The Chromebook Pixel (2015) Review
by Brandon Chester on March 16, 2015 8:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Laptops
- Chrome OS
- Chromebook
- Chromebook Pixel
Final Words
Despite its limitations, it's really hard to not like the Chromebook Pixel. Google has clearly put a lot of thought and effort into designing it, and what it does do it does really well. I think the move to USB Type-C is forward thinking, and makes the Pixel very versatile when it comes to connecting to both current and future displays and peripherals. The little details like tapping the top to see the remaining battery capacity, and the ability to charge on either side also help make it a very lovable laptop.
The Pixel's hardware is top notch. The build quality is every bit as good as what you'll get on a MacBook Retina, and both the keyboard and touchpad are comfortable to use. The CPU and RAM are completely overkill for running Chrome OS, but given that the Pixel has absolutely stellar battery life I'm not complaining about the additional hardware power. I think Google could have done more to calibrate the display, but in all honesty I doubt any users who buy the Pixel will be bothered by it, and it is still incredibly sharp.
The only big criticism I can really throw at the Pixel is the fact that its software is limited. But that is the entire point of how Chrome OS has been designed, and I do not know if it really makes sense to complain about something doing exactly what it was intended to do just because you wish it could do more. Chrome OS is definitely not the OS for everyone though, and although you can run other versions of Linux overtop, it's not exactly a real solution to the problem.
The final question is obviously whether or not someone interested in the Pixel should buy one. The answer is more complicated than a yes or a no. For anyone who wants to develop with Chrome OS in mind, the Pixel is the laptop to buy if it is within their budget. Other Chromebooks are definitely more affordable, but the Pixel is just so much nicer than any other Chromebook. I think that the Pixel can also be an appealing device for any user who can work within the limitations of Chrome OS, although I heavily stress that buyers make sure they know exactly what those limitations are before they spend $1000 on a laptop.
Google clearly doesn't intend for the Pixel to be a mass market item. It's quite expensive, it runs Chrome OS, and it's only sold in the US and the UK. There's clearly a small market for people that want a laptop like the Pixel though, and those are the people that Google are targeting. I am not one of them, and I do not know many people who are, but they do exist. In the end I find myself wishing that the Pixel could do more, because it's a genuinely nice laptop. I really like the Chromebook Pixel, but I personally just couldn't justify buying it.
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jimbo2779 - Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - link
You cannot ski 24/7, also kids tend to enjoy watching things they like while their parents sit around and have a relaxing drink.Face it 32GB is a tiny amount, especially when you are splashing this much cash for a laptop, it is absolutely inexcusable. There are so many scenarios where you would want some media on the machine and you would easily fill this up. Having to lug around extra USB drives to ensure you have enough storage when away from a net connection is just not as convenient.
Relying on cloud or NAS for your media is fine if you never leave your home or office but when you are out and about you need LTE for full coverage and not only does this cost more you are not always covered when not in a city and coverage can be spotty when you do have it.
On top of this there is the argument of relying on cloud storage which is great until they start charging for it after a few years so something that could have been added in the high price of your laptop is now costing real money.
Again, 32Gb at this price point is inexcusable, there are many reasons as to why.
armwood - Sunday, September 20, 2015 - link
It seems that so many people do not understand the concept of the Chrome operating system. It is a cloud system. Wifi is most places and where it is not either carry a hotspot or tether your phone. It is not rocket science. Google Drive or Dropbox can whole all of your data with movies etc on an SD card. Wake up, this is the future of computing. It amazes me how shortsighted so many people are.armwood - Sunday, September 20, 2015 - link
You need to spend a fee days with a Chromebook Pixel 2 LS. I use it and leave my Macbook Pro and Surface Pro 3 on my desk. I take it and use it for my college lectures over the other two machines. It is a superb, fast device that works in environments with weaker wifi signals better than Apple or Windows computers.jabber - Wednesday, March 18, 2015 - link
I've been using my Chrombook for over 2 years now. No user data has ever touched the 16GB SSD in it in all that time.I don't get the love for 'big data'. Just seems like tying yourself down to a huge anchor.
armwood - Sunday, September 20, 2015 - link
It seems that so many people do not understand the concept of the Chrome operating system. It is a cloud system. Wifi is most places and where it is not either carry a hotspot or tether your phone. It is not rocket science. Google Drive or Dropbox can whole all of your data with movies etc on an SD card. Wake up, this is the future of computing. It amazes me how shortsighted so many people are.psychobriggsy - Monday, March 16, 2015 - link
There's a lot to like about this product - especially the hardware and design.If it came with a 256GB SSD with Crouton pre-installed, that would have been great. 32/64GB isn't enough so you'd need to spend more on replacing this - a build option would be great. Yeah, I know this doesn't fit into Google's concept of a computing device.
The touchscreen is a bit pointless, unless they had made the device more Yoga-like, with a tablet folding mode.
In terms of hardware design, this is up there with the best. Other OEMs can learn a lot from this, for their non-Air-ripoff designs.
Hanoveur - Monday, March 16, 2015 - link
You can buy a 256gb XDSC card and plug that into it.jimbo2779 - Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - link
And spend more money fixing something that should not be an issue, sounds like a great solution.Also it is easy to lose a memory card, especially when kids are around. Built in storage is slightly harder to lose
steven75 - Wednesday, March 18, 2015 - link
Did you just bring up Flash player in 2015?djw39 - Monday, March 16, 2015 - link
But that "real computer" can be old and cheap. For example, I have a desktop PC I got 10 years ago for $500, anything the chromebook can't do due to limitations of the OS can theoretically be done on the desktop. In real life I almost never use the desktop.Now, I fully admit, I'd take an orange-and-white plastic version for $500-600. But I think a high-resolution screen and Core i5 sounds about right for the hardware.