Chromebook X could make it much easier to find the best chromeOS laptops

A Google Chromebook on a grey background

(Image credit: Future)

Chromebooks are some of the best laptops in the world, but it can also be difficult to tell one model from another – fortunately, a new Google sub-brand called Chromebook X could be about to change that.

9to5Google notes that the tech giant has been preparing new branding for above-average devices across Chromebook manufacturers. According to the site, there haven't been any signs that Google is making its own devices, though we are hoping that’ll change in the near future.

The brand name Chromebook X (which could change before launch), will apparently be on the laptop or tablet’s chassis, with an ‘X’ next to the usual Chromebook logo or even just the letter by itself. It will likely make an appearance on a special boot screen rather than the usual ‘chromeOS’ shown on devices currently.

Aside from the branding, the main difference between Chromebook X-branded laptops and other Chromebooks will likely be the hardware inside. Google appears to require a higher RAM, a good quality camera and a higher-end display for X-branded models. The company has so far made preparations for the new models to be built to four different processors from Intel and AMD, including the Intel core 12th Gen chips and AMD Zen 2+ and AMD Zen 3.

A fresh start for Chromebooks?

A Samsung Educational Edition Chromebook in a classroom — (Image credit: CC Photo Labs / Shutterstock)

Chromebooks have become a staple in the computing world and are used in different fields by people across the globe. However, one main criticism of most Chromebooks is that they are well… basic. You can get powerful Chromebooks for sure, just nothing extraordinary. Hopefully, Chromebook X will change that, along with making them a bit easier to buy.

To further separate Chromebook X models from lower-end Chromebooks, Google may be preparing exclusive features. One of the key focuses of the Chromebook X range is video conferencing, with Google requiring manufacturers to up camera quality. We might also see Live Caption, voice isolation and a built-in portrait blur effect.

Again, a lot of the upcoming features will be exclusive to the Chromebook X line and will hopefully ensure that should you buy the laptop you’ll be getting the best of what Google and manufacturing partners can offer.

We still don’t know when to expect the new range of laptops, though a source close to 9to5Google claims we can expect Chromebook X devices to launch by the end of this year.

Muskaan is TechRadar’s UK-based Computing writer. She has always been a passionate writer and has had her creative work published in several literary journals and magazines. Her debut into the writing world was a poem published in The Times of Zambia, on the subject of sunflowers and the insignificance of human existence in comparison. Growing up in Zambia, Muskaan was fascinated with technology, especially computers, and she's joined TechRadar to write about the latest GPUs, laptops and recently anything AI related. If you've got questions, moral concerns or just an interest in anything ChatGPT or general AI, you're in the right place. Muskaan also somehow managed to install a game on her work MacBook's Touch Bar, without the IT department finding out (yet).