It can be difficult to tell at glance which laptops are low-end and which ones are more premium, especially when you're dealing with different storage solutions, screen technologies, and confusing Intel CPU names. Chromebooks have that problem too, and Google has been quietly working on a solution: the best Chromebooks will now be branded as "Chromebook Plus" laptops.
Google just revealed Chromebook Plus, which is a new brand for Chromebook laptops that meet certain hardware requirements. All Chromebook Plus laptops will ship with at least a mid-range laptop CPU (12th Gen Intel Core i3 or better, or AMD Ryzen 3 7000 or better), 8GB RAM or more, at least 128GB of internal storage, a 1080p webcam with noise reduction or better, and at least an IPS 1080p (full HD) screen.
Google said in its announcement, "We’ve spent a lot of time listening to laptop users and have worked closely with our partners at Acer, ASUS, HP, and Lenovo to build a guaranteed standard of performance that people can depend on to get what they need done." Basically, if you see a Chromebook with the "Chromebook Plus" label, you know it's not some low-end laptop that will struggle with three tabs open. Google is also working on some software features that might be exclusive to Chromebook Plus machines, such as AI writing tools.
Google's Chromebook Plus initiative is not to be confused with the Samsung Chromebook Plus, which was a series of Chromebooks sold by Samsung a few years ago. It's also worth noting that this branding leaked a few months ago, and it was previously identified as "Chromebook X" in some public source code for Chrome OS. Google confirmed in a briefing with How-To Geek that "X" was the codename for the Chromebook Plus program.
Eight Chromebook Plus laptops from Acer, ASUS, HP, and Lenovo will kick off the product lineup. Some of them are 2-in-1 convertible models, like the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus, while others are a typical laptop form factor, such as the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34. For a limited time, Chromebook Plus laptops will ship with three months of access to Photoshop on the web and NVIDIA GeForce Now, as well as a 25% off code for the LumaFusion video editor, which normally costs $30.
You'll be able to buy the first Chromebook Plus laptops starting on October 8th, 2023 in the United States. The first models will be available in Canada and Europe starting on October 9th, 2023. Check out the official Chromebook Plus site for more information.
Source: Google