You can nab the $659 HP Chromebook x360 14c for $539
In my recent review of the HP Chromebook x360 14, I noted it was a good device priced a bit too high. Now, you can get this convertible Chrome OS laptop for a more reasonable price. The $659 HP Chromebook x360 14c is on sale directly from HP for $539.
This sale price is more representative of the value you’re getting with the x360 14c. Once you hit that $650 or $700 mark, you start to expect super-premium features such as a screen resolution greater than 1080p, for example. Or a Core i5 processor.
But you’re not getting those with the HP Chromebook x360 14c.
That’s OK, though, particularly at the discounted price.
Based on my full-time usage of this latest x360 model, you’re still getting a solid convertible Chromebook. With an 11th-gen quad-core Intel Core i3 and 8 GB of memory, this laptop can easily meet the performance needs of most people. Unless you’re a developer or studying to become one, you’ll be more than happy with the internal hardware of the HP Chromebook x360 14c.
Here’s what I said after using the review device:
Just about everything happens immediately, even with a handful, or three, browser tabs open. I’ve already tinkered around in Linux and run a few Android apps too: The system is performing really well. If I didn’t know any better, I would have guessed there’s a Core i5 inside, but there’s not.
This HP Chromebook x360 14c model has a fast 128 GB SSD for local storage too. If you need more than that, you can splurge an extra $30 to double the capacity. And this model has one of my favorite features: An integrated fingerprint sensor for logging in. I’ve come to appreciate what a timesaver it is to have one of those on a Chromebook.
The 14-inch 1080p touchscreen isn’t the brightest you can get. At 250 nits, you wouldn’t want to use this outside on a sunny day. Other than that, it’s an above-average widescreen panel. You can also add an optional USI stylus for taking notes or drawing on the screen as well. Combined with the reasonably good speakers, watching video on the HP Chromebook x360 14c is a nice experience.
Getting work done is a treat too: The backlit keyboard and the trackpad are both responsive and accurate. Plus, you have the expected number of ports you’d expect: A pair of USB Type-C (one on each side), a USB Type-A, headphone jack, and microSD card slot. The 720p camera is decent for video calls and can be disabled for privacy with a hardware switch.
And connectivity is speedy as well, thanks to the WiFi 6 radio inside. Note that I did experience wireless dropouts a few times a day when I used this laptop. However, I haven’t seen widespread reports of that issue and it’s likely to be something specific to the review unit. All in all, for $539 the HP Chromebook x360 14c is priced right for what you get.
With the same specs as the 15″ ASUS I got last year (I think it was called C-5 for short) on sale for $449 at BB, this is looking still a bit pricey, and now with last year’s i-3!
I asked on Best Buy, lousy 250 nits. Unreal. Some upgrade. Finally they go 16:10 but keep the nits where they were for the last 3 generations? Not for $699. Best Buy will have it on sale for $499 soon enough!
If true, that’s a little disappointing. 250 nits is about the bare minimum for a reasonably bright laptop in all situations. Sigh.