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Google Announces New Chromebook Pixel With USB-C, $999 Price Tag

Legend of Ive said:
I'd rather pay 300 more and get the Gold Macbook and install chrome.
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I'd rather pay 300 more and get the gold MacBook and NOT install Chrome :p

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mtneer said:
$1000 to use a browser?? I am not sure what is the value proposition in this over $200? The screen?
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It has nice components, comparable to the MacBook except in storage capacity. All wasted because you can only use a web browser.
 
okct1pmjfwl36uc said:
Imagine a laptop where Linux comes pre-installed and it Just Works. Drivers for power management, sleep/resume, trackpad, touch screen.

And imagine you can press a key to get from ChromeOS to whatever Linux desktop you want -- Ubuntu, whatever. Running in parallel to ChromeOS -- flip back and forth in a second. And it's not a memory-hog VM. It's running in a "chroot" on the same Linux kernel.

That's the ChromeBook Pixel.

It's not for everyone. But it is a very much not-crazy option for some people.

The $1299 LS model has 16 GB RAM, Core i7, and 64 GB flash storage. So on 2 of 3 raw specs, it's a good value compared to say the new MacBook. Only 64 GB storage? Not ideal. But 2X the previous Pixel. And it goes further with Linux than you might imagine (depending what you do with it).
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I would be one of those people I was going to dual book the MacBook this is a much more appealing option.
 
MacBook Pro 15" & Chromebook user here

I thought I would provide some 100% impartial comments. (I buy what works for me.) I own a 1TB SSD 2013 MacBook Pro 15" Retina, and tried two Chromebooks, as travel machines. Don't knock them. Google have put a LOT of thought into the keyboard, something you don't realise until until you look at it. Operating a browser through tactile keys makes the whole web and cloud apps (Google docs in particular) experience a lot more pleasurable, fast and intuitive than using a regular laptop. I ONLY use my MacBook because (for now), I cannot escape Adobe CC, using Illustrator almost every day.
Plus, the touch screens on my Chromebooks (I tried an Acer then a Lenovo) made them even nicer to use, swipe to browse, pinch to zoom, all natural after using tablets and phones for so many years. I sold the Chromebooks because one was too slow (the Lenovo) and the left shift key on the Acer was horrible (a flaw in ALL Acer laptops, Windows included!) However, this Pixel looks like the perfect machine if you do NOT need the Adobe suite, Garageband or any other power user app.
If I can find a cloud based vector drawing app that does what I do in Illustrator, I'm dumping the MacBook. I run my business on Google docs, and it's oustanding (light years ahead of iCloud in many ways), and Google's invisible AI is everywhere. Did you know that if you store a photo of (say) a road sign on Google Drive/+/Picasa etc, when you do a search on a keyword, it will find text in the photo? IE, if you took a photo of a sign that said 'London M4' and searched for 'London', the photo (and any other content, text etc) would appear in the results?
Don't knock Chrome/Google, they are getting there and the Pixel 2 has the power to last until more poweruser cloud apps arrive.
I'm very very tempted. And the use of twin USB-C ports was a smart move too, as was the SD-Card slot. The new MacBook reminds me of the first Air, that whilst an engineering marvel, was knobbled by lacking ports. I waited for the next generation and still consider the Air 13" the best laptop in the world. But I love a touch screen, so won't be getting the MacBook or another Air until Apple make that brave step and introduce pinch to zoom and swiping on the screen to OS X.
 
These hyped up netbooks shouldn't even be close to a grand. I'm looking at you too new Macbook
 
mtneer said:
$1000 to use a browser?? I am not sure what is the value proposition in this over $200? The screen?
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i have no idea what your view on the new macbook is but apparently it has its "target audience" and is perfect for it. i dont see this computer to much different. i however see no need for a touchscreen.

chromeos with the addition of android apps seems to be improving somewhat although one would expect the hard drives to get bigger.

KieranDotW said:
The difference, of course, is Google won't get **** for this like Apple's MacBook did.
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yes they will. google just isnt a big player in the computer market so it wont be talked about that much
 
Not sure why anyone is comparing this to the New MacBook

the two devices aren't even in the same product category, don't offer similar experiences, and aren't even marketted for the same groups.

