Geeknewz exclusive comparison built from 9to5Google's Lenovo confirmation, Gizmodo's OEM and Google pricing update (including Google's on-record reply), and Lenovo's own Googlebook 15 specs. No invented quotes or unpublished SKUs.
A week before Googlebook OS laptops hit US shelves on October 4, the price sheet Google floated when the five machines were announced no longer matches what OEMs and Best Buy are posting. That is not a rumor cycle. Lenovo put a lower number in its own materials, Dell told Gizmodo the XPS Googlebook is $999 at Best Buy, and Google itself told Gizmodo that OEMs and retailers set prices. If you were comparing these Chromebook successors off the first Google list, you should rebuild the table before you preorder.
This exclusive is that table, with the announced-to-current deltas spelled out so you can check the math, plus a plain Geeknewz take on who should buy which machine first.
Announced vs what you can actually pay
Gizmodo's recount of Google's early breakdown put Dell around $1,200, Lenovo at $1,300, HP and Asus at $1,299, and Acer at a limited-time $899. 9to5Google separately reported Google's Lenovo figure as $1,299 and Dell's as $1,199 before the corrections. The street numbers that matter now, per Gizmodo's store-page check and OEM confirmations, look like this:
| Model | Early Google-linked price | Current starting price | Cut | % off early list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dell XPS Googlebook | $1,199–$1,200 | $999 (Best Buy; Dell to Gizmodo) | ~$200–$201 | ~16.7% ($201 ÷ $1,200) |
| Lenovo Googlebook 15 | $1,299–$1,300 | $1,099 (Lenovo / Best Buy) | $200–$201 | ~15.4% ($200 ÷ $1,299) |
| HP Googlebook 14 | $1,299 | $1,199 (Gizmodo store check) | $100 | ~7.7% ($100 ÷ $1,299) |
| Asus Googlebook 14 | $1,299 | $1,299 | $0 | 0% |
| Acer Googlebook 14 | $899 (limited-time) | $899 (limited-time) | $0 for now | 0% until Acer ends the promo |
Inputs so you can audit us: Dell $201 ÷ $1,200 = 0.1675; Lenovo $200 ÷ $1,299 ≈ 0.154; HP $100 ÷ $1,299 ≈ 0.077. The lineup spread from cheapest promo Acer to sticky Asus is still $899 to $1,299, a $400 gap ($1,299 − $899). That is a wide window for five machines that all launch the same week on the same new OS.
One messy detail: 9to5Google noted the Google Store still showed Lenovo at $1,149 even after Lenovo and Best Buy posted $1,099. Gizmodo later said Lenovo's own site and Google's store were closer to $1,050. Treat the cart as live until October 4. Google's reply to Gizmodo is the useful primary line here: OEMs and retailers set prices, and promotions or SKU differences can move the number. In other words, the first Google list was not a locked MSRP card.
What Lenovo is actually selling for $1,099
Lenovo's Googlebook 15 is the clearest OEM-confirmed configuration in this correction wave. Per Lenovo's materials as quoted by 9to5Google, the base $1,099 machine is an Intel Core Ultra 5 with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage. Lenovo also claims up to 47 TOPS of NPU performance, a 15-inch OLED at 120Hz, under-3-pound weight, about 12.5 hours of battery, a haptic trackpad, and top-facing Dolby Atmos speakers, with memory options up to 32GB. Availability matches the rest of the class: October 4.
That puts Lenovo's corrected start $100 above Dell's $999 XPS Googlebook and $200 above Acer's limited $899, while sitting $200 under Asus at $1,299. If you care about a bigger OLED and do not need the cheapest ticket, the Lenovo cut is the one that changed the comparison most for mid-pack buyers.
Geeknewz verdict
Geeknewz's view: rebuild your shortlist from current Best Buy and OEM carts, not from the first Google slide. Acer at $899 is still the value play, but Acer told Gizmodo that promo will not last, so treat it as a timer. Dell at $999 and Lenovo at $1,099 look like the corrected "real" midrange after Google's early numbers slipped. Asus holding $1,299 needs a clear Ultra 7 or build reason before you pay a $200 premium over Lenovo or a $300 premium over Dell ($1,299 − $999). HP's $100 trim to $1,199 is welcome, but it is a smaller move than the Dell and Lenovo resets.
If you already own a Chromebook, check Google's upgrade path before you spend four figures on day one. If you are buying new, wait for independent battery and performance numbers in launch week, and screenshot the checkout price the day you order. This launch already proved the first number is not always the shelf number.