Fifteen years after the launch of Chromebook, Google has unveiled its new laptop collection: the Googlebook.
Hailed as being a “new category of laptops” with “Gemini’s helpfulness at its core”, Googlebook promises to bring together Chrome, Google Play apps and a modern OS. But how does it compare to the original Chromebook series?
While Google hasn’t revealed too much about the Googlebook line-up just yet, the brand has offered a sneak peek into the new line of laptops that will be launching later this year. With this in mind, we’ve compared the initial features to the Chromebook to see what’s really new with Googlebook.
Keep reading to learn more about Googlebook, how it compares to Chromebook and whether it looks likely to enter our best laptops guide. Alternatively, our list of the best Chromebooks reveals our favourites from Google’s current series.
Pricing and Availability
At the time of writing, Google is yet to reveal any pricing or availability dates concerning the Googlebook series. All we know is that the likes of HP, Lenovo, Asus, Acer and Dell will be among the first brands to sport a Googlebook.
We’re keen to learn more about Googlebook’s price range, especially considering that Chromebook has always been positioned as a more affordable option and one of the best student laptops too. Chromebooks can start from as low as £249/$249 (when buying new), although they can surprisingly climb up to around the £1000/$1000 mark.
Googlebook will include the Magic Pointer
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Googlebooks will be equipped with Google’s AI-powered assistant, Gemini. In fact, Google explains that the Googlebooks are the first laptops designed from the ground up for Gemini Intelligence to deliver “personal and proactive help”.
While you’ll find Gemini spread across multiple apps on your Googlebook, surprisingly it’s also built into the cursor. Coined Magic Pointer and built with Google Deepmind, the cursor can offer quick and contextual suggestions whenever you point at something on your screen. Google provides the example that you can point at a date in an email to set up a meeting, or select two different images and instantly visualise them together.
It’s definitely an interesting new addition, but we’ll just have to wait until we get our hands on a Googlebook to determine whether Magic Pointer really is useful.
Googlebook will have app casting with compatible Android phones
In a similar way that you can mirror your iPhone with your Mac, Googlebook will allow you to access apps from your compatible Android phone directly onto your laptop. For example, if you receive a reminder for your daily Duolingo lesson, you can open the app up and complete the sessions without turning away from your Googlebook.
In addition, you’ll also be able to access files on your phone via your Googlebook too – which is a seriously promising upgrade. With Quick Access, Google says you’ll be able to view, search or insert your phone’s files on your laptop without any transfers needed.
In comparison, to currently access files from your Android phone onto your Chromebook, you’ll need to either use a USB connection between the two devices, or use Google Drive instead. With this in mind, Google’s Quick Access is certainly the easier and more appealing option of the two.
Another new Gemini-powered feature is Create your Widget, a tool that builds completely personalised widgets based on your own prompts. Also coming to Android 17 and WearOS, Google explains that users can ask the tool to suggest different meal prep recipes for the week, and see a custom dashboard built right on their home screen.
Otherwise, Chromebook doesn’t offer a native way to build and add custom widgets to the home screen, although there are some third-party workarounds you can use.
Googlebooks will all include the Glow Bar
Although at the time of writing the exact Googlebook models are still yet to be confirmed, it’s known that each one will be identifiable via the glowbar which is described as being both “functional and beautiful”. However, we should note that at the time of writing, the exact functionality of the glowbar is yet to be disclosed.
Otherwise, you can expect the likes of Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo to build the first Googlebooks, with each laptop promised to be built with premium materials and will come in a variety of shapes and sizes too.
Similarly, many of the best Chromebooks also come in a range of sizes too, with some just 11-inches while others exceed the 16-inch mark.
Early Verdict
Keep in mind that Google is yet to reveal many of the exact specs behind Googlebook. Even so, as it’s built with Gemini, allows users to access the Google Play Store and browse the web, Googlebook looks like a promising and natural successor to Chromebook.
Having said that, we’d really like to know what the price range of Googlebooks will be – especially as one of the most appealing aspects of a Chromebook is its affordability. Until we get a firm understanding of the costs involved, plus more details on the exact specs up for grabs, we’ll refrain from giving too much of a conclusion.
