There's no denying that the Pixelbook feels great to hold and use. The chassis itself sits with the best that Lenovo, HP, and Dell have to offer in the lightweight subnotebook convertible category while remaining firm and surprisingly unyielding. It would be quite the competitor in the mainstream Ultrabook space in the unlikely event that we see a Windows-based Pixelbook.

Can we definitively call the Pixelbook the best Chromebook available? While it's definitely fast and the most expensive, the Pixelbook sacrifices key features compared to $300 USD Chromebooks in order to satisfy its tight dimensions. For one, the lack of both USB Type-A and a SD card reader will inevitably become an annoyance especially on such a portable machine where connectivity should be readily available. The HP Chromebook 13 G1 includes both these missing options with a faster processor and the same dual USB Type-C ports for about $300 USD less. In addition, the HP and most entry-level Chromebooks are more easily serviceable compared to the closed nature of the Pixelbook that enthusiasts and IT departments will appreciate.

Other smaller details drag down what is otherwise an excellent and barebones Chromebook experience. The display is not as calibrated as on the Surface Pro or MacBook Pro series and the slower black-white and gray-gray response times become very noticeable when web browsing in tablet mode. The 128 GB internal SSD is outperformed by standard SATA III SSDs and the high-pitched keyboard clatter is very noticeable if in a classroom or library.

The Pixelbook is ideal for those who want a long-lasting, self-sufficient and travel-friendly Chromebook that just so happens to also have a glossy tablet mode for Android Play Store apps. If these strengths are not tempting, then a cheaper Chromebook like the Lenovo ThinkPad 13 or Asus Chromebook Flip with Play Store support can accomplish just as much and with a wider variety of integrated ports.