HP’s premium detachable Chromebook x2 doesn’t demand a premium price

On Monday, April 9, HP introduced its latest Chromebook for 2018: The Chromebook x2. It’s classified as a detachable, enabling owners to remove the screen from the base keyboard with just one hand. The two components are married by a rolling, magnetic hinge that still supports 2-in-1 modes such as clamshell, tent, stand, and tablet. The new Chromebook measures just 0.60 inches thick when closed with the keyboard attached, and a mere 0.32 inches thin just in the tablet portion alone. 

Key Specs

Screen size: 12.3 inches

Resolution: 2,400 x 1,600

CPU: Intel Core m3-7Y30 

Memory: 4GB or 8GB

Storage: 32GB

Front camera: 5MP

Rear camera: 13MP

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

Ports: 2x USB-C, Micro SD

Battery: 48WHr

Size: 11.49 x 8.30 x 0.60 inches

Weight: 3.17 pounds

Price: $599 

Availability: April 2018

As the specifications show, you only get 32GB of local storage on HP’s new Chromebook. That limited capacity isn’t anything new for Chrome OS given the platform’s cloud-dependent nature. Yet HP’s new Chromebook x2 supports Google Play, thus you will need to take advantage of the Micro SD card slot’s supported 256GB capacity to store media while your downloaded Android apps consume the primary storage.

The Chromebook’s port complement consists of the Micro SD card reader, two USB-C 3.1 Gen1 ports, and a headphone / microphone combo jack. The connectivity aspect spans your typical Wireless AC component supporting up to 867Mbps, and Bluetooth 4.2. The 48WHr battery resides in the tablet portion along with five sensors: an accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light, hall, and compass.

Powering this detachable Chromebook is Intel’s seventh-generation Core m3-7Y30 dual-core processor. This fanless chip sports a base speed of 1.00GHz and a maximum speed of 2.60GHz and consumes only 4.5 watts of power. HP said in a conference call that the company chose an Intel chip over the typical ARM-based processor used in mobile devices because Intel’s solution delivers the right balance of performance, thermals, and battery life. 

HP set out to create a premium product that doesn’t require a premium price. The cover includes a protective and decorative coating, creating a white, ceramic-like finish. The 13-megapixel camera resides in the upper right-hand corner on the back of the tablet while the 5MP camera resides on the tablet’s face, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass. 

Given the specifications show two system memory amounts, we assume $599 is the starting price. Memory seems to be the only variation, thus you should see two listed models sporting 4GB or 8GB of system memory. HP did not provide pricing for the 8GB version at the time of this publication. 

With the Chromebook x2, HP is targeting Apple’s 12.9-inch iPad Pro selling at a higher $799 price. Although HP’s Chromebook has a slightly smaller screen and storage capacity, customers aren’t required to purchase the keyboard and pen separately. Ultimately, Apple customers pay $1,067 for the iPad Pro whereas the complete Chromebook x2 package costs $599. 

Along with the launch of its new Chromebook x2, HP is also now supplying supporting accessories including USB-C adapters, a 65-watt power adapter for traveling, colorful wireless mice, and more. 

Editors’ Recommendations

• HP’s first Qualcomm-powered PC, the HP Envy X2, suffers a slight delay
• The best lightweight laptops you can buy
• Dell’s refreshed Latitude laptops get to work with 8th-gen Intel Core, 4G LTE
• Qualcomm’s new 700 series could help create a new ‘premium midrange’
• Dell teases new rugged Chromebooks, daring young students to rough them up