What the Googlebook 15 is
Lenovo announced the Googlebook 15 on September 28, 2026. It is one of five Googlebook laptops available at the platform's launch. Lenovo calls it its first Googlebook. MakeUseOf describes Googlebook OS as Google's successor to ChromeOS, built around Android apps and Gemini AI. The reviewer says it pairs Chrome with Play Store apps. Treat that as his shorthand rather than a full technical description of the OS.
The hardware is conventional PC fare:
- CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5 325, with an NPU rated up to 47 TOPS.
- Memory and storage: 16GB LPDDR5X and 512GB in the tested unit. Lenovo's announcement also lists 32GB and 256GB options.
- Display: 15.3-inch, 2880×1800 OLED touchscreen, 16:10, 120Hz, 100% DCI-P3, 500 nits.
- Battery and charging: 70Wh, charged over 65W USB-C.
- Ports: two Thunderbolt 4, one USB-A, HDMI and a headphone jack.
- Weight: about 1.29kg (2.84 lb), which Lenovo says is under 3 lb.
Lenovo says the chassis is magnesium-aluminum on top and carbon-fiber-reinforced polycarbonate underneath. It also claims MIL-STD-810H certification. Lenovo's own footnote says that testing doesn't guarantee future performance and that the warranty doesn't cover abuse.
Price and availability: don't trust one number
The price depends on where you look:
- Lenovo's announcement says U.S. availability began October 4, 2026, from $1,099.99.
- MakeUseOf's review lists $1,099 in its spec table and verdict. Its Best Buy widget and pricing section say $1,049.
- Gizmodo's review gives $1,150.
- Lenovo's own footnote says reseller prices may vary.
Check the seller and configuration before you buy.
The review's specs also disagree with Lenovo's. MakeUseOf lists HDMI 2.1, USB-A at 5Gbps and Bluetooth 6.0. Lenovo's announcement lists HDMI 2.0 and a USB 3.2 Type-A port, with no speed given. I wouldn't treat HDMI 2.1 as settled. If you plan to use a high-refresh external display, confirm the HDMI version before you buy.
Lenovo also bundles 12 months of Google AI Pro. The footnotes say you must activate it by March 31, 2027, and it then renews at $19.99 a month unless you cancel. Lenovo says the bundle includes 5TB of cloud storage and app subscriptions such as Photoshop, Premiere and CapCut.
The hands-on findings
What worked
- Build and keyboard. The reviewer found it light and rigid. He called the keyboard excellent for long writing sessions, with 1.3mm of key travel.
- Display. He called the OLED the best reason to buy one. It was glare-prone in bright sunlight but still usable. Tom's Guide also praises the screen. It measured color accuracy at a 0.21 Delta-E, though its DCI-P3 coverage measured only 79.9%.
- Rambler dictation. Alt-D starts it, and either Alt-D or Return stops it. It worked in every text field he tried, including Slack and Gmail, and removed filler words.
- Phone integration. He paired a Pixel 9 and a Samsung Z Fold 8 through a dock icon and a QR code. After some fiddling, his Pixel's apps appeared in the dock, and he could launch them on the laptop. Quick Access lets you pull files from the phone.
- Monitor connections. HDMI and Thunderbolt 4 both worked with his ultrawide monitor.
What didn't
- Touchpad. His resting palm on the right edge suppressed the haptic clicks. He found no tuning option under Settings > Device and accessories > Touchpad and fell back on tap to click.
- Android apps. Most Play Store apps behave like phone apps. Asana and Slack lacked their sidebars, so he used the web versions.
- Ultrawide monitors. He had to open and close the lid to get the right resolution. Widgets and icons then sat toward the middle of the screen instead of the right edge.
- Magic Pointer. Wiggling the cursor summons Gemini. He found it clever but rarely necessary, and the Slack reply suggestions were vague and generic. He notes a web version is coming to Chrome on Windows and Mac.
- Phone notifications. None arrived during testing, even with the toggles on. He assumes they will work later, but he didn't confirm it.
- Touchscreen and Glowbar. He found both more gratuitous than useful. Thurrott similarly questions the point of the Glowbar, since the owner rarely sees it.
- Chrome on battery. He says Chrome slows noticeably on battery. His Speedometer 3.1 scores show it: 15 on battery against 24.1 (±1.6) plugged in.
Benchmarks
These are the reviewer's own figures. I haven't reproduced them.
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Geekbench 7 CPU (3-run average) | 2,296 single / 8,578 multi |
| Geekbench 7 GPU | 13,262 |
| 3DMark Solar Bay / Wild Life Extreme | 4,837 / 1,796 |
| Cross Platform Disk Test, sequential read / write | 758 / 938 MB/s |
| Cross Platform Disk Test, random 4K read / write | 41 / 16 MB/s |
Some of his usual tools, including CrystalDiskMark, aren't available on the platform. Disk numbers from a different tool aren't directly comparable with his Windows results. Geekbench 7 scores also can't be compared with Geekbench 6 scores.
Battery life: claims, not a measurement
The reviewer says it lasted a full day of web writing and editing, but he gave no timed result. Lenovo claims up to 12.5 hours, based on internal lab testing. Gizmodo lists "disappointing battery life" among its cons. Tom's Guide says the OLED screen is power-hungry. Those different conditions explain the gap between claims and experience. Real runtime will depend on brightness, workload and whether you're plugged in.
Phone features depend on your handset
The phone features are not universal. Lenovo's own pages are inconsistent about which Android version they require, so check your phone's eligibility before you count on them. The reviewer's two phones are recent flagships. An older or mid-range handset may behave differently.
Googlebook vs. Windows
This review matters to Windows buyers for three reasons:
- Windows apps. If you depend on desktop-class apps, the reviewer says to look elsewhere. Play Store apps behave like phone apps.
- Alternatives. His comparison point is the $699 MacBook Neo. Anyone choosing between this and a Windows laptop at the same price has plenty of options, and he says this isn't the most laptop for the money.
- Maturity. Gizmodo is harsher than MakeUseOf. It says the OS is missing features at launch and reports touchscreen ghosting. Tom's Guide also mentions early OS bugs. MakeUseOf's 7/10 is a reasonable midpoint.
Who should buy it
Consider it if:
- You live in Chrome and Google's web apps.
- You want a big OLED and a good keyboard in under 3 lb.
- You use an Android phone and want its files and apps on a larger screen.
Skip it if:
- You rely on desktop-class software.
- You rest your palm on the touchpad.
- You use an ultrawide monitor.
- You want the most laptop for the money.
Buying checklist
- Confirm the exact configuration and price at the seller.
- Check your phone's Android version against Lenovo's requirements.
- Test your essential apps. If their web versions work, you'll probably be fine.
- Try the touchpad in person if you can, especially if you rest your palm on it.
- Verify the HDMI version if you plan to use an external display.
The Googlebook 15 is a handsome machine. Whether it's a good buy depends on how much of your work happens in Chrome and on an Android phone.