There’s Something Strange About Googlebook Prices

Just how much can you expect customers to pay for a still-unproven laptop platform in these uncertain times? That question seems to be sitting at the top of laptop makers’ minds for the upcoming Googlebook launch, since it seems we’re only now nailing down the exact prices of each various Googlebook OS laptop, a mere week from launch.

Last Monday, we reported on all the new Googlebook models, with one coming from all the expected OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) you see in laptops today. There’s a Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer, and Asus Googlebook all filling store shelves on Oct. 4. According to Google at the time, the pricing breakdown looked like this:

Dell XPS Googlebook: $1,200

Lenovo Googlebook 15: $1,300

HP Googlebook 14: $1,299

Asus Googlebook 14: $1,299

Acer Googlebook 14: $899 (limited-time price)

Then, when individual laptop makers started sharing their own news about the laptop lines, costs started to shift. Dell told Gizmodo that the XPS Googlebook was actually $999 on Best Buy. The Google Store initially listed the laptop for $1,199, though midway through the week Google also changed its XPS price to the sub-$1,000 listing. Similarly, Google suggested you’d have to spend $1,300 on the Lenovo Googlebook 15. Lenovo then usurped Google and said its laptop would cost $1,099 through Best Buy. It’s $1,050 on Lenovo’s own site and on Google’s online store.

The Dell XPS Googlebook costs $999, even though Google originally said it would demand $1,200. © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo

In addition, it seems like the HP Googlebook 14—that Google originally said was just under $1,300—is now $100 cheaper. Here’s a breakdown of what each laptop costs, at least according to its current store page or most recent announcement:

Dell XPS Googlebook: $999

Lenovo Googlebook 15: $1,099

HP Googlebook 14: $1,199

Asus Googlebook 14: $1,299

Acer Googlebook 14: $899 (limited-time price)

Gizmodo reached out to Google and to the various OEMs for comment, and we’ll update this post once we hear back. It remains unclear why Asus’ and Acer’s Googlebooks prices remained fixed, whereas others all saw this flex towards a cheaper price. However, Acer also told us that its first laptop with Googlebook OS will only remain at $900 for a short period before it’s hiked to something closer to the other brands.

Unfortunately, I won’t have one in hand until that launch week. It will take some time before I can offer my full thoughts on what you can expect from Google’s nascent Android-based laptop platform.

The difference between launch and review timings doesn’t mean there’s something nefarious going on. Moreover, it may say more about how rushed the Googlebook launch is. Moreover, it’s going to be hard for anybody to actually find these laptops just by searching on Google. The Verge first noted how a search for “Googlebooks” instead brings up Google Books, the company’s full-text book and magazine search function.

It’s going to be hard for Googlebooks at launch. Laptop prices are still out of control, driven by the ongoing RAM crisis. If you don’t actually want to buy a whole new $1,000+ Googlebook, you may get away with just updating an older Chromebook. On its support page, Google said some Chromebook models can upgrade to Googlebook OS. However, you’ll have to wait for which devices will be eligible to upgrade.