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Right now, all the buzz around Google hardware is mostly focused on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. I understand and I fully understand it. In fact, I’m taking the hype train with everyone and have pretty high expectations as I plan to return to owning the Pixel Phone full time. I’ve been out of the Pixel world for about a year and a half at this point, so the Pixel 6 has more than a passing interest to me. This is probably my destination for the most used computing device I own.
That being said, I’m equally invested, interested, and excited about the new Chromebooks. As I pointed out in first impressions with the new HP Chromebase, there is a proven formula for Chrome OS devices at this point and we have come to a critical point where manufacturers are finally starting to go their separate ways based on the hardware adjustment. and finish, not on the new feature add-ons.
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There was a time when adding a fingerprint scanner was first a Chromebook and we’d forgive other parts of the device that were so-so just because of a little innovation. Stowed pens had that effect, USI compatibility, NVMe storage, convertible form factors, detachment of keyboards, and new keyboard layouts are all part of a similar story for Chromebooks. Now that these things are pretty standard, hardware makers are settling down that they just need to make better Chromebooks to stand out, and ASUS ‘latest laptops are proof of that. We’ve unboxed the new ASUS Flip CX5400 and ASUS CX9 and these Chromebooks don’t have any new gadgets to speak of: these are just well-designed laptops that are amazing to use. Period.
Google did it first and did the best
Immediately after handling these two new Chromebooks, I immediately made comparisons with Google’s own hardware. Why? Because for years, Google has been making Chromebooks that stand out from the crowd in one key area: build quality. Ask anyone who’s used a Google-made Chromebook what they like about it and I guarantee they’ll have a hard time figuring out exactly what makes them so great. But I can tell you exactly what it is: attention to detail and thoughtful build quality.
Get a Chromebook Pixel, Pixelbook, Pixel Slate, or Pixelbook Go and you’ll notice right away that these devices have a fit and finish that is in a different class than any other Chromebook you can get. Even nicer devices like Dell’s Latitiude Chromebooks or the HP c1030 didn’t quite match this aesthetic and feel, and for a long time I wondered if other devices would be able to.
The ASUS CX9 is as close as it gets for me, but I haven’t spent much time with it yet, and for the purposes of this article, that doesn’t even matter. What matters is that Google has consistently designed and built Chromebooks with a certain pristine charisma and no matter how good the Chromebooks are, I think they still need to keep doing it. As we move into a Chromebook adoption phase where new features are going to slow down a bit (think about where we are with new smartphones), the most important thing Chromebook makers need to focus on is quality. of workmanship and the materials they use. to manufacture these devices. Most don’t do it well, but Google has always been great at it.
Keep the Pixelbook Go, just update the inside
This whole feature-versus-design philosophy came to a head with the Pixelbook Go. Again, before anyone else stepped in that direction, Google decided to make a lightweight Chromebook on flagship features and instead to create a more affordable Chromebook that always paid Google’s attention to detail and style. And I would say the Pixelbook Go has achieved that in every way it can.
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For over a year after seeing this Chromebook for the first time, it was everyone’s recommendation. There wasn’t a stunning, pixel-dense screen, but it was good enough. It didn’t come with a fingerprint reader, stylus holder, or convertible case. But it didn’t matter. Time and time again, I would come back to this Chromebook because it was designed with care and attention to the little details that most manufacturers overlook.
Although the processors get a bit old at this point, the Pixelbook Go is still a fantastic device to use every time I pick it up. A few small tweaks two years after launch could make another absolutely fantastic Chromebook, and I finally think there’s a way Google can actually deliver it.
The device I’m typing this message on right now – the ASUS CX5400 Chromebook – has a processor inside that we didn’t know existed until it was announced. It’s still 11th gen Intel with integrated Xe graphics, but its TDP is lower and allows for a chassis that doesn’t need a fan. Even though I have multiple tabs open, tons of windows, and multiple desktops running, this thing is still cool as a cucumber. While every 10th Gen Intel Chromebook had fans (or should have had fans, Samsung), it looks like we might see a few big-core, fanless Chromebooks on the Intel side of things this year.
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And that’s precisely where I see a Pixelbook Go cooling off in the cards. While I never dreamed that Google would iterate the Pixelbook Go with a ventilated processor, I can certainly see a refresh with that same fanless Tiger Lake processor inside that is currently buzzing in the ASUS CX5400. Think about it: Google could swap out one of the countless “Volteer” base cards in the existing Pixelbook Go chassis, add a fingerprint scanner, display with USI support, and ship the thing!
If I ask for things, maybe give it a 400 nits screen and a few more USB Type-C ports. Other than that, they don’t even have to touch it. With these updated processors, the device would be very fast, wouldn’t need an outer chassis adjustment, and could potentially enjoy some occasional Steam games when Borealis appears later this year. It would be a killer Chromebook with the same beautiful build, same firmness, speakers, keyboard, and trackpad that we all still have to this day. And it feels like they could do it really, really easily if they wanted to.
But will they do it? We have no idea. The “Volteer” board that we were tracking, which had the best chance of being a Chromebook made by Google, has practically stagnated in recent months. While not obsolete, the lack of development momentum over the past few months has left me in doubt as to whether or not it will become a true Chromebook. Other than that, we don’t have any other leads, leaks, or solid clues that something like an updated Pixelbook Go is currently in the works. But that doesn’t mean we’re not digging deep yet, and still hoping that Google might show up with a surprise this fall when the highly anticipated Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro get their full unveiling. All the pieces are there and while there are already tons of great Chromebooks here and probably to come, I know a lot of people who would quickly grab an updated Pixelbook Go.
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