Google announces Chromebook Plus with faster performance and AI capabilities

Google has announced a new category of Chromebooks, called Chromebook Plus, to offer faster performance and AI capabilities. According to Google, all Chromebook Plus laptops will come with faster processors, more memory, and storage. Furthermore, Chromebook Plus laptops will feature a full-HD 1080p display for crisp and clear viewing and a 1080p+ webcam with temporal noise reduction for enhanced video calling experience.

“More than 10 years ago, we created Chromebooks to bring you easy-to-use computers that offer reliable performance and unmatched security. Today, we’re introducing a new category of Chromebooks that takes the promise even further: Chromebook Plus. With double the performance, Chromebook Plus offers built-in Google apps and powerful AI capabilities. It also offers Google Photos Magic Eraser and Adobe Photoshop2 on the web to help consumers boost their productivity, inspire their creativity and make everyday tasks intuitive,” said John Maletis, Vice President of ChromeOS Product, Engineering and UX, in a blog post.

All Chromebook Plus laptops will include the following guaranteed hardware specs:

• CPU: Intel Core i3 12th Gen or above, or AMD Ryzen 3 7000 series or above
• RAM: 8GB+
• Storage: 128GB+
• Web camera: 1080p+ with Temporal Noise Reduction
• Display: Full HD IPS or better display

Google is also bringing some of the premium features in Google Meet to Chromebook Plus. Chromebook Plus laptops will have built-in AI capabilities that help users improve call clarity and lighting, cancel background noise, and blur background. The AI capabilities will work across video conferencing apps, including Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and more.

Moreover, Google is adding the Magic Eraser AI-powered editing feature in the Google Photos app on Chromebook Plus to let users remove unwanted distractions from their images. Google Photos will also include additional editing tools, like HDR effect and the ability to add portrait blur to existing photos.

Chromebook Plus laptops will come with a new File Sync feature that keeps the user’s Google Drive file always accessible by automatically downloading it. In addition, Chromebook Plus users can also run graphically demanding projects in Adobe Photoshop on the web and Adobe Express Premium. Customers purchasing the new Chromebook Plus laptop will get three months of subscriptions to Adobe Photoshop on the web and Express free. Users can check chromebook.com/perks for full offer details.

Google says it will continue to add new features to Chromebook Plus over time. The company is making it easier to draft and refine short-form content on websites, and users can right-click to get help with writing. Further, Google is also working on adding AI-powered image generation capabilities in ChromeOS.

Starting October 8, 2023, customers can order new Chromebook Plus laptops in the US from major retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Best Buy. For customers in Canada and Europe, new Chromebook Plus laptops will be available from October 9, 2023.