What you need to know
- With ChromeOS 125, Google fully integrates Gemini into the operating system.
- Chromebook Plus purchases will include a free year of Google One AI Premium, making these high-end Chromebooks the best way to use AI on ChromeOS.
- Google appears to be using a similar strategy to Microsoft's Copilot Plus, tying AI features to hardware.
The era of “AI PCs” is firmly underway, and both hardware and software companies are racing to integrate artificial intelligence into their computing devices. Microsoft and Qualcomm had a big moment with the Snapdragon Chromebook Plus Ads of your own. Like Copilot Plus-compatible laptops, some Chromebook Plus models will get new AI features in ChromeOS.
It made sense for Google to eventually add AI features to ChromeOS, since the company already made Gemini a focus of Android and Google Workspace. In fact, some features that have already appeared on Pixel phones, such as Help me type, Generative AI WallpaperVideo Call Backgrounds and Magic Editor in Google Photos: Now coming to Chromebook Plus laptops.
Of course, ChromeOS users have been able to use Gemini through the web client while it is active. However, the AI chatbot has not been directly integrated into ChromeOS until now. After upgrading to ChromeOS 125, there will be a Gemini app directly in the ChromeOS app shelf. For now, Gemini on ChromeOS just uses a progressive web application (PWA) to open the chatbot in a separate window. In the future, Gemini may play a larger role in ChromeOS or even succeed Google Assistant.
Some features are exclusive for Chromebook Plus devices, and others will reach all Chromebook models. Google says they will be released “via an automatic update over the next week.” Based on these descriptions, it's easy to see how Chromebook Plus devices could compete with Copilot Plus laptops. But can Chromebook Plus In fact compete?
How Chromebook Plus Compares to Copilot Plus
The general idea behind Chromebook Plus and Copilot Plus is the same, but the actual implementations of each are different. Chromebook Plus is a class of hardware that is made up of devices that meet certain specification criteria. In comparison, Copilot Plus is a software suite with AI features that can only run on devices with select hardware. The differences between the meaning of Copilot Plus and Chromebook Plus may seem like technicalities, although they are different. For starters, Chromebook Plus devices are already available, while laptops with Copilot Plus won't ship until next month.
Copilot Plus specifically unlocks AI features by requiring laptops (and probably desktops, eventually) to have a powerful neural processing unit (NPU). The NPU needs to support 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS) or more, and at this time, only Snapdragon X systems-on-a-chip meet that requirement. It is important to note that Copilot Plus system requirements are tied to the NPU and not a specific class of devices. For now, only Snapdragon X laptops are supported, but Copilot Plus will come to more platforms, devices, and form factors in the future.
Chromebook Plus is a class of devices, unlike Copilot Plus. For a Chromebook To use the Chromebook Plus brand, you must have a 12th Gen Intel Core i3 processor or higher or an AMD Ryzen 3 7000 series processor or higher. From there, Chromebook Plus laptops must have at least 8GB of memory and 128GB of storage. Surprisingly, there are also webcam and display requirements: the webcam must be at least 1080p and the screen must be at least Full HD IPS.
Therefore, purchasing a Chromebook Plus device will give you a premium Chromebook and some exclusive software features, with the possibility of including more in the future. The Copilot Plus designation has more to do with support for a specific set of AI functions running on the device. It's important to keep these differences in mind when determining which one is right for you.
Combining Google One AI Premium with Chromebooks is brilliant
Microsoft is clearly targeting on-device processing and advanced features with deep OS integration with Copilot Plus. By comparison, the Chromebook Plus and its new AI features are much more cloud-focused. There is no better proof of this than Google's package with a free year of Google One AI Premium with Chromebook Plus purchases. Among other benefits, the One AI Premium plan includes access to Gemini Advanced and Gemini for Workspace.
A full year of One AI Premium will cost $240 and is a great benefit that comes with Chromebook Plus devices. It makes sense to include it on Chromebook Plus laptops, since ChromeOS will now include Gemini at the forefront of experience. ChromeOS also excels at Google Workspace workflows and Gemini for Workspace features like Help Me Write could be a big plus there.
On the other hand, it's only one year free. If you get used to using One AI Premium, you will have to pay out of pocket after the 12-month trial is over. On the other hand, you can get a Chromebook Plus laptop for as little as $349, so it's hard to complain too much.
It's not Copilot Plus, but it doesn't have to be
The truth is that the Chromebook Plus and Copilot Plus don't really compete. A Chromebook Plus device costs a fraction of the price of a Copilot Plus laptop. Additionally, Chromebook Plus uses a number of lightweight, cloud-friendly AI features, while Copilot Plus uses powerful on-device processing to support advanced features like Recall.
A better comparison would be Gemini on ChromeOS vs Copilot on Windows. The addition of Gemini to ChromeOS and Google's advanced AI tools included in Chromebook Plus models will likely be all the AI casual users need. Copilot Plus didn't exist before, so Microsoft will show users why they need the unique set of features. All of the Chromebook Plus-exclusive features are things users are already familiar with, like Magic Editor and Gemini.
Chromebook Plus devices won't come close to surpassing Copilot Plus devices in terms of on-device AI performance. However, they could provide enough AI at the right price to win over casual users. In fact, casual users were the target audience for Chromebooks from the beginning.
