By Grace Kim

Reviewers have completed hands-on testing of Googlebook laptops from Dell, Lenovo and HP. The verdict: the hardware is good, the software is not ready.

All three systems delivered what reviewers expected from major PC makers. The builds, keyboards and displays met the standard set by conventional Windows laptops at similar prices. Dell, Lenovo and HP each brought their established industrial design to the platform.

The operating system drew the criticism. Testers found the software incomplete for daily use. The platform is Google's, and the laptops carry a new operating environment that reviewers judged unfinished at the time of testing.

What did the reviews conclude?

The reviews paired praise for hardware with a clear warning on software. Reviewers recommended waiting. They described the machines as nice hardware held back by an operating system that still needs work before it can serve as a primary computer.

The finding matters for buyers considering a switch. The three vendors cover most of the commercial laptop market between them. Dell, Lenovo and HP shipping a new class of device signals a real product push, not a limited experiment.

Who tested the laptops?

Andrew Freedman conducted the testing. He oversees laptop and desktop coverage and has published work at Kotaku, PCMag, Complex, Tom's Guide and Laptop Mag. His beat is portable computers, which places this review within his regular scope.

Freedman's conclusion applies to the current state of the software. Operating systems mature through updates. A device that falls short today can improve without a hardware change, since the deficit sits in the software layer rather than the silicon.

What should buyers do?

For now, the practical answer is to wait. The hardware from all three vendors passed inspection. The software did not. Anyone needing a dependable machine today has better-established options from the same three manufacturers.

The competitive picture depends on how quickly Google closes the software gap. If the operating system reaches parity with established platforms, the hardware is already in place across three major vendors and ready to ship at scale.