Chromebook Pixel 2

http://www.omgchrome.com/chromebook-pixel-2-specs-price/

Lawdy, lawdy, lawdy. A configuration with an i7 CPU and 16 GB of RAM. It is like Google knows everyone who buys this plans to install Linux on it!

I was stunned by how much more affordable the Pixel 2 is. I don't think the Pixel 1 was unreasonably priced when it came out but the complaint that it only ran Chrome OS was valid. Great computer but an OS that can't take advantage of all those specs.

We have now better tools for taking advantage of Linux and Chrome OS is slowly but steadily getting some more interesting apps (though I can't imagine needing 8 GB RAM, let alone 16!) But with a $500 price cut on the base model, I'm really tempted to consider purchasing one.

 

I like the port setup of two USB Type-C and two traditional USB ports for legacy peripherals. I also like the aspect ratio. Between the Surface Pro 3 and the Pixel 1 & 2, are we starting to see a resurgence of more square screens?

While my chromebook was a great purchase, I personally still think of ChromeOS as a secondary device only, and would have trouble justifying a $1,000 Chromebook, no matter how good the hardware was.

If I was going to install Linux on it and make it a primary machine, I guess I'd feel differently, but that's not my cup of tea.

 

I'm sold. Whoazers!

 

Freaking Google and thier prices. Noone cares about your "Flagship" platform. Chrome OS is perfect for 50% of computer users and at $200-$300 it doesn't even have to compete with anyone, it just wins. My wife is a perfect example. She has her Acer 11 for just about everything that her kindle fire HDX (lol, its actually more powerful) can't do. Sure I have a windows computer is she needs it for the random task that chrome doesn't support, but mostly she functions fine on chrome. Google needs to re-think what they are selling,are they selling hardware for a Linux laptop, or a pure and simple internet computer?

 

If installing a typical GNU/Linux desktop environment is the goal, 64GB SSD would be a show stopper. I wonder if the SSD is replaceable. (Some comments say it's not.)

The absence of LTE is a bit weird.


BTW, how exactly do people get comfortable with any RAM under 8GB these days? I get swap issues on 8GB system all the time by just browsing. Used a 4GB desktop with swap on HDD a few days ago and was mad about the thing.