What are Googlebooks and should you buy one?

Googlebooks are a brand new range of laptops that are about to disrupt the laptop market, promising seamless integration with Android phones. We’re here to let you know what sets them apart from existing laptops and what features you get for the £999+ price.

The first wave of Googlebooks was officially announced on 21 September. Each run Google’s new Googlebook OS operating system, and are manufactured by major laptop brands Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo. Models are expected to hit the shelves on 5 October. 

The long-awaited range boasts powerful processors, plenty of AI features and the hotly anticipated seamless connectivity with Android phones. However, with prices starting around a grand, will they tempt buyers away from premium Windows laptops or Apple MacBooks?

We reveal all the key details about the new Googlebooks below and how they differ from Google’s existing Chromebooks.

Need a new laptop now? See our expert pick of the best laptops

What is new about Googlebooks?

A big talking point about this new type of laptop is the integration of the Android operating system. 

Googlebook OS is built directly on Android and allows you to download Android’s Play Store apps natively. ChromeOS, found on Google Chromebooks, on the other hand, ran the apps through an emulator, which could result in sluggishness or high battery drain. 

Google OS should offer a smoother, more integrated experience, with more functionality and a much wider range of apps than ChromeOS. 

Android connectivity

What has long been a major selling point for Apple devices is their joined-up ecosystem where all devices work together. This makes file sharing, screen mirroring and copy/pasting across different devices a seamless experience. 

Google has promised a similarly integrated experience with the new Googlebook OS, which will also allow for much improved connectivity with your Android phone, tablet or smartwatch. 

Google has introduced:

• Cast My Apps, so you can open your phone’s apps on your laptop screen 
• Continue On, allowing you to jump between tasks continuously on your phone and Googlebook
• Quick Access, which gives you synchronised files between phone and laptop, with no need to transfer. 

If Google has pulled this off, it could be a real selling point for those who prefer Android devices but have been missing the slick interoperability Apple offers.

More storage

At launch, all Googlebooks have 512GB of storage. This is far more than most Chromebooks offer and means you're less reliant on subscription-based cloud storage to save your files. Instead, there’s plenty of space to save to the internal hard drive, just like you would on a typical laptop.

 Need more storage and don't want to pay for a cloud service? See our expert pick of the best external hard drives

What Googlebook AI features are available?

The Googlebook range is also accompanied by new integrated Gemini AI features. These include:

Magic Pointer: You can activate this anytime by wiggling the mouse. It brings up a wand-like feature where you can select anything on your screen and ask questions, or get Gemini to perform tasks. The keyboard also has a special G key which you can press to activate the Magic Pointer.

Rambler: This allows you to dictate speech in your natural conversational manner before removing filler words and polishing it into professional, concise text. It is also multilingual, so you can switch between languages mid-sentence. Supported languages include French, Hindi, Italian and Japanese.

Create My Widget: You can make bespoke AI tools that perform set tasks. Using simple conversational instructions, you can set up widgets such as regular updates on departures from your local train station, scores and upcoming fixtures from your favourite sports team or toggle buttons for your smart home devices.

Magic Cue: Google’s Gemini AI assistant will make suggestions for your next move based on what is on your screen or your most recent activity. For example, if you are sent an email invitation, you will be prompted to add the event to your calendar.

We'll see when our lab gets its hands on the new Googlebooks if these AI features live up to their promise. When Microsoft launched its built-in Copilot+ features, exclusive to higher-end Windows 11 laptops, the response was generally lukewarm – many of the features could be performed by online AI tools instead. 

However, Google has a track record of adding compelling AI features in its Pixel smartphones, so we hope we'll find a similar experience of handy AI tools on Googlebooks.

Google AI Pro 

When you buy a Googlebook, you also get a 12-month trial of Google AI Pro along with 5TB of cloud storage. However, this will then cost you £18.99 a month to continue, which works out as nearly £228 a year. 

This is something worth considering when taking into account the price of the Googlebook – especially if the AI features are a big draw for you. 

The subscription is needed for the following features: Nano Banana and Veo (the AI photo and video creation/editing tools), the most advanced AI models, AI integration into Gmail, Docs and Sheets and more, as well as the 5TB of cloud storage.

See our latest advice on AI

What Googlebooks are available at launch?

