Google's new Googlebooks are an evolution of Chromebooks, swapping ChromeOS for an Android-based operating system. That lets them run most Android apps natively instead of through emulation, with better performance, deeper Android phone integration, and hardware starting at 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. According to Engadget, the first models deliver around 14 hours of battery life and are built by partners such as Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, with Gemini built in at the system level.
Price, however, is where Chromebooks still compete. Chromebook Plus models with at least 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage usually cost less than $500, and entry-level Chromebooks with 4GB of RAM can be found for under $300. Googlebooks start at $899 and can reach $1,299. For browsing the web, streaming, and editing documents, Engadget says a cheaper Chromebook is still a reasonable choice.
The trade-offs are real: ChromeOS does not run most popular desktop software from Windows or macOS, and very cheap Chromebooks can feel slow with poor displays. Googlebooks are also a brand-new ecosystem, so early growing pains are possible. Since ChromeOS will receive software updates and security patches through 2034, existing Chromebooks are not being abandoned. The article presents both lineups as viable, depending on what a buyer needs.