Google has unveiled its second-generation Chromebook Pixel - and it's a good deal cheaper than its predecessor. The new Pixel starts at $999, and it has some pretty decent specs to match its premium price tag, including:

12.85-inch multi-touch LCD with 3:2 aspect ratio at 2560x1700px resolution (identical to the first-gen Pixel)
2.2GHz Intel Core i5 / 2.4GHz Intel Core i7 processor options
8GB / 16GB RAM
32GB / 64GB onboard storage

720p front-facing camera

Backlit keyboard
2 x USB Type-C ports
2 x USB 3.0 ports
SD card slot
Bluetooth 4.0
802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi

Up to 12 hours' battery life
297.7 x 224.6 x 15.3mm; 1.5kg

As you may have spotted in the specs above, the Chromebook Pixel features two USB Type-C ports - twice as many as the new 12-inch MacBook which debuted this week - although the Google machine is also a bit chunkier than Apple's latest notebook. This multifunction port can handle video-out as well as charging the Pixel up (indeed, there is no standalone charging port). Google claims that from a single 15-minute charge, you can squeeze out up to two hours of battery life, and with a full charge, it says that you should expect up to 12 hours of juice. The $999 model comes with a 2.2GHz Core i5 CPU, 32GB storage and 8GB of RAM; but for those with even more expensive tastes, a $1299 "Ludicrous Speed" version will also be available with a 2.4GHz Core i7, 64GB of storage and a whopping 16GB of RAM.