Chromebook sales are surging thanks to the global pandemic that has many of us working and studying from home, so it's just fitting that HP has today announced its latest education-focused lineup of Chromebooks, just a few hours after Acer did. The new machines consist of offers for both teachers and students, and the company makes a point that all of them can be easily disinfected with household wipes.
Chromebooks are cheap and effective computers that do well as document editors, web surfers, and media streamers. With Black Friday looming on the horizon, they're even cheaper: HP has a couple of capable 14" Full HD Chromebooks which you can get for as low as $149 from Best Buy.
Demand for cheap but reliable PCs has never been higher since the global pandemic forced students across the country to shift to distance learning. Thanks to the affordability and dependability of Chromebooks, institutions are moving to Google's platform to bring students online, leading to tremendous sales growth worldwide.
If you're after a snappy-looking Chromebook, but last week's $799 Galaxy Chromebook was a bit out of budget, we've got something for half the price. This model of the 14" HP Chromebook x360 14c is currently just $399 ($230 off) at Best Buy. The only catch is that you have to be registered as a student with your Best Buy account.
Chrome OS often gets maligned as a platform that you can't do "real work" on, and in some cases, that's true. But sometimes, you don't need a computer that does absolutely everything, and that's why I decided to give switching to Chrome OS on my laptop a try. While I've retained my iMac as a proper workstation, my aging MacBook Air was due for an upgrade, and the opportunity to switch platforms presented itself. Could a simpler, cheaper Chromebook replace my MacBook for working on the go? While I found that the answer was decidedly "no" in some situations—and that simply adapting to Chrome OS and its limitations was a huge adjustment—I do think Chrome now has a place in my workflow, albeit one that is rather hit or miss.
In an ever-expanding lineup of Chromebooks, a few devices have managed to stand out and gain some recognition for their quality design and responsive performance. HP's x360 is one such device, and after initially debuting near the $600 mark, its price has periodically dipped down into more affordable territory. Today only, you can grab a refurbished x360 from Woot for only $279 — which is $70 lower than the already compelling discount pricing we covered last Black Friday.
Apple might be upset (and maybe a little envious) when it comes to Google's massive success in education, with over 30 million Chromebooks in the classroom to date. Today HP is revealing four more models for its educational lineup in sizes from 11 to 14 inches, sporting student-resistant designs, the same deep G Suite for Education integration, and prices that all start under $300.
The Pixel Slate is the hot new convertible Chromebook on the block, but if you're looking for something cheaper, you've come to the right place. One of HP's 2-in-1 Chromebooks is just $262.99 from Woot for today only, and the units are refurbished by HP itself (and come with a 90-day warranty).
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.
For those of you looking for a 2-in-1 tablet with Google software, HP's Chromebook x2 is practically perfect. With its included and stylusdetachable keyboard, it represents pretty good value at its $599 MSRP. Best Buy, however, is currently offering the Chromebook x2 for just $349, equating to a discount of a whopping $250. This is a pretty crazy deal.