Big Chromebook Plus, even bigger savings

The Chromebook Plus deals space is a shifty one these days. It almost has the feel of watching a basketball game where players are brought on and off of the bench as the game goes on. One week we’ll have one lineup, and the next we’ll see it all change. That has most definitely been the case this week as nearly all the Chromebook and Chromebook Plus models that were on sale a week ago have gone back to full price while multiple others have tumbled down once again.

And this week, one of the more-enticing deals out there for a new Chromebook Plus model has resurfaced, seeing the competent, fun-to-use HP 15.6-inch Chromebook Plus drop a whopping $200 down to just $299. It’s a massive discount on one of the two larger, 15.6-inch Chromebook Plus models, so if you’ve been waiting for a larger-screen version of the Chromebook Plus experience, now might be your time.

What the HP 15.6-inch Chromebook Plus gets right

For starters, with this Chromebook, you are getting fast, reliable Chromebook Plus internals. The 12th-gen Intel Core i3-N305 is proven, and putting it with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage is a Chromebook Plus requirement for a reason: it just works well. Pair that up with a 1080p 15.6-inch anti-glare screen, a great keyboard/trackpad, solid speakers, and a numeric keypad and you have an expectedly-good Chromebook experience.

The things I’d love to see in the HP 15.6-inch Chromebook Plus include some backlighting on the keyboard, a touchscreen, more brightness on that screen (it’s 250 nits), and a few more ports on this larger chassis where there’s plenty of room for them. And at the standard $499 asking price, I think those wants are totally justified. This Chromebook – like many Chromebook Plus models – is just solid at delivering a great user experience even with a few shortcomings. That’s the name of the game with these devices, and at this sort of price, you just can’t go wrong.