The new HP Chromebook 14 (starting at $250) is thinner, lighter, cheaper and should last longer than last year's model. Plus, you can upgrade its display to a Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixel) screen for only $30. Available in Turbo Silver and Sky Blue, the colorful Chromebook 14 weighs only 3.74 pounds, noticeably less than last year's 4.4 pound model. The new laptop also got skinnier, going from 0.81-inches thick to 0.7 inches. The new model is expected to be available on Nov. 8 for about $100 less than the previous generation.
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The new HP is armed with an Intel Celeron N2840 processor, and will come with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of eMMC storage. While last year's Chromebook 14 lasted 7 hours and 57 minutes in the Laptop Mag Battery Test, HP says this year's version should last up to 9 hours and 15 minutes.
Not only does the Chromebook 14 come with the 100GB of Google Drive cloud storage for 2 years and 12 free Gogo in-air internet passes that were included with the 2014 edition, but buyers will receive three free Google Play movie rentals and 90 days of free Google Play music.
The 2015 Chromebook 14 will feature one USB 3.0 port and two USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI port and a multi-format Digital Media Card Reader.
HP has also announced a version of the notebook for small medium business (SMB) and educational customers, called the Chromebook 14 G4 (starting at $279). The notebook will support enhanced virtualization and VPN connectivity. The G4 version of the Chromebook 14 also comes with a larger storage option (up to 32GB of eMMC storage).
We can't wait to get both models in to run our battery of tests to determine if they are worth the money. But the 2014 model of the same name was awarded a 4-star review, so with all the improvements HP has made the chances are good this will be a worthwhile Chromebook to consider.