This first wave of Googlebooks come from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo, some of the biggest laptop manufacturers. Each has launched one model at prices ranging from £999 to £1,199. 

All five launch models include at least 16GB Ram and 512GB of storage, a backlit keyboard, fingerprint scanner and the Google Glowbar, a functional light-up bar on the outside of the laptop with animations to show battery life or charging status. 

All models also come equipped with Google’s Titan C security chip to protect personal data (similar to the TPM chip, which is a requirement to run Windows 11). 

Only one specification for each laptop is available at launch.

We’d recommend checking back in a month’s time for our reviews of these Googlebooks to make sure they’re worth buying. In the meantime, read the spec breakdown below to find which is best suited to you.

Acer Googlebook 14: the cheapest 

The cheapest of the five, starting at £999. This is the only model with a screen that can rotate a full 360 degrees, so you can also use it as a tablet. 

It has an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, 14-inch OLED touchscreen display, 16 hours of battery and weighs a lightweight 1.15kg.

Available to preorder from Currys.

Asus Googlebook 14: the lightest 

The joint-most expensive model (alongside the HP, below) at £1,199 and the lightest of the bunch. This model has a powerful Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, 14-inch OLED touchscreen display, 16-hour battery life and weighs just 1kg. 

It is one of two models to include an HDMI port (alongside the Lenovo, below).

Available to preorder from Asus and Currys.

Dell XPS Googlebook: the smallest 

Priced at £1,099. This has the smallest screen (13.4-inch) out of the Googlebook range and the second-longest battery life claim, at 18 hours. We'll see if it lives up to that claim in our independent lab tests. 

It has a rapid Snapdragon X Elite processor, 2.5K LCD touchscreen and weighs just 1.09kg. It’s the only model without an audio jack.

HP Googlebook 14: longest claimed battery life (we'll find out in our tests)

Starting from £1,199 (joint-most expensive with Asus’ model) and one of two with face unlock (like the Lenovo below). This model has a Snapdragon X Elite processor and 14-inch 2.8K OLED touchscreen.

It has the longest claimed battery life of the five (19 hours) and weighs a very light 1.22kg.

Available to preorder from HP.

Lenovo Googlebook 15: the largest

This model offers the largest (15.3-inch) display and will set you back £1,099. It has an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, 2.8K OLED touchscreen, the shortest claimed battery life (13 hours) and is the heaviest at 1.29kg (that’s still very light for a laptop). It also includes an HDMI port and face unlock. 

Larger screens make laptops more bulky, so this could be a better pick for those who won’t use their laptop on the move too often and are doing more complex tasks, like working with spreadsheets.

Available to preorder from Lenovo.

What's the difference between Googlebooks and Chromebooks?

Chromebooks are cloud-based laptops that run on ChromeOS, which mostly revolves around the Chrome web browser. As a result, they usually don't have very much storage, as most data is stored online (often with a subscription). 

They're usually under £600, portable with a decent battery, good for browsing and not typically aimed at professionals or creatives performing more demanding tasks. 

Since their launch in 2011, Chromebooks have never really managed to shake their ‘budget-friendly’ tag and appeal to those looking for more premium laptops, despite the release of some higher-spec, pricier ‘Chromebook Plus’ models. 

Googlebooks vs Chromebooks

Googlebooks, on the other hand, are equipped with speedy processors and generous amounts of storage. The new Googlebook OS is not cloud-based and runs on Android, opening the door to all Android apps and allowing for interconnectivity across your Android devices. 

Googlebooks are more expensive than Chromebooks, but promise premium designs for those looking for an alternative to MacBooks and higher-end Windows PCs. 

If you are willing to fork out a bit more on a high-end model, AI features are important to you and you already have other Android devices, then Googlebooks may be a viable option if they perform well in our tests  – check back for our reviews later this year. 

For those who already have a powerful Chromebook (such as a Chromebook Plus model) but like the look of Googlebook OS, Google has confirmed that you will be able to upgrade your operating system once it has been fully rolled out.

Who won't suit a Googlebook?

If you just want a budget laptop for browsing, then Chromebooks can be a great option. See our expert guide to the best Chromebooks.

Want something a bit more premium? See our independent advice on the best MacBooks and the best Windows laptops.