Laptop Batteries, Chargers and AC Adapters

The Pixelbook Go’s high-end design, great performance and affordable price tag make this Chromebook one not to be missed

dGoogle released the Pixelbook Go back in 2019 as a successor to the Pixelbook, but with a much more affordable price tag. The word ‘Go’ in the name is certainly fitting – as this Chromebook has features that are perfect for anyone who needs a device that can be ported around with ease.

We spent some time with the Pixelbook Go to see if this Chromebook lives up to the hype – keep on reading for our thoughts in full. Alternatively, take a look at our guide to the best Chromebooks to see how rivals compare.

Design and build
At 1.06kg this is a featherweight device, and at only 11.4inch x 8.7inch, it can slip into most backpacks with ease. It’s perfect for students, as well as remote workers who use the Google ecosystem for most of their day-to-day tasks (such as the Tech Advisor team right now!).

The magnesium alloy body has a matt finish with curved edges. Whilst this does look polished, it picks up fingerprints quite easily, something to keep in mind if you’re bothered by this. We tested the ‘Just Black’ variant, but you can also get the Pixelbook in Google’s ‘Not Pink’ finish, although that’s only available on the 8GB/128GB version.

The bottom of the Pixelbook Go is ribbed to allow you to grip it more easily. Whether you like the bold appearance or not is a matter of preference, but as a self-confessed klutz, I was a big fan. It’s also comfortable to use and doesn’t feel strange in your lap. I did find on occasion that the Chromebook got a little on the hot side, though not to the point where it affected performance.

Both the top and bottom of the screen have quite large bezels that limit the display ever so slightly. Perhaps for future models, Google should look at maximising this space for a better viewing experience.

You also get a touchscreen with the Pixelbook. Personally, I didn’t find a lot of use for it – especially as this Chromebook can’t transform into a tablet option. However, if you enjoy design-based apps or the odd game that utilises touchscreen, you may find otherwise.

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Lenovo has updated its lineup of Chromebooks with the new IdeaPad 3 – but just ‘Chromebook 3’ in the USA – which offers a 14in display, the simplicity of ChromeOS and all for a very reasonable price. So, is the package in reality as good as it seems on paper? Let’s take a look.

Design & Build
The IdeaPad 3 (14in) is a reasonably sedate looking machine in terms of Chromebooks these days. You won’t find any 360-degree hinges that allow you to stand it on its head or even a detachable keyboard like on Lenovo’s own 2-in-1 Duet Chromebook. Instead, it’s a classic notebook with a simple, business-like aesthetic.

The plastic chassis on this review model comes in a handsome dark blue, which Lenovo calls Abyss Blue. There is a Platinum Grey version if that’s more your style. The lid bears the ChromeOS logo, which is an embedded sticker rather than the normal screen printing I’ve seen of late. Nice touch. There’s also a silver-coloured plate on the side of the panel with Lenovo emblazoned within.

Curiously, there’s an identical plate found on the inside, just to the right of the palm rest. While Lenovo might indeed be proud of its creation, this does seem a little bit of overkill in the design department. There are also stickers to inform the user that Intel processors lie within, plus a QR code that takes you to the Lenovo eSupport page. Truth be told, I’m not a fan of the sticker culture that’s beginning to appear on Chromebooks.

Of course, Intel wants its glory, but one of the nicest things about Chromebooks has always been that they don’t come with pre-loaded crud that often makes setting up Windows PC a chore. Having stickers plastered all over the place just invokes that messy experience and detracts from the clean and sparse nature of the Google-powered laptop. Put the stickers on the base and everything will look much better. ‘Keep it simple stupid’ is a saying for a reason.

Our review shows Acer’s Spin 513 Chromebook is light and long-lasting, ticking two major laptop buying boxes. Even if it falls down somewhat elsewhere

Acer’s Spin range of Chromebooks have been impressing me of late, be it at the budget or premium end of the scale. Now, the company has brought a mid-range laptop to the table with decent specs and a shoulder-friendly weight. So, does the Spin 513 maintain the reputation built by its siblings? I spent a couple of weeks with one to find out.

