido]

$329 laptop? 15" Best Buy? Works "awesome?"

Why don't you love your mother? :biggrin:

1. Easy-to-read 1366x768 on a 15" screen
2. StartMenu8
3. Cheap
4. Google Chrome defaulted to Incognito Mode (no ability to load popup bars etc.)

:biggrin::thumbsup:

 

[Eureka]

Not bad in terms of hardware. But Chrome OS? I'll pass. I tried it at BB, it's OK for a netbook-price, but not for the price of dedicated hardware. At that price, I'd get a Retina macbook, install Win, and then resell it for 75% of the price 2 years later.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

4. Google Chrome defaulted to Incognito Mode (no ability to load popup bars etc.)

:biggrin::thumbsup:

That's clever... most of the people I know would lose their minds if their web browser didn't autofill everything for them, though.

 

[crab0]

1. Easy-to-read 1366x768 on a 15" screen

I know I'm not your mother and for $329 hell yeah but am I crazy for *not* being able read on a 768p screen bigger then 12 inches cause its like looking at a screen door? I just get headaches same with iPad 1/2/Mini, desktop monitors that are sub 1080p or are 1080 and 27 inches, and smartphones with qHD pentile and worse-then-Galaxy S2 PPI.

 

[crab0]

I can see use cases but they involve individuals/businesses that really value the Drive storage it comes with, can afford a super pricey secondary laptop or really really want Retina+Touch.

 

[Schadenfreude]

I can see use cases but they involve individuals/businesses that really value the Drive storage it comes with, can afford a super pricey secondary laptop or really really want Retina+Touch.

Haha so that's pretty much . . . 0.00001% pf the computer using populace.

In all seriousness, it's a sexy machine - the screen resolution gives plenty of room, the design is tasteful, and (outside of storage) everything else seems to line up - it looks like Google's trying to woo the "power-user" set with it.

I just don't see it - coming form my perspective, a single game I play (say, the Witcher 2) would take up 3/4s of space easily, and if I use programs like Photoshop, Illustrator or 3D Coat there's no way I'd leave my files up in the cloud in case my wifi goes down (what if that was my livelihood? It's not realistic to have a 12" laptop as your sole unit but for the sake of argument . . .) - and that's assuming that those programs are available on Chrome to begin with(it's not). On top of that, any graphics-intensive applications would run horribly due to the ultra-high resolution and the (much-improved but still) anemic iGPU.

I think I'm still preoccupied with it so much because it has MOST of the features I'd like in a laptop - but the few things it lacks are critical IMO.

 

[Eureka]

Haha so that's pretty much . . . 0.00001% pf the computer using populace.

In all seriousness, it's a sexy machine - the screen resolution gives plenty of room, the design is tasteful, and (outside of storage) everything else seems to line up - it looks like Google's trying to woo the "power-user" set with it.

I just don't see it - coming form my perspective, a single game I play (say, the Witcher 2) would take up 3/4s of space easily, and if I use programs like Photoshop, Illustrator or 3D Coat there's no way I'd leave my files up in the cloud in case my wifi goes down (what if that was my livelihood? It's not realistic to have a 12" laptop as your sole unit but for the sake of argument . . .) - and that's assuming that those programs are available on Chrome to begin with(it's not). On top of that, any graphics-intensive applications would run horribly due to the ultra-high resolution and the (much-improved but still) anemic iGPU.

I think I'm still preoccupied with it so much because it has MOST of the features I'd like in a laptop - but the few things it lacks are critical IMO.

Personally, for the 12" domain, I just got a 12" tablet off ebay for $200 with a C2D SU9300. That right there is 90% of the use of a Pixel book, it just doesn't have a gorgeous display or a multitouch screen, but I can still use a pen, and it gets me the full functionality of chrome.

The $1000 premium? No thanks, I'd rather get a MBP, and I've never owned an apple product.

 

[DaveSimmons]

I just don't see it - coming form my perspective, a single game I play (say, the Witcher 2) would take up 3/4s of space easily, and if I use programs like Photoshop, Illustrator or 3D Coat there's no way I'd leave my files up in the cloud in case my wifi goes down ...

No worries, since you can't run any of those on a Chrome OS laptop

You can only run web-based apps. It isn't Android so no app store apps either. "You get nothing!"

 

[_UP_]

I think everyone is missing the bigger picture here. Google hasn't been a company to charge premium for nothing so far. If they are selling this laptop with such high specs, there's something we still don't know. It's not destined just to surf the web.
Just my 2c.
But here is something to maybe hint for what's to come:
http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/21/...k-pixel/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

 

[Schadenfreude]

I think everyone is missing the bigger picture here. Google hasn't been a company to charge premium for nothing so far. If they are selling this laptop with such high specs, there's something we still don't know. It's not destined just to surf the web.
Just my 2c.
But here is something to maybe hint for what's to come:
http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/21/...k-pixel/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

So a developer looking to port Linux onto Google's hardware is the future? Somehow I think that wasn't exactly what Google intended.

