Google might have another high-end Chromebook in the works. As spotted by Morning Tick Sunday, Geekbench results for a new device, a "Google hatch" equipped with the yet-to-be-announced Intel Core i7-10610U processor, have been posted.
This isn't the first we've heard about Hatch/ Chrome Unboxed revealed details about Hatch in April. (It discovered a subset of devices based on a motherboard code-named "Dratini" after the dragon-type Pokémon, as well.) The device also appeared in Geekbench results in September but with different specs.
Now there appears to be a Hatch device featuring a Dratini motherboard with an Intel Core i7-10610U processor. According to the Geekbench results, that CPU will boast four CPU cores with a base frequency of 4.9 GHz along with 16GB of RAM. The device achieved a single-core score of 1,079 and a multi-core score of 3,240.
Like we said above, the Intel Core i7-10610U hasn't been announced, but we can guess about the device's positioning based on its name. The "U" means that it was designed for low power consumption. Although Chromebooks are often viewed as good devices for children, it looks like this model will be geared toward a more adult audience, since it uses an Intel i7 processor, most of which aren't cheap. According to Chrome Unboxed, the Dratini motherboard is reserved for Intel's 14nm Comet Lake CPUs. Laptops with Comet Lake are already here, such as the Dell XPS 13 with an Intel Core i7-10710U
Reports indicate that Hatch devices will feature displays with 3:2 aspect ratio, backlit keyboards and other changes meant to differentiate them from other Chromebooks.
According to Chrome Unboxed, there are four Comet Lake-based Chromebooks in the works, four of which use the Dratini motherboard and two convertibles using "Dragonair."
It seems like Google's pushing for more high-end Chromebooks in a variety of form factors. There's no guarantee the benchmarked device will see an official release--it could be another prototype or change somewhere along the line--but by now it seems like the company is counting up at least a few eggs.
