Say Hello To Your Next Laptop, Google’s Pixelbook Go

I have spent the last few weeks testing the ‘Pixelbook Go’ from Google. While not the most powerful model that Google and partners have available but for the money - $649 and up (see below) - there’s a lot to love.

Firstly, aesthetics, it’s sleek. 13-mm thin sleek. The grooves on the bottom give the user a lot of stability when carrying the unit and help keep the device cool when being used. The 13.3 inch touchscreen is responsive and Full HD (1920x1080) and 4K Ultra HD (3840x2160). The keyboard features ‘Ultra-quiet Hush Keys’ in addition to being backlit. My only worry with a unit this thin was the ‘drop’ and ‘slip off the bed’ tests but the magnesium casing was unfazed and remained undamaged in both instances even without a Google Sleeve to protect it further.

The Pixelbook Go is a beast speed-wise for the money too thanks to the 8GB RAM. 8th Generation Intel Core processors mean fast loading and ‘ready-to-go’ status in 3-seconds (tested 25/01/2021 after fifteen days of consistent usage). The startup speed remains a key feature that differentiates Chromebooks from a lot of the other brands out there for me. Charging-wise, the unit is fast; 2-hours from 20 minutes and 12 hours on a full charge (replicated: 23/01./2021). The touchscreen doesn’t have anything that helps avoid the dreaded fingerprints on it but wipes clean without issue.

Audio-wise, the Pixelbook Go won’t win many awards; the dual-firing, front-facing speakers are fine and powerful-enough but unremarkable. While more than capable of watching films and music without issue you are likely going to have a better experience using some headphones.

Google Assistant and Adaptive brightness are all baked in to the unit along with all the apps you’ll need like Microsoft Office, Adobe Suite amongst others although Pixelbook Go is clearly focused on web apps. Get ready to buy some connectors though - the unit keeps itself trim with two USB-C ports..end of list.

So who should buy Pixelbook Go? Pretty much anyone looking for a well above-average unit that works and will expand to fit your needs. Perfect for the co-working entrepreneur to a regular presenter on the go.

Google’s Pixelbook Go is available in ‘Just Black’ and ‘Not Pink’.

Price (US)

• $649 (8GB RAM, 64GB SSD, FHD, 8th Gen Intel® CoreTM m3 processor) 
• $849 (8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, FHD, 8th Gen Intel® CoreTM i5 processor)
• $999 (16GB RAM, 128GB SSD, FHD, 8th Gen Intel® CoreTM i5 processor) 
• $1399 (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, UHD, 8th Gen Intel® CoreTM i7 processor) 

Price (CA)

• $849 CAD (8GB RAM, 64GB SSD, FHD, 8th Gen Intel® CoreTM m3 processor) 
• $1099 CAD (8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, FHD, 8th Gen Intel® CoreTM i5 processor)
• $1299 CAD (16GB RAM, 128GB SSD, FHD, 8th Gen Intel® CoreTM i5 processor) 
• $1849 CAD (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, UHD, 8th Gen Intel® CoreTM i7 processor) 

Price (UK) 

• £629 (8GB RAM, 64GB SSD, FHD, 8th Gen Intel® CoreTM m3 processor) 
• £829 (8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, FHD, 8th Gen Intel® CoreTM i5 processor)
• £949 (16GB RAM, 128GB SSD, FHD, 8th Gen Intel® CoreTM i5 processor) 
• £1329 (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, UHD, 8th Gen Intel® CoreTM i7 processor)