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The newly announced Googlebooks will soon be here. Unlike the best Chromebooks, these laptops are meant to be high-end machines for professionals and power users. In that sense, Googlebooks could be direct competition for the best Windows laptops and best MacBooks.
As Google details in a blog post, Googlebooks are built from the ground up for Gemini Intelligence to provide proactive help. These laptops promise seamless compatibility with the Android ecosystem, and new customization features like Create your Widget. Right now, these are features that Chromebooks don’t have.
Based on what we know, Googlebooks could be Google’s next major laptop line. To that end, here are the biggest differences between Googlebooks and Chromebooks that we know about at the moment.
Googlebooks vs. Chromebooks: Design
We only got brief glimpses of the Googlebook, so we can’t yet say exactly what these laptops will look like. However, Google says it is working with manufacturers like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo to make the first Googlebooks.
“Every Googlebook will be built with premium craftsmanship and materials, coming in a variety of shapes and sizes,” says Google’s press release. If they’re like current Chromebooks and Windows laptops, then it’s reasonable to expect traditional clamshells, convertibles, 2-in-1s, OLED models, and so on.
Googlebooks will also have a unique glow bar to set them apart from Chromebooks and other laptops. Based on the presentation, these laptops will have a Googlebook logo on their keyboard decks, but this may not be the case for every model.
Googlebooks vs. Chromebooks: Features
While Chromebooks were built to work in the cloud with a traditional operating system (ChromeOS in this case), Googlebooks are designed for an intelligence system that utilizes an operating system built for AI, in this case, Google Gemini. This way, the laptop can provide proactive help, according to Google.
A feature that’s currently not available on Chromebooks is called “Magic Pointer,” which has you wiggling the pointer to bring up contextual suggestions based on what’s on the screen. For instance, you can point your cursor over a date in an email to set up a meeting, or visualize placing items you want to buy in your living space to see how they’d fit.
Another feature that Chromebooks don’t have is “Create your Widget,” which lets you generate custom, prompt-based widgets that gather information from the internet and Google apps into a personalized dashboard. This isn’t exactly vibe coding, but it has a similar ring to it since you’re using natural language to create widgets.
Lastly, Googlebooks let you use your phone apps right on the laptop. This is reminiscent of the existing Quick Share feature, except you won’t have to download anything or use emulated touch controls to interact with apps. A feature called Quick Access allows you to view, search, or insert your phone’s files on your laptop.
Googlebooks vs. Chromebooks: Price
Since Google is marketing Googlebooks as premium laptops, it’s a safe bet that they’ll cost more than Chromebooks.
Right now, Chromebooks are some of the most affordable laptops available, ranging from $150 to over $600. This has long been a reason for their popularity, despite ChromeOS not being as robust as Windows or macOS. If you frequently work somewhere with a reliable internet connection and exclusively use Google’s suite of apps, Chromebooks are a solid choice.
It’s difficult to say how much Googlebooks will cost. If they pack comparable components to the latest Windows laptops, such as Intel Panther Lake chips, discrete GPUs, and a healthy amount of RAM and storage, their starting prices could land at around $1,000 for lower-end models. Of course, given the current RAM crisis, driving up the cost of electronics, starting prices might be higher than they would have been under normal circumstances.
Googlebooks vs. Chromebooks: Outlook
We don’t yet know enough to make direct comparisons between Googlebooks and Chromebooks. However, based on what Google has said, these laptops will have more robust integration into the wider Android ecosystem. The fact that the notebooks are built around Google Gemini is another major differentiator.
Googlebooks are expected later this year, so it shouldn’t be long until we can go hands-on with these machines and see what they’re all about. If they live up to Google’s promises, they could be a nice shakeup for the laptop world. And we’ll also see if Chromebooks can live alongside these laptops. Stay tuned for more!
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