Google has fired another salvo at Microsoft today, announcing a slew of new Chrome OS-powered computers. Two new Chromebooks – the Haier Chromebook 11 and the Hisense Chromebook – are the cheapest laptops ever made that run Google’s operating system, each with a price of $149.
They’re available for pre-order today and create an interesting entry level floor for the company’s low-cost laptops. They won’t be confused with speed demons, though: both laptops use quad-core ARM processors, and only sport 2GB of RAM and 16 GB of on-board storage. These aren’t designed to be high-performance computers, but rather a lower-end option for people on a budget.
There will be even more Chromebooks coming from other manufacturers later this year as well. Asus is slated to release a $250 Chromebook Flip that (as the name implies) can be used in either a laptop configuration or with the screen flipped around like a tablet.
In addition to the new Chromebooks, Google also unveiled a new device called the Chromebit that will be released later this year. Built by ASUS, it’s smaller than a candy bar and plugs directly into a monitor’s HDMI port. The price has yet to be determined, but Google said that it will cost less than $100. (People will have to provide their own keyboard and mouse.)
These lower-end devices have the potential to upend part of the traditional PC market for people who need a lower-cost alternative to existing laptops and desktops. It comes at a pivotal time for the PC market, when Microsoft is trying to bring people back into the Windows fold with Windows 10, and Apple’s sales of Macs continue to grow.