As far as Google historically not overcharging for their goods, that's a fair assessment and I agree so to that; but at the same time, Google's Chrome OS doesn't have a diverse enough software ecosystem to warrant such a radical upgrade - unless they're looking to have some sort of premium feature-set they're rolling out for the Pixel that's unavailable on the lower end Chromebooks, and I don't think that's in the horizon.

Or, conversely; the upgrade in processing power is only there to insure similar performance due to the large jump in display resolution - but why the intentional drop in storage? Was that for Google to basically force customers to use their online storage solution?

You could potentially argue that this is a limited release for developers - I suppose I could see that, but I don't see many developers feeling comfortable leaving a lot of their content uploaded into the cloud, and as far as I know there aren't that many (if any?) content creation programs (Photoshop, Solidworks, etc.) on the Chrome OS . . . yet. Even if the online space is available I would loathe to have to upload all my photos and music, howmanyever gigs of them - yes I could access it from anywhere online, but if I have online access I already have youtube or pandora, and I can access my files currently without having to worry about losing connection.

Like I said, I really like the thought process put into the design of the hardware; but the lack of storage and a viable ecosystem kills the deal for me, and I'm thinking a lot of other people think the same way - normally I'd say I'm jumping the gun but as it is available to order right at this second, without a killer app; it's like given the keys to a Ferarri . . . in the middle of the jungle.

 

[Anonemous]

One thing that wasn't mentioned is the 1TB cloud service for 3 yrs. It's basically $600/year for 1TB. So if you needed the cloud service you could get it at a discount + a free laptop.

But yea other than that, the Pixel is not for the average consumer. Most likely for their in house developers since it's supposedly more secure and beefier screen and cpu wise than other chrome books.

 

[_UP_]

I agree with everyone's problem with the lack of storage, and what is available at the moment with Chrome OS.
But that guy works for Google, so maybe this is part of their intention:

Lucky for us that Google's Benson Leung has a knack for Linux

(you can google his name, according to his Google+ account he works there)

I guess I really don't want to buy a MBP (or any other Apple product) but if they reduce the prices of the rMBP as rumors suggest, it might be the best bang for the buck - as ridiculous as it sounds for an Apple product. I really like high-res screens, and am looking for a good contender. But I guess we'll find out soon.

EDIT:
And here is the next step:
http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/23/chromebook-pixel-linux-unverified-bios-slot-custom-bootloader/

 

[Schadenfreude]

I guess I really don't want to buy a MBP (or any other Apple product) but if they reduce the prices of the rMBP as rumors suggest, it might be the best bang for the buck - as ridiculous as it sounds for an Apple product. I really like high-res screens, and am looking for a good contender. But I guess we'll find out soon.

Right, so it's not like the Pixel is being released in a vacuum, let's try to compare it against (what I think are) it's analogues - now I readily admit I don't have any of the three systems, so it'll be based on other reviews and specs found online;

Chromebook Pixel/1
Microsoft Surface Pro/2
Apple MBP 13" Retina/3

So how much does it cost?
1.$1299
2.$1030 - picked base pro model + type case
3.$1499

What do you get for the Money?
CPU?
1. Core i5 Ivy Bridge cpu
2. Core i5 Ivy Bridge cpu
3. Core i5 Ivy Bridge cpu
RAM?
1. 4 Gigs
2. 4 Gigs
3. 4 Gigs
Storage?
1. 32GB + 1TB of cloud access for 3 years
2. 64GB
3. 128GB
Display?
1. 12.85" display w/ 2560x1700 resolution
2. 10.6" display w/ 1920x1080 resolution
3. 13.3" display w/ 2560x1600 resolution
Touchscreen?
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. No
Is it upgradeable post purchase?
1. Based on description (no visible screws, integrated battery, etc.) No
2. No
3. No

Ecosystem/Availability of Apps/Programs?
1. All of Google's products, plus a few other web-based apps
2. Thousands, if not millions, of programs if counting current and legacy programs, anemic app system for Win8: access to all of Google's web-based products.
3. Thousands of programs: access to all of Google's web-based products.
----------------------------------
What about the other Chromebooks?
I'll make it relatively simple this time around:
- The other Chromebooks sport a standard 13x7 display
- The $260 Acer C7 has an Intel Pentium CPU and 320 Gigs HDD, but no touchscreen.

