Just last week, we spotted a leak of HP’s first Chromebook, and it was probably pretty embarrassing for them since they leaked it on their own website. However, it seems the new Chromebook has come earlier than the leak suggested anyway, with availability starting today instead of the rumored February 17 release date.
Granted, the Pavilion 14 is a little bit more expensive than what you’ll pay for other new Chromebooks, and while it doesn’t come with any hardware that’s crazy impressive, the overall design of HP’s Chromebook might be a big seller for some people. The 14-inch display has a 1366×768 resolution, and on the inside there’s an Intel Celeron 847 processor clocked at 1.1 GHz.
Other than that, there’s 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, which certainly isn’t a lot by any means, but users will get 100GB of Google Drive storage for free for the first two years. As far as ports go, there’s HDMI, three USB 2.0 ports, an SD card slot, and Ethernet. The laptop also weighs in at around four pounds, making it a bit chunkier than other models.
This marks HP‘s first go at a Google Chromebook, joining the likes of Samsung and Acer, who have more competitively-priced options at $249 and $199, respectively. If battery is a huge concern for you, HP’s Pavilion 14 comes in at four hours and 15 minutes, which isn’t too great for a Chromebook considering that Samsung has them beat, but either way, you can buy it now for $330.
Now here is a new notebook for all of you out there in the educational circles, as well as folks who are looking for a basically dummy proof notebook to use without compromising on its form and function. Have you heard of the Chromebook from Google before? Well, this time around, Google has enlisted the assistance of the good people over at HP to get started on the HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook.
Basically, you can more or less say that the HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook would make for the ideal home companion which will be able to offer the kind of built-in security, speed and simplicity which you would expect from a Chromebook, where it will also be accompanied by a brilliant 14” screen. This means you are now able to enjoy your favorite videos, and photos among others in greater detail than ever before, sporting versatile HDMI and USB ports that would certainly make the HP Chromebook a whole lot easier to customize with peripherals. In fact, the HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook will measure under an inch thick, and it runs on an Intel Celeron processor.
Since this is a Chromebook, you would know for sure that it will be able to play nice with popular products such as Gmail, Google+ Hangouts, YouTube and Maps that already come built in, delivering what had always been the best of Google at the very tip of your fingertips, always. Not only that, the new HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook would also allow you to take full advantage of 100GB of free storage on Google Drive, which makes it a snap to backup your essential and crucial files in the cloud that would make them accessible from just about anywhere and from other devices.
The asking price ain’t that high either, as it is available for $329.99 a pop in the US at HPDirect.com and at other retailers in due time.
Word about HP’s very own Chromebook leaked last week, spinning the rumor that the long-running technology giant is brewing its own laptop running Google’s young Chrome OS. So, when HP officially launched the HP Pavilion Chromebook today, we weren’t that surprised at all. Still, we’re excited to hear the news. The HP Pavilion Chromebook is considered as the first of its kind to sport a 14-inch diagonal design. Since it is running Google’s Chrome OS, expect the best from the world of Google apps and services including Gmail, Google+ Hangouts, YouTube, and Maps built in. (more…)
The company just pulled the sheet back on its first Chromebook, the Pavilion 14 Chromebook. But in traditional HP fashion, the notebook is bulky and expensive. At $329, the most expensive new Chromebook on the market. It’s a cool $80 more than the much-sleeker Samsung Chromebook and a $130 more than the Acer C7.
The extra cash nets buyers a 14-inch screen and a Intel x86 chipset rather than an ARM chip inside the Samsung. All three models have 2GB of RAM. The Intel 1.1GHz Intel Celeron 847 CPU chipset inside the HP likely runs slightly better than the ARM chip. But this is a Chromebook. You run Chrome on a Chromebook. Not Photoshop. The Samsung Chromebook correctly mashes a sleek casing with a computing platform in an affordable package. The HP does not.
