Googlebook Price and Release Date: Google Unveils 5 Models
After the preview in May, Google has fully announced the Googlebook laptops. First up are five models from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. Pre-orders are already underway, and the Googlebook price and release date are known: the lowest starting price is $899, and the devices will hit stores in the USA on October 4.
Googlebook Price and Release Date: Five Models
- Acer Googlebook 14: starting at $899, the only 2-in-1 in the lineup, with a thickness of 13.9 mm and a weight of 1.13 kg.
- Dell XPS Googlebook: starting at $1,199, the thinnest model at 12.7 mm.
- ASUS Googlebook 14: starting at $1,299, the lightest at 1.0 kg.
- HP Googlebook 14: starting at $1,299, the only one with facial recognition and a fingerprint reader.
- Lenovo Googlebook 15: starting at $1,299, the largest display with a diagonal of 15.3 inches.
Specifications and Software
All models are powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 3 or Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processors with NPU. While 9to5google and Notebookcheck report 40+ TOPS, Ars Technica mentions 45 TOPS. The base configuration includes 16 GB of RAM, with options for 32 GB available. The displays are touchscreens, up to 2.8K, available in LCD or OLED formats. Google promises up to 14 hours of video playback and 16 hours of web browsing.
On the lid of all models is a Glowbar, a light strip that illuminates in Google colors when opened and closed. Google offers an SDK for it, allowing developers to create their own animations. The laptops feature backlit keyboards and large glass touchpads with haptic feedback, with casings made of aluminum, magnesium, or carbon. According to Ars Technica, all devices are fanless.
Googlebook OS is based on ChromeOS and native Android. Google promises 10 years of automatic updates with quarterly features, similar to the Pixel devices. According to 9to5google, 20,000 mobile and PC games will run on the devices, and users will receive a year of Nvidia GeForce Now. Each purchase includes 12 months of Google AI Pro, three months of YouTube Premium, Adobe Photoshop, and CapCut. According to The Verge, Google AI Pro includes 5 TB of cloud storage.
Google explains its approach by stating that people often start tasks on their phones and finish them on their laptops, which is why they partnered with manufacturers to add top-notch hardware to phone-connected software. According to Kelly Odle from Acer, the $899 price is introductory and only valid for a limited time; the company plans to reassess prices based on component supply and market pressure, The Verge reported.
Pre-orders and Availability
Googlebooks can be pre-ordered at the Google Store, Best Buy, and other retailers. They will go on sale in the USA on October 4, and a day later in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, and Australia. Notebookcheck also mentions Canada, which other media do not report.