Google Wants Way Too Much Money for the Chromebook Pixel

Google really shot itself in the foot today after it announced the price of the new Chromebook Pixel. This Chromebook has a very good touchscreen display with a 2560 x 1700 resolution and 239 pixels per inch, but buying the most basic version will set you back $1,299. If you want the 64GB model with LTE, the price jumps to $1,449. What was Google thinking when it came up with those prices?

Here’s the thing. Chromebooks aren’t popular. The majority of people don’t even know what a Chromebook is. One of the best things Chromebooks had going for them was price. Even a skeptic would agree that $200-$250 for a Chromebook from Acer and Samsung is worth taking taking a gamble on. It was these low prices that made a traditional Mac or PC user even consider using one as an alternate computer. Now that Google decided a Chromebook is worth the price of a Macbook or a premium laptop PC, that impression is sullied.

I don’t care how nice the screen on the Chromebook Pixel is. In essence, it’s still a computer that’s mostly a web browser. It also has a couple USB 2.0 ports, a 1.8Gzhz Intel Core i5 processor, Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics, 4GB of RAM, a 32GB SSD and a battery that can last up to 5. I’d imagine battery life will decrease quite a bit if you’re watching HD movies at a reasonable brightness. None of this warrants a $1,299 price tag.

I’m disappointed in Google. This is a company that showed us you can have great hardware without spending a lot of money. Look at the Nexus 7, Nexus 4 and the Nexus 10. All of these products are on the top of their game and they don’t cost an arm and a leg to own. I absolutely believe these things will not be flying off shelves anytime soon.

Source [Google]