Not only is the HP more expensive, it’s significantly bulkier at 4 lbs rather than 2.5 lbs in the Samsung. Plus, strangely, the battery in this larger notebook is rated for 2 hours less use time than Samsung’s (4.25 hours vs 6.5 hours).
It’s hard to find anything to get excited about on the new HP Chromebook. Wait… It has an Ethernet port! Ummm…
If you think about the iPod today, you wouldn’t think that Apple would have needed help trying to sell the device, right? That might be true today, but 9 years ago might have been a different story because it seems that Apple and HP teamed up to create an iPod with HP’s logo at the back. It’s a rare piece of gadgetry and if you’re a collector of gadgets of the past, or if you know someone who is, it seems that an auction on eBay has been spotted where the seller is auctioning off a “rare vintage collectors iPod”, which is basically the iPod with HP’s logo on the back.
While this device might be news to some, what came as a bigger shock was the asking price which is set at a staggering $25,000! We’re not sure who will be willing to pay for such a device, but considering that this joint venture with HP ran from 2004 to 2005, we expect that there aren’t too many units out there. Either way if you’re interested in checking out the auction (which is ending in 15 hours at this time of posting), head on over to its eBay page for the details.
HP has announced its first Chromebook, and it’s notable for the fact that its screen is much larger than models from the likes of Samsung, Acer, and Lenovo. Sadly, there’s not an awful lot else to set it apart. More »
Remember last week when HP leaked a 14-inch Chromebook on its own site? That was a big surprise, to say the least — the company has never put out a Chrome OS system before, and we weren’t aware this was even that popular a category. Well, HP just officially announced the Pavilion 14 Chromebook, and pretty much the only surprise is the availability date: we had heard it would go on sale February 17th, but it’s actually available today for $330.
Suffice to say, that’s more than what you’ll pay for Samsung’s Chromebook ($249) or Acer’s C7 ($199). For the money, it offers similar specs as the Acer C7, but the design appears considerably more polished. Meanwhile, with a 1.1GHz Intel Celeron 847 CPU and 2GB of RAM, it should perform a bit better than the Samsung model, which has a nice design, but chugs along on a lower-powered ARM processor. Like most other Chromebooks, this one has 16GB of built-in flash storage, along with a 1,366 x 768 display. Users also get 100GB of Google Drive space (free for the first two years).
All told, this 14-inch system weighs about four pounds, making it not only the biggest Chromebook on the market, but the heaviest. At least that 0.8-inch chassis makes room for a good selection of ports: HDMI output, three USB 2.0 sockets and an SD reader. It even has an Ethernet jack, something that Samsung’s removed from its latest Chrome OS device. Unfortunately, though, a bigger footprint doesn’t mean a bigger battery: the Pavilion 14 Chromebook is rated for four hours and 15 minutes of runtime, putting it behind Samsung’s model. So, are a sleek design and stronger performance worth the premium? We’ll tackle that in our eventual review, but if you buy today you’ll just have to make that call yourself. Check the PR after the break or Google’s Chrome Blog (linked below) more info.
We had plenty of nice things to say about the HP Envy Spectre XT when we reviewed it last year, but we were already looking ahead to the HP Spectre XT TouchSmart, which steps up to a 1080p touchscreen. Well, here it is, and with 10-point touch and the same all-metal design as its predecessor, this 15-incher looks mighty promising. But is it worth $1,350 — or more, if you want an SSD? Head past the break to find out.
HP dove into the Windows 8 ecosystem without hesitation, and the results of that effort are tons of new laptops and desktop computers, some of which are the company’s new ENVY TouchSmart all-in-one series of Windows 8 machines, which we first heard about back in September. They have an entry-level 20-inch model, as well as a 23-inch variant that we took for a spin. It has a fast quad-core processor, quick graphics, a lot of system memory, and a huge hard drive, not to mention the 1080p touchscreen. It’ll cost you, though: around $1,700 for this particular build, but the ENVY 23 TouchSmart (model d060qd) definitely has all the specs to make anyone happy. However, is it right for everyone? Let’s find out.
