Asus Googlebook 14 Review: Why the Hardware Impresses, but the OS Doesn't

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Asus Googlebook 14 Review: Why the Hardware Impresses, but the OS Doesn't.

Imagine you buy a premium notebook with Chromebook roots – and the only thing that gets in the way in everyday use is precisely the operating system. That's exactly the short version of what the colleagues at Frandroid experienced in their first review of the Asus Googlebook 14. Asus is one of the few manufacturers to be the very first to bring a device from the new "Googlebook" lineup to market.

What exactly is a Googlebook? Good question – because the device class is new. Frandroid describes it as a "premium" evolution of Chromebooks, with a proprietary Google operating system tailored to laptops. Sounds like the next logical step after netbook and Chromebook. Only: the first attempt seems to stumble on the software side.

What Frandroid praises about the Asus Googlebook 14

The hardware makes a really good impression in the test. Frandroid writes that the machine convinces "in the broad strokes" – translated from French, that's a hefty compliment. Anyone standing there with the Asus Googlebook 14 in hand thus apparently gets a fundamentally solid premium device that takes the Chromebook concept one step further – complete with the promise of a Google OS that can do more than just replicate Chrome in a browser.

Where the review draws a clear line: the new Google OS

The catch isn't in the laptop itself, but in the operating system. Frandroid gets straight to the point: "It is precisely the new Google system that isn't mature." For a device positioned as the premium successor to Chromebooks, that's a real problem – anyone who wants to use a notebook as a work device expects an operating system that doesn't get in the way in daily use.

It is precisely the new Google system that isn't mature.

What this means for you if you're eyeing a purchase

If you're in the mood for more of a premium feel in the Chromebook universe, the idea behind the Googlebook sounds tempting at first. The hardware of the Asus model seems to fulfill that wish. The OS, however, does not – at least not in its current state, which Frandroid has examined closely.

This is a classic case of "it's worth waiting": if Google catches up and polishes the system with updates, the Asus Googlebook 14 could become a really strong everyday laptop. But as long as that doesn't happen, you're buying a piece of the future that's held back by the software in the here and now.

Conclusion: Potential yes, recommendation currently no

Asus evidently delivers with the Googlebook 14 exactly what Chromebook fans have long wanted – a premium device in the right laptop form factor. What's missing is an operating system that can deliver on that promise. Frandroid's verdict is therefore also a bit of a missed opportunity: great machine, wrong timing. If you don't absolutely need to jump on it now, it's worth waiting to see how things develop.