Are Chromebooks still worth buying after Googlebooks are released?

The main difference with Googlebooks is that they run an Android-based operating system instead of ChromeOS. Although ChromeOS can run Android apps, it emulates them, sometimes leading to poor performance and bugs. In contrast, Googlebooks can run most Android apps natively at full power, taking better advantage of the hardware, although some apps may perform poorly on Intel laptops. They have access to the full Google Play Store.

Speaking of hardware, Google is pushing for better specs, with laptops starting with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Early Googlebooks offer about 14 hours of battery life, which is much longer than most Chromebooks.

And since they use an Android-based system, they also integrate much better with Android phones. You can open your phone’s apps on your laptop and access your files without having to transfer them. Many settings can also be synced between the two, like your passwords and notifications. The idea is similar to what Apple offers when you use both a Mac and an iPhone. Of course, if you have a phone running Android 17 or later, don’t expect to use all of these features with an iPhone or older Android device.

It’s also worth noting that, like Chromebooks, the Googlebook isn’t just a laptop. Instead, Google has worked with brands like Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo to offer Googlebook-certified laptops. They all have to follow certain guidelines, like using a carbon fiber chassis instead of cheap plastic, high-end processors (whether Intel or Snapdragon), and high-resolution displays. It’s no surprise that they all have Gemini built-in at the system level.

So in theory, Googlebooks are an upgrade over Chromebooks in almost every way. So why would anyone choose a Chromebook over a Googlebook?

Price is the main reason to consider a Chromebook over a Googlebook. Chromebook Plus models, with at least 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, typically cost less than $500. If you want to shop even cheaper, there are entry-level Chromebooks with 4GB of RAM for under $300. Google Books, on the other hand, start at $899 and go up to $1,299. That’s a significant price difference.

Of course, Chromebooks aren’t for everyone, so it’s important to think about what you need to do with your laptop. Due to their less powerful hardware, Chromebooks are suitable for light tasks such as web browsing, streaming, and document editing. If this is your case, you don’t need the performance of a more powerful device. But if you need a laptop for editing videos and playing casual games, a Googlebook is a better option.

Another thing to consider is that Google Books is a whole new ecosystem, so there might be some growing pains at first. Chromebooks have been around for over a decade, so ChromeOS is a much more mature platform where you know what to expect. Longevity shouldn’t be an issue in any case, since ChromeOS will still receive software updates and security patches until 2034. By then, you’ll probably have already replaced your laptop. And they won’t stop working overnight either.

Chromebooks have some big drawbacks, which is why some people never liked them. ChromeOS doesn’t run most popular desktop software you’ll find on Windows or macOS. Plus, very cheap Chromebooks have poor hardware, so they feel slow, and their bad screens aren’t fun to look at. Still, if you only need a basic laptop, these might work for you: There are pros and cons to using a Chromebook as a PC, and we’ve rounded up the best Chromebooks you can buy in 2026.