Google Pixelbook Go

Google aims high with its new laptop – and it looks like it might have come up with something a bit special…

The Pixelbook Go is here to dethrone the original Google Pixelbook – now more than two years old – as Google’s flagship Chromebook, the device that shows off Chrome OS at its best. It aims to be for Google what the Surface Laptop is for Microsoft, or what the MacBook Pro is for Apple, and it hits very close to this target.

First and foremost, it’s a stylish-looking computer made from tough yet light magnesium. We like the overly curved corners, the matte finish, and the ribbed, textured underside of the laptop, which adds extra ‘stickiness’ for moments when the Pixelbook Go is sat on your lap or on a table. You can buy the Pixelbook Go in black or light pink, depending on the model you order.

The 13.3-inch display that Google has attached to the Pixelbook Go is top-notch, too: bright and sharp, and able to display photos and movies with a real punch. We wish the bezels were a little smaller, but they’re fine as they are. Four different Pixelbook Go models are available: three with a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel Full HD display, and the top-tier model with a 3,840 x 2,160 pixel 4K display.

Those screen options all operate at a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is distinctly different from the 2017 Pixelbook aspect ratio of 3:2. The widescreen look is better for Netflix and YouTube, but anyone upgrading from the original Pixelbook is going to miss the extra depth for browsing the web and working on documents.

Unlike that Pixelbook predecessor, the Google Pixelbook Go doesn’t have a display with a full 360-degree hinge. You can’t fold it into a tent configuration for video watching, or fold it flat so that it doubles as a tablet – it’s just the standard laptop hinge. We’re big fans of the backlit keyboard, which is elegantly designed and a pleasure to type on.