Google has quietly discontinued the $999 model of its Pixel Chromebook. The computer is now listed as “no longer available for sale” on the company’s online store — the only outlet from which customers can buy this particular system.
This news comes in the wake of the official unveiling of the Chromebook 13, the result of a collaboration between Google and HP. The specs offered up by the new laptop clearly render the $999 model of the Pixel a little dated.
The Chromebook 13 boasts an Intel Core M processor, a 32GB drive, and 16GB of RAM. The system also packs a touch screen and features a crisp, clean design that pairs with its impressive build quality to produce a laptop that feels like a premium product — even though it retails for just $499.
On the other hand, the $999 model of the Pixel offers the same storage capacity and half as much RAM for twice the price. It does offer an SSD compared to the eMMC storage of the Chromebook 13, and its processor is the more powerful Core i5, but the price differential between the two systems is noteworthy.
Dropping the $999 model of the Pixel firmly cements the Chromebook 13 as a go-to midrange Chrome OS laptop. This news shouldn’t be taken as evidence that the Pixel line is set to die off completely, as the ultra-high-end $1,299 version seems to be sticking around for the foreseeable future, according to a report from Venture Beat.
However, it could be a part of a larger reshuffle for Google’s hardware interests. This week, the company announced that it had hired former Motorola president Rick Osterloh to head its hardware division, and the Chromebook range looks set to be a major part of his remit as he transitions into the role.