It's been a few years since Samsung took a crack at making a premium Chromebook. In 2020, the company released the first Galaxy Chromebook, a 999 laptop with a gorgeous 4K OLED screen that barely lasted five hours away from a charger. The company fixed some issues with its 2021 model, which had a more pedestrian screen and a thicker design while costing 300 less -- a fair compromise given that battery life was significantly better. Since then, Google has also launched the Chromebook Plus initiative, which aims to standardize Chromebook specs to give people a more consistent experience. And now, Samsung has released its first entry to that lineup: the Galaxy Chromebook Plus. It reminds me a little bit of the 15-inch MacBook Air, though its appearance is unmistakably Samsung.

It's been about a year since Google first announced its Chromebook Plus initiative, a higher spec of hardware that also comes with software features you won't find on more basic Chromebooks. Probably the most interesting update we're hearing about today is new hardware from Samsung: the Galaxy Chromebook Plus. I've liked some of Samsung's attempts at making high-end Chromebooks in the past, so I'm curious to see how this one performs. Google says its the thinnest and lightest Chromebook Plus, at 2.58 pounds and less than a half-inch thick. Despite that small size, it includes a 15.6-inch OLED screen, making it sound like this laptop will be similar to the 15-inch MacBook Air in feel.

For years, Chromebooks have served as the loyal opposition to PCs. Google's laptops offer many of the same Google services as you can find via the Web, but integrated into an inexpensive package for consumers and students. I sat down with John Solomon, vice president of ChromeOS and education at Google, to ask about the new wave of AI PCs and how Google responds. We talk about how "generic" Chromebooks survive as Google pushes Chromebook Plus, how kids can be encouraged to game on Chromebooks as well as learn, and what Google is cooking up in response to Microsoft's Recall for Copilot PCs. This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. Mark Hachman, PCWorld: I saw your presentation at Computex as a way to remind people that there are more than just AI PCs. So, in light of those products, what is the value proposition of a Chromebook these days? John Solomon, Google: As you know, we have Chromebook and Chromebook Plus. In Chromebook, it has always been about and continues to be about delivering really great value, the best place to experience access to Google services. Whether it's Google Workspace, or more broadly, Chrome, we work very hard to make sure that first-party products as well as the Play Store work well on Chromebook.

Did you know that computers have artificial intelligence now? We've been subjected to an absolute avalanche of marketing touting AI from seemingly every tech company, from Microsoft and Nvidia to laptop makers and even thermal paste sellers. Well if you've somehow avoided the AI blitz, possibly by using a Chromebook, you're about to get it in spades from Google. The company has been pushing its Gemini (nee Bard) AI tools into most of its high-profile products, most notably Chrome and Android. Now Chromebook Plus, Google's higher tier of ChromeOS laptops revealed last year, are slated to be Google's flagship platform for the best and brightest of Gemini, with a few tools and options that aren't available elsewhere.

Rugged, reliable, and largely virus-free, these machines are designed with everyday people in mind. While Chromebooks have a lot to offer to the day-to-day user, traditionally speaking, they're not the most powerful laptops around… until now. Today, Google officially announced the release of Chromebook Plus laptops, a slew of Chromebooks that promise better performance, better displays and webcams, and new apps and AI capabilities. New features include enhanced editing in Google Photos, which allows you to remove unwanted bits with the Magic Eraser. Looking to pick up a new Chromebook?