Google, Dell reveal first dedicated Chromebook Enterprise laptops

Google is getting serious about bringing its enterprise operation system to business customers, partnering with Dell to release the first dedicated Chromebooks for the enterprise.

The internet giant announced the Chrome Enterprise OS in 2017 but until now, most deployments have been kept to education.

Google seems aware that making the switch from a Windows or Mac ecosystem can be daunting for businesses, hence the introduction of the first two Chromebook Enterprise devices. Google said the devices come with “everything businesses need right out of the box” without needing a separate license, according to a Google blog post.

Dell has come up with two different form factors: the Dell Latitude 5400 14-inch laptop, and the 5300 13-inch 2-in-1. The devices can be configured with up to an 8th Gen Intel i5 and i7 processor, and offer up to 32GB and 1TB of SSD storage. Google promised more Chromebook Enterprise device announcements from OEMs in the coming months.

Google spruiked the new device features: combined security from Google and Dell, combined support from Dell ProSupport and Chrome Enterprise Support, and backing from Dell’s Unified Workspace platform for deploying and managing devices from the cloud. Dell will also become a G Suite and Drive Enterprise reseller, which includes Google Docs, Sheets and Slides.

Businesses that have already deployed a Chromebook fleet can enquire about an upgrade to Chrome Enterprise on Google’s website.

To make it easier for businesses to deploy Chromebooks, Google hyped up its revamped admin console, which can manage deployments from a centralised location. The new console comes with updated material design, search on every page and redesigned workflows, which Google said leads to 10x faster load times.

Google also announced that customers can enable managed Linux environments on Chromebooks, currently in beta.

“The core of our business is to help customers digitally transform and our enterprise customers have asked for more choice in how they do that,” said Dell’s VP for commercial client products Rahul Tikoo.

“Partnering with Google to launch the first Dell Latitude Chromebook Enterprise offers customers that choice, plus the speed, security and ease of use that enterprises need."