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Chromebooks are continuously the type of affordable and cheerful units that you’ll use as a 2d computer, give for your youngsters for homework or purchase for older relations that don’t really feel assured with computer systems. But, as ChromeOS is now a formidable platform, if you wish to step as much as a better grade of {hardware} then there are a couple of you’ll choose between.
Google’s personal Pixelbook Cross is the corporate’s imaginative and prescient of what a good but reasonably priced Chromebook must be, and now we’ve a equivalent benchmark from HP. Right here’s the overall Tech Guide evaluate of the HP Chromebook x360 14c.
Design & Construct
Taking the HP Chromebook x360 14c (or 14c-cc0003na to present it its laughably unhealthy complete identify) out of the field finds a extremely smart shopping computer. The Mineral Silver livery has a smoky glance that’s offset neatly by means of the chrome HP emblem located within the heart of the lid. I’ve to mention, the brand new design, which options 4 angled strains, seems fairly cool and lends the x360 a futuristic air.
That is enhanced by means of the 2 rear vents at the base segment, that have only a trace of a spaceship that’s gotten misplaced and landed on my table.
One reasonably mystifying selection is the strip alongside the highest of the lid, probably there to come up with grip when lifting the display screen. To start with, I assumed it was once a gentle very similar to the person who gave the impression on my outdated Google Pixel C pill, which you want to faucet to peer how a lot battery fee was once left. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case, but if HP needs so as to add that one day, then it already has the easiest position to place it.
A snappy inspection of the flanks displays that the computer comes with {hardware} buttons for energy and quantity plus a bodily transfer to disable the webcam. Great contact. There also are two USB-C ports, a three.5mm headphone jack, microSD card reader slot and USB 3.0 port.
The latter is fascinating, as because of the slimline nature of the x360 (it measures 321.5 x 206 x 17.9mm when closed) a full-size port wouldn’t are compatible. As an alternative, HP employs a spring-loaded panel that opens as much as permit a USB connector, then closes again up once more when now not in use. It’s just like the similar means Apple took with its preliminary MacBook Airs again within the day.
The bottom has increased rubber strips to present the x360 some airflow when on a table, plus the highest segment is ventilated to permit the expulsion of air from the interior enthusiasts (that still explains the space-age rear vents). All in all, it’s an excessively tidy design, which might have you ever pondering this was once a mid-range Home windows tool if it wasn’t for the screen-printed Chromebook legend at the lid that finds its true intentions.
Opening the tool displays that HP has endured its trendy design aesthetic at the inside of too, with quite a lot of fascinating options to be discovered. There’s a 14in touchscreen show with skinny bezels on all sides and marginally better ones on the most sensible and backside, the previous of which is house to the 720p webcam.
On both sides of the keyboard are ventilated columns that permit sound from the dual Bang & Olufsen audio system. Maximum sudden of all is the inclusion of a devoted fingerprint reader that you’ll use to liberate the tool. That’s in reality fairly numerous top rate tech in your standard Chromebook.
Keyboard & Trackpad
The keyboard is a backlit, full-sized chiclet taste accompanied by means of a decently huge touchpad.
Typing at the x360’s keyboard is easy. The whole-sized keys are neatly spaced, reply neatly to being pressed, and in most cases stay out of the best way and assist you to get on along with your writing. In a minute or so from beginning at the x360 I used to be as much as my complete typing velocity, with my same old ranges of accuracy (not anything the x360 can do about that).
The backlight is delicate but efficient, raised or reduced by means of protecting down the alt key and the use of the devoted brightness controls at the most sensible line that generally impact the show. An icy blue hue shines during the keys, making them simple to learn in low-light, and at complete brightness, they are able to be fairly robust.
The touchpad may be a good effort, with multi-touch reinforce making it a synch to execute the more than a few gesture controls that ChromeOS helps. Clicks really feel cast and loyal, even supposing, in fact, I generally use the faucet to click on possibility on Chromebooks as it really works so neatly.
