Finally: An AMD Chromebook, Courtesy of HP
HP has announced today something long-rumored and hoped for but not actually available in stores: a Chromebook powered by an AMD processor. We saw it for ourselves, the Chrome OS-backed HP Chromebook 14 runs on a dual-core AMD A4-9120 CPU with integrated AMD Radeon R4 graphics. It starts at $269 and arrives later this month.
HP Chromebook 14 Specs
CPU & Base Frequency / Boost | AMD A4-9210 @ 2.2 GHz / 2.5 GHz |
Graphics | AMD Radeon R4 (integrated) |
RAM | 4GB (DDR4-1866 SDRAM) |
Storage | 32GB (eMMC) |
Display | 14 inches, HD resolution SVA panel with anti-glare & WLED backlight |
Ports | 2x USB Type-C2x USB 2.01x MicroSD1x headphone out/mic in combo |
Battery | 47.4 Wh |
Connectivity | Qualcomm Atheros QCA6174A-5 802.11a/b/g/ac 2x2 Wi-FiBluetooth 4.2 combo (MU-MIMO support) |
Audio | 2x B&O speakers |
Webcam | HP TrueVision HD |
Dimensions (WxDxH) | 13.3 x 8.9 in x 0.7 inches (33.8 x 22.6 x 1.8 cm) |
Weight | 3.4 pounds (1.5 kg) |
Price | Non-touchscreen: $269Touchscreen: $299 |
Intel has been holding a firm grasp on the Chromebook CPU space, with most Chromebooks today sporting their Celeron, Pentium or older-generation Core i3 or i5 processors. But HP (as well as Acer) has broken the mold with its latest Chromebook. As a low-cost Chromebook, it’s meant for basic productivity and only runs Android Apps, so you can't expect HP to pack much performance power into the 3.4-pound lightweight. The Chromebook 14’s CPU has a 2.2-GHz clock speed and can reach 2.5 GHz at turbo boost. It has a solid, for a Chromebook, 4GB of memory and integrated AMD graphics.
In-person the laptop was surprisingly light with the thick, rounded edges and the relatively tough exterior of a kid-friendly device but the sleek color and finish of a grown-up PC. HP calls it chalkboard gray with a textured finish. It impressively has not one, but two USB-C ports, for charging and data, and a 180-degree hinge for laying the machine flat.
HP claims the laptop gets up to 9 hours and 15 minutes of battery life. In addition to its 802.11a/b/g/ac connectivity, the Chromebook also supports MU-MIMO for better internet connectivity.
With AMD under the hood, HP may have just given some Team Red enthusiasts reason to consider a Chromebook as a secondary or kids' device.
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Scharon Harding has a special affinity for gaming peripherals (especially monitors), laptops and virtual reality. Previously, she covered business technology, including hardware, software, cyber security, cloud and other IT happenings, at Channelnomics, with bylines at CRN UK.
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creeper.creeper01 Can somebody test the performance of Linux terminal on this thing? That would me the selling point for me.Reply