The HP x360 14 Chromebook from the front. HP The HP x360 14 Chromebook from the back. HP Ports on one side of the HP x360 14 Chromebook… HP …and ports on the other side. HP The keyboard on the HP x350 14 Chromebook. HP One of the convertible configurations. HP Another convertible configuration. HP Yet another convertible configuration. HP
This week, HP announced a new 14-inch machine running Google's Chrome OS: the HP Chromebook x360 14. That's not to be confused with the 14-inch HP Pavilion x360 that runs Windows or last year's HP Chromebook x360 11.
HP says this is its thinnest Chromebook ever, at just 16mm. The entry-level configuration ships equipped with an eighth-generation Core i3 CPU, but a Core i5 option will also be available. As for graphics, the x360 14 has Intel's UHD Graphics 620. Other specs include a 1080p display, 8GB DDR4-2400 SDRAM, and 64GB of storage. In terms of connectivity, it of course has 802.11b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, plus Bluetooth 4.2. Ports include two USB-C and two USB-A, a headphone jack, and a microSD card slot. HP promises up to 13.5 hours of battery life. There's also a backlit keyboard and an HD webcam with a microphone. The device measures 12.81 x 8.93 x 0.63 inches.
Like a lot of laptops at this price point, the x360 14 is a convertible—interesting, given that Google's own flagship new Chrome OS device announced at almost the same time is a tablet.
HP is going for that "premium" vibe with this one, talking up the materials in its press releasing and pricing it starting at $600. That's right at the price point that Ars' own Peter Bright opined makes Chromebooks a real threat to Microsoft. As students who were introduced to Chromebooks in school grow up, they might find themselves in possession of the funds to purchase something a little nicer than the as-cheap-as-possible machines they used in classrooms before—and if companies like HP provide, then they might be inclined to stay in that ecosystem instead of switching to Windows.
HP has been a reliable source of attractive Chromebooks lately; Ars was impressed by Chromebook x2. The x2 made the prospect of Chrome OS as a primary platform for getting work done seem viable our reviewer. If you're not feeling that device's detachable approach and prefer a convertible, the x360 looks like a solid entry in a crowded category in this price range. It's certainly more practical for more users than the education-oriented 11-inch device that HP shipped last year.
Preorders have already started both from HP's store and from Best Buy. The device will ship on October 18.
Listing image by HP
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Ars Technica
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