Setup
Setting up the new TouchSmart machine was fairly straightforward, with only a few roadblocks along the way. First of all, the instructions are completely worthless as far as setup goes, so if you’re usually one to rely on such paperwork, there’s no need to do so this time around. The booklet mostly just discusses maintaining the computer and troubleshooting various problems that could arise. Other than, there are only a few photos meant to help you set up the new computer, most of which were confusing and offered no text to describe the images whatsoever.
In any case, I was able to get up and running in about 10 minutes. The wireless keyboard and mouse connected right away during the initial bootup — no need to pair either devices, and I was looking at the Windows 8 home page in no time. Obviously, everyone expects a smooth and easy setup experience with new products, and HP definitely made it easy for me.
Hardware and Design
This specific review unit comes packing with incredible specs. There’s an Intel Core i7 3770S quad-core processor clocked at 3.1GHz, accompanied by 12GB of DDR3 RAM and a 3TB Seagate hard drive. Graphics-wise, we’re looking at an NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M with 2GB of memory, which provides fast, middle-class performance in case you ever get caught playing any kind graphics-intensive title on your new touchscreen PC. Other than that, there’s Beats Audio integration, which provides three internal speakers along the bottom, as well as boosts performance for any speakers plugged into the audio jacks. You also have a slot-load Blu-ray drive on the right side. Of course, you also can’t forget about the 23-inch 10-point touchscreen display with a 1920×1080 full HD resolution.
As far as ports go, you have two USB 3.0 ports on the left side, along with a SD card slot and microphone and headphone jacks. On the back, there are four USB 2.0 ports, ethernet, and a nifty subwoofer-out port that allows for deeper sound out of the relatively puny speakers that are equipped with the ENVY 23 TouchSmart. Then, on the right side, there’s a lone HDMI port for connecting to an Xbox 360, PlaySation 3, or any other HDMI-capable device that can use the computer as a monitor or display.
As far as the placement of all the ports, I have to say that it’s all pretty scattered. It’s nice to have two USB ports, the SD card slot, and the audio jacks on the side for quick and easy access, but having the HDMI port all by itself on the right side doesn’t quite make sense — it seems it would make better sense if it was with all of the other connectivity options on the back. We’re also not sure why HP didn’t include more USB 3.0 ports on the back. Those with a USB 3.0 external hard drive may be disappointed by this, since you’ll be stuck with plugging it in on the side and having a USB cable stick out the whole time.
The ENVY 23 TouchSmart sits on a big base, which takes up most of the width of the computer and leaves a giant footprint on any desk. Unlike the iMac, and even one of Vizio’s latest all-in-one offerings, HP’s newest machine doesn’t have a small base in the middle. However, that’s mostly because the entire panel is supported by two beams on the sides, which then connect to the base, providing a frame-like structure to the computer. I have to say, though, that the base and the two supporting beams are fairly sturdy. While you can easily adjust the angle of the display without much effort, playing around with the touchscreen doesn’t affect the computer’s stance — it stays still extremely well, even through marathon sessions of tapping and scrolling.
The front of the display is completely covered in a single pane of glass, so when the screen is off, it looks like it’s a borderless display. However, the display has a rather thick bezel, which makes the computer look a little bulky and ancient. HP could’ve easily bumped up the screen size without making the machine any bigger, but most likely due to circumstances that are unbeknownst to me, I’m sure there was a reason why HP kept it at 23 inches with a thicker bezel. The display is pretty glossy, though, so if you plan on using the touchscreen portion (as opposed to the mouse and keyboard), expect a lot of fingerprints and smudges.
