Google and its partners want at least $899 for a Googlebook, a new laptop category running an Android-based desktop OS. Yes, Googlebooks offer premium hardware, Gemini integration, and deep Android integration.
But for that money, I could get a MacBook with a more mature app and accessory ecosystem. Google’s flaky track record is also a reason for concern.
If I’m spending $1,000 on a new laptop, I would rather put that money toward a MacBook than trust Google to deliver on the Googlebook’s promise.
MacBook money deserves a more complete experience
Premium prices, unfinished software
I am reluctant to trust a new platform from Google, especially when I can spend the same amount on what I consider the best laptop on the market: a MacBook. Early Googlebook buyers are already discovering why I have those doubts.
Take Slack, for example. It is one of the most widely used business communication apps. Yet when you head to the Play Store to install Slack on a Googlebook, it recommends installing the web app. Okay, fine, as long as it works, right? But then the installation fails.
Google says that’s because Slack’s web app is not a compliant progressive web app. Chromebooks support manually installing it anyway, and the company promises to bring the same feature to Googlebooks soon.
None of this changes the outcome. A brand-new platform launching in 2026 should have the basics sorted, especially for popular apps like Slack. Since Chromebooks already offer a workaround, this problem is even harder to justify.
That’s not all. One of the main highlights of Googlebooks is its deep Android integration, but even that ships unfinished. The Better Together features require Android 17 or later, which is still uncommon outside Pixels and select flagship Samsung phones.
Worse, as things stand right now, Better Together features are not compatible with Samsung phones, even if they run Android 17. That’s the largest Android manufacturer, with the most Android phones out there.
This is the fragmentation issue that Android has suffered from for years. Yet Google didn’t bother to get this right with Googlebooks and its new laptop OS.
For AI apps like ChatGPT or Claude, you can use their web versions, while tools like Claude Code can run in the terminal. There is no native desktop app available for ChatGPT or Claude for Googlebooks. Linux support also falls short of promising a straightforward desktop workflow with tools like VS Code.
As AI tools become a bigger part of everyone’s workflow and millions use them daily, this matters. I want a laptop that supports all such popular tools with their full functionality. I am not going to spend time finding workarounds before I can get started.
Even Apple’s cheapest MacBook gets the basics right
Fewer specs, fewer compromises
Googlebooks do not exist in a vacuum. Even if you ignore the similarly priced MacBook Air, there’s the MacBook Neo. Even after a $100 price increase, you can get Apple’s cheapest MacBook for $699, significantly undercutting Googlebook’s pricing.
Yes, you get inferior hardware with just 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. But it runs macOS, and you gain access to the entire Mac app ecosystem, which has been growing rapidly thanks to AI.
Despite Googlebook’s superior hardware, I can get more done on a MacBook Neo. That’s the problem. I can install the Mac version of ChatGPT, Claude, or Chrome instead of wondering whether the Android versions offer the functionality I need.
The experience on the MacBook Neo is the same as on a more expensive Mac, just slower and limited by what can realistically run on an 8GB machine. I don’t need to worry about app compatibility or workarounds. That’s despite the Neo using an iPhone-grade chip.
MacBook Neo isn’t an exception. Apple made a major transition from Intel to Apple Silicon on Macs starting in 2020, and it pulled this off without major compatibility issues or breaking existing workflows.
Google is building a different platform with Googlebooks, so its challenges are different. Still, this is the standard Google should aim to meet. Today, people are less willing to switch to a new platform if it breaks their existing workflows and processes without clearly offering a better deal or experience.
Earn my money and trust, Google
I want Googlebooks to succeed because Android users deserve a laptop with deep Android integration. But I’m not ready to compromise on other aspects just for that. Google needs to deliver an experience worth paying for today.
At $899 or more, I won’t buy a Googlebook on the promise that Google will eventually close the app gap and secure better developer support. The company hasn’t been able to do that for Android foldables and tablets, despite years of trying.
So, until Google gives me a reason to trust its software, I’d rather put my money on a MacBook.
