Google Introduces Chromebook Plus Lineup: Better Performance and AI Capabilities

[AleksandarK]

Today, Google announced its next generation of Chromebook devices, called the Chromebook Plus, said to improve upon the legacy set by Chromebooks over a decade ago. Starting at an enticing price point of $399, this new breed of Chromebooks integrates powerful AI capabilities and a range of built-in Google apps. Notably, it features tools like the Google Photos Magic Eraser and web-based Adobe Photoshop, positioning itself as a dynamic tool for productivity and creative exploration. In collaboration with hardware manufacturers such as Acer, ASUS, HP, and Lenovo, Google is launching a lineup of eight Chromebook Plus devices on the launch date, with more possibly coming in the future.

Each model boasts improved hardware configurations over the regular Chromebook, including processors like the Intel Core i3 12th Gen or the AMD Ryzen 3 7000 series, a minimum of 8 GB RAM, and 128 GB storage. Users are also in for a visual treat with a 1080p IPS display, ensuring crisp visuals for entertainment and work. And for the modern remote workforce, video conferencing gets a substantial upgrade. Every Chromebook Plus comes equipped with a 1080p camera and utilizes AI enhancements to elevate video call clarity, with compatibility spanning various platforms, including Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. Set to be available from October 8, 2023, in the US and October 9 in Canada and Europe, the Chromebook Plus is positioning itself as the go-to device for many users. On the other hand, the AI features are slated for arrival in 2024, when companies ensure their software is compatible.



Below you can see the upcoming models.



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[Chaitanya]

No thanks to unrepairable locked eWaste.

 

[HisDivineOrder]

$400 for a Chromebook?

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

$400 for a Chromebook?

The pixelbook was $1200 7 years ago.

 

[phanbuey]

"better ai capabilities"

it's a glorified thin client, what capabilities does it need, to connect to our future overlords, that it didn't already have?

 

[L'Eliminateur]

$400 for a Chromebook?

the pricing is nuts, the whole point of a basic closed system is to be as cheap as possible.
¿why the f would i pay 400 (TO START, those "premium models" are a joke) for a locked down web-only device that's essentially a modern dumb terminal or netbook?

¿am i missing something?, i feel like mugatu in zoolander with the crazy pills.

i'd rather buy a fully fledged 400usd notebook

 

[SJZL 2.0]

At this point I would buy a 4050 laptop for $800+. Save up really well and make good decisions guys.

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

the pricing is nuts, the whole point of a basic closed system is to be as cheap as possible.
¿why the f would i pay 400 (TO START, those "premium models" are a joke) for a locked down web-only device that's essentially a modern dumb terminal or netbook?

¿am i missing something?, i feel like mugatu in zoolander with the crazy pills.

i'd rather buy a fully fledged 400usd notebook

And you'll receive a device that is built like total garbage, that will stop working within 2 years, and wont work well when it does function.

 

[BSim500]

And you'll receive a device that is built like total garbage, that will stop working within 2 years, and wont work well when it does function.

I think his point was, between a $400 Chromebook vs a $400 Laptop neither are a great investment for general usage (outside of classroom mandated hardware) vs biting the bullet and getting a $600 laptop. These days mobile OS's actually aren't 'less bloated' than Windows anymore. Right now I'm seeing 2.4GB RAM used idling after a cold boot (that took 60s) on an Android 13 Samsung tablet but only 1.5GB RAM used idling after a cold boot (taking only 12-15s) on a W10 22H2 desktop PC. For W7 or Linux XFCE, Google OS's use more than double the RAM just reaching the desktop.

Then when it comes to "Modern Apps", basically every one is a "Web App", ie, each app wants its own Chrome browser framework "internally" for a limited fixed task vs Windows PC's where for half the stuff you need apps for mobile devices, you're more likely to just look up the website in one web browser then pin the tab of commonly used stuff (end result = a lot more shared memory within one application). Now throw in uBlock+, maybe NoScript too onto the laptop and memory usage drops quite a bit whilst for Chromebooks, well we can't possibly have ad blockers on our Advertising Agency (Google) designed netbooks...

The 2x biggest Android / Chromebook features have always been 1. Better battery life due to ARM chips, and 2. Low cost (like those EEE-PC netbooks used to be before "ultra-portable" got converted into "premium"), but the newest x86 based "Chromebook Plus's" that 'enjoy' a significant price bump don't benefit from that. Whilst I agree with you over the crap-ton of unwanted bloat laptops come with make them worse "out of the box", for light weight users doing simple lightweight web browsing, there isn't that much difference between an 8GB ChromeBook vs an 8GB laptop with your own fresh W10 install + debloat script + uBlock. They will both aggressively swap the hell out of multiple heavy applications running at once anyway, the laptop may be less smooth for educational software but more functional overall for everything else (especially advert-less Youtube and retaining your sanity whilst web browsing...)

 

[SJZL 2.0]

I have made my decision.

 

[unwind-protect]

Any descriptions of the "AI" APIs that they want "companies" to develop for?