The Universal Stylus Initiative emerged in 2018 to help manufacturers come up with a standard for cross-device stylus support when developing stylus hardware, resulting in a "one stylus to rule the screens" philosophy. Today, HP is ready to show its dedication to this initiative by introducing its first series of USI-compatible Chromebooks, the x360 12b and x360 14b.

The new duo of convertible Chromebooks from HP promise a slim, fanless design, complete with a metal, backlit keyboard deck, USB Type-A and USB Type-C ports, and a polished natural silver outer shell. Under the hood, these Chromebooks offer a choice between an Intel Celeron Dual Core processor or a Pentium Quad Core processor, both with integrated Intel UHD Graphics and up to 128GB of eMMC storage. Estimated battery life for the x360 12b clocks in at a worthy 12 hours while the x360 14b comes in slightly shorter at a respectable 10 hours.

Assorted views of the new HP Chromebook x360 14b

What we're really here for, though, are the displays. The x360 12b packs a 12" HD+ screen with a 3:2 aspect ratio, while the x360 14b comes with the choice of a 14" HD or FHD screen. All display options are calibrated to work seamlessly with the HP Rechargeable USI Pen (sold separately), which connects to a built-in magnetic pen dock on the x360s for charging. However, since HP's two newest Chromebooks are USI 1.0-compatible, any USI stylus will work just fine.

Both devices from HP come with Google Play support for downloading your favorite Android apps, games, and more, as well as one free year of Google One, Google's latest cloud storage management and product support service.

The Chromebook x360 12b ($359) and Chromebook x360 14b ($379) will be available for purchase later this month at HP.com and select retailers, while the HP Rechargeable USI Pen ($69.99) will make its retail debut sometime in November.

In addition to HP, 11 other companies, including Google and Intel, are committed to the USI stylus standard, so look for more compatible hardware soon.

Source: BusinessWire, HP