At their hardware event in New York City yesterday, Google announced the Pixelbook Go, the latest in their line of Chrome OS-powered laptops.
Though it differs greatly in many ways from Google’s 2017 Pixelbook, the Pixelbook Go continues the trend of not including any form of biometric security. Instead, Google points to the way Android powered smartphones and Chrome OS laptops seamless sync, and offers using your phone’s biometric features to unlock your Pixelbook as its security solution.
Though there were hints last year that biometric security could be making its way to Chrome OS, the only Chrome OS laptops to currently feature any are the Acer Chromebook 714 and 715, which feature fingerprint readers.
Google did actually feature a fingerprint scanner in last year’s Pixel Slate which runs Chrome OS, however the tablet has been largely considered a failure by the tech community and Google seems unlikely to re-visit the tablet market anytime soon.
The most obvious change from the 2017 model is that the Pixelbook Go is a straightforward clamshell laptop. It does have a 13.3″ touchscreen, but it doesn’t swivel around to take on more of a tablet-like form factor like the 2017 model did, and it isn’t compatible with the Pixelbook Pen, which was a key feature for the 2017 laptop.
The Pixelbook Go comes in a variety of configuration options, with users being able to choose from a $649 model with a 1080p screen, 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, all the way up to a $1,399 version with a Ulatra HD screen, 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
Google is also emphasizing the Pixelbook Go’s battery life, claiming 12 hours of continued use and fast-charging capabilities which Google says can give you two hours of battery life on a 20-minute charge.
The Pixelbook Go launched alongside the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL and is available for pre-order now. It will begin shipping in the next few weeks.
Sources: The Verge, PC World, Laptop Mag
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