HP debuts 2 new Chromebooks for business in the Elite c600 series with AMD and Intel on board

Today, HP is announcing two new Chromebooks in the Elite c600 lineup: the HP Chromebook c640 G3 and the Chromebook c645 G2. Both of these devices, while built with work in mind, will be available as consumer devices as well, making them very interesting additions to HP’s upcoming Dragonfly Chromebook with impressive specs, great perks and easier-to-handle price points versus the Dragonfly.

For HP, the driving force behind these Chromebooks is clear: simple and secure experiences for hybrid workers. To hear HP tell it, ChromeOS has never fallen victim to a ransomware attack in its 10+ years as an operating system. It is simple to use, secure, and easy to deploy, making it the right fit for many enterprise settings.

Every company has roles that are critical to the business’ success. These are typically customer-facing jobs that handle sensitive information or manage real-time operations. The technology these people rely on requires higher standards for security, robustness, and performance. If these tools fail, the consequences can be dire: revenue is immediately lost, sensitive data may be exposed, or in the case of public safety such as emergency dispatch or healthcare, people’s safety may be at stake.

Companies are virtualizing applications and desktops to provide enhanced security, resilience, and uninterrupted productivity for mission critical work, especially in hybrid work environments. Eighty-five percent of organizations will embrace a cloud-first strategy by 2025 and they will not be able to fully execute on their digital strategies without the use of cloud-native technologies.

HP is introducing new PC hardware, software, and device management solutions to empower business-critical workers and the IT teams that support them in today’s hybrid world.

Alex Thatcher – Director, Cloud Clients Planning & Commercial Systems, HP Inc.

It is in this vein that HP continues to build high-quality Chromebooks that are great for business, productivity, and general consumption as well. These latest Chromebooks – the Elite c640 G3 and Elite c645 G2 – are examples of this continued effort to refine the Chromebook experience. With access to better screens, better trackpads, and better connectivity than before, both of these new Chromebooks look like they could be fantastic additions to HP’s portfolio as they roll out this summer.

HP Elite c645 G2 Chromebook

The first Chromebook announced today is the Elite c645 Chromebook that is most-notably powered by the AMD Ryzen 5000 C-Series processors. As AMD’s first few Chromebook attempts weren’t very impressive, this latest set of processors looks to right the ship and deliver solid performance that should rival that of Intel’s 11th-gen chips. We had a very early hands-on with this new processor and though those early tests aren’t finalized, the performance was impressive to say the least.

The Elite c645 also gets some notable upgrades in the screen department with options for a 400-nit FHD 14-inch screen, a 1000-nit outdoor-viewable screen, and both Wi-Fi 6E and LTE as well. With enhanced performance, AMD’s fantastic built-in GPU and an aluminum chassis, the Elite c645 Chromebook should be a great contender for both businesses and general consumers alike.

HP Elite c645 G2 Chromebook Specs

• 323mm x 221mm x 19.9mm
• 3.39 lbs/1.54kg
• AMD Ryzen™ 3 to Ryzen™ 7
• Up to 14-inch FHD IPS anti-glare (optional touch)
• Optional HP Sure View Reflect
• Optional 400 nits or 1000 nits brightness
• Up to 16GB LPDDR4X RAM
• Up to 512GB SSD
• Wi-Fi 6E
• Optional LTE
• Fingerprint scanner
• Smart Card reader
• HP Fast Charge (90% in 90 minutes)
• 5MP low-light camera
• MIL-STD 810H certified
• AUE: June 2030

HP Elite c640 G3 Chromebook

For the third iteration of HP’s Elite c640 Chromebook, all of the options available on the Elite c645 are on board and then some. The Elite c640 comes equipped with Intel’s 12th-gen processors (Celeron, Pentium, i3, i5, and i7 options) and the company’s upgraded Iris Xe integrated graphics on the i3 through i7 models. The main upgrades come in the form of a bit of AI in both the camera’s capture abilities and the microphone’s ability to remove unwanted background noise – both presumably due to Intel’s integration, here.

Both of these new Chromebooks are also the first to feature optional Smart Card Readers alongside fingerprint scanners for enhanced security. With upgraded visuals and audio, the addition of more-secure sign-in options with these latest processors and upgraded screens should combine to make incredibly great workforce options for many businesses out there.

HP Elite c640 G3 Chromebook Specs

• 323mm x 221mm x 19.9mm
• 3.39 lbs/1.54kg
• Intel® 12th Gen Celeron™, Pentium™, and Core™ i3/i5/i7 processors
• Up to 14-inch FHD IPS anti-glare (optional touch)
• Optional HP Sure View Reflect
• Optional 400 nits or 1000 nits brightness
• Up to 16GB LPDDR4X RAM
• Up to 512GB SSD
• Wi-Fi 6E
• Optional LTE
• Fingerprint scanner
• Smart Card reader
• HP Fast Charge (90% in 90 minutes)
• 5MP low-light camera
• AI background noise cancelling
• Intel vPro security
• MIL-STD 810H certified
• AUE: June 2030

A robust portfolio from HP for 2022

Adding these two devices to the HP Dragonfly Chromebook should truly round out HP’s higher-end portfolio for this year. With prices starting in the $500 range, both of these Chromebooks will provide a solid level of performance for the price. With the ability for both to be outfitted to run Parallels as well, there’s little reason these two Chromebooks won’t be high on the list of desirable machines for many businesses when they release. We’re awaiting our review units to truly test them out, but from the spec sheets and images we have, we’d wager HP has put together a duo of great Chromebooks that will be in the discussion of best devices of the year.