We have been hearing for a while now that Google has a new Chromebook Pixel in the works. Earlier today the company yanked the original Chromebook Pixel from the Play Store and it is no longer selling that notebook. It doesn’t need to because the successor has arrived. The new Chromebook Pixel from Google has the same boxy design as its predecessor but some impressive improvements have been made under the hood.
The standard version is powered by an Intel Core i5 processor with 8GB RAM and 32GB of storage. The display remains unchanged so its more or less the same 3:2 2,560×1,700 pixel resolution touchscreen panel we saw on the outgoing model. Google does say that the new one has a wider color gamut.
Google is also selling an “LS” model this time around, which stands for Ludicrous Speed, this touts a faster Core i7 processor with 16GB RAM and a 64GB SSD. The company isn’t offering an LTE version, even if it has plans to at some point in the future, it’s not talking about an LTE model today.
The company says that the new Chromebook Pixel’s battery will last for up to 12 hours on a single charge and that just 15 minutes of charging will be good for up to two hours of use.
Another new addition to the notebook is the inclusion of not one but two USB-C ports which can be used for a variety of purposes from charging the notebook to transferring data and hooking it up to an external monitor. Two conventional USB ports, full-size SD card reader, standard headphone jack are all present but there’s no HDMI port.
New Chromebook Pixel gets an improved trackpad and keyboard, a stiffer hinge that will produce less “bounce” when the touchscreen is used, and a wider-angle camera. Google also says it has made several tweaks to the design so that screws, vents or grilles are out of direct view.
Standard model is now a bit cheaper, even though its still one of the most expensive Chromebooks on the market, at $999. The Ludicrous Speed model costs $300 more and now wears the crown of the most expensive and most powerful Chromebook on the market.
The new Chromebook Pixel is now available from the Google Store. Shipping begins in a couple of days.
Filed in . Read more about Chromebook Pixel, Google and Notebooks.