The Google Pixelbook: Is It Worth $1000?

Hey guys, this is Austin. This is a $1000 Chromebook, which begs the question, why does it even exist? This is the Google Pixelbook. Now this is actually not the first time that Google has made a high-end Chromebook. A few years ago they made the Chromebook Pixel, which is very much an earlier version of what they've got here.

To me, spending $1000 on a Chromebook doesn't make a ton of sense, so really the sweet spot for these is typically in the $200-$300 price range. There, you're getting pretty decent hardware. And while yes, it's not going to be quite as usable as something like a Windows computer, for a lot of people, Chrome OS is all you actually need.

Pop open the box, and the first thing we see is the Pixelbook itself. Actually I will say, this is really unique hardware for a laptop. Unlike basically all other high-end laptops these days that are made out of aluminum or sometimes stainless, instead you have this sort of glass finish on both front as well as back of the computer.

Now if you look at it side by side with something like a Pixel 2, you'll definitely see the family resemblance. There's not going to be a ton of port wise. Essentially you have one USB-C port on the side as well as a headphone jack. And on the other side you're going to get one more USB-C port. So one of the nice things about the Pixelbook is that it actually does share pretty much all of this with the Pixel 2, so in theory you can use the same charger for your phone and your laptop.

Pop this guy open and we see that yeah, that is actually rubber? This is such a weirdly designed laptop. Say what you want about Chrome OS and whether it belongs on a $1000 Chromebook, but it is really hard to justify buying this when you can get a great PC or MacBook.

Well first of all, you have Chrome. And while yes, that doesn't sound like much of a selling point, for me I actually do spend a lot of time in stuff like YouTube, Google Docs and Gmail. And for that, this works fine.

What newer Chromebooks like this have is the Google Play Store. Now this essentially will give you access to a ton of different Android apps that will run straight on Chrome OS. Oh my god, recommended for me. Love Life School Idol Festival. Yes. No. Yes. No. Please? - No. Please? - I touched the track pad for you, I'm not doing anything else.

(laughs) of course, the first thing I have to try is Super Mario Run. Because this is not ridiculous in any way. Oh, oh, oh! This is so huge! My hand kind of hurts from holding the laptop like that, but I mean, that's one way you can play games on your super cool Pixelbook.

There are some slightly more practical benefits of having Android apps, such as things like Photoshop Sketch. So this combined with the Pixel Pen means that you can actually do some pretty decent drawing. Having access to Android apps like Instagram and Snapchat on a laptop can be really cool, but the problem is is that while some of these apps are pretty decent and do support Chrome OS, a lot of them are either just stretched out versions of the phone, or worse yet, they're just running in a phone-sized window.

The Pixelbook also has Google Assistant. So there's a few different ways of launching this, but one of my favorites is with the pen. When you hold the button, you can just draw on a particular part of a web page and it will use Google Assistant to try to figure out what you're looking at. So here it figures out that I'm talking about the iPhone X and the Pixel 2.

It gives a link to the actual page as well as to my channel, and it will also transcribe any text that I select. Should the Google Pixelbook exist? I'm sure there's a market out there for someone to spend $1000 on a Chromebook, and yes this is some of the nicest laptop hardware I've ever tried, but it is really hard to justify buying this when you can get a great PC or MacBook.

