Last Updated on April 13, 2026 by Alphabet Insider Staff
Lenovo and Google built the Pixelbook sequel nobody knew was coming
Google’s exceptional Pixelbook Go launched in October 2019 as a premium, lightweight Chromebook didn’t cost a whole lot. For $649 to start, you were getting a 13.3-inch touchscreen, a fanless design, and up to 12 hours of battery life. The smooth-to-the touch magnesium alloy chassis had distinctive ridged base that made it easy to grip. It was the rare Chromebook that actually felt premium without demanding premium-laptop money.
Sadly, Google never built a sequel. The Pixelbook line was eventually shelved, leaving a gap that third-party manufacturers have been trying to fill ever since. Today, The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is the closest anyone has come to filling it.
A Design That Feels Like a Nod to Google
Pick up the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 and the Pixelbook Go comparison becomes obvious immediately. The brushed aluminum chassis, the rounded corners, and the textured pattern on the bottom panel are all direct echoes of the Pixelbook Go’s iconic ridged base. Chrome Unboxed noted that the similarities are immediate and intentional, pointing out that Google and Lenovo worked closely together on the device’s development.
At around 2.58 pounds, it’s slightly heavier than the Pixelbook Go’s 2.3 pounds, but not enough to matter in a bag. The profile is slim, the build feels solid, and the overall impression is of a machine that takes itself seriously without showing off. Stuff described it as a device where “if there wasn’t a Lenovo logo on the lid, you’d think it was made by Google.”
It’s not a flashy laptop. The silver aluminum finish shrugs off fingerprints and the design is deliberately restrained. For anyone who valued the Pixelbook Go’s professional aesthetic, that’s exactly right.
The OLED Screen Changes Everything
The Pixelbook Go had a good screen. The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 has a great one. PCWorld called the 14-inch 1920×1200 OLED touchscreen “the real standout,” noting that you rarely see OLED panels at this price point on any laptop, let alone a Chromebook.
Colors are vibrant and punchy. Blacks are genuinely black. The display is bright enough for most environments, though NotebookCheck flagged that the glossy surface causes distracting reflections in very bright lighting. That’s worth knowing before you buy. If you work outdoors or near bright windows regularly, it’s a consideration.
The base model at $649 includes a non-touch OLED display. The $749 model adds touchscreen support and bumps RAM from 12GB to 16GB. Both get the same OLED panel and the same processor. For most people, the base model is the smarter buy.
Performance: Mostly Impressive, Occasionally Frustrating
The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is the first Chromebook to run on the MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910, an ARM-based chip with a dedicated NPU for AI tasks. It’s a fanless design, meaning the machine runs completely silently and stays cool in normal use.
In benchmarks, it’s fast. Mashable’s testing gave it a multi-core Geekbench 6 score of 7,680, making it the fastest Chromebook they’d tested at the time. PCWorld described everyday browsing as snappy and responsive. Lon.TV’s review found it outperformed some previous-generation Intel Chromebooks on the Speedometer benchmark.
Not everyone agrees. 9to5Google’s long-term review was more critical, noting that tab freezing and occasional lag appeared even during light workloads. For a machine with 16GB of RAM, that shouldn’t happen. Their verdict was that the MediaTek chip still can’t quite keep pace with the strides made by competing ARM chips in recent years.
The honest answer is: for everyday ChromeOS tasks, browsing, docs, video calls, and media, this machine is more than capable. Push it hard with many tabs and demanding web apps simultaneously, and you may hit limits. That’s consistent with what ChromeOS is designed for, and most users won’t notice the ceiling.
Battery Life That Actually Delivers
This is one area where the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 clears the bar convincingly. Lon.TV measured over 13 hours of battery life under typical Chromebook workloads, with brightness kept in check on the OLED display. Lenovo claims up to 17 hours. Real-world results land somewhere in between, but consistently above a full workday.
The Pixelbook Go managed up to 12 hours and was considered exceptional for its time. Chrome Unboxed, after six weeks of daily use across coffee shops, meetings, and home, called battery life one of the device’s standout qualities. If you work away from a power outlet regularly, this machine won’t let you down.
Keyboard, Speakers, and the Details That Matter
Lenovo makes some of the best laptop keyboards in the business, and the Chromebook Plus 14 is no exception. 9to5Google called it “the biggest hardware highlight,” praising the spacing, key travel, and flex. Tom’s Guide described the tactile feel as “spectacular.” If you type a lot, this keyboard will make you happy.
The speakers are a genuine surprise. NotebookCheck noted that four speakers deliver clear and rich audio, with Dolby Atmos certification. 9to5Google agreed, calling them better than most Chromebooks tried at any price. The Pixelbook Go’s speakers were decent. These are noticeably better.
The 5MP webcam is sharp, a pleasant surprise at this price. There’s a fingerprint sensor on the $749 model. Ports are minimal but functional: two USB-C, one USB-A, and a headphone jack. Wi-Fi 7 is on board, which is future-proofing most users won’t need today but will appreciate in a few years.
One limitation worth flagging: Netflix via the Android app doesn’t output HD video on Chromebooks due to long-standing DRM issues. Lon.TV noted the workaround is to use the Netflix website instead, where full resolution works fine. It’s a ChromeOS-wide issue, not specific to this device.
The AI Features: Useful, Not Essential
As the first Chromebook with an NPU, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 debuts two exclusive AI features. Smart Grouping organizes your open tabs and apps into virtual desktops automatically. PCWorld found it genuinely useful for taming tab clutter, though it occasionally missed obvious groupings. The AI image editor in the Gallery app is more niche but functional.
These features work. They’re not the reason to buy this laptop, but they’re a preview of where ChromeOS is heading. As AI capabilities expand in ChromeOS, this machine is positioned to take advantage of them in ways older Chromebooks simply can’t.
Price and Value: The Honest Assessment
The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 starts at $649 on Lenovo’s website for the 12GB, non-touch model. The 16GB touchscreen model runs $749 at Best Buy. That’s real money for a Chromebook. It’s also the best Chromebook money can buy right now, according to Tom’s Guide, PCWorld, Chrome Unboxed, and Mashable, independently.
The Pixelbook Go also started at $649 in 2019. Adjusted for six years of inflation, the Lenovo is actually a comparable value, and it delivers significantly more: a better screen, better speakers, more RAM, a newer chip, Wi-Fi 7, and longer battery life.
The caveat is that $749 for the better-equipped model is a lot to spend if ChromeOS doesn’t cover your software needs. If your daily work lives in a browser and Google Workspace, this machine handles it beautifully. If you rely on Photoshop, specialized Windows software, or local apps that don’t exist on ChromeOS, even Stuff’s glowing review acknowledged it becomes a second laptop for those users.
So Is It the Pixelbook Go 2?
In spirit, yes. In almost every measurable way, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is the Pixelbook Go 2 that Google never built. It shares the same design philosophy, the same portability-first approach, the same premium-without-excessive-cost positioning, and the same ridged base that became the Pixelbook Go’s signature. It improves on the original in every hardware category.
The only real argument against it is ChromeOS uncertainty. 9to5Google’s review framed the device as “sitting in limbo” given the broader questions about ChromeOS’s future direction. That’s a fair concern. Buying into a premium ChromeOS device in 2026 requires some faith in the platform’s trajectory.
But if you’re already a ChromeOS user, or if you’ve been waiting for a premium Chromebook that doesn’t make compromises, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is the answer. It’s a worthy Pixelbook Go successor.