(All prices in Canadian)
MacBook base $1549.99
1.1Ghz Mobile Core M intel CPU w/ HD 5300 graphics
8GB 1600mhz LPDDR3
256GB PCI-e storage
28.05x19.65x1.31cm
2304x1440 (226ppi) display
1 x USB-C 3.0 port, Mic/headphone

New Pixel - $999.99-1099.99 (no CaD pricing announced)
2.2Ghz i5 intel Mobile CPU (5200u) w/ HD 5500
8GB 1600mhz LPDDR3
32GB SSD storage
2560x1700 (239ppi) Touchscreen display
29.77x22.45x1.5cm
2x USB-C, 2x USB-A, SD Read, Mic/headphone

to me, these two aren't even in the same product category. the Pixel stacks up performance and hardware wise IMHO with the MacBook Air. which comparatively

13" MacBook Air - $1,199
1.6GHz Dual-Core i5 (not sure what sku) w/ HD 6000 graphics
4GB 1600 LPDDR3
128GB PCI-e SSD storage
1440x900 TN display (130ppi)
32.5x22.7x1.7cm
2x USB-A 3.0, 1x Thunderbolt / Mini DP, SD card

The pixel and the MacBook Air are the competition. The new MacBook doesn't even enter into this product category, due to price and specs.

However, where the Pixel falls flat is ChromeOS. why bundle a computer together like the Pixel, that is actually quite nice, has decent power and good design, JUST to cripple it with chromeOS. you can get a good experience out of it on far less hardware. the Pixel would be a great deal if it had more storage and available in Windows, or even linux.

However, Google did make the comment last week that a pixel refresh was coming, and that it wasn't really meant for a mass consumer device, but more a premium product for the few who are willing to pay an extra premium for google branded laptop.
 
numlock said:
i have no idea what your view on the new macbook is but apparently it has its "target audience" and is perfect for it. i dont see this computer to much different. i however see no need for a touchscreen.
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Like it or not, the rMB can run full fledged OSX - not just open Safari.
 
mtneer said:
Like it or not, the rMB can run full fledged OSX - not just open Safari.
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  1. never said it didnt.
  2. chromeos can run more than just webapps.
  3. my point was that the "target audience" according to so many posts here will have their computer needs fulfilled by a browser.
 
numlock said:
  1. never said it didnt.
  2. chromeos can run more than just webapps.
  3. my point was that the "target audience" according to so many posts here will have their computer needs fulfilled by a browser.
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To #3
I was questioning that very point. If someone whose needs are limited to be satisfied by a web browser - what is the value proposition that Google is offering to take away $1000 from that consumer? Speaking for myself, I wouldn't pay more than $250 for a box with a browser. The Chromebook is hardly a "luxury" marque. Are they offering top notch customer care? Or reliability? Or future upgrades? "Cool" factor? What is their deal?
 
Heh. Chrome OS is still terrible though. It's like buying a super computer to run a smartphone OS.
 
jrswizzle said:
I did find it extremely odd that the new MB and rMBP start at the same base price of $1299.

Excluding the whole ports discussion for a moment, the rMBP comes with half the SSD space, a larger display and a faster processor for that same price.....while I value portability, does it really outweigh all those things so that the MB is the same price as the rMBP?

Seems quite odd to me.
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Very odd.
As for the performance, I haven't seen benchmarks and don't have any experience with the Intel Core M processors so I'll wait to make a judgement there. I'll be comparing it to the i7 in the 2013 13" MacBook Air. Graphics-wise, the new MB beats my MBA.
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I have no doubt that the new screen and the new touch pad cost Apple a few bucks more. However the reduced size logic board in the minimal I/O are saving Apple as much or more. I see little reason for this machine to cost more than a MBA as you are getting measurably less.

As for the M, so far what has shown up in the Windows world has looked pretty pathetic performance wise. I suspect the combo of lots of RAM, fast SSD and the improved GPU will result in a machine that does OK for light users. If you are at all demanding of CPU performance it is likely to crash hard as far as performance goes. Obviously we will better understand performwnce once it starts to ship and gets into the hands of a variety of users capable of testing in diverse work environments.

Let's put it this way, I'm not going to jump on this machine for developmental work until I have a clue as to how it performs in real life.
 
Rigby said:
That's nice, but I live in the present.
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That's such a myopic answer. The solution is don't buy the machine then. It's not as if it is the only computer Apple sells now. If it's not for you, then why try and shape it into a terrible machine? It might have a very niche market right now but you don't progress anywhere if you just look at the present. It really is a remarkable machine, even if I would never buy it either. But the technology is evolving and imagine what they can do with this in the future? Oh wait you won't because you only live in the present. This is a scary world we live in.
 
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