Google Chromebook Pixel 2015
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Average of 11 scores (from 15 reviews)
Reviews for the Google Chromebook Pixel 2015
Source: Tech Advisor Archive.org version
As we’ve stated in pretty much every Chromebook review, they’re not for everyone. Being tied to the web, and Google’s version of the web in particular, isn’t going to be ideal for some users. The same goes for those that want to edit video, record music, or play AAA games. Those users would be better served by a decent PC, which you could certainly buy for the same money as the new Pixel. But, and it’s a very big but, if you embrace the ideals of Chromebooks, and have the money to spare, the 2015 Pixel is a truly beguiling device that is a genuine pleasure to use. Do we want one? Unquestionably. Will we be buying one?
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 08/03/2015
Rating: Total score: 90% price: 60% performance: 90% features: 70% workmanship: 90%
Source: It Pro Archive.org version
It’s hard to shake the feeling that Google’s Chromebook Pixel has been sexed up for C-level executives that don’t want to be seen with a functionally equivalent, but far more pedestrian-looking plastic Chromebook such as the good value Asus C200 and Dell’s latest model. Especially as most people won’t need the extra power the Pixel has over other Chromebooks.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 06/23/2015
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: Expert Reviews Archive.org version
There’s an awful lot to like about the Chromebook Pixel, with excellent design and long battery life making it a joy to use. Yet while Chrome OS feels slick and responsive, it’s also the Pixel’s greatest weakness. You’ll likely find yourself forced to work within the limitations of what’s available on Chrome OS, and for £799 this is likely too great a sacrifice.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 06/18/2015
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: PC World Archive.org version
The Chromebook Pixel is clearly not for everyone, any more than any flagship is. It’s expensive. It pumps much more power than most people need. But as a Chromebook, it’s the best you can get. As a flagship, it’s as avant-garde as it should be—and it gives other flagships a run for their overpriced money, too.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 04/22/2015
Rating: Total score: 90%
Source: Zdnet.com Archive.org version
That being said, if Chrome OS doesn't work for your particular needs, then this same device at half the price is still an understandable "no sale"; there's nothing wrong with that. ZDNet's Matt Miller realized his Surface Pro 3 is a better fit for him, so he returned his Pixel. Chrome OS isn't for everyone, but it meets my needs and the new Pixel often exceeds them.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 04/11/2015
Source: Stuff TV Archive.org version
On these, for £800, the new Pixel cannot be beaten. The new Pixel comes within a hair’s breadth of five stars. It is a superb laptop. But it’s a superb laptop that still only lets you run one browser, and until ChromeOS becomes less Googtastic, developers won’t make nice apps for it and it won’t realise its potential.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/30/2015
Rating: Total score: 80% performance: 70% display: 100% mobility: 100% workmanship: 90%
Source: Techradar Archive.org version
The Pixel set a precedent for Chromebooks years ago as the most premium laptop made solely for web browsing. This latest model builds on that legacy, iterating and improving upon it. However, while the Pixel is about as close to perfection as a Chromebook can get, this isn't necessarily a machine for the everyday user.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 03/30/2015
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: Computer Shopper Archive.org version
All in all, the 2015 Google Chromebook Pixel is a brilliant feat of engineering, a marvelously friendly and fast laptop whose screen, keyboard, and balance of power and portability can stand with anyone's at any price. The only way you can say it's not resoundingly worth $999 is to say that Chrome OS isn't the equal of Windows and OS X.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 03/27/2015
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: Wired Magazine Archive.org version
But keep your eyes peeled. The Pixel has always been stuck in the future. Google made big bets two years ago about the way we’ll access data, and predicted that we’d all end up living inside our web browsers. With this new Pixel, it bets on a new kind of connector—and reinforces what it already believed. That soon we will be online all the time. Soon our browsers will be all we need.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/18/2015
Rating: Total score: 70%
Source: CNet Archive.org version
The Chromebook Pixel doesn't fail to impress. But it also doesn't need to exist. Not yet, anyway. The Pixel's world is one in which high-speed, wireless broadband is ubiquitous and cheap. A world where most of us are fully invested in the cloud, subsisting entirely on Web-connected apps and generally unconcerned with local storage.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 03/17/2015
