Google unveils 2015 Chromebook Pixel

March 12, 2015 | 11:11

Tags: #chrome-os #chromeos #cloud-computing #type-c #usb-3 #usb-30 #usb-31 #usb-type-c

Companies: #chrome #google

Apple's new 2015 MacBook may have been the first laptop announced to use the new reversible USB Type C port, but it wasn't alone for long: Google has officially unveiled the 2015 Chromebook Pixel, which packs a port on either side.

Like the 2015 MacBook, the 2015 Chromebook Pixel is a relatively cut-down affair designed more for portability than raw power. As the name suggests the device runs Google's Chrome OS operating system, a Linux-based platform which uses web apps accessed through a preinstalled copy of the Chrome browser. AS a result, there's no surprise to find the device with just a 32GB solid-state drive for local storage: Google's focus with the Chromebook family is on cloud-based computing, not local computing.

That said, the company has chosen some interesting components to make up the rest of the device. Rather than the low-power Core M chip found in the 2015 MacBook, the new Chromebook Pixel packs a 2.2GHz Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM in its standard configuration. For those who need more power, the Chromebook Pixel LS - the suffix standing for 'Ludicrous Speed,' a reference to Mel Brook's 1987 sci-fi spoof Spaceballs - switches to a 2.4GHz Core i7, 16GB of RAM and 64GB of local storage.

Both models appear near-identical on the exterior, using a chunky aluminium unibody design clearly reminiscent of Apple's MacBook Pro family but with sharper edges. The display on either model is a 2,560x1,700 high-resolution 12.85" panel with touch functionality, while an SD card slot provides additional storage. The integrated battery in either model is good for 12 hours of active use, Google claims, while the total weight of the device comes in at 1.5Kg.

The big feature of the new 2015 Chromebook Pixel, of course, is the Type C connector. Like Apple, Google is picking the reversible format as the next big thing in portable computing. The 2015 Chromebook Pixel includes two USB Type C connectors - one on either side of the chassis - which, like the MacBook, are used for everything from connecting peripherals and external displays to charging the laptop itself. The company has also confirmed that it will be moving from the current micro-USB format to USB Type C for its Android smartphones and tablets in the near future.

The 2015 Chromebook Pixel is available to buy now in the US and is described as 'coming soon' in the UK, priced at £799 for the base model and £999 for the Ludicrous Speed edition. More information is available on the newly-launched Google Store.
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