Support our independent tech coverage. Chrome Unboxed is written by real people, for real people—not search algorithms. Join Chrome Unboxed Plus for just $2 a month to get an ad-free experience, access to our private Discord, and more. Learn more about membership here.
START FREE TRIAL (MONTHLY)START FREE TRIAL (ANNUAL)
Just a few weeks ago, a mysterious new device showed up at Best Buy and looked an awful lot like the HP Elite c1030 Chromebook we reviewed months ago. The model name wasn’t apparent from the listing, but it became clear quite quickly that this ‘new’ HP Chromebook was identical in every way to the c1030, even if it didn’t bear the same name. Instead, this device was going by a more consumer-friendly x360 13c name and if you didn’t look closely, you may have thought a whole new Chromebook had been silently released by HP.
Misinformation? Yes. Superb Chromebook? Also Yes.
The real problems came up when we started looking at the actual specifications for this new Chromebook. While the 10th-gen Core i5 chip, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of NVMe SSD storage all lined up, there were also indications in the listing that this model came equipped with LTE and the upgraded anti-glare screen HP charges $90 extra for. Nevermind the fact that LTE adds at least an additional $200 on that final price tag as well. Coming in at only $949, this Chromebook seemed a bit too good to be true. After all, spec’d the same way over on HP’s store, this model comes in at a whopping $1800. Something seemed off.
So we did what we do and went to get one at our local Best Buy. Our suspicions were confirmed when we got it out of the box and immediately recognized that this was in fact an exact duplicate of the HP Elite c1030 we have in the office right now. However, regardless of what is pictured on Best Buy’s site and what is listed in the spec sheet on HP’s own website, this model does not come with either the anti-glare screen or the LTE nano-SIM slot.
That bit of misinformation aside, this is still a fantastic Chromebook. It still retains all the great things about the HP Elite c1030 and does so at a much lower price. What you’re actually getting is still superb and well worth the $949 asking price in my opinion. There are few Chromebooks that feel this great to use and HP has absolutely nailed the premium Chromebook experience with this one. Just like the Elite c1030, this Chromebook is packed with features and built as precicely as any laptop I’ve ever used. It really is beautiful.
HP Chromebook x360 13c Key Specs
- 10th-gen Core i5-10210U
- 8GB RAM
- 256GB NVMe SSD
- 13.5-inch IPS 3:2 display @ 400 nits (1920×1280)
- Corning Gorilla Glass 5, 100% sRGB
- 90.1% screen-to-body ratio
- 50Wh Li-ion polymer 10-hour battery
- Wi-Fi 6
- Bluetooth 5
- 720p Webcam with privacy toggle
- Backlit keyboard
- Large glass trackpad
- Fingerprint scanner
- USI pen support
- 2x USB Type C ports
- 1x USB Type A port
- Headphone/mic jack
- 3lbs.
- 11.6 x 8.54 x 0.66-inches
With a spec sheet like that and a build quality that matches the best of the best, there’s no denying the awesomeness of the HP Chromebook x360 13c. Sure, $949 is a lot for a Chromebook these days, but this one delivers not only the spec sheet many users want, but the looks, functionality and pristine build quality they desire as well. There’s no doubt this is one of the best Chromebooks you can buy at the moment, and if we know HP at all, there’s a good chance we’ll see this one on sale in the near future. At that point, if you can get this Chromebook for south of $899, it is an absolute BUY NOW situation if you are thinking of moving up to a premium Chromebook.
Buy the HP Chromebook x360 13c at Best Buy
SUBSCRIBE TO UPSTREAM
Get Chrome Unboxed delivered straight to your inbox
Upstream is our flagship, curated newsletter with the top stories, most click-worthy deals, giveaways, and trending articles from Chrome Unboxed sent directly to your inbox a few times a week. Join 31,000+ subscribers.