Rating: Total score: 68% performance: 70% mobility: 70%
Source: Computerworld.com Archive.org version
The Pixel is intended to be a luxury laptop for people who rely primarily on Web-based services and are committed to the Chrome OS concept. The pros and cons of that platform are a whole other discussion (see my three-question quiz for a quick overview), but there's no reason you can't prefer that type of environment and also want high-end hardware that's exceptionally nice to use.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 03/16/2015
Source: Engadget Archive.org version
Four years after the first Chromebook came out, the idea of a laptop running the Chrome browser as an OS is still a niche proposition. These things aren't for everyone, and might never will be. That said, the idea doesn't seem as silly as it once did. Personally speaking, I wouldn't buy one -- but that's mostly because it won't run Photoshop, and it doesn't play nice with certain peripherals like my running watch.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 03/11/2015
Rating: Total score: 81%
Source: Computerworld.com Archive.org version
So there you have it -- your first look at Google's new Chromebook Pixel. There's plenty more to discuss, ranging from real-world performance (how does the new system's speed compare to last year's model?) to stamina (can you really get 12 hours with regular use?) and some cool new tricks with the top-lid lightbar (hint: Tapping it now actually does something!).
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/11/2015
Source: Recode Archive.org version
The Chromebook family is made up of various models that cost very little, and their low prices make sense for what they offer. But Google’s Pixels buck those stereotypes. While it’s easy to admire the design and high-tech features of this new Pixel, it’s still too expensive for most.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/11/2015
Foreign Reviews
Source: CNet France FR→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 03/27/2015
Rating: Total score: 70%
Comment
Model: The Google Chromebook Pixel 2015 is an elegant take on an already saturated Chrome OS based device market segment. Keeping it simple has always been Google's mantra in both software and hardware department and this Chromebook follows suit. The beautiful straight lines and box look compliments the matte silver finish. On the cover is nothing but the 4 color strip representing the Pixel branding. Edges are ever so slightly rounded and the keyboard consists of dark grey tile keys. The 1.5 kg device has an 12.85 inch display with a less common 3:2 aspect ratio and is able to produce superb images due to its high 239 ppi.
Hardware on the Google Chromebook Pixel 2015 comes in 2 main configurations; either an Intel Core i5 processor clocked at 2.2 GHz and 8 GB RAM, or an Intel Core i7 processor clocked at 2.4 GHz and 16 GB RAM. The latter being more a more powerful setup for those who demand extra. On board is an Intel HD Graphics 5500 GPU and the device comes with 32 GB or 64 GB flash storage depending on the model. The Google Chromebook Pixel 2015 comes with a new industry standard of USB Type-C charger. Audio quality is impressive and the device comes with a battery life of up to 12 hours supplemented with fast-charging capability.
Intel HD Graphics 5500: Integrated graphics card (GT2) in the Core processors of the Broadwell U-series (15 W TDP).
Non demanding games should be playable with these graphics cards.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.
5200U: Broadwell-based ULV (ultra low voltage) dual-core processor for notebooks and ultrabooks. Offers an integrated HD Graphics 5500 GPU and is manufactured in 14 nm.» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.
13.00":
This range of display format is largely the upper limit for tablets and the lower limit for subnotebooks.
The advantage of subnotebooks is that the entire laptop can be small in size and therefore easily portable. The tiny display has the added advantage of requiring little power, which further improves battery life and thus mobility. The disadvantage is that reading texts is exhausting for the eyes. High resolutions, which one is used to from a standard laptop, are almost not usable.
The same applies to tablets in this size range.
» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.Google:
Google was founded in 1995 in the USA and became the world's most important search engine in its core business. Google offers a variety of hardware products, including smartphones, speakers, cameras and smart displays. Since 2012, Google also sells tablets and smartphones.
79%: This rating is not earth-shattering. This rating must actually be seen as average, since there are about as many devices with worse ratings as better ones. A purchase recommendation can only be seen with a lot of goodwill, unless it is about websites that generally rate strictly.
» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.