Google Pixelbook Go 13.3" Chromebook - Intel Core i7, 256GB SSD + 16GB RAM - Just Black

Product Information

The Pixelbook is ideal for those who want a long-lasting, self-sufficient and travel-friendly Chromebook that just so happens to also have a glossy tablet mode for Android Play Store apps. If these strengths are not tempting, then a cheaper Chromebook like the Lenovo ThinkPad 13 or Asus Chromebook Flip with Play Store support can accomplish just as much and with a wider variety of integrated ports.

The Pixelbook earned a score of 145 on the JetStream JavaScript benchmark, which measures the performance of web apps. That's above the 126.6 from the Samsung Chromebook Pro (Core m3-6Y30, 4GB of RAM) and the 127.32 from the Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA (Core m3 6Y30, 4GB of RAM). We saw a higher mark from the Yoga 920 (277.9). This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.8 ms).The maximum temperature on the upper side is 38.8 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible. Since our wider suite of benchmarking software doesn't work on Chrome OS, I evaluated the Pixelbook Go's performance on a casual basis during a few days of use. The system went through a firmware update when I first turned it on, taking just a few minutes as opposed to the hour or more that major Windows and macOS updates can last. Once updated, the Pixelbook Go proved exceptionally snappy at starting up (13 seconds from pressing the power button to the appearance of the login screen) and installing apps. Our WLAN experience with the machine has not been perfect. While we can't speak for every unit available, our test unit would randomly disconnect from our Linksys EA8500 router once every couple of hours or so of non-stop use. This occurs without warning and can be remedied by reconnecting to the network. While Google promotes the Pixelbook's fast-charging battery, its claim of up to 2 hours of use after 15 minutes of charging (when the notebook has at least 5 percent of its battery life left) didn't bear out in my testing. After charging for those 15 minutes, I managed to eke out 1 hour and 18 minutes from the Pixelbook, though my activity mixed both Chrome web surfing and Android app usage.

If there’s anything distinctive about this Chromebook in terms of features, we’d have to point again to its sharp, 1080p webcam. It’s a rarity on Chromebooks much less some of the most expensive laptops out there. Emitting up to 421 nits, the Pixelbook offers tremendous brightness, which enables strong colors at up to 75 degrees to the left and right. That beats the 290-nit category average, the 284-nit Yoga 920, the 376-nit Samsung Chromebook Pro and the 292-nit Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA. The iPad Pro (555 nits) shines even brighter. Update: We added a durability and drop test section (see below) with results from our Chromebook drop test . In both cases, however, we tend to find that Intel Core processors feel zippier, maybe even overkill, for basic Chrome OS functions. It’s when you dive into the Android and Linux aspects that you may feel the pinch of these “Y” chips. Chromebooks aren’t meant to run AutoCAD or Destiny 2, but you should see good performance using web applications and non-graphics-heavy Android apps. PortabilityStill, we’d feel much more confident editing photos on this laptop screen than most other Chromebooks. As for the 4K Molecular Display option, while we haven’t experienced it in person, we find it to be completely unnecessary for a Chromebook. Overall, with its different design and cheap build quality, the Pixelbook will remain the go-to for high-end Chromebooks, at least for now until the Pixelbook 2 arrives, while the Pixelbook Go seems better value in its cheaper configurations. Despite this solid build quality, the Pixelbook Go is featherlight. It weighs 2.3 pounds and measures 0.5 by 8.1 by 12.2 inches (HWD), extremely competitive dimensions for an ultraportable with a 13.3-inch display. Compare them with those of the MacBook Air (0.6 by 8.4 by 12 inches, 2.75 pounds) and the Pixelbook (0.4 by 11.4 by 8.7 inches, 2.46 pounds). The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.3 °C / 88 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible. There is one disadvantage when comparing the Pixelbook Go frame design to its predecessor and competitors at similar prices: it’s not a 2-in-1 laptop. This certainly impacts the laptop’s versatility, but personally, this editor doesn’t care for convertible 2-in-1 laptops anyway. That makes us wonder why Google would include a touchscreen at all, but that would severely limit the amount of Android apps the operating system (OS) could support.