Details have slowly leaked out over the previous few weeks about a codenamed Chromebook “Atlas,” which we think to be Google’s next iteration of Chrome OS devices. We have now discovered Atlas ‘ Geekbench benchmarks, demonstrating that the underlying hardware of the Pixelbook 2 candidate will be nearly the same as that of the Pixel Slate.
For a long time, Geekbench has been a relatively reliable source of information about upcoming devices and their specs, revealing specs for both Pixel 4 and Pixel Slate long before either device became official. Our present top candidate for a Pixelbook 2, a codenamed Chromebook “Atlas,” is the recent device to have its tech specs leaked through Geekbench.
Seven distinct benchmarks for what Geekbench calls “Google Atlas” were published between May and July. Comparing the specs shown in the seven possible Pixelbook 2 benchmarks, we discover that at least two distinct models should be accessible.
One sports an Intel i5-8200Y processor while the other has a stronger Intel i7-8500Y. Interestingly, these are the same two processors used in the Pixel Slate’s higher-level designs. That said, Atlas ‘ Intel i5 version scores a much greater benchmark than an i5 Pixel Slate — 7590 vs 5636.
One possible explanation is that, unlike the Pixel Slate, the Atlas Chromebook’s i5 and i7 models appear to be equipped with a whopping 16 GB RAM, a feature that is usually reserved for Google’s top end Pixel Chromebooks.
If Atlas is indeed the Pixelbook 2 and the benchmarks are based on actual retail models, the new standard may be 16 GB of RAM, not an optional upgrade. Making 16 GB the standard would align very well with the declaration made by Google at Cloud Next, their next release of Chrome OS hardware would focus on on – the-go productivity.
We learned from the FCC yesterday that what we believe to be the Google Pixelbook 2 will feature an Intel Wireless-AC 9260 WiFi and Bluetooth chip, as for the remainder of the hardware specs.
On one side note, the name “Google atlas” alone is not sufficient to verify that these benchmarks are actually for the Pixelbook 2. Nearly all Chromebooks appearing in Geekbench benchmarks are prefixed with “Google,” irrespective of their Google Made status.