Does the job, but value is questionable

You need a laptop and you don’t want to spend a fortune on it. That’s totally understandable; maybe you’re a student or just someone who occasionally needs something a little bit more powerful than a phone or a tablet. 

In recent years, Chromebooks have occupied a useful niche in the laptop space. They’re generally cheap and can facilitate most daily computing tasks well enough. The only catch is that they exist outside of the Windows/Mac dichotomy, instead running on Google’s closed ChromeOS ecosystem.

The newest HP Chromebook 14 model packs in a new AMD processor, a full HD touchscreen, and a 14-inch display for $329. Does it stand above the competition or should you look elsewhere for an affordable laptop?

Build quality above its pay grade

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Before we talk about its performance (and there’s plenty to say about that), the HP Chromebook 14’s build quality is worth addressing. It’s a nice, sturdy laptop that feels better than some machines I’ve used with significantly higher price points.

For reference, I use a MacBook Pro for work. For all the benefits that come from Apple’s hardware design, it’s not without problems. Four USB-C ports without a single regular USB port is a problem, and I wouldn’t wish its cramped, clicky keyboard on my worst enemy.

Image: zlata ivleva/mashable

By comparison, the Chromebook 14 feels surprisingly pleasant. Its keyboard is substantial, with keys that have just enough elevation to feel like real buttons without feeling mushy. The hinge can bend back a full 180 degrees, so you can lay the screen flat on a surface, just in case that sounds appealing to you. 

At 3.5 pounds, it’s also not especially heavy. This Chromebook isn’t tiny by any means, but in my time with it, it never felt cumbersome to carry around. I would have preferred a touchpad with defined left and right click buttons, but what’s there is usable. 

Where it really won my heart was its port situation. There are two USB Type-A ports and two USB-C ports, with one of each on both sides of the Chromebook. In addition, the right side has a MicroSD slot and a headphone jack, so pretty much all of your bases are covered here. 

Maybe cool down a little bit

Image: Zlata ivleva/mashable

Laptops are more than just their build quality, though, and that’s where the Chromebook 14 stumbles a bit. The model we used came with an AMD dual-core processor, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Those aren’t the most eye-popping stats for a Chromebook, even taking the price into consideration.

Still, getting the Chromebook 14 up and running was a breeze. As long as you have a functional Google login handy, you can get to work within minutes of unboxing the laptop.

For doing basic, daily tasks like browsing the web, checking emails and taking notes in Google Docs, the Chromebook 14 works just fine. It’s not speediest machine in the world by any means, but it gets the job done as long as you don’t have dozens of tabs open. 

More intensive tasks are a different story. Trying to watch YouTube content at resolutions above 720p proved to be a jittery experience, while HD content on Netflix also stuttered a bit. Gaming is limited to whatever is on the Google Play Store and optimized for ChromeOS. Even on low settings, the mobile version of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds ran poorly.

Regardless of what you’re actually doing with the Chromebook 14, the underside gets warm in a shockingly short amount of time. Even while plugged into a power source with just a couple of tabs open, I noticed it sizzling it a little bit. The heat levels never got dangerous, but it was definitely noteworthy. 

Touchscreen first, mirror second

Image: zlata ivleva/mashable

The $329 model of the Chromebook 14 comes with an HD touch display that works well enough. Responsiveness isn’t a major issue and sometimes it’s just easier to navigate some ChromeOS menus that way. 

As far as the screen is concerned, it’s bright and has an acceptable viewing angle. It isn’t the most gorgeous laptop screen on Earth, but for around $300, I don’t expect that. 

My only major gripe with the display is that it’s a little too reflective for my tastes. Anytime I watched a video that cut to black, it just became a mirror. This is going to be true of most modern displays, but I noticed it more with the Chromebook 14 than I do with other devices I regularly use.

I should also note that the Chromebook 14’s battery life doesn’t impress. It boasts somewhere between five and seven hours of use depending on what you’re doing with it, but I noticed it running low well before the end of a regular work day.

It may not be a terrific value

Image: zlata ivleva/mashable

The problem I keep coming back to with the Chromebook 14, above all else, is value. In the world of laptops, $329 is certainly a modest price on paper, and there are $270 and $300 variants with inferior screens, if you so desire. 

Still, it’s hard to shake the feeling that there might be better options out there. A cursory glance at Amazon reveals that there are plenty of other Chromebooks with similar amounts of storage and RAM in the sub-$300 range. 

You can even get a Windows laptop with significantly more internal storage and RAM for less than $400. Obviously, those in the market for a Chromebook might not want that, but the option is there and worth considering.

Ultimately, the new HP Chromebook 14 is as advertised. It does basic things well, but shouldn’t be used for anything particularly intense. I had a mostly decent time using it, but nothing about it jumped out at me as particularly recommendable. You could do much worse, but it might be smart to check out some other options in the same price range before committing to it.