Google could revive the Pixel laptop as a high-end Chromebook for MacBook Pro and Surface Laptop
Google could be resurrecting its Pixel laptop, a new rumor claims, drawing high hopes from high-end Chromebook fans.
This comes from Android Heads which cites an internal email that was leaked mentioning Google’s new project for a premium laptop under the Pixel branding (which is now used for its smartphones and watches).
Long ago, in the mists of time, there was a Chromebook Pixel laptop, and the new version is apparently codenamed ‘Snowy’. We’re not told anything about it, though, other than that it’s still in its early stages and that Google plans for it to be a rival to the likes of the MacBook Pro, Microsoft Surface Laptop and Dell XPS – a seriously premium initiative from the sound of things.
The laptop will certainly run ChromeOS and will likely be among our rankings of the best Chromebooks if it eventually becomes a reality, although nothing has been confirmed at this point.
What we’re told is that the project has the green light and is underway, so it’s progressing from the concept phase, and apparently a special team has been formed to develop the laptop.
This is certainly one to keep an eye on for future rumors, although we should approach this report with great caution at this stage. We’ll be happier if the claim made here is confirmed by other tech sites.
Analysis: Pixel perfect? Here is the hope
The original Chromebook Pixel was a beautiful creation in some ways, but deeply flawed in others, when it came to light more than a decade ago. Google switched to making the Pixelbook (and Pixelbook Go) towards the end of the decade, which were fantastic notebooks (especially the latter). Unfortunately, the entire line of laptops eventually went off the rails, and indeed the entire team behind the Pixelbook was disbanded in 2022 – which seemed like a pretty bold line to wrap up the whole thing.
But apparently the team is now back together and Google is rethinking the possibilities behind a new Chromebook Pixel, or perhaps even a Pixelbook if it keeps the more recent (and successful) branding.
We hope this is true, but at the same time we have to acknowledge that we’ve heard rumors from the rumor mill in the past about a Chromebook Pixel resurrection that came to nothing. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that this rumor is on the money, and that Google’s development team manages to generate enough interest from the powers that be and various bean counters to get new Pixel hardware released in notebook form.
There’s no shortage of excitement surrounding a new Pixel laptop, that’s for sure, but hopefully there’ll be room for an affordable option in the mix in addition to premium portables. We’ll probably have to wait quite a while before these creations hit the market, mind you.