All in all it comes down to what price range you're comfortable with, what you're looking to do with it, and if you have any particular brand preferences. If I had to choose I'd go with the MS version; the specs are similar enough, but for the size the form factor makes sense(to me, you be your own judge on that) and the availability of current/legacy apps (read: the hundreds of games I play - if only I applied myself outside of games . . . anyway back to topic) and integration w/ my desktop, wife's computer, etc.

For the Pixel: Design wise the 3:2 ratio display is really exciting for content creation - but I wonder out loud if that's of any utility considering that it's on a display less than 13 inches - which would essentially relegate it back to consumer-level use, but then again it runs into issues.

Yes surfing the web would be fantastic (I can read email and blogs faster, woo.) but even if the AAA games were to come to chrome and it can be streamed online (to which there's several issues with, but that's another point of discussion) the GPU would be unable to make a decent dent on it's ginormous resolution so performance would suffer. And forget about playing first-person shooters on a 13" display no matter how high the resolution is too! And most people (I assume) would be interested to watch HD shows/movies on this thing, which works against it - most shows are configured for 16:9 (and theatre formatting is 21:9, I believe?) so you'd see some letterboxing, or some distortion on the screen - 3:2 is 15:10 so not too different than 16:9, but I'm betting it's enough to notice.

Yes, my opinion may be a bit premature since the system was just released last week, but usually if there's a reason for it's release, a killer app - let's say they worked out an arrangement w/ Valve for games, bought out Adobe and Autodesk for Photoshop, 3DS Max, or something - companies would usually announce the news simultaneously to boost sales I would think. To me it looks like Google's releasing the Pixel and seeing what the masses come up with; hoping a killer app would arise naturally and betting on their brand name, but that's a far bet for it gaining traction with consumers.

 

[ultimatebob]

Yeah, I don't get it either. I might pay $300 for a crippled laptop that can only run web applications, but $1,299?? Someone at Google is smoking crack again.

That said, Google has made stupid pricing mistakes like this in the past. They tried to sell pre-orders of their first Atom powered Chromebooks back in 2011 for $499, back when you could get a comparable netbook for around $300. Nobody bought those, either.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Ecosystem/Availability of Apps/Programs?
1. All of Google's products, plus a few other web-based apps
2. Thousands, if not millions, of programs if counting current and legacy programs, anemic app system for Win8
3. Thousands of programs

Note that 2. and 3. can also run all Google products too.

3. (Mac) offers even more since you can run Google, OS X and Windows using Boot Camp or VMWare / Parallels.

 

[black0ut]

It doesn't make sense to have a thin-client OS with a thick client... what's the point of all that hardware if everything runs in the cloud?

 

[Anteaus]

I wouldn't buy one because everything I do is Windows based, but the Chromebook is gorgeous. I love the the simple design. If they would create a Windows Ultrabook out of it I would buy it in a second.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Note that 2. and 3. can also run all Google products too.

3. (Mac) offers even more since you can run Google, OS X and Windows using Boot Camp or VMWare / Parallels.

Edited post - as a counterpoint, PCs can also dual boot OS X as well, and Linux, etc.; as it stands I don't think that's a valid enough point because:

- Out of the general consumer populace, how many people would actually do that?
- There's work being done to port Linux on the Pixel already, as it was pointed out.
- I'd rather evaluate the system as-is out of the box; if someone's determined enough I'm sure they can swap out the storage, upgrade the cpu, etc. as well but frankly, if I were to shell out $1k+ on a depreciating good I'd expect it to, well, work without having to modify it in any way.

 

[crab0]

Edited post - as a counterpoint, PCs can also dual boot OS X as well, and Linux, etc.; as it stands I don't think that's a valid enough point because:

- Out of the general consumer populace, how many people would actually do that?
- There's work being done to port Linux on the Pixel already, as it was pointed out.
- I'd rather evaluate the system as-is out of the box; if someone's determined enough I'm sure they can swap out the storage, upgrade the cpu, etc. as well but frankly, if I were to shell out $1k+ on a depreciating good I'd expect it to, well, work without having to modify it in any way.

Well Boot Camp is officially supported and advertised (used to be on TV, still on Apple site), not the same as a PITA Hackintosh and I do think future flexibility is important especially at that price range (microSD card for low storage in Surface Pro, locked down hardware of Retina models, etc).

 

[_UP_]

I'm not going to buy the laptop for a while (probably until the next refresh that will come after Haswell). And I don't think the "perfect" laptop exists right now (for any price). I do think the Pixel is an important laptop because it will show OEMs that it's time to put better screens on laptops and not settle for 1366*768. The standard resolution for desktops has been 1080p for a while (I'd claim that should go up as well) and there's no reason that the standard resolution for laptops would still be 1366*768. Not to mention the build quality (there hasn't been any reviews that I've seen, but from the pictures it seems to be solid). Apple should not be the only company around to offer these things.