Chromebook Pixel Will Have Ivy Bridge CPU, LTE Support?

Despite all the talk that Google's Chromebook Pixel may be a fake, additional details have surfaced regarding its hardware. We already know that it will sport a full touchscreen display with a 2560 x 1700 resolution, but there are also signs that the Chrome OS-based notebook will have an Ivy Bridge CPU, a backlit keyboard and support for 4G LTE connectivity..

Google's supposed in-house Chromebook actually appears in the new Chromium OS code as "Google Link" – the company has previously used code names like Snow, Daisy, Butterfly, Mario and Parrot with other devices. Traces of Google Link can even be found within the code for support of HighDPI.

According to Myce, Chrome OS developers are arguing to enable HighDPI only on Google Link because it slows down the booting process on older Chromebooks. This seemingly confirms reports of a 2560 x 1700 resolution, but the report speculates that it may actually be 2560 x 1600 given that this resolution was recently proposed as the default for laptops by Linux founder Linus Torvalds.

On the Ivy Bridge CPU front, a specific change in the source code talks about adding support for the Link chipset. "By watching what changed in the file, it's obvious that the only thing changed is support for the Pantherpoint chipset which hosts Intel’s latest generation CPUs based on the Ivy Bridge architecture," Myce writes.

Currently it’s unknown whether the CPU will be a Celeron or one of the three Intel Core chips, and at what clock speed. However a Celeron CPU will likely be what's chosen for Google Link given the fact that Chromebooks are usually thin clients. Also found in the Chrome OS code are signs of a highly-requested backlit keyboard. The LTE aspect was actually revealed over in a thread by Chrome OS developers who talk about using the Novatel E362 LTE modem (which is actually a PCIe board).

While the Google Link / Chromebook Pixel video may have been fake, there's plenty of evidence to support the existence of the device in the Chrome OS code itself. We're still betting this new Macbook Air-style Chromebook will make its first appearance in May 15 - 17 (thanks Daniel!) during Google I/O 2013.

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