The Chromebook Pixel (2015) Review
by Brandon Chester on March 16, 2015 8:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Laptops
- Chrome OS
- Chromebook
- Chromebook Pixel
Battery Life
One area where Google claims to have made large improvements over the original Pixel is battery life. The 2013 version of the Pixel would typically manage six or seven hours of battery life, which was decent but not outstanding at the time. Given that the Pixel did not run much more than a web browser, it was actually somewhat disappointing to see it falling behind other laptops like the 13" MacBook Pro with Retina display which was substantially more powerful and capable. Google claims that the new Chromebook Pixel will achieve up to twelve hours of battery life, which is quite a lofty goal considering it is around twice the battery life of the original. Given that the new Pixel has the same 59 Wh battery as its predecessor, all of the battery life improvements have to come from reduced component power usage and software optimizations.
The two main areas where power usage has been reduced are the CPU and the display. The CPU is one of Intel's new Broadwell-U processors, built on their 14nm manufacturing process. While it is faster than the Ivy Bridge Core i5 used in the original Pixel, it has significantly reduced power usage due to architectural improvements and the move from a 22nm to a 14nm fabrication process. The display is similar to the original, but Google is now using Content Adaptive Backlight Control (CABC) to manage backlight brightness based on the display's Average Picture Level (APL), as well as Panel Self Refresh (PSR). It should be noted that although PSR is a display feature, it's actually a method of reducing CPU/GPU and display bus power usage, not LCD panel power usage.
To see if Google achieved their goal of a twelve hour battery life, I have run the Pixel through our standard web browsing test as well as our H.264 video playback test.
In our WiFi web browsing test, the Pixel is only two minutes short of Google's up to twelve hours rating, and with that battery life it sits well above all the other tablets and Chromebooks. In our video playback test it still performs very well with 9.77 hours, but it doesn't end up lasting quite as long as some of the most recent tablets. Regardless, the battery life in both scenarios is an absolutely massive improvement over the original Pixel, with almost two times the battery life during web browsing and over three times the battery life when playing back videos.
Charge Time
As mentioned earlier, the new Chromebook Pixel uses USB Type-C for charging. Since the Pixel has a Type-C port on each side, you can charge it from both the left and the right. While this doesn't sound like a big deal, it can be the difference between charging and not charging in situations where you're far from an outlet. It is also just a great connector in general, and the fact that it is just USB means that you can use a USB Type-A to Type-C cable to charge off of any existing USB port, with the caveat that it's going to charge slower. Google includes a 60W USB Type-C charger with the Pixel, and offers a Type-A to Type-C cable for $12.99.
The Pixel does exceptionally well in our charge time test, reaching a full charge nearly an hour quicker than the XPS 13 which was previously the quickest to charge. The quick charging combined with the extremely long battery life should ensure that Pixel users are never stuck tethered to a power outlet.
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FITCamaro - Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - link
Apple is not innocent from hardware problems. They just started offering fixes for 2011-2013 Macbook Pros that have heat issues. I had an early 2011 MBP through work and had to get it fixed 4 times. I was on my third physical machine until I was upgraded to a new 2014 MBP. It definitely runs cooler but also doesn't have a dedicated GPU. And at 1920x1200 (the max supported effective resolution), the Iris Pro isn't powerful enough to properly drive all the animations so you get screen tearing just in swiping between desktops.mayank.gulia - Friday, May 15, 2015 - link
In a world of fanboys spewing venom at each other, its refreshing to read such a balanced view on a gadget.One device (or platform) doesn't have to be SHIT to justify your choice in buying the competitor.
I have a Macbook pro at home, a Windows Laptop for work and an old Ubuntu Dell Machine that refuses to die. That works as my download machine. And I am still going to buy the Pixel 2. Because I am heavily vested in the Google eco system. And it would be fun to check out a new toy.
I will buy the pixel 2. Not because its "the most magical and innovative" device in the world that will keep me young forever or cure ALS or bankrupt Microsoft and Apple. I will buy it.. because I can.
Well said Mohawke.
sligett - Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - link
Wow. Are you Sam Biddle, or did you just steal his Gizmodo article from 2013? In either case, couldn't you at least update and correct it? Your point #2 doesn't have any facts in it, but all your other points are full of errors.MamiyaOtaru - Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - link
I really don't like widescreen. I'm tempted by this solely for the aspect ratio. I used to use 5:4 on the desktop before moving to 4:3 to get an IPS. This is still less square than that, but nowhere near the awful 16:9 junk everything else has nowadaysHackerForHire - Sunday, March 22, 2015 - link
>Chrome OS will give you internet, basic word processing through Google Docs, video via YouTube, and the rest of Google's web services including a free as in freedom lifetime direct hotlink to the NSAThat's funny. According to this NSA slide Microsoft was volunteering data to the NSA way back in 2007.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRISM_%28surveillance...
In fact, Microsoft was the very first company to sign up.
Spunjji - Wednesday, April 8, 2015 - link
3:2, a square? You think that a rectangle 50% longer on one axis is a square? Perhaps you would like to think about that some more.This system doesn't have HD4000 graphics either. Please fact check before you write more overly-long posts.
The thing is, you have a reasonable point about the pointlessness of an expensive Chromebook. You just fouled it up with bile and nonsense.
BrandonVillatuya - Tuesday, September 15, 2015 - link
But here's the thing when you buy a chromebook pixel, you pay for what you aren't getting. If you don't want more than 64gb of internal storage if you don't want a ton of extrebloated features you don't need, you are actually paying for an experience that is slower and less efficient than that of a Chromebook. What if you don't use native apps that much and what if you aren't too worried about the NSA because literally it makes no difference what laptop you use. With the Chromebook pixel you get better battery life for the light os, a great display, two USB c ports, and it can run Linux. So basically everything you hate about it doesn't matter.ThorOlsen - Monday, March 16, 2015 - link
I'd say most programmers would love to own it. The vertical display depth is fantastic for programming. Google could easily charge more and it'd still be an attractive buy. The keyboard-layout (US/UK only) is the only thing stopping me from ordering one.boeush - Monday, March 16, 2015 - link
I'm a programmer... I wouldn't want to work on a 13" screen. I wouldn't even wish that on my worst enemy...sorten - Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - link
The only aspect of the Pixel that would be appreciated by programmers is the aspect ratio of the display. ChromeOS would limit you to web based dev tools, which are improving but are not a real option in most dev shops unless you're doing web dev only (html, css, javascript).