ASUS Googlebook 14 Now Available in Canada, Starting at $1,799

ASUS’ first Googlebook laptop is now available in Canada, combining an ultralight design and high-end OLED display with Google’s new Gemini Intelligence platform.

The ASUS Googlebook 14 starts at $1,799 CAD with an Intel Core Ultra 5 325 processor, while the Core Ultra 7 355 configuration costs $1,899. Both models include 16GB of LPDDR5X memory and a 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD. Googlebook is Google’s new premium laptop platform sitting above its traditional Chromebook offerings. ASUS is one of five launch partners alongside Acer, Dell, HP and Lenovo, which we previously broke down in our Googlebook Canadian buyer’s guide.

ASUS is leaning particularly hard into portability. The Googlebook 14 weighs just 0.99kg (2.18 pounds) and measures as little as 10.9mm thick. Its CNC-machined magnesium-aluminum chassis uses the company’s Nano Ceramic finish to resist scratches and stains and has been tested against MIL-STD-810H durability standards.

Despite that size, ASUS hasn’t skimped on the display. There’s a 14-inch 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 1,000 nits of peak HDR brightness. Gorilla Glass Victus with a matte anti-glare treatment covers the display.

A six-speaker system combines dual force-cancelling woofers and two tweeters, while ASUS has fitted a large six-point force-sensing haptic touchpad. The backlit keyboard offers 1.5mm of key travel. Battery life is rated at up to 18 hours from a 70Wh battery.

Gemini takes centre stage

The bigger story is Google’s Gemini Intelligence software. Magic Pointer lets users wiggle the cursor to activate Gemini and then interact directly with what’s displayed on-screen. ASUS says it can compare information, translate text, create content and suggest actions without requiring you to jump between applications.

Rambler takes spoken thoughts and turns them into organized notes, summaries, checklists and documents, including when multiple languages are used. Meanwhile, Create My Widget can generate personalized desktop widgets from natural-language requests.

Googlebook is also designed to work closely with Android phones. During setup, passwords, Wi-Fi networks, settings and messages can transfer securely to the laptop. Continue On lets users begin something on their Android phone and resume it on Googlebook, while Cast My Apps provides access to Android apps directly from the laptop.

That Android integration was one of the major features highlighted when Googlebook pre-orders originally opened in Canada. Connectivity includes two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, HDMI 2.1b, a 3.5mm headphone jack and Wi-Fi 7.

Eligible buyers also receive 12 months of Google AI Pro with 5TB of cloud storage, plus three months of YouTube Premium, Adobe Premiere and CapCut Pro. ASUS is additionally including 12 months of Luminar Photo Editor and GeForce NOW Fast Pass.

The ASUS Googlebook 14 is available now in Canada through the ASUS Store, Amazon Canada, Best Buy Canada, Canada Computers, Costco Canada and Staples Canada.