When Apple launched the MacBook Neo in March, the company’s low-cost laptop sent shivers through the budget laptop market, potentially killing off cheap Chromebooks and entry-level Windows laptops in the process.

But in May, Google bit back, announcing a swathe of new AI-native laptops called Googlebooks. Running on a completely new operating system that combines Android and ChromeOS, they could help Google take on Apple’s budget MacBook.

Now, leaked press renders, courtesy of Digital Citizen, reveals one of the first Googlebook laptops ahead of its autumn launch. The images appear to show the upcoming Lenovo Googlebook 15, a slim silver 15in laptop with lots of new keys and buttons.

One of the biggest changes is with the keyboard itself. Google has seemingly swapped the Windows key for a Google ‘G’ key for quickly summoning Gemini. There's also a redesigned launcher key, and the row of function keys appear to include shortcuts for accessibility, microphone controls and a profile switching key. There’s no number pad, despite this being a full-size 15in laptop.

We also get a sneak peek at the Googlebook OS. The status bar up top almost looks like the status bar on an Android phone, but there’s also an Apple-like dock on the bottom showing Gemini, Chrome, Gmail, Google Calendar, YouTube, Google Photos, Files, Canva, the Play Store and, most interesting of all, Adobe Premiere Pro.

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That suggests Google is positioning its Googlebooks to run CPU and RAM-intensive apps, making them run like full-blown laptops than the Chromebooks of old.

The laptop also appears to include two USB-C ports, a USB-A port, HDMI output, a headphone jack and what looks to be a microSD card slot. There are also upward-firing speakers with Dolby Atmos branding, a webcam with a privacy shutter and slim display bezels.

While the leak reveals plenty about the laptop's design, Lenovo is yet to confirm any specifications. There's still no word on which processor it will use, how much RAM or storage it will boast, its display resolution or how much it will cost.

A separate leak from Android Headlines suggests Lenovo has even more Googlebook devices in the pipeline. As well as the Lenovo Googlebook 15, the company is reportedly developing a Googlebook 2-in-1 laptop-tablet hybrid with stylus support. According to the publication, it will include a dedicated AI Mouse with its own AI shortcut key.

When it unveiled Googlebooks in May, Google said the new platform would work seamlessly with Android phones and apps. Unlike traditional Chromebooks, which relied heavily on web apps, users will reportedly be able to open phone apps directly on their laptop screen, quickly access files stored on their handset without transferring them manually and move between devices more quickly.

It sounds a lot like how Apple’s MacBook and iPhone ecosystem work together currently. Google says that because it’s built on the Android stack, it’ll have more frequent software updates.

Google also announced that its Googlebooks would be the first laptops designed with Gemini AI at their core – and that even extends to the much-neglected cursor. The company introduced something called Magic Pointer, which goes beyond the traditional right-click.

If you shake your cursor, Gemini will serve up contextual suggestions every time you point at something on your screen. Google said users will also be able to organise a meeting simply by pointing at a date in an email, as well as selecting two images, such as a sofa and your living room, to combine them into a single AI-generated image.

It’s also said users would be able to create their own custom desktop widgets using Gemini AI. The feature can reportedly pull information from apps like Gmail and Google Calendar to build personalised dashboards. Google gave the example of planning a family reunion in Berlin, with Gemini automatically organising flights, hotel bookings, restaurant reservations and countdowns into one place on your desktop.

Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo will be the first manufacturers to launch Googlebook laptops, though full specifications, pricing and release dates have yet to be announced. The first Googlebook devices are expected to launch this autumn at IFA.

Launched in March, Apple’s affordable MacBook Neo is currently £100 off at Amazon. The first ever Mac laptop to be powered by an iPhone processor, it uses the chip found in the iPhone 16 Pro. “The Apple MacBook Neo is sensational. The look and feel are premium, with great materials and exceptional build quality throughout,” said tech critic David Phelan in his Macbook Neo review. “The Neo is a dream to use. For everyday programs, it’s fast and effective, whether you’re typing emails, surfing the web, watching butter-smooth video playback or playing music.”

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