Review of Chromebook Pixel 2 LS
The best Chromebook ever?
So it finally arrived, so excited, similar to when I was a kid unwrapping a Christmas present containing a Commodore Vic 20 (for those too young see picture below).
Having gone through a succession of PC’s, Macs, Surface Pro 3 and two Toshiba Chromebooks 2013 and 2014, of which you can read those reviews on this site if you are interested, I finally had the pinnacle in my hands — the LS version of Google’s Pixel laptop.
So after a couple of weeks here goes.
From the moment I picked this Pixel up, I knew it was beautifully crafted. The robust all-metal body is a joy to hold — at 3.3Lbs it isn’t the lightest, yet that is re-assuring and not in “brick” territory. The lid can be lifted with one finger yet is stable when using the gorilla glass touchscreen along with a glass trackpad that is responsive and lovely to use — it screams quality.
The screen is an unusual ratio 2560 x 1700 at 12.85” however this allows web pages (and this machine is built around the Chrome browser so makes sense) to be viewed with a better experience than regular size laptop screens. You will though have to put up with letterboxing when watching movies, but it’s a small price to pay.
The keyboard has excellent travel and well laid out in the now-familiar Chrome OS configuration. Keyboard lighting is only active when you are using it and lighting levels require the illumination — saving on battery.
On the subject of battery, it is beyond great — 10 hours of regular use which is in a real-world context, not an out of the air benchmark. The two USB Type-C ports either side of the laptop allow quick charging — 2 hours in 15 minutes — yet Google sensibly left two USB 3 ports as well as the headphone jack. USB Type-C ports will become dominant over the next few years not just in laptops but in smartphones and tablets so carrying one charger for all your tech will become a reality!
Performance-wise this thing is packing an i7 chip with 16gb of Ram — how do you think it performs? Like lightning is the answer! Probably no surprise, however, one thing I did not expect is the Pixel’s ability to perform well even in patchy WiFi coverage areas — an unexpected bonus!
The Chrome OS feels significantly better compared to previous Chromebooks I have used, it is an OS that is maturing well although better printer support is required, something noted as a negative against the OS for some time now.
However I use these sites daily and with the Pixel, they just fly and look gorgeous -
So I guess the last question to answer is it worth the price? Value for money is subjective; therefore, I can only answer that from my viewpoint. The Chromebook market is maturing and there are some excellent machines now — there are reviews on my site saying as much. However, the Pixel is a class apart. For me to be able to use the “best in class” hardware is a joy, so for me, it is worth the price.