Sadly, the computer comes with a power brick attached to the power cord. It’s not too big of a deal, since most electrics come with one anyway, but all-in-one machines are supposed to be meant for saving space, so the power brick may be an unexpected surprise if you’re interested in going with this model. The end of the cord (the end that plugs into the computer) sits at a right angle, so in order to plug it in, you have to bend the cable so that it’s perpendicular to the wall, and then have it bend downwards to feed it behind your desk to be plugged into the outlet. It just make more sense if the connector was straight, or at the very least a 45-degree angle, which is actually gaining popularity with various cable manufacturers anyway.
Overall, the design of the ENVY 23 TouchSmart isn’t too bad. There are certainly things that I would change, including a slightly smaller base and a thinner bezel, but I love the sturdiness of the stand with the ability to adjust the angle of the display easily when need be. It would’ve nice to see some USB 3.0 ports on the back, instead of just on the side, but a total of six USB ports isn’t anything to complain about. The speaker quality was fairly good, and while it did sound a little tinny, it’s definitely an upgrade from what you would get with regular laptop speakers. There’s a lot more bass in these speakers, and if you pair them up with an external subwoofer, it’ll make for a pretty decent system for personal listening.
Software
As far as software goes, there’s actually not a lot of bloatware. There’s obviously a few HP-specific apps — some you may find useful, and others just an annoyance. The company pre-installed their “Connected” Photos and Music apps, both of which are HP’s own version of a photo manager and music player, respectively. Connected Photos is powered by Snapfish, and it not only lets you manage and organize your photo collection, but it also integrates with Facebook and you can easily push your smartphone photos to the app as well. The music player is HP’s own version of iTunes of sorts. You can manage and play your music, as well as browse popular music and even buy tracks right from the app. We’re not sure that most users would utilize these two apps, since there are far superior options out there, but the choice is there nonetheless.
HP also included their own backup app, similar to Time Machine on Mac, and they also have what’s called HP MyRoom, which is a video-conferencing app that resembles most other apps like it, such as Skype (which is also pre-installed interestingly enough). HP even has its own app store called HP+, where you can download games, entertainment apps, software, etc. Sadly, though, it’s lacking in content and doesn’t have a lot of options — you’re better off sticking with the Windows Store.
System – Hewlett-Packard 23-d060qd
Manufacturer
Hewlett Packard
Product Type
Desktop
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 8 Pro (64-bit)
Motherboard
PEGATRON CORPORATION 2ADC
Processor
Intel Core i7-3770S
Processor ID
GenuineIntel Family 6 Model 58 Stepping 9
Processor Frequency
3.09 GHz
Processors
1
Threads
8
Cores
4
L1 Instruction Cache
32.0 KB
L1 Data Cache
32.0 KB
L2 Cache
256 KB
L3 Cache
8.00 MB
Memory
12.0 GB DDR3 SDRAM 799MHz
FSB
99.8 MHz
BIOS
AMI 8.10
Other than that, HP included some non-HP apps into the bloatware mix, including Kindle, eBay, Netflix, Norton Antivirus, and Skype. Surprisingly enough, the computer arrives clean of most bloatware, and what’s already there shouldn’t bother the user at all, except for maybe Norton, which pesters you every now and then to activate or update the software. Besides that, though, the HP apps don’t get in the way too much, and if they do, you can simply move around the app tiles to hide the apps and make the homescreen how you want.
Performance
The computer comes with top-tier specs all around, so most users won’t have a problem with performance — the 3TB hard drive will hold plenty family photos and videos, as well as all the music you can think of. The processor is fast enough that apps open quickly, and nothing lags behind, which is great for those older folks that can’t stand anything slower than the Millenium Falcon at light speed. Benchmark scores from Geekbench were actually really decent, and it scored better than most of the newer all-in-ones that we’ve reviewed in the recent past, including Acer’s Aspire 7600U, which has a higher price tag, and it even beat out Apple’s newest iMac, although just barely. The ENVY 23 TouchSmart even kept right up with HP’s Z1 Workstation, which carries a hefty price tag of $2,700.
