When the HP Chromebook 15 debuted as the first Chromebook with a dedicated number pad last April, the Pentium model with 4 GB of memory was $449. Fast forward to today and you can nab the same 1080p clamshell with a much higher powered Core i5-8250U processor, double the RAM and get a free external DVD drive for just $30 more.
Amazon is currently showing this great value on the HP Chromebook 15 at $479.
For reference, HP is selling a Core i3 model of this Chromebook for $619 directly.
And I should note that my Acer Chromebook Spin 13, which I use daily for heavy duty Linux apps and coding, uses this same Core i5 processor. Although I have 16 GB of memory in that device and the HP has half that, my device flies and costs $999 new.
Here’s a rundown on the HP Chromebook 15 specs for the $479 price tag:
| CPU | Intel Core i5-8250U |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Display | 15.6-inch IPS touch panel, 250 nits 1920 x 1080, 16:9 aspect |
| Memory | 8 GB DDR4, 2133 MHz |
| Storage | 128 GB eMMC, microSD card expansion slot |
| Connectivity | 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Input | Backlit keyboard, multi-touch trackpad |
| Ports | 2 USB Type-C, 1 USB Type-A, 720p webcam, microSD card slot, combo microphone/headphone |
| Battery | 60Whr, claimed run-time up to 13 hours |
| Weight | 3.99 pounds |
| Software | Chrome OS automatic update expiration date: June 2025 |
At four pounds, a light Chromebook this is not, although it’s certainly portable in a backpack or messenger bag.
Weight is the tradeoff for a device this large, but it gains you a bigger display, dedicated numeric keypad and larger battery. I doubt most activities will net you the claimed 13 hours of run-time on a single charge, but 9 to 10 daily should be feasible.
Considering a comparably configured Lenovo Chromebook Yoga C630 costs $549 on Amazon right now, this HP Chromebook 15 deal is a good value if you’re in the market for the largest Chromebook you can get and don’t mind the clamshell form factor.
6 Comments
DVD drive? Lol, why?
IF they can get ANY USB DVD player to work I’m amazed. I’ve tried half a dozen different models from Amazon and never got anything to work with my HP X360 14. I think it’s one of Chromebooks’ most ridiculous deficiencies!
I wasn’t aware that a Chromebook could play a DVD. I tried the two CDROM/DVD readers I have and neither worked.
Right, you’re not going to play DVD movies from an external drive to a Chromebook because the required drivers aren’t there. You can use an external DVD as a read-only device for files & data: https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/183093
Is the ridiculous DVD player optional?
Amazon doesn’t have that deal. Where from?