Google Pixelbook
Still the best Chromebook – and a classic of laptop design – but you’re better off with a cheaper version
SCORE ★★★★★ PRICE As reviewed, £1,416 (£1,699 inc VAT) from store.google.com
Google created the premium Chromebook with the original Pixel, and it has continued to redefine it with the Pixelbook and Pixel Slate. The former is arguably the best convertible running any OS from any laptop maker, with a 2-in-1 design that’s both thin enough and light enough to make a convincing 12in tablet, particularly as it has a 3:2 aspect ratio display and is just 10.3mm thick. At 1.1kg, it’s heavier than a 12.9in iPad Pro or a Surface Pro with no keyboard attached, but no other hinged 2-in-1 convertible does as effective a job of delivering tablet and laptop functionality.
The square style and two-tone finish haven’t dated at all in the time since launch, and the build quality remains near-perfect. Aluminium makes for a tough outer casing while the rubber on the wrist rests ensures a more comfortable typing experience. It’s a challenge to fit a good keyboard in such a slimline laptop, but Google’s effort makes up for a shortish travel with a positive action that’s comfortable and consistent across the board. The trackpad is large, silky smooth and unerringly responsive, and tying the keyboard’s backlight to the ambient light sensor is an intelligent move, ensuring it comes on when you need it, but not before.
Less intelligent is that Google doesn’t bundle its Pixelbook Pen, particularly when the Pixelbook costs so much. It’s a superb pen with a natural feel, excellent tilt sensitivity and minimal lag, and as good for selective image edits and illustration as your everyday doodles and notes. Google charges £99 for the Pen, which is expensive but matches the prices that Microsoft and Apple charge for their styli.
The screen is simply best-inclass. We measured it as covering 99.3% of the sRGB gamut with fantastic colour fidelity and a brightness of 460cd/m2, and with its unconventional 2,400 x 1,600 resolution it’s incredibly sharp. 12in might seem small, but the aspect
ratio has the weird effect of making it seem larger, to the extent that you can have multiple windows open and still get things done. If you had the Pixelbook as your main computer you would probably want to plug it into a second screen if you were working all day long, but you could manage for a few days without one. That’s not something you can say about most sub-13in displays.
Things aren’t quite so rosy when it comes to audio, where the output sounds rough at high volumes. It’s also inconsistent. While some details sparkle, it can even come across as boxy and restrained. Meanwhile, you will have to make some compromises on connectivity: with two USB-C ports and no microSD slot, you’re limited in what you can plug in. Luckily, a cheap third-party USB-C adapter will solve these woes.
We’ve seen some incredible shows of stamina from this month’s Chromebooks, but even in this field the Pixelbook does well. We kept it playing video for nearly eight-and-ahalf hours before it ran out of charge.
In fact, there’s only one place where the Pixelbook has dated: the specification. We tested the top-ofthe-range Pixelbook with a Core i7-7Y75 processor and 16GB of RAM, and while it’s still an extremely powerful Chromebook – overkill for most applications – it falls behind the Dell Inspiron Chromebook and Lenovo Chromebook Yoga C630 with their faster Kaby Lake CPUs.
Does this make the Pixelbook any less the most desirable Chromebook? No. We’re looking at a bona fide modern classic. All the same, it’s impossible to justify spending this much when the Dell Inspiron Chromebook offers so much for less than half the price. If you love the Pixelbook’s style, though, we suggest you buy the cheapest model (still £999), which includes a Core i5, 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD.