Googlebooks just aren’t ready

<figure> <img alt="A lineup of three Googlebooks (left to right: Acer Googlebook 14, Lenovo Googlebook 15, and HP Googlebook 14) in front of a colorfully lit background." data-caption="The Acer Googlebook 14 (left), Lenovo Googlebook 15 (center), and HP Googlebook 14 (right). | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge" data-portal-copyright="Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/10/268755_Googlebooks_Lenovo_HP_Acer_laptop_review_ADiBenedetto_0001.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> The Acer Googlebook 14 (left), Lenovo Googlebook 15 (center), and HP Googlebook 14 (right). | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge </figcaption> </figure> <p class="has-drop-cap wp-block-paragraph">EEvery Googlebook laptop we've tested so far has great hardware. The problem is the software. While Googlebook OS has <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/997972/googlebook-laptop-chromeos-android-history">exciting ideas</a> for how a laptop and phone can work together, right now it's mostly a <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/1008563/googlebook-software-impressions-thoughts-roundtable">frustrating experience</a> filled with <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/1005745/google-googlebook-android-laptops-dell-acer-asus-lenovo-hp-impressions">annoying bugs</a> and <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/1008750/googlebooks-android-best-worst-notifications-app-cast-file-sharing">lackluster app support</a>. It often feels like using an Android tablet with a keyboard and trackpad grafted on, rather than a cohesive laptop OS. It's too bad, because those keyboards and trackpads - and pretty much all the laptops' hardware components - are great.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Frankly, they should be. The cheapest is $900, a price where you start to expect quality processors, metal builds, higher-quality …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/1015749/googlebook-hp-acer-lenovo-dell-asus-collective-laptop-review">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>