HP Means Business With the Premium Chromebook 13
HP's Chromebook 13 is here to make a case that Chromebooks are not only for students and casual users, but also capable tools for demanding professionals. With a $499 starting price tag, the freshly launched ultra light Chromebook is also the most premium device of its kind, this side of Google's own and rather expensive Chromebook Pixel.
In the Metal
With a brushed aluminum body, ultra sharp display, and a plethora of cool design elements throughout, the Chromebook 13 is quite a looker in the metal. HP has managed to create a fine balance between flashy and restrained-designed bits, so we expect that the notebook will appeal to both casual and business users.
The finish of the notebooks is as solid as its price tag and quality materials suggest. The HP Chromebook 13 is superbly put together and ready to live up to the expectations of even the most demanding power users.
HP's Chromebook 13 weight starts under 3 pounds, depending on the hardware configuration of your choosing, and the notebook is only half an inch thick when closed. Both of these specs make the Chromebook ideal for travel or frequent commuting.
Hardware
HP offers a choice between Intel Celeron, Core m3, Core m5, Core m7 processor in the Chromebook 13. Intel's Core m5 and Core m7 chips are found in a number of premium ultrabooks such as the Apple MacBook and the Lenovo Yoga 900S, as they offer a fine balance between power and energy efficiency. Depending on the configuration, buyers can choose between 4 GB or 16 GB of RAM.
Every hardware variant gets 32 GB of built-in memory, which can be further expanded via microSD card, or by plugging a flash drive or external storage drive into one of the notebook's USB ports. Those include one full USB connector and two USB Type-C ports.
The entry-level HP Chromebook 13 has a 13.3-inch Full HD display panel. However, buyers should opt for the QHD+ Brightview panel found in the more capable variants (their pricing starts at $599). With 3,200 by 1,800 pixels, it is incredibly sharp, making even mundane computing tasks feel like a special event.
The more premium display panel is not all about pixels, though. It also offers stellar brightness and contrast, as well as great viewing angles.
A notable omission among the hardware options of the HP Chromebook 13 is lack of the option to choose a touchscreen display panel. With Android apps due to arrive on Chrome OS in the near future, we find the lack of such a hardware option a bit puzzling.
Full-size backlit keyboard and multi-touch touchpad come standard on every HP Chromebook 13. Other key hardware features include B&O stereo speakers and an HD web camera.
Performance and Battery Life
We reviewed an HP Chromebook 13 equipped with Intel Core m5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and QHD+ display. Unsurprisingly, thanks to its powerful CPU, the notebook felt incredibly responsive regardless of the job we asked it to do. Everything happened instantly and without even a hint of hesitation.
The notebook's powerful processor proves handy when used at work. It allows the Chromebook 13 to run other OS platforms in virtual environment, as well as to power multiple external monitors via an optional docking station.
The backlit keyboard and the trackpad are both excellent. Essential components for every laptop with serious work aspirations, both input devices are well laid-out, responsive, and incredibly comfortable to use.
The stereo speakers of the Chromebook 13 have been tuned by the audio wizards at Bang & Olufsen, so they sound a lot better than the ultra thin body of the laptop suggests. Of course, just like in the case of all compact notebooks, users will need to manage their bass expectations.
HP promises roughly nine hours of battery life on a single charge for the Chromebook 13 models with its sharp QHD+ display. In real life, we got between six and seven hours of screen-on time from the device, depending on its display brightness.
Speed and Security
Chrome OS effectively turns the ultra popular web browser by Google into a computer platform that's all about speed and ease of use. A dedicated app store ensures that users can tune the OS experience exactly to their needs and liking.
Powerful security features such as verified boot, strong encryption, automatic updates, and the ability to sandbox processes make Chrome OS a powerful work platform as well. The HP Chromebook 13 also features an embedded security chip, which adds another layer of protection to its already rich repertoire of options.
Wrap Up
The HP Chromebook 13 is superbly designed and crafted, as well as incredibly powerful for a Chrome OS device. The well-rounded set of talents of the lightweight notebook makes it easy to recommend to anyone looking for a solid lightweight laptop.
Lack of touchscreen functionality is a feature that's going to be missed on the HP Chromebook 13 when Android apps arrive on Chrome OS. However, considering that HP targets the business crowd with the notebook, most of its buyers won't find this to be a dealbreaker.
Pricing of the notebook ranges between $499 for a variant with Intel Celeron CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 1080p display, all the way to a hefty $1,029 for a notebook with Core m7, 16GB of RAM, and a QHD+ screen. The Core m5 model we tested goes for $819.
Photos by Stefan Vazharov
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