PC makers have been counting on AI to get shoppers buying new laptops again. Now Google is entering the market alongside Windows and Mac.
The company opened preorders this week for Googlebook, a premium laptop line built by five hardware partners and running an Android-based operating system.
Googlebook starts at $899
Prices start at $899 and reach $1,299 across the launch lineup. Devices ship Oct. 4 in the US and Oct. 5 in Canada, the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, and Australia.
Alphabet is leaving the hardware to Acer, Asustek, Dell Technologies, HP, and Lenovo while keeping control of the software.
PC makers and retailers have been pushing pricier models with AI features as rising memory costs and sluggish sales put pressure on the business.
Intel and Qualcomm supply the chips
Googlebook launches with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chips and Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processors. MediaTek joins the lineup later.
Both launch chip options include dedicated neural processing units that run AI tasks directly on the laptop rather than relying entirely on the cloud. Google says they deliver more than 45 TOPS of on-device AI processing power.
Every model starts with 16GB of RAM, with configurations reaching 32GB. Google also promises up to 14 hours of video playback.
The subscription is the real product
Google makes most of its money from advertising and services, not devices. Every Googlebook includes 12 months of Google AI Pro, a subscription that normally costs $19.99 per month.
That bundle covers 5TB of cloud storage plus expanded Gemini access. Buyers also get three months of YouTube Premium, Adobe Photoshop, and CapCut.
Google has a ready-made audience in schools, where roughly 50M Chromebooks are in use. The company has said many could move to Googlebook over time.
This isn't Google's first attempt at a premium laptop. It introduced the $999 Pixelbook in 2017 before discontinuing the line in 2022.
Gemini gets a bigger role
Googlebook's headline feature is Magic Pointer. Wiggle the cursor and Gemini appears, reading text and images on screen to suggest what to do next. Another tool, Rambler, turns rambling voice notes into readable text.
Googlebook also connects directly with Android phones. Users can run phone apps, access files and continue tasks across devices without installing additional software.
"We're not showing up today and saying this is the laptop that replaces all laptops."
Sameer Samat, Google
Samat, who oversees Google's Android ecosystem, described the launch as the start of a multiyear effort. Google is initially targeting Android users.
The competition starts with price
Apple sells the MacBook Neo for $699 following a recent price increase, putting it $200 below the cheapest Googlebook. The entry-level MacBook Air costs $1,299.
Intel and Qualcomm supply the launch processors, with MediaTek joining later. Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo manufacture the laptops, each offering a flagship model built with premium materials including aluminum, magnesium alloy and carbon fiber.
Google is promising up to 10 years of software updates and feature releases, extending support well beyond the initial launch.
October shipments and preorder demand will offer the first indication of whether shoppers are willing to pay $899 or more for Google's alternative to Windows and Mac.
