Verdict
The HP Chromebook x2 11 is an excellent 2 - in-1 Chromebook . It ply the best of both worlds for a pad and laptop computer with a wild display , as well as well all - round operation , and a responsive keyboard . The interface selection , nor battery aliveness , is n’t the most telling , but otherwise , this is a grand pick .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Sometimes , when you want to corrupt a 2 - in-1 laptop , you require it to focalize more on the tablet side than the laptop side – for HP ’s crop of Chromebooks , that ’s where the Chromebook x2 11 comes into child’s play .
For the sum of £ 499 , it ’ll provide you with carrying into action to match similarly specced laptop computer alternatives with near - indistinguishable intimate specs , but as much as it may offer a smaller 11 - in display , it actually offers a big upgrade in flexibility and functionality .
With this in mind , to make it into our list of thebest Chromebooks , it ’s have a lot to live up to , given the top daub in its weight unit class being taken up by theLenovo Chromebook Duet . Can HP do the business though , and take the top situation ? I ’ve done some examination to find out .
Design and Keyboard
Much like Lenovo ’s own offering in this space , the HP Chromebook x2 11 feel more like a tablet that ’s had a hardcover and keyboard attachment bundled with it , as opposed to a in full - flight laptop computer . That becomes patent even from when I launch the corner and the twist come up in a few unlike small-arm – a bonafide laptop this is n’t , that ’s for certain .
Both spread over attach to the pill dowry individually , with the keyboard docking into place on the underside of the tablet , while the separate cover song on the back sum up both protection and an integrated viewpoint for using the Chromebook x2 11 as a laptop . The kickstand here is okay and provides adequate scope for line up the angle you ’d like the screen to be , although it is a pity that it does n’t come integrated into the twist itself .
The benefit of offering full detachable accessories though is that it means this twist can be used as a proper tablet , as oppose to a half - hearted attempt at one with more traditional 2 - in-1 laptops . It also earmark for the Chromebook x2 11 to be an specially clean gimmick , weighing in at just 1.03 kilogram all in ( or 580 g as just the tab whole ) , which is two - thirds or so of likewise price ChromeOS - based laptops . This makes it especially portable , and a functional gadget you could catapult into a bag and whip out when you call for it .
The tablet portion of the Chromebook x2 11 feel firm in hand , offering a good convulsion and finish for the cost . It is more expensive than the Chromebook Duet , and with a sandblasted aluminium shell , endeavor to apologize the price tag a little more . By contrast , however , the keyboard bond and rearward cover experience a little slight and flimsy . On the plus side , they attach via magnets , and feel secure when confiscate to the Chromebook x2 11 , meaning it wo n’t suddenly go from being a laptop to a tablet any time before long .
The booby trap of this being a tablet however is the distinguishable deficiency of ports on offer . You get a totality of a distich of USB - C ports , one of which is used for appoint , as well as a MicroSD reader . Similarly priced options sometimes lend HDMI out to the party , as well as a USB - A , so to get a pick of three port , where only two of which are fit to be used if you ’ve contract the equipment on charge , is a little minute of a hurting . For wide forms of enlargement , you may well have to go the dongle life , if you choose to cull one of these up .
There is also a duo of cameras present here , too , with an 8MP snapper on the back , and a 5MP camera on the front . For the most part , result are decent enough , although images in smart illumination with the rearward camera can take care a little over - expose .
The keyboard attachment is a biz of two half . Its keys put up solid change of location and a seemly layer of tactility , unlike some more affordable Chromebooks I ’ve prove , but its squished - up layout to fit into an eleven - inch tablet physique did bequeath me mis - hitting the backspace key every now and again . What ’s more , the actual plastic used on the keyboard covering fire feel a niggling cheap and flimsy .
It ’s much the same tarradiddle with the trackpad , too . The actual real estate afford for your fingers is excellent for the cost , although the buttons feel a little empty , and bring home the bacon a little bit of tactual feedback , but not much else .
Display and Sound
unremarkably , it ’s on the front of the showing where more low-cost laptops in general choose to skimp out . However , being a tablet , the display on the Chromebook x2 11 appear to have been the main focus of HP ’s gimmick .
It may only be an 11 - inch display , which is diddy for a so - called laptop in 2023 , but otherwise impressed with a QHD resolution and a quoted 400 nit of brightness . In examination and in watching The Marvelous Mrs Maisel on Prime Video , this permit for the Chromebook x2 11 ’s display to offer some excellent item and generally vibrant images with firm colours .
