As long as you don’t mind getting a refurbished unit, you can snag the base model Google Pixelbook Go for $119.01 off at Best Buy. I noticed this deal last week but have been mostly offline due to some illness management. Frankly, I’m surprised this deal hasn’t sold out during that time as I think the Core m3-powered Pixelbook Go is a fantastic device for the majority of Chromebook users.
Indeed, I called the Pixelbook Go my Chromebook of the year for 2019, even with a few specific limitations that some people may not overlook.
What are they?
Well, if you can’t live with a 16:9 widescreen display aspect ratio, the Pixelbook Go isn’t for you. Nor if you want a 2-in-1 device with a display that folds 360-degrees for tablet usage; you can’t do that with the Go, so logically, there’s no digital stylus support either.
However, if you don’t mind those missing features, you’re getting a well-designed and built, super-thin Chromebook that will handle most, if not all, of your Chrome OS needs. And that’s with the Core m3 processor, which is aided by 8 GB of memory.
When I dubbed this my top pick for 2019, it was for these reasons:
- Lighter and thinner than any similarly sized Chromebook.
- Better design and materials than most Chromebooks
- Speakers that are on par with, if not better than, those found in the Pixel Slate, which easily produces the best sound from any Chromebook.
- Improved hush-keys that are now what I consider the gold standard of Chromebook keyboards.
- Outstanding battery life in such a thin package
Many balked at the $649 entry level price tag, which I can understand if you’re specifically looking for the best internal hardware at that price point.
You certainly can get a more powerful Chromebook for that amount of money. But you’ll likely compromise on some other functionality such as battery life, weight and/or thickness, or the keyboard.
Based on my initial review and a follow up one four months later, I think the Pixelbook Go is worth $649 for most people though, and at $529.99, that makes it even more attractive. Again, this is a refurbished unit, however, Best Buy’s standard return period still applies.