Display & Audio system
A 14in IPS touchscreen show is the panel of selection for the x360. It seems beautiful, with the 1920 x 1080 Complete HD solution and 16:9 facet ratio turning in sturdy colors and distinction. 250 nits max brightness is not nice for conveniently running out of doors, and the reflective glass makes it much more of a problem in sturdy daylight.
That’s the character of a touchscreen floor regardless that, and in that division the x360 is responsive and feels in actuality excellent to make use of. Coming from the use of a MacBook, I’m all the time proud of how herbal a touchscreen computer is to paintings with and Chromebooks particularly.
Deciding on on-screen buttons and home windows is inconspicuous and also you by no means really feel such as you’re doing one thing the good distance spherical. Severely, contact may just neatly be some of the best possible options on ChromeOS. The show must live on any heavy-handedness too, because of the Corning Gorilla Glass NBT panel that HP has used.
Because the identify x360 suggests, you’ll fold the display screen again thru a complete 360 levels, enabling the computer for use in tent and show modes if you wish to watch a film with out the keyboard in the best way or use the aforementioned multi-touch features for taking part in video games and so on.
The hinges appear strong sufficient to carry the show in a lot of angles, but you’ll get somewhat little bit of soar when settling on touch-targets. Not anything ordinary there regardless that.
As you may be expecting from the Bang & Olufsen identify, the sound high quality at the x360 is excellent, rather for a computer in fact. The dual audio system be offering a balanced and loud document, with a extra spacious and stereo sound than another Chromebook I’ve encountered.
Naturally, physics gained’t be thwarted, so that you gained’t get deep, resonant bass tones from this sort of skinny and light-weight tool, but you must without a doubt be happy with the sounds emanating from the x360.
Specifications & Efficiency
HP has fitted the x360 with a 3GHz Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor that comes with two cores, 4 threads and will spice up as much as 4.1GHz. That is lovely high-end silicon in the case of Chromebooks, so it’s no marvel that the efficiency of the x360 is superb.
A wholesome 8GB of reminiscence without a doubt is helping, as does the built-in Intel UHD Graphics GPU. Garage is treated hastily by means of a 128GB PCIe-NVMe SSD power that once more supplies more room than you’ll generally in finding on a Chromebook.
On the whole use, the computer simply flies thru duties, with streaming song in background whilst running on paperwork and spreadsheets proving no downside in any respect. That is truthful sufficient, as I used to be hardly ever pushing the gadget to its limits with 4K video enhancing, but as that isn’t in point of fact one thing you do on a Chromebook anyway.
Unfortunately I didn’t have a Google Stadia or Nvidia GeForce Now rig to be had to check out the gaming efficiency at the x360, but loading up PUBG Mobile and flipping the tool into tent mode did let me profit from each the processing energy and touchscreen features.
Gameplay was once fluid and transparent, with contact responses feeling speedy and the graphical atmosphere closing stutter-free all over. One factor was once that the servers kicked me out a couple of instances after detecting an emulator working. That is in all probability because of the Android sport seeing that I used to be the use of a non-Android product. Whilst it lasted regardless that, the x360 gave the impression fairly at house with gaming.
I did come upon an ordinary trojan horse a few instances all the way through standard actions, generally when the tool was once low on battery and left idle for some time. This one way or the other brought about the x360 to fasten up and require a difficult reboot to get issues going once more.
It’s now not a large downside, as all of the knowledge I used to be running with was once routinely stored by means of ChromeOS, but it did make me wonder whether there was once a slight glitch within the energy control settings that may be inflicting this factor. Optimistically, it’ll had been addressed by the point you check out the computer.
Benchmarks returned ratings of 1135 (Unmarried Core) and 2167 (Multicore) on Geekbench 5, whilst Basemark 3.0 posted 1,008 and Jetstream 2 controlled 140. All of this makes the x360 sooner in maximum cases than the former king of the hill, the additionally good Acer Spin 713.
Connectivity & Safety
Proceeding the top rate really feel, HP has supplied the x360 with WiFi 6 (11ax) features for the quickest Wi-Fi speeds. There’s additionally Bluetooth 5 in your headphone and different peripheral wishes. The 2 USB-C ports reinforce 10Gbps sign charges (now not Thunderbolt) and can be utilized for charging or connecting DisplayPort 1.4 appropriate display screen.
