HP is one of the pioneers of the Chrome OS industry. Back in 2013, when Chromebooks first came out, HP had the privilege of making the first Chromebook ever. However, that doesn’t mean that this US-based manufacturer hasn’t made progress like all the other developers. In fact, HP Chromebooks are some of the best devices to buy right now in the market, with fantastic options like the HP Elite c1030 and the HP x360 14c.
A strong attribute that Chromebooks hailing from this manufacturer boast is battery life. Two HP devices made our list of Chromebooks with the best battery life in 2021, which truly says a lot. There’s no reason we wouldn’t recommend buying an HP product, and today it seems that the time is nigh for a brand-spanking-new laptop – the HP Chromebook 14. The latter has just gone on a ridiculously good sale on Target, shedding a handsome $120 off the device’s original MSRP, making it cost a shocking $139.
- Read our full review of the HP Chromebook 14 here.
The HP Chromebook 14 has several configurations to its name, but the one discounted today packs an AMD Dual-Core A4-9120C processor, which is not something you get to see every day, along with 4 GBs of RAM and 32 GBs of hard drive storage. This is the same model we tested in our review, and there’s one thing we can say about it: this device is nicely balanced out in all respects. At this price point, it’s a solid recommendation if you’re looking for something speedy and lightweight with a small footprint. You will have to compromise a bit in some areas, though, such as the screen, but most of the cons seem to put themselves out of the picture when you weigh in on this current price of the device.
HP Chromebook 14
Read on as we detail you with the full specifications of this Chromebook, along with what to expect and what not to.
HP Chromebook 14 specifications
- CPU: AMD Dual-Core A4-9120C APU
- Display: 14″ Diagonal HD (1366 x 768) SVA
- Graphics: AMD Radeon R3
- Hard Drive Size: 32 GB eMMC flash storage
- RAM: 4 GB
- Camera: HP TrueVision HD camera
- Ports: 2x 3.1 Gen 1 USB-C, 2x 2.0 USB-A, 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD card reader slot
- Battery: Non-universal Lithium-ion battery, 8-10 hours runtime
- Charging Time: 50% in 50 minutes
- Weight: 3.4 lbs
- Price: $249
HP Chromebook 14 overview
As mentioned earlier, the HP Chromebook 14 sports an appreciable standard in all the major aspects that make up the worth of a Chromebook. Even though it’s made out of plastic, its build quality is outright remarkable. The device feels sturdy and firm and does not indicate anyhow that it comes for this cheap. It doesn’t have that much flex, and the hinge feels terrific to move up and down. It’s not mil-spec rated in terms of durability but still feels capable enough to survive harsh usage. Weighing in at around 3.4 pounds, the device is also fairly portable. It’s not extremely lightweight or thin, but it can be picked up easily and taken anywhere needed. It’s definitely one of those Chromebooks that can slide in your backpack effortlessly.
The keyboard and trackpad on most budget-friendly Chromebooks aren’t anything to write home about. They are mostly cheaply built, and the user has to live with them whatsoever. With the HP Chromebook 14, the truth is quite the contrary. It has an awesome keyboard and trackpad combination that do no less than represent HP’s star-studded history of making quality trackpads and keyboards. The latter, in specific, has great key travel and that right amount of clickiness that will accompany you for longs bouts of typing. In addition, the trackpad is spacious, wide, and textured, and oil-resistant.
One facet that we absolutely love of the HP Chromebook 14 is its top-end port selection. By buying this machine, you will have at your disposal two 3.1 Gen 1 USB-C ports and two USB-A ports to make sure your connectivity is at the top of its game. Moreover, it has the standard 3.5mm headphone jack and a microSD card slot to increase the 32 GB storage. The speakers have come off as a pleasant surprise. They’re loud, clear, and are simply high-quality. This is something that we don’t get to see in even mid-range and some high-end devices. Therefore it’s safe to say that the HP Chromebook 14’s B&O branded speakers perform quite well.
One scintillating flaw of this device might measure up to be a deal-breaker for many, and that is, unfortunately, the screen. On paper, the specs tell us that we’re looking at a 14-inch Diagonal HD (1366 x 768) display. For those who aren’t conscious about their display quality, the screen will come off as just okay, but for those on the lookout for this type of thing, the screen has horrible viewing angles. In addition, you’ll be stuck trying to find the perfect alignment for the hinge, and the screen itself has unsatisfactory colors. Still, it’s totally bearable, but we thought putting this out here so your expectations are not shattered when you purchase this device.
Last but not least, the performance is what had us keenly concerned. To our delight, the HP Chromebook 14 is an efficient workhorse that will stay with you till the end of the day, running Play Store and Linux applications without breaking a single sweat. The AMD processor has paid off well on this scaled-down Chromebook, and if we’re to factor in the price again, there are just no complaints. This device handles the basics exceedingly well, but try not to go beyond its league, say, installing another operating system and hoping for it to run. You also get satisfactory battery life out of this machine – about 8-10 hours on a single charge using the Chromebook’s non-universal Lithium-ion battery.
If your budget is tight at the moment, and you’re currently on the hunt for a decent-quality Chromebook, look no further than the HP Chromebook 14 at this amazing price of $139.
