My review of two exceptional HP Chromebooks
Thanks to HP for the opportunity to review two exceptional HP Chromebooks.
I have — up to now — been limited in my tech reviews as I have been concentrating on film reviews. Though I have done quite a few Google Pixel phone reviews as well as other Google products.
I have never done a laptop review, though admittedly as a journalist and technology junkie, I have quite a frame of reference to post a fair review of what I think is good or not.
I recently took a look at the HP Chromebooks, the HP x2 and the HP x360 14c. They are both great Chromebooks. At 11 inches diagonally, the x2 is more of a touch screen tablet with a keyboard and stylus while the 14-inch x360 is more of a formal laptop.
HP Chromebook x2 – $479.99
11″ diagonal 2.1K touch display
Chrome OS™
Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ processor
Qualcomm® Adreno™ 618 GPU
8 GB memory; 128 GB eMMC storage
HP Chromebook x360 14c – $539.99
14″ diagonal FHD touch display
Chrome OS™
11th Generation Intel® Core™ i3 processor
Intel® UHD Graphics
8 GB memory; 128 GB SSD storage
NativeNerd product review: HP Chromebooks X2 and X360
I went with the following descriptive guidelines:
Overall feel
The overall feel of the HP Chromebook x2 – 11 inches is a sturdy overall feel. The back stand that the case is connected to is the best feature. The keyboard feels a little less sturdy overall, but the stylus has a satisfying hard connecting snap. I do wish there was a permanent piece of fabric or a loop that held the stylus, but that is admittedly nitpicky. Overall nice feeling in your hands.
The HP Chromebook x360 – 14 inches feels like a customary laptop with sturdiness in terms of closing satisfactorily. The keys are a bit more strong in clickiness than the x2.
I prefer the get-up and go of the x2, while the 360 would likely stay put on my desk.
Screen clarity, color
Both the x2 and 360 have gorgeous clarity and saturation on their screens. Admittedly, these are both of the Chromebooks’ best features. The screen colors were phenomenal. To me, these are both among the best screen resolutions out there that I have come across.
How it sounds
The native speakers are ok, but to me, this isn’t as important as I generally use higher-quality speakers and/or headphones. The 360 is the true winner here as the x2 is a bit tinny.
Downloads/upload / Google Stadia game / Watch YouTube / Google play store game
Keep in mind I tested downloads, uploads and game and video play while on hotel wifi. The wifi wasn’t too bad, but it did take a bit to upload and install a 2 gb game. I tried Google Stadia (game streaming) and overall was impressed with both machines. I was able to play the game and Google app on both devices exceptionally well. The only difference I came across was that the 360 was able to download about 40% faster than the x2. This is a rough estimate, and if you have a strong wifi connection, both of these devices are competent performers.
Battery life
I charged both devices once and they both lasted three days while I tested them. I was pretty impressed.
Value for the price
The HP Chromebook x2 at $479.99 might seem a bit high, but considering some of the higher-end tablets out there are up to $1,000 or more, I can’t fault this price point too much. The response rate is high, and the screen is sharp and colorful. I’d score an 8.5 out of 10.
The HP Chromebook x360 at $539.99 to me is a bit more of what I would lean toward with the same compliments over the screen and responsiveness. I also like the speakers a bit more as well as the stronger feel on the keyboard. I’d give it an 8.8 out of 10.
Two beautiful Chromebooks at a decent price.
Vincent Schilling, #NativeNerd and editor of Native Viewpoint
For more information see below
HP Chromebook x2
https://www.hp.com/us-en/chrome/chromebook-x2-11-inch-laptop.html
HP Chromebook x360 14c
https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/pdp/hp-chromebook-x360-14c-cc0047nr?pStoreID=epp
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Vincent Schilling, Akwesasne Mohawk, is the founder and editor of Native Viewpoint. With nearly 20 years of experience as a Native journalist and former member of the White House Press Pool, Vincent works to uplift underrepresented voices in the world of media and beyond. Follow Vincent on YouTube.com/VinceSchilling, on Twitter at @VinceSchilling or on any other of his social media accounts by clicking on any of the icons below.
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