A cheap and cheerful Chromebook
By now we all know what a Chromebook is – a laptop that’s too cheap to run Windows. That may sound a tad cynical, so here we give HP an opportunity to prove to us that less can be more. Similar to the previous model at first glance, it’s been beefed up with a faster processor.
There’s a visible difference, too. Once you lift the white lid, the casing around the screen and keyboard have a bright cyan tint. The effect reminded us of Apple’s Bondi Blue iBook G3, back in the 1990s: the first curvy, colourful laptop. The Chromebook 14 is distinctly 21st Century, however, and quite slim and light for a machine with a decentsized screen.
Like other manufacturers, HP has decided to print a pattern on its casing – here a grid of pale dots. It all feels a bit like keeping up with the Joneses, but it looks OK, and we found the keyboard very usable, although it’s easy to miss the narrow Return key. The touchpad has a smooth response.
We’ve learned to manage our expectations when it comes to a Chromebook’s screen, and HP seems to have stuck with the same LCD panel found in its predecessor. It’s grey when switched off, like an old-fashioned TV set, rather than the more modern solid black. That means contrast is limited, and with only 65 per cent of the sRGB range covered, nothing looks very exciting. It’s not great for photo editing, but the matt finish at least keeps reflections off your screen, and we found films quite watchable, helped by the built-in speakers (there’s also a headphone jack).
Only 16GB of storage is provided because the Chromebook 14 is designed to run web apps – basically websites that act like programs – directly from the internet. It comes with 100GB of Google Drive online storage free for two years, so you may not need to keep much on the Chromebook. When you can’t get online, though, it’s good to have at least some Chrome-compatible apps installed, and copies of what you’re currently working on. You can slot in a microSD card (£15 for 64GB from Amazon www.snipca.com/20311) for more space.
The new Intel Celeron processor is a big improvement on its predecessor, and the Chromebook 14 didn’t struggle with the kind of basic tasks and web browsing it’s designed for. Keeping several tabs open did slow it down, though, and web animations didn’t play as smoothly as on the similarly priced Acer Chromebook 11. We were pleased to find the battery lasted over nine hours.
VERDICT
If you don’t need Windows, this attractive and handy-sized laptop is a sensible choice.
SPECIFICATIONS
Intel Celeron N2840 dual-core processor • 4GB memory • 16GB flash storage • 14in 1366x768-pixel screen • Webcam • 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 4.0 • 1x USB 3.0 port • 2x USB 2.0 ports • MicroSD card reader • HDMI port • 17.8x344x240mm (HxWxD) • 1.69kg • One-year warranty