Chromebooks equipped with AMD dGPUs are apparently in the works

(Image credit: Future)

Chromebooks aren't known for their PC gaming capabilities, but an upcoming Chrome OS laptop known as Mushu has reportedly been spotted, and it sports an AMD discrete graphics card unit (dGPU).

Spotted by Chrome Unboxed, a build configuration for Mushu indicates the Chromebook will feature an Intel 10th Gen processor and an AMD Vega 12 dGPU — with 4GB of high-speed memory, 1024 compute cores, and driver support in Linux. Specs for the GPU were spotted by Wccftech in a development board leaked on eBay.

Best cheap Chromebook deals in July 2021
Best college laptops in 2021
What is a Chromebook and why you should (or shouldn't) buy one

As the report points out, Valve may play a big role in the development of the Mushu Chromebook, as Steam is expected to be coming to Chrome OS devices soon, too. With an AMD GPU in the mix, a gaming-ready Chromebook would be a fitting way to show off Steam games.

A Chromium Gerrit update suggested that Google is working on a new Game Mode feature to work alongside its Borealis, a code name for an upcoming Steam gaming container for Chrome OS.

The Borealis project has been hinting at a Steam game container since last year, as rumor had it Google and Valve were coming up with a plan to bring Steam to Chrome OS. With the new commits, all signs are pointing towards Steam coming to Chromebooks very soon. Some believe it's likely to come as soon as 2021.

The so-called Mushu Chromebook could be one of the first to show off Steam on Chrome OS, which means Chromebook gaming is about to see a huge leap forward. Who knows, Chromebooks may be among the best budget gaming laptops in the near future. For now, we'll keep our fingers crossed.

You may like

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.