Googlebook line launch

Google has introduced the new Googlebook line of laptops, with the Acer Googlebook 14 as its first model. This marks the company's continued effort to strengthen its presence in the laptop market, aiming to move beyond its existing Chromebook offerings.

Targeting the premium segment

The new Googlebook line is designed to compete in the premium laptop segment, despite previous Google laptops and the Chromebook Plus line failing to significantly shift public perception of the brand in this area. The Acer Googlebook 14 has been described as a "Chromebook with a mustache" due to its resemblance to earlier models, suggesting only minor design changes.

Design and display features

The Acer Googlebook 14 features a 14-inch OLED display with a high resolution of 2880 x 1800 pixels and a 16:10 aspect ratio. It includes a touchscreen with a variable refresh rate of 120 Hz, a metal top cover, and a lightweight design weighing 1.14 kilograms with a thickness of 1.39 centimeters. The device can fold back into a tablet, aligning with the new Googlebook OS.

Ports and connectivity

The laptop includes a USB-C 3.2 port, a USB-C Thunderbolt 4 port, and a combo jack. However, it lacks a USB-A port, and the Thunderbolt 4 port may have limited utility on the new OS. On the wireless side, it supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, though the Wi-Fi 7 MLO 6+5+2.4 GHz connection has been reported to crash regularly, possibly due to driver issues.

Camera and audio performance

The 5-megapixel webcam captures in 1800p but is noted for being noisy and lacking dynamic range. The two speakers are described as sufficient for watching YouTube but not ideal for high-quality audio. The OLED panel offers a wide color gamut, covering 139% of the sRGB space and 93% of the DCI-P3 space, but the default settings are in sRGB and require manual switching to enjoy DCI-P3.

Googlebook OS features and limitations

The Googlebook OS is an optimized version of Android for laptops, integrating Google's AI, Gemini, for deep analysis of files and screenshots. It offers an interconnected ecosystem with Android smartphones running Android 17, including features like notification sharing and automatic connection sharing. However, the OS lacks native Chrome apps and has limited production software available in the Play Store, especially for offline use.

Hardware specifications and performance

The Acer Googlebook 14 is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 5 325 SoC with 8 cores, 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and 256 GB of storage. Benchmarks show performance comparable to the Lunar Lake platform and a basic Apple M1, but it does not match the best ultrabooks in the Windows or macOS ecosystems. The graphics are not particularly powerful, and the device is unlikely to run resource-intensive applications like Steam.

Battery life and cooling system

The cooling system is nearly silent and does not generate significant heat, with fans only activating during synthetic benchmarks. The battery life is reported to last between 16 and 17 hours on office use with the screen at 50% brightness. The Acer Googlebook 14 is priced at 1200 euros in France, with the operating system being a key factor that limits its appeal compared to Windows, macOS, or Linux.