HP goes back to Intel for new Chromebook 14 laptops
One year after using Nvidia chips to power its Chromebook 14, HP is going back to Intel's silicon.
The new HP Chromebook 14 model available on November 8 runs on an Intel Celeron processor, which is fairly standard fare for computers running on Google's ChromeOS platform. Like last year's Chromebook 14, the latest version is fanless and quiet. The starting price is $249.99.
The 14-inch display at that base price is a 1366 x 768 resolution, however.
Having used the older HP Chromebook 14 laptops, my eyes appreciate the $279.99 option with 1920 x 1080 resolution, so I'd opt for that one.
And even though the optional FullHD model is pushing more pixels, it still gets all-day battery life: HP says you can expect 9 hours and 15 minutes of run-time on a single charge.
Some of that long battery life is due to more room for actual batteries.
This large Chromebook weighs 3.94 pounds and is 17.8 millimeters thick. A small, lightweight machine this isn't. While you can surely tote it around the Chromebook 14 may be best suited for a split between time on the desk and time out on the town.
All that extra space compared to smaller devices allows for more ports too. There's a single USB 3.0 port, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, HDMI out and a micro SD card reader. The USB 3.0 port uses HP's Sleep and Charge technology so you can top off the batteries of a companion device even if the Chromebook 14 isn't powered on but is plugged in.
Buyers will get 100 GB of free Google Drive storage included for two years as well as 12 Gogo in-flight internet passes and a three-month trial of Google Play Music. Also included are three Google Play movie rentals.
HP says it will also offer a Turbo Silver Chromebook 14 G4 model for education and enterprises. The laptop is verified for Citrix Receiver 1.8 and has additional security and VPN options. That model will start at 279.99 later this month.