Fill this thread with your ChromeBook Pixel questions

**Jerry Hildenbrand** · 02-25-2013, 04:41 PM

A few quick impressions:
It's very fast (as it should be)
The screen is noticeably better than my "normal" laptop screen
Touch is a bit wonky on Chrome
Yes it is expensive. We understand you think it's not worth it. This thread is for questions, use one of the other threads to cry about it.
Yes I will be installing Linux on it when the review is done, and will post a walkthrough/how to of the process

I'll keep an eye on this thread and answer legitimate questions either here or in the review.

Come at me.

Ry · 02-25-2013, 04:43 PM

How's the local/non-streaming video playback?

Do you notice the 3:2 aspect ratio?

**theDL** · 02-25-2013, 04:53 PM

Seeing as how it is near Apple-expensive, does it feel like it has Apple-quality hardware and does the user-experience reflect that? From what I see it LOOKS very nice, but you never can tell.

**Jerry Hildenbrand** · 02-25-2013, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by Ry

How's the local/non-streaming video playback?

Do you notice the 3:2 aspect ratio?

Haven't tried any local media yet. I'll have to download some and see. Cloud streaming is as good or better than my Windows laptop.

LOVE the 3:2 AR. I have dual 4:3 monitors in portrait on my desk, and this makes me feel right at home.

Originally Posted by theDL

Seeing as how it is near Apple-expensive, does it feel like it has Apple-quality hardware and does the user-experience reflect that? From what I see it LOOKS very nice, but you never can tell.

The build quality and hardware is as good or better than a new MBA. No fanboy talk, it just is. Everything is tight and it screams quality.
User experience is, well, it's like using a browser. I have to reflect on that a while.

Ry · 02-25-2013, 04:59 PM

Could you work solely from this machine/ChromeOS as-is?

**theDL** · 02-25-2013, 05:20 PM

For your money, if you weren't compelled to review it for your job, would you buy one? What kind of user do you see this aimed at?

**ChuckG73** · 02-25-2013, 05:26 PM

I have ordered the LTE version. Am I a fool? I love my Samsung 550 and thought what the heck....but I could buy a 13" Mac book Pro w/ retina for the same $$$$$

**still1** · 02-25-2013, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand

http://cdn.androidcentral.com/sites/...book-pixel.jpg

I'll keep an eye on this thread and answer legitimate questions either here or in the review.

Come at me.

1. Is the screen thicker than the macbook pro screen? what do you think?
2. does the laptop heats up when watching HD videos?

are you guys planning a giveaway? I dont mind having one :-)

**Jerry Hildenbrand** · 02-25-2013, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by Ry

Could you work solely from this machine/ChromeOS as-is?

Yes. I've been working all day on the Pixel. I notice the absence of Skype (as mentioned) and LightRoom so far, but was able to work around both.
If I were still writing code for a living, things would be different of course.

Originally Posted by theDL

For your money, if you weren't compelled to review it for your job, would you buy one? What kind of user do you see this aimed at?

Not sure just yet. I'll be honest -- it's more money than I would like to spend on a laptop.

Originally Posted by ChuckG73

I have ordered the LTE version. Am I a fool? I love my Samsung 550 and thought what the heck....but I could buy a 13" Mac book Pro w/ retina for the same $$$$$

I don't think you're a fool. It's a premium product that is going to cost as much as it does because of the materials and parts it uses. Big touchscreens and ultra high res displays aren't cheap. You'll have to decide if it "works" for you to justify the cost.

Originally Posted by still1

1. Is the screen thicker than the macbook pro screen? what do you think?
2. does the laptop heats up when watching HD videos?

are you guys planning a giveaway? I dont mind having one :-)

No MBP here to judge it against, but they are very similar in thickness. I would say about 3/16 thick.
No heating up yet, and I've watched a couple (including the demo included with the Pixel). But it's an i5 with no fan and intel4000 graphics. It's likely that it gets warm.

**bespinct** · 02-25-2013, 10:34 PM

Thanks for giving us a bit of in progress review.

The launch of the Pixel convinced me to by a Samsung Chromebook to see whether I can make Chrome OS work for me. I figure $250 is a much better to play with than $1300. Are you finding the experience to be significantly better than previous Chrome OS devices you have used? Aside from some checker-boarding here and there, I must say I have been pleasantly surprised with the Exynos driven device.

Steve

**Jerry Hildenbrand** · 02-25-2013, 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by Ry

How's the local/non-streaming video playback?

Do you notice the 3:2 aspect ratio?

Downloaded a few 320k mp3 files and some 720p mp4 videos, plays them great. I thought I was downloading 1080p videos, but they weren't. I'll try again tomorrow when I have time.

**Jerry Hildenbrand** · 02-25-2013, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by bespinct

Thanks for giving us a bit of in progress review.

The launch of the Pixel convinced me to by a Samsung Chromebook to see whether I can make Chrome OS work for me. I figure $250 is a much better to play with than $1300. Are you finding the experience to be significantly better than previous Chrome OS devices you have used? Aside from some checker-boarding here and there, I must say I have been pleasantly surprised with the Exynos driven device.

Steve

The processor on the pixel is overkill 99% of the time so far. But with a ton of tabs open, a video playing in the background, and a buttload of extensions and apps (I gotta play and try them ALL lol) scrolling is still buttery smooth. I've been able to choke other Chromebooks by working them like this, and even the Chromebox with similar specs they gave out at I/O last year would have got jumpy when scrolling.