As discussed prior to, there’s a bodily transfer that disables your webcam, which I’m assuming is to forestall any hackers having access to it. Make sure that you set it in the right kind place prior to your subsequent Zoom name, another way, you may spend part the assembly questioning why you’re now not at the display screen whilst a number of participants of the decision helpfully inform you your digital camera is grew to become off.
The HP Vast Imaginative and prescient 720p webcam works neatly sufficient, with (because the identify suggests) fairly a large visual view, which might be excellent for teams of other people all short of to be in shot. High quality is lovely usual, with somewhat digitisation, but no doubt greater than sufficient for Zoom calls.
The fingerprint reader is an engaging addition, particularly in case you love to have a couple of profiles and percentage your Chromebooks with different circle of relatives or family participants. After a snappy setup, the sensor proved very rapid and dependable at logging me into my account. It’s now not a need, but for the security-conscious it’s a pleasant contact.
Battery Existence & Charging
If you happen to’re intending to make use of the x360 at the highway, then you definately could be pleasantly stunned by means of the period of time you’ll keep away from an influence supply. In our usual battery check of streaming HD video, the tool controlled to stay going for 10 hours and 20 mins, which is a fantastic effort.
When you wish to have to recharge the x360, then you definately’re shopping at 1 hour and 40 mins to head from 0 to a hundred percent over again.
Software
Chromebooks all run on ChromeOS, so there’s not anything other or bespoke in regards to the x360. You’ll use Google’s place of work suites for purchasing paintings performed, talk over with the Chrome Internet Retailer to search out extra apps or employ the Google Play Retailer to run Android apps at the tool.
Many apps now paintings offline, so that you gained’t be reliant for your Wi-Fi connection, but remember that many pro-level packages (akin to Photoshop, Ultimate Minimize Professional and others) aren’t to be had at the ChromeOS platform.
Value & Availability
You’ll purchase the HP Chromebook x360 14c-cc0003na without delay from HP for £599.99 in the United Kingdom or $519.99 on its US website online.
You’ll additionally get the computer from AO and Argos. Differently, you will have to have a look at different, probably older fashions with lower-grade Pentium processors and different downgrades like much less reminiscence and garage. As an example, the ca0003sa is to be had from Amazon for £399.
Our x360 is in the similar bracket because the Google Pixelbook Cross, which prices £629/$649 or the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 which can set you again £599/$699 for the very good type I reviewed remaining 12 months.
For extra possible choices, you’ll additionally take a look at our roundup of the most productive Chromebooks.
Verdict
HP has made some fantastic alternatives with the Chromebook x360 14c. The design makes sense and premium-looking, whilst the parts inside of are higher-spec than the ones you’d generally in finding in this sort of tool.
The result’s a blisteringly rapid enjoy, with a keyboard, trackpad and touchscreen interface that make the x360 a excitement to make use of. And all of it comes at a very fair value, too.
If you happen to’re after one thing a tad extra top rate than your usual Chromebook, the X360 must be most sensible of your listing.
Specifications
HP Chromebook x360 14c: Specifications
- 14in IPS touchscreen show, 1920 x 1080 FHD solution, 16:9 facet ratio and Corning Gorilla Glass NBT
- 3GHz Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor
- 8GB DDR4-3200 MHz RAM
- 128GB PICe-NVMe SSD garage
- HP Vast Imaginative and prescient 720p webcam
- Wi-Fi 6
- Bluetooth 5.0
- 2x SuperSpeed USB Sort-C 10Gbps signaling price (USB Energy Supply, DisplayPort 1.4)
- 1x SuperSpeed USB Sort-A 5Gbps signaling price
- 1 headphone/microphone combo
3.5mm headphone jack - microSD card reader slot
- Twin audio system, audio by means of Bang & Olufsen
- 321.5 x 206 x 17.9mm
- 1.92 kg / 4.23lbs
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