The Google Pixelbook Go (2019) is a 13 inch Chromebook that's lightweight and easy to carry around. It has great up-firing speakers that get very loud, a good 1080p webcam for video calls, as well as a decent keyboard and excellent trackpad. Like all Chrome OS devices, you can't run x86 desktop applications, meaning you're mostly limited to using the Chrome browser, Linux apps, and Android apps from the Google Play Store. It's available with Intel 8th Gen Y-series processors, which are powerful enough to handle light productivity tasks but aren't ideal for heavy workloads. The battery lasts through a typical 8-hour workday on a full charge, and while it does get a bit hot under load, it remains completely silent thanks to its fanless design.
Our Pixelbook Go has an Intel Core m3 model with 8GB of RAM. It can handle most light productivity tasks, but we recommend heavy multitaskers opt for the Core i5 variant with 16GB. The Core i7 model comes with a 4k display and is the only option with 256GB storage, but the higher resolution likely won't be noticeable to most people at this screen size and will negatively impact battery life. Also, even the top-end i7 model might still struggle in very demanding tasks like video editing. Every component is soldered onto the motherboard and is non-upgradeable, so you need to make sure to get the configuration you want when making your purchase.
Our Verdict
The Google Pixelbook Go is great for student use. It's easy to carry around because it's thin and light, and its battery lasts an entire day unless you're gaming. The keyboard is decent and quiet, and the touchpad is responsive. The Intel CPUs are powerful enough to handle light tasks, like word processing and web surfing, but they struggle with demanding workloads like complex 3D design or physics simulations. Also, you're limited to web-based and Android apps because Chrome OS doesn't support x86 desktop apps.
- Easy to carry around.
- Battery lasts a full 8-hour day of light productivity and video playback.
- Exceptionally well-built.
- 1080p webcam captures decent amount of detail.
- Only has USB-C ports.
- Must be online to perform most tasks.
- Can't run x86 desktop apps.
The Google Pixelbook Go is bad for gaming. The Intel Y-series processors and integrated graphics can handle some light Android games from the Google Play Store but not demanding AAA titles. Also, you can't run DirectX games like Shadow of the Tomb Raider or Civilization VI due to Chrome OS' limitations.
- Doesn't get too hot and is silent under load.
- Y-series CPU and integrated graphics can't handle heavy workloads.
- Only has USB-C ports.
- Must be online to perform most tasks.
- Can't run x86 desktop apps.
The Google Pixelbook Go is great for media consumption. Its 1080p screen delivers a sharp image, and you can also purchase it with a 4k display on the Core i7 model if you wish. Our model has near-full sRGB coverage, decent color accuracy out of the box, and gets bright enough to fight glare in most environments. Its up-firing speakers sound clear and loud, but like most laptops, there's a noticeable lack of bass. The battery lasts an entire day of video playback.
- Easy to carry around.
- Battery lasts a full 8-hour day of light productivity and video playback.
- Great-sounding speakers.
- Doesn't handle reflections well.
The Google Pixelbook Go is bad for use as a workstation. Its low-power Intel Y-series processor can't handle heavy workloads, and it only has integrated graphics, making tasks like 3D rendering extremely time-consuming. Everything is soldered onto the motherboard, which means you can't upgrade any of the components after purchase. You'll likely need a dock or dongles because it only has USB-C ports.
- Doesn't get too hot and is silent under load.
- Y-series CPU and integrated graphics can't handle heavy workloads.
- Only has USB-C ports.
- Must be online to perform most tasks.
- Can't run x86 desktop apps.
The Google Pixelbook Go is decent for business use. Both the laptop and the charger are compact and easy to carry around, which is great for people who travel for work. Plus, its battery lasts through an entire 8-hour workday. Unfortunately, it only handles light productivity tasks, and you can't run any x86 desktop apps on Chrome OS without a workaround through a third-party solution. It only has USB-C ports, which means you'll likely need a dongle if you want to connect to an external display or projector.
- Easy to carry around.
- Battery lasts a full 8-hour day of light productivity and video playback.
- Exceptionally well-built.
- 1080p webcam captures decent amount of detail.
- Y-series CPU and integrated graphics can't handle heavy workloads.
- Only has USB-C ports.
- Must be online to perform most tasks.
- Can't run x86 desktop apps.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Google PixelBook Go with an Intel Core m3-8100Y CPU, 8GB of RAM, 64GB of eMMC storage, and a 1080p display. There are four possible configurations, and they're available in two colors: Just Black and Not Pink. You can see the four models in the table below.
| Model | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Core m3 |
|
| Core i5 |
|
| Core i5 |
|
| Core i7 |
|
Our display and performance results are only valid for the configuration that we tested. If you come across a different configuration option not listed above, or you have a similar Google Pixelbook Go that doesn't correspond to our review, let us know, and we'll update it. Some tests, like black uniformity and color accuracy, may vary between individual units.
You can see our unit's label here.
Popular Laptop Comparisons
The Google Pixelbook Go (2019) and the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M1, 2020) are both thin and light ultraportable laptops, but they run on different operating systems. The Pixelbook Go runs Chrome OS, a lightweight Linux-based operating system that supports web apps, Android apps, and Linux apps. On the other hand, the MacBook Air runs macOS, which supports programs optimized for the MacBook Air's M1 SoC, iOS and iPadOS apps, and x86 applications through Rosetta 2. While both laptops are powerful enough for simple tasks like web browsing, the MacBook Air can handle significantly heavier workloads. Battery life is about the same on both laptops for light productivity, but the Pixelbook Go can last much longer for video playback.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2019) and the Google Pixelbook Go (2019) are very different laptops. The MacBook Pro is available with high-power Intel H-series CPUs and discrete AMD Radeon Pro GPUs, so it can handle significantly more demanding tasks than the Pixelbook Go, which is only available with low-power Intel Y-series processors and integrated graphics. The MacBook Pro runs macOS and supports x86 applications like DaVinci Resolve, whereas the Pixelbook Go runs Chrome OS and supports web apps, Android apps, and Linux apps. If you only perform simple tasks like web browsing and video playback, the Pixelbook Go is a better choice because it's more portable and has much longer battery life.
The Google Pixelbook Go (2019) and the HP Chromebook 14 (2021) are both Chromebooks designed for light productivity tasks and media consumption. The Pixelbook Go is better for the most part. It has a sharper and brighter display, a larger and more responsive touchpad, and a significantly better webcam. Also, it's available with more powerful CPUs and can handle heavier workloads. The Chromebook 14's battery lasts longer for light productivity, but the Pixelbook Go lasts longer for video playback.
The Google Pixelbook Go (2019) is better than the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 (2021). The Pixelbook Go sports a larger, sharper, brighter, and more colorful screen, and you can even upgrade to a 4k display on the Intel Core i7 model. The Pixelbook Go feels sturdier, and despite its larger screen size, it's thinner and takes up less space in a bag. The Pixelbook Go has a backlit keyboard, which the Spin 311 lacks, and it also has a bigger touchpad and a much better webcam. As for the CPU and GPU performance, even the base model of the Pixelbook Go feels snappier and can handle much heavier workloads, although don't expect to perform extremely demanding tasks like 3D modeling or video editing. Battery life is slightly longer on the Acer for light productivity, but it's about the same for both devices with video playback.
Test Results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for videos & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for videos & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for videos & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
