On my test machine table, I have Google’s brand new Chromebook Pixel. Beside it, I have what had been the fastest Chromebook before it, the Samsung Series 5 550 Chromebook. Is the Pixel better? Yes. No question about it. But, here’s the real question: Is it $850 better?
That’s not a mistake. The Pixel lists for $1,299. Some people are still reeling from Chromebook Pixel sticker shock. The Samsung Series 5 550 costs just $449. Yow! All that for a Chrome OS-based laptop which just has the Chrome Web browser running on top of an Ubuntu-based Linux distribution.
Some people are convinced that there’s no way that anyone will buy a Pixel. I find it hard to believe myself so I decide to compare and contrast my Samsung S5 550 with the Pixel to see if I could justify the Pixel’s price tag.