Do Any Chromebooks Have Number Pads

Dorsum in Apr of 2019, Acer previewed a Chromebook to the world at their annual hardware reveal that possessed a very unique feature at the fourth dimension: a number pad on the keyboard. Sure, this is a pretty commonplace item on many Windows devices, but we'd not seen a Chromebook sporting this input method even so and many readers and YouTube viewers were very excited about the prospect of seeing a xv.vi-inch Chromebook with a number pad on the keyboard.

Fast forward four months and we're all the same waiting on the Acer Chromebook 715 to actually begin shipping. In the concurrently, Lenovo has teased a number pad-toting Chromebook and HP has just merely shown upwardly first with their make-new Chromebook 15 equipped with a number pad. While that means nosotros now have iii choices for large Chromebooks with number pads, you technically but accept 1 choice at this point if you are ready to pull the trigger and actually buy one.

Other parts of this Chromebook are nice, but not really noteworthy. Nosotros're going to go through the parts piece past piece like we always do, just don't be looking for any further superlatives with HP'south latest Chromebook and you likely won't be disappointed. It does enough well, just this Chromebook'due south articulate claim to fame is that number pad. With all that in mind, let's look at the HP Chromebook fifteen.

Build

Approaching the HP Chromebook 15, you'll feel a tad bit of déjà vu if you've ever seen or handled the Chromebook x360 fourteen. The lid is the same treated aluminum that feels a tad like ceramic and the chassis is aluminum on top, plastic on bottom. The 2-tone look of the x360 is also nowadays hither, simply the lesser colour is gray instead of the slate blueish from that device, so information technology will probable be a bit less polarizing. I honestly like the expect of both devices, just I empathize not anybody is a fan.

The swivel is solid, the device is relatively thin at only 0.7-inches, and also weighs in at an acceptable 4 lbs. With a fifteen.six-inch Chromebook, this weight and thickness make the device feel quite a bit thinner and lighter than those numbers portray and I was impressed by the form gene of this device overall. It looks good and feels good, besides.

Screen

We've already mentioned information technology a flake, merely this fifteen.6-inch device comes equipped with a FHD 1920×1080 IPS panel that does almost everything right. Viewing angles are broad, colors pop, and the resolution is perfect for this size. Again, where this Chromebook falters a tad is in the brightness category. For whatever reason, HP seems content to ship Chromebooks with dim displays. At about 160 nits, this screen is but not bright.

If you are in controlled lighting environments most days, information technology likely won't bother you. But if yous, like me, are out and almost well-nigh days with your Chromebook, yous'll want to think twice nigh this purchase. Information technology honestly doesn't affair how adept your colors, sharpness or viewing angles are if your screen isn't bright enough to exist viewed in your environment. There were times it didn't bother me, just taking this Chromebook to our local Starbucks (which is more often than not windows) was a pretty large fail.

Keyboard & Trackpad

On the other side of the spectrum, the HP Chromebook 15's keyboard and trackpad are fantastic, just like many of the Chromebooks HP's delivered on over the past couple years. Keys experience keen, take backlighting, and you get the coveted number pad to smash those spreadsheets similar a boss. The trackpad, while not glass, is broad and smooth, delivering a corking click and excellent user feel.

I exercise wish they would have brought over the remarkable glass trackpad from the x360 line, just I was never bothered by this one in the least. Many plastic trackpads get oily fast and don't register swipe gestures well afterwards a bit of employ. This ane stayed smooth and responsive throughout my unabridged review catamenia and was never crusade for any concern.

Ports & Speakers

By now, we're painfully familiar with the port layout of this device. Information technology is congenital on the same 'Nami' baseboard as the Lenovo Yoga C630, Dell Inspiron Chromebook, HP x360, and Acer Spin 13. This means we go dual USB Blazon C ports, a single USB Type A port, headphone/mic jack, microSD card slot, and a Kensington lock. I've said it plenty of times in the by, but it still applies; this port layout is my favorite every bit information technology is ane of the most versatile bachelor. USB type C gives yous flexibility on each side while the type A port lets you mostly escape the dongle life. And I don't care what anyone says: headphone jacks are nice to take.

The speakers, however, are a repeat of a familiar HP theme of B&O branding without B&O audio. I'thou notwithstanding surprised B&O allows their brand to be associated with such middling sound, simply hither we are with another HP Chromebooks that flaunts B&O speakers and sounds like sound quality was literally the last thing they considered when building the device. They aren't terrible, merely they aren't skillful either. I'thousand however waiting for the commencement time I fissure open a B&O branded Chromebook and get something like what Google delivered in the Pixel Slate. This is most definitely not that.

Internals

For most people, the internal setup on offer hither is the 8th-gen Pentium Golden processor paired up with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. For some of you, yet, y'all can grab the version we reviewed that seems to exist a Sam'due south Lodge and Costco exclusive with a Core i3 processor and an expanded 128GB of storage. Unfortunately, the RAM on all models is capped at 4GB.

Outset, a scrap of a rant about that RAM. Nosotros're getting to the point where only budget-minded Chromebooks should offer 4GB of RAM, honestly. It is time for annihilation sold over $400 to always take 8GB on offer across the board. It doesn't price that much to upgrade and in a day and age where most phones send with 6GB or 8GB or RAM, it is fourth dimension for 8GB to become the new normal. I personally didn't meet issue with memory while testing this device, simply I could easily encounter a scenario where it becomes an issue in the very most time to come.

For the processor, we haven't tested a Pentium Gold device yet, only according to the benchmarks, there isn't a ton of performance drop from the Core i3 nosotros tested. The performance from a processor perspective shouldn't exist an consequence unless you are planning on getting into some heavier Linux development. With Chrome OS and Android apps, however, either processor volition deliver enough power for yous not to have to call up well-nigh performance on a daily basis.

Wrap Up

And so, is this Chromebook for y'all? From a user experience standpoint, that depends. If you need a Chromebook with a number pad right now, the answer is yes and I call up you'll enjoy this i overall. If you are not really that excited about a number pad, the respond to that question is quite a bit more nuanced and that is mainly due to price.

At the MSRP, this device starts at $449 and I can say that y'all simply should non buy this Chromebook at that price. Information technology does seem, however, that nearly retailers have agreed to a $379 cost indicate on this Chromebook, and at that cost I think well-nigh people would feel great about their purchase.

Buy The HP Chromebook 15 on Amazon

The Core i3 model comes in at $549 MSRP and, again, with the current lineup of incredible Chromebooks out at that place for about that price, I can't recommend it. We got a ane-day deal on it for $399, though, and at that price there'southward not much like it on the market. The closest competitor is the Lenovo Yoga C630, but information technology rarely dips downwards to that low of a toll, loses the number pad and backlit keys, and is a flake heavier.

In the end, price informs on all these decisions. Know what yous are getting and don't pay full price for this Chromebook and I think y'all'll walk away from the purchase satisfied with your decision and satisfied with your Chromebook. Afterward all, this device is only weeks old and is already on sale left and right. At the right cost, this device rapidly becomes a great value. With both Lenovo and Acer poised to offer Chromebooks with number pads as well, information technology might exist worth waiting to see how those fare. Either way, if yous do need a Chromebook with a number pad and discover a sale on the HP Chromebook 15, I think you lot'll enjoy information technology.

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Source: https://chromeunboxed.com/hp-chromebook-15-review-numberpad/

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