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Google Pixelbook Go 13.3" Chromebook - Intel Core i7, 256GB SSD + 16GB RAM - Just Black

£9.9£99Clearance
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Chromebooks aren't for everyone. As detailed on our list of what Chromebooks can and cannot do, its environment does not cater to the everyday needs of most Windows or MacOS users and is instead made to serve as a SSH client with heavy dependence on Google's cloud services. As a result, Chromebooks are often very inexpensive since Chrome OS is laser-focused on web browsing and remote work. Recent examples include the Acer Chromebook 14, Lenovo Flex 11, and Lenovo ThinkPad 13 each retailing for less than half of Google's latest convertible. In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.6 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F. The Pixelbook earns the ‘pixel’ when it comes to the 3:2 display. At 235 ppi with accurate color reproduction, the Pixelbook display rivals some of the best around, Chromebook or otherwise. It’s in the same class as the 227 ppi 13-inch MacBook Pro and the 267 ppi Surface Pro 6. Results are inconsistent from most of the Android benchmark apps. For example, Ice Storm Physics and Geekbench single-core benchmark scores are 70 percent and 100 percent higher, respectively, than the Exynos-powered Galaxy Note 8. Meanwhile, the very high PCMark Storage score rivals the Huawei Mate 10 Pro while AndroBench favors the Huawei smartphone by over five-fold. Interestingly, graphics-intensive benchmarks show the Pixelbook struggling against current flagship smartphones while most CPU-intensive benchmarks show the Chromebook to be well ahead.

However, to keep its price relatively low, certain sacrifices need to be made. Google Pixelbook Go is missing out on the more premium features like biometric login. It’s not exactly the cheapest Chromebook on the market, either. Plus, while its base configuration is affordable, the higher you climb up its specs ladder, the more expensive it gets, making it less of a great value.

Before I joined the tech-journalism ranks, I wrote on topics as diverse as Borneo's rain forests, Middle Eastern airlines, and Big Data's role in presidential elections. A graduate of Middlebury College, I also have a master's degree in journalism and French Studies from New York University. The 128 GB SSD in the base configuration is very slow according to AndroBench. Its sequential write rate of about 120 MB/s is only a fraction of the speed of the UFS 2.1 SSDs in the Galaxy Note 8 and Huawei Mate Pro 10 smartphones. The slow performance is likely an attempt to bolster the upcoming 512 GB SKU that is explicitly advertised as a NVMe SSD. As noted earlier, AndroBench is not designed to run in a virtualized Android environment and the results may not accurately reflect the Pixelbook. The Pixelbook joins the small group of ultra-thin notebooks that ship with only USB Type-C ports including the Zenbook 3, Spectre 13, MateBook X, and MacBook Pro 15. Thunderbolt 3 is not officially supported here, but either of the two USB Type-C ports can output to 4K via mDP or be used for charging. The integrated Intel HD 615 graphics chip in the Pixelbook powered its smooth visuals on the WebGL Aquarium test, where it rendered 2,000 fish at a rate of 60 frames per second. That's better than the 48 fps from the Samsung Chromebook Pro (Intel HD Graphics 615) and the 50 fps from the Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA (Intel HD Graphics 515). The ultraportable-notebook average is a higher 269 fps.

The Pixelbook Go's audio quality is also excellent, especially given its light weight. The grilles for the stereo speakers flank the keyboard, instead of being located on the bottom of the laptop as is common on other ultraportables. This made for robust, clear sound even at the highest volume setting during my testing. The Pixelbook earned a score of 145 on the JetStream JavaScript benchmark, which measures the performance of web apps. That's above the 126.6 from the Samsung Chromebook Pro (Core m3-6Y30, 4GB of RAM) and the 127.32 from the Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA (Core m3 6Y30, 4GB of RAM). We saw a higher mark from the Yoga 920 (277.9). The maximum temperature on the upper side is 38.8 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible. In the near future, Chromebooks could borrow one of Windows' best multitasking features. Currently, Chrome OS users might feel a bit envious of Windows 11's robust split screen menu that allows vertical, horizontal, three-way, and four-way divisions.

Overall, with its different design and cheap build quality, the Pixelbook will remain the go-to for high-end Chromebooks, at least for now until the Pixelbook 2 arrives, while the Pixelbook Go seems better value in its cheaper configurations. The Pixelbook Go's camera is far better than those of most other ultraportable laptops, owing to its 1080p resolution. (Most laptop webcams are limited to shooting video in 720p.) This means noticeably better videoconferencing quality—the picture was free of graininess during my testing in a brightly lit office, something that even far more expensive laptops can't accomplish. Parents buying their college-bound son or daughter a Pixelbook Go will appreciate this feature. But if money's no option, the Google Pixel is the best damn Chrome OS machine you'll find because it provides a level of usability, performance and style you won't find on any other Chromebook. Screen: 12.3-inch QHD (2,400 x 1,600, 235 ppi) LCD touchscreen (400 nits, 72% NTSC color, 3:2 aspect ratio)

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