So what do you guys think about the Pixelbook? Let me know in the comments below.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- Hey guys, this is Austin.This is a $1000 Chromebook,which begs the question,why does it even exist?This is the Google Pixelbook.Now this is actually not thefirst time that Google has madea high end Chromebook.A few years ago they made theChromebook Pixel, which isvery much an earlier versionof what they've got here.To me, spending $1000 on aChromebook doesn't make a tonof sense, so really the sweetspot for these is typicallyin the $200-$300 price range.There, you're gettingpretty decent hardware.And while yes, it's not goingto be quite as usable assomething like a Windowscomputer, for a lot of people,Chrome OS is all you actually need.Pop open the box, and thefirst thing we see is thePixelbook itself.And actually I will say, thisis really unique hardwarefor a laptop.Unlike basically all otherhigh end laptops these daysthat are made out of aluminumor sometimes stainless,instead you have this sortof glass finish on the bothfront as well as back of the computer.Now if you look at it sideby side with something likea Pixel 2, you'll definitelysee the family resemblance.So port wise, there'snot going to be a ton.Essentially you have oneUSB-C port on the side as wellas a headphone jack.And on the other sideyou're going to get one moreUSB-C port.So one of the nice thingsabout the Pixelbook is that itactually does share prettymuch all of this with thePixel 2, so in theory youcan use the same chargerfor your phone and your laptop.Pop this guy open and we seethat yeah, that is actuallyrubber?This is such a weirdly designed laptop.Say what you want about ChromeOS and whether it belongson a $1000 laptop, but thishardware, it is really nice.Man, I'm doing a 180 onthis computer way too fast.So when I'm here at work, alot of the times I will beusing a Windows laptop toplug in to a USB-C monitor,but this hardware is so nice,I actually might give theChromebook, or sorry, the Pixelbook a try.While this guy updates,something else you might want toconsider is picking up the Pixelbook Pen.So if a $1000 Chromebookisn't enough, you can spendanother $100 on a stylus.Sometimes it's hard for meto justify using a styluson a computer.I know a lot of people liketo be able to take notes anddo sketching and stuff on acomputer, and especially withthis guy where you can actuallyflip the screen all theway around it might be helpful.But I just don't find a ton of use for it.Although, this actually does look nice.Touch pad firmware update in progress.Keep your hands off the touch pad.This will take around two minutes.I've never seen that in my life.What happens if I touch the touch pad now?- Do it.- Oh, it crashed!(laughs)Ken is a bad influence, okay?A bad influence.Inside the Pixelbook is aseventh generation Core i5processor, eight gigabytes ofRAM, and a 128 gigabyte SSD.Those are the specs of thebase model that I have here.If you want to upgrade tothe model with the Core i7,16 gigs of RAM and a 512 gigSSD, that's going to run you$1650.And of course, if you wantthe pen, don't forget tothrow another $100 on that.So what are you getting witha $1000+ Chromebook?Well, the hardware, likeI said, is pretty nice.So you do have a fully flexiblehinge, so not only can youuse it in sort of a displaymode, but you can flip it overto tent, or if you want, youcan use it in tablet mode.You can tell they optimizedthis for tablet mode, becausethe bezels are kind of huge.Now to be fair, when you'reusing it like this, it doesgive you a little bit ofspace for your thumbs to sortof rest on the screen, butwhen you're spending this muchmoney on a laptop, smallerbezels would have beenreally nice.So it is a 12.3 inch panelwith a resolution of 2400x1600.As you'd expect, it has atouch screen and it looksreally nice.Today is the launch of theiPhone X, which could be themost hyped phone of the year.Not only do the speakerssound good, but it is a reallysharp screen.This is a very high resolutionfor a 12 inch panel.I had nothing but good thingsto say about the typingexperience either.The keyboard feels good withsolid spacing and it just hasa nice sort of tactile feel.And the track pad is surprisingly good.Not only does it have a glasssurface, but it has some ofthe most accuratescrolling I've ever felt.This is right up therewith a lot of MacBooks.The real question here thoughis what exactly can you doon a $1000 Chromebook?Well first of all, you have Chrome.And while yes, that doesn'tsound like much of a sellingpoint, for me I actually dospend a lot of time in stufflike YouTube, Google Docs and Gmail.And for that, this works fine.What newer Chromebookslike this have is theGoogle Play Store.Now this essentially willgive you access to a ton ofdifferent Android apps thatwill run straight on Chrome OS.Oh my god, recommended for me.Love Life School Idol Festival.- Yes.- No.- Yes.- No.- Please?- No.- Please?- I touched the track padfor you, I'm not doinganything else.(laughs)of course, the first thing Ihave to try is Super Mario Run.Because this is not ridiculous in any way.Oh, oh, oh!This is so huge!My hand kind of hurts fromholding the laptop like that, butI mean, that's one wayyou can play games on yoursuper cool Pixelbook.There are some slightly morepractical benefits of havingAndroid apps, such as thingslike Photoshop Sketch.So this combined with thePixel Pen means that you canactually do some pretty decent drawing.Having access to Android appslike Instagram and Snapchaton a laptop can be really cool,but the problem is is thatwhile some of these apps arepretty decent and do supportChrome OS, a lot of them areeither just stretched outversions of the phone, orworse yet, they're just runningin a phone sized window.The Pixelbook also has Google Assistant.So there's a few differentways of launching this, but oneof my favorites is with the pen.So when you hold the button,you can just draw on aparticular part of aweb page and it will useGoogle Assistant to try to figure out whatyou're looking at.So here it figures out thatI'm talking about the iPhone Xand the Pixel 2.It gives a link to theactual page as well as tomy channel, and it will alsotranscribe any text thatI select.So should the Google Pixelbook exist?I'm sure there's a market outthere for someone to spend$1000 on a Chromebook, andyes this is some of the nicestlaptop hardware I've evertried, but it is really hardto justify buying thiswhen you can get a great PCor MacBook.So what do you guys thinkabout the Pixelbook?Let me know in the commentsbelow and I will catch youin the next one.