Best Chromebooks and Googlebooks (2026): Laptops With a Google Touch

While Google is heralding a new series of laptops called Googlebooks, Chromebooks are sticking around—for now. These are the ones to consider.

The top 3

Technical Evolution and Platform Differences: Googlebooks are positioned as a hardware and software evolution, featuring a custom version of Android (Googlebook OS) that functions similarly to Chrome OS but with improved Android app integration. While Chromebooks continue to be marketed as affordable, entry-level devices, Googlebooks offer high-end specifications including 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage.
Performance and First-Generation Challenges: Despite high-end hardware, first-generation Googlebooks face significant software bugs and compatibility issues, such as Chrome extension loading failures and Android apps that are not optimized for desktop inputs. Additionally, Googlebooks currently struggle to match the battery efficiency and browser-based speed performance seen in competing M5-powered MacBook Air models.