The former is your standard Surface-esque take on Google’s Chromebook, which comes in four different finishes. The latter is a rather interesting desktop system with a 21.5-inch FHD touch display that can rotate to landscape or portrait mode.
Best Chromebook in 2021Best cheap Chromebook deals in 2021What is a Chromebook and should you buy one?
I’m sure before this past year that no one believed a Chrome OS-based desktop would be announced, but 2020 came along and brought the COVID-19 pandemic with it. In that time, Chromebook sales have exploded. With nearly two years of remote working and at-home learning under our belts, HP has jumped at the opportunity to give us an affordable home machine.
HP Chromebase
The new HP Chromebase has an eye-catching look that would fit the style of any modern home office or high traffic area in your home used for work, school, or play. It resembles an expensive conical Bluetooth speaker with a rotating display attached to it. HP’s new desktop comes in three different trims that offer all the user-friendly goodness of Chrome OS and Google Workspace in a neatly put-together space-saving package. In terms of specs, Chromebase offers a 21.5-inch FHD 1920 x 1080, IPS touch display rated at 250 nits of brightness and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. There are several configuration choices available:
The 22-aa0010 comes with an Intel Pentium Gold 6405U CPU, integrated Intel graphics, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal eMMC storage.The next step up is the 22-aa0127c, which sports a 10th Gen Intel Core i3-10110U CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD.Finally, the 22-aa0130xt has the same 10th Gen Intel Core i3-10110U CPU, but with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD.
Each Chromebase also features two USB Type-A ports and two USB-C ports. Bang & Olufsen tuned dual speakers, and HP’s True Vision 5mp privacy camera with built-in dual-array microphones. Each Chromebase also comes with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.
HP Chromebook x2 11
The new HP Chromebook x2 11 is powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c CPU, paired with Adreno 618 graphics. Three versions come with 8GB of RAM, with the da0097nr version arriving with 4GB of RAM. Each unit features a detail-rich 11-inch 2160 x 1440 multi-touch IPS display, Bang & Olufsen tuned dual speakers, and is claimed to deliver up to 11 hours and 15 minutes of battery life. The new HP Chromebook x2 11 has dimensions of 9.9 x 6.9 x 0.3-inches and weighs 2.57 pounds. The da0047nr and 0097nr models feature Qualcomm Atheros Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5, as well as a Qualcomm Snapdragon X15 LTE modem, offering users greater connectivity options when traveling. Elsewhere, da0013dx and da0023dx configurations come with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity but also cost less. With LTE becoming more common in laptops today, it’s nice to see that option added to Chromebooks All models feature a 5MP HP Wide Vision front camera with dual-array microphones and a rear-facing 8MP shooter. Plus, taking some inspiration from the Microsoft Surface Pro, each model comes with a detachable magnetic keyboard and wireless USI rechargeable magnetic pen. The HP Chromebook x2 11 starting price of $599.99 and will be available at Best Buy this month.