Design & Build
The first thing you notice when taking the Spin 513 out of the box is how incredibly light it is. At around 1.3kg, it’s a very comfortable device to put in your bag and carry around. The main contributing factor to this feathery heft is the fact that the chassis is plastic rather than metal.

Acer has given it a smart brushed steel look with a bevelled edge. It feels reasonably sturdy but the lack of a more durable material could make the Spin 513 prone to cracks or breakages if you’re not careful.

If that’s a deal-breaker for you, then stepping up to the excellent Acer Spin 713 will fix things, as the metal chassis should ensure a more robust device, not to mention the overall impressive performance. You can see how much I liked that Chromebook in my Acer Spin 713 review.

As with the 713, the side edges taper inwards after the sections that house the various ports, while the underside is home to twin downward-facing speakers. Two strong hinges support folding the screen back through 360 degrees, so you can use the device as a standard laptop, put it in a tent mode to watch movies, or turn it into a makeshift tablet.

The latter is usually a bit of a chore, with laptops being too heavy for those duties, but the lightweight nature of the 513 comes into play here making it a decent convertible, albeit one I wouldn’t want to use for too long.

Acer fits a few different connectors to the 513 flanks, with two USB-C (one on either side), one USB 3 port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The right side is also home to the power button and volume controls. Not a bad selection at all for a slim, light laptop.

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Asus is back with a budget-priced Chromebook that has plenty to offer for the price, though battery life is not the C423NA’s strong suit.

Asus has been on something of a roll recently when it comes to Chromebooks. From the excellent C302CA from a few years, to the equally impressive C433TA, the brand has delivered quality products at the premium end of the Chromebook market.

Now in 2021, a new budget device has arrived in the shape of the C423NA. Can Asus still work its magic when price demands that a few corners are cut? It seems it can, but not across the board. Battery life isn’t particularly impressive, but in just about every other area, this is a good Chromebook for the money.

Design & Build Quality
Asus has opted to use a plastic case on the C423NA rather than the aluminium one found on its more premium models. This is fine, as it not only keeps costs down, but also does the same with the weight. At 2.65lbs/1.2kg, it’s a laptop that you’ll be happy to carry around in a bag all day without feeling it on your shoulders.

You’ll be able to get stuff done too, as the screen offers a good amount of space for writing documents, surfing the web and other traditional Chromebook duties.

There are actually three different displays available on the C423NA, all 14 inches in diagonal. The first has a 1366×768-pixel resolution, and the second – the one Asus sent for review – being Full HD (1920×1080). The third is a Full HD touchscreen, which obviously pushes up the price.

The panel in the test model maxed out at 250nits, which is dimmer than some other Chromebooks, but proved quite sufficient even outside on a sunny day. This was also aided by the matt finsh, which avoids the reflections that you get with glossy touchscreens.

HP takes on the Google Pixelbook Go with its new premium Chromebook x360 14c. It’s cheaper and in many ways just as good

Chromebooks are often the kind of cheap and cheerful devices that you can use as a second laptop, give to your kids for homework or buy for older relatives that don’t feel confident with computers. But, as ChromeOS is now a powerful platform, if you want to step up to a higher grade of hardware then there are a few you can choose from.

Google’s own Pixelbook Go is the company’s vision of what a decent but affordable Chromebook should be, and now we have a similar benchmark from HP. Here’s the full Tech Advisor review of the HP Chromebook x360 14c.

Design & Build
Taking the HP Chromebook x360 14c (or 14c-cc0003na to give it its laughably bad full name) out of the box reveals a very smart looking laptop. The Mineral Silver livery has a smoky look that’s offset well by the chrome HP logo situated in the center of the lid. I have to say, the new design, which features four angled lines, looks quite cool and lends the x360 a futuristic air.

This is enhanced by the two rear vents on the base section, which have just a hint of a spaceship that’s gotten lost and landed on my desk.

One slightly mystifying choice is the strip along the top of the lid, presumably there to give you grip when lifting the screen. At first, I thought it was a light similar to the one that appeared on my old Google Pixel C tablet, which you could tap to see how much battery charge was left. Sadly, this isn’t the case, but if HP wants to add that in the future, then it already has the perfect place to put it.

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