On the side of the Chromebook x2 11 , HP proudly professes to get the help of Bang and Olufsen for the speakers on this 2 - in-1 Chromebook . As much as these utterer may have been tune up by the lads over at B&O , it is n’t the upright experience . To my pinna , they sound a little thin with a mass of mid - reach , although acquit sight of book with them .
Performance
Inside the Chromebook x2 11 , HP has bundled with it an Arm - base concoction of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c processor , the same as is in theAcer Chromebook Spin 513I train a look at a span of years ago .
As much as it may well , therefore , be a poker chip that ’s a couple of years sometime , it still provides the Chromebook x2 11 with enough power to get through the day - to - day tasks that it ’s project for . It did n’t falter when I give multiple Chrome check and even run Geekbench did n’t get this particular laptop to fathom like it was in a wind burrow . Nor did it get in particular ardent – this is ruminate in the better thermal performance that Arm - based processors run to provide over their more standard x86 vis-a-vis .
Compared to the Spin 513 , it offers slightly better operation , as well as well-to-do beating off the Lenovo Chromebook Duet . While the numbers in the benchmark are n’t ground - smashing , they still reveal the Chromebook x2 11 to be a competent machine for the basic chore it ’s designed for .
In this framework , I ’ve also get under one’s skin the jazz group of 8 GB ofRAM , providing plenty of dynamic headroom for multitasking , as well as 128 GB eMMC storage , provide enough content for installing a flock of apps . It would have been squeamish to see literal solid state storage at this damage , and opting for eMMC store seems a fiddling stingy . With ChromeOS coming with Google ’s G - Suite of apps built - in , it ’s also not like you ’re go to be storing a batch of actual file cabinet on here , establish you more space to muck up around with .
It also provides admission to a SIM card slot for adding in a SIM card if you need to hook the Chromebook x2 11 up to a data plan and use it on the go , which is handy – that ’s another welfare of being an Arm - establish system . What ’s more , the Chromebook x2 11 also supportsWi - Fi 6to allow for speedy connectivity to suffer networks , which is always ready to hand .
Battery Life
HP quotes the Chromebook x2 11 to last for 11 hours , and ordinarily , with Arm - based devices , they tend to propose up some excellent results that oftentimes beat the quote figures . When dialling the brightness down to half and run a video loop test , that ’s what I hoped for this Chromebook , too .
However , this was n’t to be the case , as it only lasted for 8 hours and 16 arcminute before perish out . This does n’t meet our usual 10 - hour target area and is a little dissatisfactory . With this in mind , however , with a bit of hypermiling , you should be able to get the Chromebook x2 11 through a work on day before needing to contact for the charger .
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Should you buy it?
For the price , the QHD panel on the Chromebook x2 11 is excellent , offering well colours and howling detail .
If it ’s a full variety of embrasure and excellent battery life you ’re after though , you may well need to look at a larger option .
Final Thoughts
For a very longsighted time , Lenovo’sChromebook Duetwas the best 2 - in-1 Chromebook money can buy . However , I think we may well have a fresh contender here with the HP Chromebook X2 11 . It may well be a bit more expensive , but it represents a major upgrade compare to Lenovo ’s choice .
It ’s draw a much frosty processor that offers a antiphonal experience in day - to - 24-hour interval tasks , as well a particularly fantabulous display with a proficient touchscreen , solid detail and gravid colours . The keyboard attachment to wrick it into a laptop computer is unspoilt too , with some tactual keys , meaning it also keeps up the other destruction to the 2 - in-1 steal .
My only real issue with it lie in the less - than - bear barrage aliveness , which is a bit unsatisfying , and the smaller port selection compare to more full - size alternatives . I guess that ’s the forfeit for opting for a twist that ’s a tablet first and a laptop computer second .
Nevertheless , the HP is a rarefied example of a budget Chromebook not goldbrick on design and it ’s , at long last , a great overall budget laptop computer pick for that rationality too . Those considering a budget Windows laptop who are happy with the limitation of ChromeOS should consider this Chromebook too . For a full extract of options , see ourbest Chromebooksandbest budget laptopsguide .
Trusted Score
How we test
Every laptop we brush up go through a series of undifferentiated checks designed to judge key things include physique quality , performance , screenland character and battery life .
These let in schematic synthetic benchmarks and written trial , plus a series of real - man balk , such as how well it runs popular apps .
FAQs
A Chromebook is a specific type of laptop that runs Google ’s own operating system , ChromeOS . By dividing line , a laptop is a type of computing machine design for portable use , and can run any operating system , including Windows and macOS .
For PC gaming , the Chromebook x2 11 is not a viable option . But , for game streaming and Android gambling , this HP 2 - in-1 is more than able .
