Google and Samsung have again joined forces to produce a new Chromebook. But here’s the thing: this one’s cheaper, lighter and intended for all the family.

The Samsung Chromebook will begin retailing on 26 October from Amazon and PC World - that’s right, the same day Microsoft launches it Windows 8 operating system.

Weighing in at 1.1kg and measuring only 0.8-inches thick, the Samsung Chromebook is Wi-Fi only – its older sibling the Samsung Chromebook Series 5 550 was also 3G compatible. 

Firing up in less than 10 seconds, the Samsung Chromebook features an 11.6-inch 1080p hi-res display, which is smaller than its predecessor. It also runs on an ARM chip, rather than Intel CPU.

Intended for consumers who are prepared to store everything on Google’s cloud service, Google Drive, the Samsung Chromebook comes with 100GB of free storage.

Multiple accounts can be stored on one device enabling a family of four, for example, to all have access to their individual music, documents and spreadsheets from one computer, while there's instant access to other Google services including YouTube and Gmail.

Google and Samsung are championing the price of the new Chromebook, saying it’s an ideal option for a second, or even third computer in the home.

Starting at £229.99, it’s certainly very enticing and could be worth keeping an eye on among all the Windows 8 delights set to be released.