Google Ends Support for Original Chromebook Pixel

Back in 2022, two years after the initial release of Chrome Os, Google decided to take Chromebooks high-end with the beginning e'er Chromebook Pixel. For $1,299, you got a 12.85-inch 3:2 touchscreen display boasting a 2560-past-1700 resolution, a dual core Cadre i5-3427U CPU with Hard disk Graphics 4000, 4GB of RAM, and 32 or 64GB of storage. Five years on, and that Chromebook Pixel is at present obsolete.

What wasn't made a big deal of at the time this very expensive Chromebook appeared is the fact Google only supports each new Chromebook model for about five years. After that, the regular software updates volition end and Google will urge you to consider a hardware upgrade. This is officially referred to as Motorcar Update Expiration (AUE) as covered under Google'southward Auto Update policy.

The 2022 Chromebook Pixel is not allowed to this policy, and as Droid Life reports, the finish of support notification has started appearing for anyone still using the original Pixel every bit you lot tin can meet below:

Chromebook Pixel (2013) End of Support Notification

Information technology doesn't matter that the hardware is still more than than capable of running Chrome OS, or that the brandish is amend than many released in new laptops today. Support for the Pixel has ended and at that place's no getting it back if you keep to run Chrome Os on the hardware. It won't suddenly stop working, but without Google'due south software updates, which practice include security updates, it's only a matter of fourth dimension before you hit a software problem you can't workaround.

There is some good news, though, courtesy of that old true-blue: Linux. Every bit Server The Dwelling house (STH) explains, the original Pixel is even so a very capable device, and switching it over into Developer Mode allows yous to install a new operating system. STH confirms that Ubuntu 18.04 runs well, and turns the now unsupported device into an upwardly-to-date Linux laptop.

So if you nevertheless own and use the original Chromebook Pixel, continue enjoying it. At the aforementioned fourth dimension, when yous have a free weekend fix aside some time and convert it over to a Linux laptop. Yous'll exist guaranteeing years more than life out of this premium laptop.