While HP was far from the first to embrace Google’s Chrome OS, the company made up for its late adoption of the operation system with a pair of competitively priced options that includes the world’s only 14-inch notebook. Now, both systems are receiving an update.
The Chromebook 11, which currently features an ARM processor from Samsung, will be updated with an unspecified Intel Celeron. The new model will measure just over 20 millimeters thick, which makes it a few millimeters thicker than the outgoing version, and weight has increased from 2.3 to almost 3 pounds. HP’s willingness to add baggage to its 11-inch Chromebook seems to indicate the Samsung processor wasn’t offering the performance it needed.
Available ports will include a USB 3.0 connection, one USB 2.0, an HDMI output, an SD card slot, and a combo headphone/mic jack. Plus, you get 100GB of free Google Drive storage for two years. Color options include Snow White, Ocean Turquoise and Twinkle Black Sparkle.
Strangely, the Chromebook 14 – which used to be equipped with an Intel processor – is switching teams in the opposite direction. The new model will instead ship with Nvidia’s new Tegra K1, the company’s most powerful ARM processor. While HP has not revealed the specifics of the chip’s implementation in the Chromebook 14, earlier announcements about the K1 indicate that the chip can offer up to four Cortex A15 cores clocked as high as 2.3GHz. HP also plans to make a touchscreen version available later this fall.
Though its screen is larger than its 11-inch cousin, the Chromebook 14 is thinner (17.8mm), and weighs only three-quarters of a pound more. Connectivity options are similar to those found on the Chromebook 11, but they also include an extra USB port while retaining USB 3.0. The Chromebook 14 is also wired for broadband data through T-Mobile (in the USA) and DataPass (in Europe). You can pick from four color options: Smoke Silver, Sorbet Orange, Ocean Turquoise, and Neon Green.
Both systems arrive in October; the Chromebook 11 will land on October 5 at $280, while the Chromebook 14 will be available starting October 22 at $300.
These dates are good for the United States only. Global launch dates have not yet been announced.
