Google is introducing the Chromebook Plus badge. ChromeOS devices with the moniker have minimum hardware requirements and will be granted exclusive software and AI features, with Google promising a higher level of performance. On October 8, eight new laptops with the Chromebook Plus branding will be released in North America, starting at $399.

In a blog post today, John Maletis, VP of ChromeOS product, engineering, and UX at Google, said Chromebook Plus laptops have “double the performance” when compared to the top-selling Chromebooks from July to December 2022. Most of that somewhat vague claim comes from the Chromebook Plus’ minimum hardware requirements:

• Intel Core i3 12th Gen or AMD Ryzen 3 7000-series processor
• 8GB of RAM
• 128GB of storage
• 1080p IPS display
• 1080p resolution webcam with temporal noise reduction

Some Chromebooks released before today meet those minimum requirements already. A Google spokesperson said that owners of such laptops “will get upgraded to the Chromebook Plus software experience in the coming weeks.”