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Engadget noted in its review that the $1,000 Dell XPS Googlebook offers sleek, lightweight hardware paired with Google’s new Googlebook OS, but ultimately suffers from an unrefined software platform and unoptimized Android apps.
Design and Hardware Features
Dell adapted its XPS 13 design for the new operating system, utilizing a slim 2.2-pound metal case and a 13.4-inch InfinityEdge screen. The device runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip with 16GB of RAM, featuring two USB-C ports and omitting a headphone jack. A multi-colored Glowbar on the rear lights up to indicate charging status and battery level, though it serves little practical purpose.
Software and Performance Struggles
Googlebook OS combines Android and ChromeOS, natively supporting Android apps, phone synchronization, and Gemini AI integration. However, Engadget found the platform to be a “hot mess.” Android app support through the Google Play store proved disappointing, with programs like Slack operating only as mobile versions without desktop views or easy message reactions, while Evernote was entirely absent from the store. Standard workflows required navigating multiple apps for basic tasks like resizing photos, and third-party software options for audio editing lacked advanced capabilities.
Battery life proved unreliable during regular use. While the PCMark Android app benchmark recorded 15 hours and 15 minutes of battery life, background applications such as CapCut Pad drained 50% of the battery in just one hour. Meanwhile, the Rambler AI dictation tool performed well at filtering out filler words and formatting text, but its interface showed only a moving purple waveform instead of live transcribed text.
Buying Recommendation
Engadget concluded that consumers should instead purchase the $999 Windows 11 version of the XPS 13, which provides a mature operating system with extensive software and game compatibility. The review cautioned against paying $999 to act as a beta tester for an untested platform that Google might eventually abandon due to a lack of interest.