**ChuckG73** · 03-01-2013, 11:20 AM

I have read reviews saying it is heavy, but doesn't the Pixel weigh the same as the Samsung 550 and that one is mostly plastic

It's like reviewers are looking for something to complain about when really you will never see any other computer sell for less with the same materials. I can not wait to see what a 13" mac book air with Retina touch screen comes out with in terms of price tag and I bet the reviewers will love it.

**Chex313** · 03-04-2013, 06:39 PM

Jerry is the touch screen seem like a software or hardware problem? Do you think it can be fixed with an update?

Or does it seem like a quality control issue they will have to fix. Which would really be a problem.

**Phosjaw** · 03-06-2013, 09:50 AM

Jerry,
Do you have any opinion on the significance or otherwise of the chrome Bugdroid statue on the Google campus now that the Pixel has been released? What can we expect at Google IO?

**Jerry Hildenbrand** · 03-11-2013, 03:30 AM

Originally Posted by ChuckG73

I have read reviews saying it is heavy, but doesn't the Pixel weigh the same as the Samsung 550 and that one is mostly plastic

It's like reviewers are looking for something to complain about when really you will never see any other computer sell for less with the same materials. I can not wait to see what a 13" mac book air with Retina touch screen comes out with in terms of price tag and I bet the reviewers will love it.

It's a pound heavier than the Samsung. At 3.35 pounds it's 4 ounces heavier than a 13 inch MacBook Air.

Originally Posted by Chex313

Jerry is the touch screen seem like a software or hardware problem? Do you think it can be fixed with an update?

Or does it seem like a quality control issue they will have to fix. Which would really be a problem.

I'm betting it's the software. Chrome OS didn't even have touch "enabled" until just a few months ago.

Originally Posted by Phosjaw

Jerry,
Do you have any opinion on the significance or otherwise of the chrome Bugdroid statue on the Google campus now that the Pixel has been released? What can we expect at Google IO?

No idea, but I'm really looking forward to it

Good news -- the review is done and will be posted after Phil does his editor work on it. Thanks for helping me figure this one out guys!

**ChuckG73** · 03-13-2013, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand

It's a pound heavier than the Samsung. At 3.35 pounds it's 4 ounces heavier than a 13 inch MacBook Air.

I'm betting it's the software. Chrome OS didn't even have touch "enabled" until just a few months ago.

No idea, but I'm really looking forward to it

Good news -- the review is done and will be posted after Phil does his editor work on it. Thanks for helping me figure this one out guys!

Chromebook 550 Specs:
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs / 1.48 kg

Chromebook PIxel LTE
WEIGHT
3.35 lbs / 1.52 kg

So I think you thought I was talking about the Samsung 11.1 Chromebook, but it is the Samsung 550 that weighs .05lbs less than the Pixel. There is not a review out there that says the 550 is too heavy, but there are people complaining about the Pixel, just for the sake of complaining.

**Algus** · 03-19-2013, 12:26 AM

Nice topic.

Is the only way to even try and tax this thing to open a ton of tabs and have crazy media playback?

What kind of apps or web services have you been throwing at it? Not to get in your business or anything, I'm just curious what kind of heavy lifting might be done. I only use my Samsung 3 for long winded forum posts lol

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

**titaniumSS** · 03-19-2013, 09:55 AM

Have you dual booted Linux yet? =D I have a 5 year old MBP and this with Linux dual boot is looking like a good replacement. Also, do you use Chrome Remote Desktop for anything that you're unable to accomplish on the Pixel?

**Selden Deemer** · 03-27-2013, 10:03 AM

Linux on Pixel? AndroidCentral seems like an odd place to be asking this, but is there any interest on starting a thread on running Linux on a Pixel, specifically through using ? I've been searching around, and perhaps it's because the Pixel is so new, and there are so few out in the wild, but there is very little information to be found. We know that Linus Torvalds has a Pixel, and is running a Linux distro on it, but there are always configuration tweaks when using Linux, and so far, I'm finding nothing on either the Linux Mint or Ubuntu forums. I'm agnostic with regard to Linux distros; just interested in finding one that works well on the Pixel, and has well-documented support.

**Selden Deemer** · 03-27-2013, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Algus

Nice topic.

Is the only way to even try and tax this thing to open a ton of tabs and have crazy media playback?

What kind of apps or web services have you been throwing at it? Not to get in your business or anything, I'm just curious what kind of heavy lifting might be done. I only use my Samsung 3 for long winded forum posts lol

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

Given how hungry Chrome is for memory, a ton of tabs can use up free memory pretty quickly, especially if they include day long sessions on Gmail and Google Groups. Fortunately, enabling zRAM swap raises the headroom so high that running low should not be an issue. Running video runs down the battery a lot faster. With light usage and 50% brightness, 5-6 hours is normal; watching video at 100% brightness will cut that in half — and make the bottom of the case a bit warm in the process.

**Algus** · 03-30-2013, 08:51 PM

Have you looked at chrUbuntu yet? I think most people are using that with the Acer C7 and Samsung 3. I'm actually planning to buy an SD card for my Samsung when I get off work tomorrow morning just for that purpose. I've seen some people at the Chromebooks Google+ Community talking about it but I haven't investigated to closely since I don't have a Pixel myself.

**TAZedd** · 04-28-2013, 12:12 AM

So I bought the LTE version. Problem is in Puerto Rico we don't have Verizon like 6 years ago, so I can only roam. Which I can't because the prepaid plan does not include it. Is there a way to unlock the SIM for the pixel? I would be placing a AT&T SIM. I googled but it seems not so many are looking into it.