Deal: The HP Chromebook 15 with U-series Core i5, 8 GB of RAM and free external DVD drive down to $479
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.
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?