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Google’s cheapest Chromebook is still more expensive than the competition By Dieter Bohn@backlon Oct 25, 2019, 3: 01am EDT Photography by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge There are two great things about Google’s new Chromebook, the Pixelbook Go. The first is the keyboard, which is a joy to type on and yet incredibly quiet. The second is the battery life, which is as good or better than any Intel laptop I’ve used in recent memory. Those are the great things, but there are plenty of good things, too. It has a simple, unfussy design, good speakers, and a solid trackpad. The model I am testing, which has an Intel Core i5 Y-series processor, is fast and responsive. Virtually everything about this laptop makes me want to recommend it as the go-to, default Chromebook for everybody. Everything, that is, except for the price. It starts at $649 and the model I’m testing is $849. Comparable Chromebooks cost at least a hundred bucks less for similar features. So with the Pixelbook Go, what are you paying for? Simplicity. The Pixelbook Go is a handsome 13.3-inch laptop with an understated, clean design. Or at least, the black model I am using is understated — it will also eventually be offered in a color Google calls “Not Pink,” that has a soft pink finish with a bright, coral base. It’s not hugely different looking from a MacBook Pro, if you could get one of those in black. It weighs 2.3 pounds and feels sturdy and trustworthy thanks to a magnesium chassis. Many Chromebooks have plastic bodies, so part of what you’re paying for with the Pixelbook Go is the materials. Google has coated that magnesium with a soft paint that’s almost plastic-like. I can’t tell you if it will chip or scratch easily — it hasn’t during my week of testing, at least — but I suspect it’ll hold up fairly well. The whole thing is gently curved around the edges, and if it weren’t so well-made I would say it’s prototype-y in the way Google hardware used to be. The most notable design element is the bottom, which is ridged for grip. The keyboard is backlit and flanked by two speakers that are respectable, if not impressive for a laptop of this size. I mentioned in our first look at the Go that I needed to make sure I didn’t get too excited about the keyboard without further testing. Now that I have, I can just say that I love it. It is my favorite thing to type on by a long shot. Google took the already excellent Pixelbook keyboard and iterated on it a bit, making the keys slightly quieter. I’ve tried keyboards that aim for silence in the past and they usually end up feeling mushy, but that’s not the case here at all. The keys have good travel and a good amount of springy resistance. If you like clacky mechanical keyboards, this isn’t for you. The trackpad underneath the keyboard is
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