Google confirms Chromebook Pixel 2, but tempers expectations
Google confirms Chromebook Pixel 2, but tempers expectations
Two years ago, Google released theflashy, expensive Pixel in order to show off the potential of the Chromebook. The hefty $1,300 price tag and lofty specs seemed to suggest that Google misunderstood the market for its new laptop ecosystem — the Chromebook ended up making a splash in the more affordable educational and workplace market, which is the exact opposite market into which a $1,300 laptop would fall. Affordable Chromebooks took off — specifically Acer’s Core i3 offering — but the Pixel remained an amusing pariah of high-end potential. Despite the lack of sales success, the Pixel is coming back, and it aims to be a little less ridiculous by being more specialized than the first.
As Google likes to point out, the original Pixel was intended to be both a proof-of-concept for a high-end Chromebook (rather than a fully fledged consumer product), and a platform for development. This time around, Google appears to be stressing this intent much more — making it clear (through public relations!) that, basically, the Pixel 2 isn’t for you, effectively preventing all sales criticism before it arises.
We don’t yet know much about the next Pixel, but it has been reported that it will keep the same high-pixel-density 12.85-inch screen, likely with the odd 3:2 aspect ratio of the original. Also like the original, it has been suggested that the next Pixel will contain built-in fans; hopefully, the new Chromebook will be quieter than its predecessor. Proponents of frustration-free USB ports will be happy to know that reversible Type-C slots will make their way into the device.
The original Pixel had some very desirable components — it’s still the only Chromebook to feature a Core i5 processor. There are only a (very) small handful of Core i3 Chromebooks on the market, making them the only true choices when a consumer is looking for a mostly lag-free experience. Those cheaper Chromebooks caught up to the Pixel in terms of other specs — 16GB or 32GB SSDs, 4GB of RAM, prettier displays — but Chromebooks in general would certainly benefit from a bump to the Core i5. Ideally, if the Pixel 2’s price hovers around the original’s $1,300 mark, then a significant RAM increase would also be expected.
Google has yet to reveal the official spec sheet, price, and release date, but the company states that the laptop will release very soon. For now, all we can do is wait, wonder, enjoy our Core i3 C720, and habitually check if Acer’s Core i3 Chromebook 15 has released.
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