HP has quite the lineup of Chromebooks launching over the next few months when you consider what they announced the first week of May. At that virtual event – one that was totally geared towards the enterprise sector – HP announced a lower-end, rugged Chromebook in the 14 G6, a high-end Comet Lake Chromebook in the Pro C640 (available later this month) and a monster device that won’t be available until August in the Elite C1030. So far pricing and availability on these devices has been a mixed bag and, if history is a guide, they will all be priced far higher than most consumers are willing to pay.
Somewhere in the midst of all that, however, HP also refreshed their very-popular x360 Chromebook, too. The older HP Chromebook x360 14 was one of our favorites in that generation. Launched along with the Dell Inspiron Chromebook 14 and Lenovo Yoga Chromebook C630, the x360 was a revelation in the Chrome OS space with its striking design, great keyboard, and fantastic glass trackpad. These devices represented a big shift in the Chromebook world, and along with the refresh of Acer’s Spin 713, we’re excited to see an updated version show up in 2020. Gabriel has already outlined all that will be coming to the table with this one, but here’s a quick refresh.
HP Chromebook x360 Key Specs
- Chrome OS
- Intel Comet Lake CPU Pentium Gold 6405U/Core i3-10110U
- 4GB/8GB RAM
- 64GB eMMC storage
- 14″ 1920 x 1080 FHD IPS touch display @ 250 nits
- upward-firing stereo speaker by B&O
- Full-size backlit island keyboard
- webcam with privacy shade/switch
- 2 x USB-C, 1 x USB-A, MicroSD and 3.5mm audio jack
- Metal lid and keyboard deck in Mineral Grey with sandblasted finish
- Fingerprint reader
- Wi-fi 6 and Bluetooth 5
- Android and Linux app support
- 3.64 lbs
- AUE: June 2028*
HP Chromebook x360 now shipping from Best Buy
Right now, over at Best Buy, you can snag the new x360 14c for $629 and anyone with a student in the house can save a cool $100 off that price as well. When we first reported on the arrival of this Chromebook back in June, the listing was live on Best Buy, but you couldn’t purchase just yet. Over the weekend, it seems the device has been made available and we’re already hearing from readers who have given it a spin and the feedback is quite good.
At $629, it obviously is going to have to deliver a great experience. With the rather-excellent Acer Chromebook Spin 713 sitting at this exact price, there is already some fierce competition. What we know of HP, however, is the fact that they were never shy about letting the original x360 14 go on sale on a regular basis. It was never out of the ordinary to see that device on sale for $150-$200 off the MSRP. With the availability just coming online for this one and a $100-off student discount already in play, I’m hoping the x360 14c follows in the footsteps of its older sibling.
Devices like the Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook and Acer Chromebook Spin 713 are creating new expectations of what we should get for certain price points in the Chrome OS ecosystem. There will need to be some definite upgrades for HP over the original x360 14 if this new iteration is going to compete in this price range. We’ll have our hands on one very soon, so we’ll definitely let you know how it stacks up as soon as it is in the office. For now, if you are interested, you can go get one of your own right now. Don’t forget to set up your account to include student discounts if you haven’t already (assuming you are legitimately eligible, that is).
