9to5Google recently posted images of what appears to be the final prototype of Google’s upcoming Pixelbook Go.
The new Chromebook is expected to officially launch alongside the Pixel 4 during the “Made by Google” event on October 15 in New York City. The leaks have have given us a pretty comprehensive look at the new device, but there’s still one big feature missing.
According to the report, the bottom portion of the Pixelbook Go’s chassis sports a “grippy, ribbed” texture that “feels somewhat similar to a washboard.” Complementing this texture is a coral-style color akin to the “Not Pink” design offered with the Pixel 3.
Meanwhile, the top features a smooth, matte finish with a lighter “Not Pink” hue. Based on the images and description, the lid’s color isn’t quite so pronounced, changing in tone based on lighting and camera angles. A “Just Black” version will also be available.
Unfortunately, according to the prototype, a pretty chunky bezel sits above the screen, which houses the 2-megapixel camera and two far-field microphones for Google Assistant.
Unlike Google Pixelbook, the upcoming Pixelbook Go will not have a convertible design. Typically, convertibles have four modes – laptop, stand, tent, and tablet – for versatile computing. The Pixelbook Go will likely sport a traditional clamshell design, and the latest report doesn’t indicate otherwise.
This is a move away from the 2-in-1 devices and tablets Google produced in the past. The Pixel Slate was announced at a similar event last year, though just six months after it’s launch, all further work on the device was canceled.
With the lid up, the Pixelbook Go presents a familiar MacBook-style design. A front-facing speaker resides on each side of the keyboard. The Assistant key sits in the keyboard’s bottom-left corner while the Home key replaces the typical Caps Lock key. Chromebook keys line along the keyboard’s top row.
The prototype described in the report features a 13.3-inch touch-enabled screen with a Full HD resolution. The Google Pixelbook has a smaller 12.3-inch screen but a higher resolution at 2,400 x 1,600. It’s also 16:9, unlike the 3:2 screens we’ve seen on other Google laptops and tablets.
However, a possible big selling point for the Pixelbook Go will be its reported 4K “Molecular Display.” It’s an upgrade compared to other “Made by Google” Chromebooks and will enable Stadia game streaming at 4K and 60 frames per second.
According to the leaks, the Pixelbook Go will feature a number of processor options, all of them in Intel’s 8th-gen Core line. At the base, it starts with the Core i3, and ranges up to a Core i7. The report doesn’t indicate if these are the quad-core U-series processors or the fanless Y-series options, but Google has gone with Y-series in its past Chrome OS laptops.
In terms of memory, you’ll get an option of either 8GB or 16GB of RAM, while storage options range from 64GB up to 256GB.
8th-gen processors will no doubt make the Pixelbook Go incredibly fast thanks to the efficiencies of Chrome OS. However, it’ll be a little strange to see Google skip the option for 10th-gen processors, when Intel offers a pretty wide range of options. Y-series Ice Lake processors would have been a great option, which would have provided some improved graphics and quad-core processors.
Pricing for the Pixelbook Go is currently unknown. The “Go” designation seems to indicate that it could be a budget system, though the hardware and build of the device look quite premium. If it balances its value offering as well as the Pixel 3a, we’ll be happy campers.
The Pixelbook has been the standard-bearing Chrome OS device ever since it launched in 2017, but the $999 starting price was a stumbling block for many. Chromebooks have always been seen as a cheap alternative to Windows, and the high price of the Pixel Slate was one of its primary issues, especially compared to the affordable iPad.
We’ll likely find out the price at tomorrow’s event, along with availability.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.