Pixelbook now, or Pixelbook 2?

[jsarino]

So, my laptop crapped out recently, and I've been looking at replacing it with a Pixelbook. I'm debating though whether to wait until the Pixelbook 2 comes out (who knows when that is), or go after the Pixelbook now. There's also the Slate, but I like the more laptop-feel out of the gate with the Pixelbook. Thoughts?

 

[B. Diddy]

I luuuuuuurv my Pixelbook. It's simply awesome. The only way I could think of improving it would be to make it a tad lighter (because it's still a little tiring to hold as a tablet) and to make all of the edges more rounded (the sharp edges contribute to making it uncomfortable to hold as a tablet). That being said, I still use it primarily in laptop mode, so those shortcomings aren't a big deal.

I say wait for the next time it goes on sale for $750 and grab one!

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

Pixelbook now. It is a fabulous machine. Fast and delightful to use. Is better value than the slate. Worth every penny.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

We don't even know if there will be a Pixel book 2, so go with the current one if you need a new machine.

 

[jsarino]

Thanks for the comments so far! I don't think I can wait too much longer, even if there's deals to be had in Thanksgiving or the holidays. I can't keep using my work laptop for personal use forever.

I luuuuuuurv my Pixelbook. It's simply awesome. The only way I could think of improving it would be to make it a tad lighter (because it's still a little tiring to hold as a tablet) and to make all of the edges more rounded (the sharp edges contribute to making it uncomfortable to hold as a tablet). That being said, I still use it primarily in laptop mode, so those shortcomings aren't a big deal.

When I held (and folded) the demo version, it felt about the same weight as my old Nexus 10 tablet, but a hair larger. I'll use it far more as a laptop, and after carrying and using a 2011 15-inch MacBook Pro for years, the Pixelbook will be light as a feather in comparison.

I say wait for the next time it goes on sale for $750 and grab one!

I was thinking of aiming a little higher on the spec sheet, either the 256GB version, or the 512GB version. The latter one, even if full Windows compatibility does happen, might be a bit of overkill, but it's tempting at the right price.

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

"I was thinking of aiming a little higher on the spec sheet, either the 256GB version, or the 512GB version. The latter one, even if full Windows compatibility does happen, might be a bit of overkill, but it's tempting at the right price."

The higher spec is still worth it. The machine is so fast. Good luck with your decision.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

I join in on the chorus singing the praises of the current Pixelbook. Absolutely fantastic.

Sadly, I don't expect there to be any more deals on the Pixelbook. Best Buy had the 8GB/128GB model on sale for $750 and another $75 off if you have an .edu email address. There were other stackable deals and coupons on top of that, that allowed some of us to buy one for under $500.

I would NOT recommend the higher storage models since they did NOT go on sale. Paying full MSRP for those is quite a big pill to swallow.

 

[CVisk]

I'm waiting for the PixelBook 2 at this point. Hopefully we hear something soon.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

I'm waiting for the PixelBook 2 at this point. Hopefully we hear something soon.

If history is any indication you're going to be waiting another 12 months. Google released chromebooks in 2013, 2015, and 2017. They're not due to release another until Oct 2019.

Some viewed the recent sale on Pixelbooks as an attempt to clear out stock to make room for a new model. But with the current state of retail logistics, the days of significant excess inventory are over.

Best Buy runs sales on Macbook Airs every 6-8 weeks. Each time they do people conclude that Apple is going to release a new model. It never happens.

 

[jsarino]

Best Buy runs sales on Macbook Airs every 6-8 weeks. Each time they do people conclude that Apple is going to release a new model. It never happens.

This may finally happen on October 30th. Apple is supposed to announce a replacement for the Air.

 

[jsarino]

Update, pulled the trigger, and bought the i7 version with 16GB RAM/512GB SSD for $400 less than retail (brand new). Hope to get it late this week, and have a sleeve for it on the way. Looking around for a used/refurb Pixelbook Pen...anyone selling theirs that they don't need? Anyways, thanks everyone for your thoughts, and I will post a bit more here once I get it in my hands.

 

[B. Diddy]

Congratulations! You're gonna love it. I got my Pen on eBay for about $50 from a reseller, in great condition. Also got the Bellroy pen holder, which I highly recommend.

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

I actually bought a Lenovo pen from Amazon that does the same thing for less than £30. It was shipped from Amazon US to the UK. Put the details from the screenshot into Amazon US and it will bring up the correct item. About $27 in total. Same functions even google assistant.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

Update, pulled the trigger, and bought the i7 version with 16GB RAM/512GB SSD for $400 less than retail (brand new). Hope to get it late this week, and have a sleeve for it on the way. Looking around for a used/refurb Pixelbook Pen...anyone selling theirs that they don't need? Anyways, thanks everyone for your thoughts, and I will post a bit more here once I get it in my hands.

Congratulations! That's a terrific discount on a beast of a machine.

 

[jsarino]

I actually bought a Lenovo pen from Amazon that does the same thing for less than £30. It was shipped from Amazon US to the UK. Put the details from the screenshot into Amazon US and it will bring up the correct item. About $27 in total. Same functions even google assistant.

I've been reading around and some people mention some of the 3rd party pens that have Google Assistant don't support "tilt". What does that mean...it doesn't function properly when the pen is in an angle? That being said, I've put your suggestion on my wish list.

Congratulations! You're gonna love it. I got my Pen on eBay for about $50 from a reseller, in great condition. Also got the Bellroy pen holder, which I highly recommend.

I remember seeing it sometime ago when the Pixelbook first came out, but couldn't remember the name until you mentioned it. I like this idea much better than a pen loop! Incidentally, I saw that Google offered a free pen loop, but that offer no longer exists.

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

Not sure about tilt. My pen works perfectly.

 

[jsarino]

Looks like I found the answer. It changes shading depending on the tilt of the pen, much like a regular pencil: https://www.reddit.com/r/PixelBook/comments/8zh8sn/pixelbook_pen_tilt/

 

[B. Diddy]

Incidentally, I saw that Google offered a free pen loop, but that offer no longer exists.

I have one of them, but didn't bother applying it. It's adhesive, so I didn't want to have to deal with the adhesive residue if I ended up not liking it. Also, I've heard that it could actually make the Pixelbook feel a little uneven when it's sitting on a flat surface, depending on where you apply it.

 

[jsarino]

Good to know! I ended up getting the Bellroy clip instead. After thinking about it, I wasn't too keen on the idea of a loop "permanently" there on the side of my PB.