Benchmark Score – Hewlett-Packard 23-d060qd
Section
Description
Score
Total Score
Windows x86 (64-bit) – Microsoft Windows 8 Pro (64-bit)
Integer
Processor integer performance
12994
15023
Floating Point
Processor floating point performance
23417
Memory
Memory performance
7941
Stream
Memory bandwidth performance
6918
As far as everyday use, the TouchSmart boots up in about 25 seconds from the time the power button is pressed to the time when the desktop is ready to use. That’s certainly respectable, but considering that HP stuffed a 3TB hard drive inside, we can’t help but feel that the company could have also slipped in a solid state drive as well, just to boost the performance even more. As for the display, it’s a 10-point touchscreen, meaning it will register all ten fingers if need be. In brief, it’s basically feels like a 23-inch upright tablet, and it’s extremely responsive and smooth. It takes little effort to scroll through home screens and websites, and multi-point touch capability is pretty fantastic — pinch-to-zoom works well, and playing around in the painting app with multiple fingers was both fun and impressive.
Wrap-Up
In the end, the HP ENVY 23 TouchSmart can do pretty much anything you throw at it, and it can certainly handle the demanding needs of an entire family, from the little kids all the way up to the impatient grandparents. It comes with most of the features that you would want on a high-end all-in-one desktop — it’s got the large 1080p touchscreen display, a huge hard drive, gobs of RAM, and a super-fast processor. While there are definitely things that I could nitpick about, such as the large base, no USB 3.0 on the back, and a less-than-decent keyboard and mouse combo, I can’t really see how this computer wouldn’t cater to the everyday man or woman. And while the $1,700 may not look too great, the company’s 20-inch models start at around $1,000 if you’re looking for a smaller build. It’s certainly not a desktop that’s aimed towards a specific group of users, so if you’re looking for an all-around Windows 8 machine for the entire family, the ENVY all-in-one series meets the mark.
HP is a name that many of us are familiar with, and it seems that the PC giant is going to dip their toes in a relatively new market, that of the Chromebook. Yes sir, it seems that a HP Chromebook is in the pipeline, following after the likes of Samsung, Acer, and Lenovo in a bid to further expand their market reach. In fact, HP is said to have published a specifications sheet for the Pavilion Chromebook 14-c010us which revealed a 4-pound model that ran on a 1.1GHz Intel Celeron 847 processor, carrying a 16GB SSD, 14-inch LED-backlit display that has 1,366 x 768 resolution, a trio of USB 2.0 ports (oh, why didn’t they throw in USB 3.0 instead to keep up with the times?) and a webcam, of course.
Word has it that the HP Chromebook will ship in the weeks to come, sporting an advertising embargo date of February 17. The spec sheet read, “The HP Pavilion Chromebook gives you fast and easy access to the things you love and depend on, from a world of Google apps and services to your photos and social networks. And since it’s the first Chromebook with a 14-inch diagonal design, you get full-size comfort without giving up full-on mobility.”
We do hope to grab more information on the details of the HP Chromebook such as its exact availability as well as price, and if priced correctly, it looks set to move. Samsung might want to watch out for their backs here!
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If you think about the iPod today, you wouldn’t think that Apple would have needed help trying to sell the device, right? That might be true today, but 9 years ago might have been a different story because it seems that Apple and HP teamed up to create an 
HP is a name that many of us are familiar with, and it seems that the PC giant is going to dip their toes in a relatively new market, that of the Chromebook. Yes sir, it seems that a HP Chromebook is in the pipeline, following after the likes of Samsung, Acer, and Lenovo in a bid to further expand their market reach. In fact, HP is said to have published a specifications sheet for the Pavilion Chromebook 14-c010us which revealed a 4-pound model that ran on a 1.1GHz Intel Celeron 847 processor, carrying a 16GB SSD, 14-inch LED-backlit display that has 1,366 x 768 resolution, a trio of USB 2.0 ports (oh, why didn’t they throw in USB 3.0 instead to keep up with the times?) and a webcam, of course.
