It looks like HP is getting into the Chromebook game with its Pavilion Chromebook, if a leaked spec sheet on the company's website is to be believed. According to the Engadget, the spec sheet, which appears to have been inadvertently posted on HP's shopping site and has since been removed, the Pavilion Chromebook will sport a 1.1-GHz Intel Celeron 847 processor, 2GB of RAM and a 16GB SSD.
If those specs are right, the Pavilion Chromebook would line up nicely with Acer's C7 Chromebook, which packs the same processor and amount of RAM, though the Acer includes a 320GB 5,400 rpm hard drive rather than a more power-efficient SSD. And while those specs seem good for what will likely be a very low price, we have some serious reservations about HP's rumored unit.
The biggest difference between the Pavilion Chromebook and the Acer, and all Chromebooks for that matter, is that HP has decided to go with a super-sized (relatively speaking) 14-inch display instead of a traditional 11.6 - 12-inch display found on most Chromebooks. A bigger display may be nice, but it's also cause for concern when it comes to the HP's battery life.
According to the spec sheet, HP is expecting users to get roughly 4 hours and 15 minutes out of the Pavilion Chromebook's 2,550 mAh lithium ion battery. That's pretty low, especially when you consider that the average ultraportable notebook gets about 6 hours and 2 minutes of battery life on the LAPTOP Battery Test.
The Acer C7, which features a similarly sized 2,500 mAh battery and smaller 11.6-inch display, lasted just 4 hours and 24 minutes on the same test. However, the $249 ARM-powered Samsung Series 3 lasted a strong 7 hours and 34 minutes.
While the HP will see some power savings as a result of its 16GB SSD versus the Acer's standard hard drive, its 14-inch display is sure to sap a healthy amount of life from its battery pack.
Maybe shoppers will be willing to overlook short endurance for the right price. According to Bloomberg, Acer has found moderate success is its Chromebook sales, which accounted for 5 to 10 percent of the company's U.S. shipments since November. Does that mean HP will sell a lot of Chromebooks anyway? A lot of that will depend on the cost.
The Acer C7 costs a rock bottom $199. HP's Pavilion Chromebook, however, is sure to cost more thanks to its SSD and bigger screen. Similarly equipped Samsung devices generally cost between $249 with a 11.6-inch display and $449 with an 12.1-inch display.
For now, HP is keeping mum on the leak, but with an expected release date of Feb. 17, we're sure to get more info soon.
