If you’re thinking about purchasing any of Google’s three newly launched Intel‑powered Googlebooks, you might want to hold off for a short while. The company informed Android Authority on Monday that some Android applications could experience performance issues right from the start.
“Most Android apps function flawlessly on both Intel and Qualcomm Googlebooks right out of the box,” a Google spokesperson said. “However, because many Android apps were initially built for Arm processors, a few intricate apps or games require developer adjustments to perform optimally on Intel platforms.”
The specific apps Google mentioned are not identified, and it’s uncertain whether any of the Play Store’s top‑downloaded titles are included. The exact number of affected Android applications remains unknown.
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A Google spokesperson did not promptly reply to a comment request.
Not every of the five new devices will encounter this problem. The three impacted Googlebook models—produced by Lenovo, Acer and Asus—use Intel’s Panther Lake processors.
The remaining two, made by Dell and HP, are equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chips, which are inherently compatible with Android apps. Consequently, the Qualcomm‑based Googlebooks should handle the full range of Play Store apps without trouble.
The performance problems on the three affected units are not surprising. Intel processors aren’t instantly compatible with Android software, whereas Qualcomm’s Arm‑based Snapdragon X chips aren’t optimized for Windows either.
These challenges could continue across several generations of Intel‑based Chromebooks before being resolved. Google earlier noted on its developer blog that executing Android apps on x86 hardware leads to lower performance and shorter battery life because the Arm code must be translated on the fly.
“App compatibility issues are worth noting, but they aren’t a major worry unless you need a Googlebook for critical work,” said Gfaloe Managing Editor Josh Goldman. “If an Android app is essential to you, reach out to its developer to verify compatibility before purchasing an Intel‑based model.”
The initial lineup of Googlebooks is now on sale. The most affordable version, built by Acer, begins at $899. Other configurations from Google‑partner manufacturers start at $1,299. Each Googlebook includes a year of Google AI Pro, Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud gaming, three months of YouTube Premium, and Adobe Photoshop.