Google’s new laptop category has arrived, and HP’s entry is the one with the most conventional pitch: a polished, fairly understated machine that costs $1,299. The Googlebook 14 is one of five Googlebook models from HP, Dell, Acer, Asus and Lenovo, according to Tech Advisor’s price and spec roundup. We have not tested it. This is a look at what the specs and early hands-on coverage say.
What you get
HP’s laptop uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor, as the site Chrome Unboxed notes in its hands-on with all five models. Techlicious lists the neural processing unit at up to 45 TOPS, with Qualcomm’s Adreno graphics.
The Gadgeteer describes a 2.8K OLED touchscreen. It also highlights the features that set a Googlebook apart from a typical Windows laptop: access to files on a paired phone, and the ability to stream apps. Chrome Unboxed describes the HP’s design as “understated elegance”. That is its phrase, and it suggests a machine meant to look more like an office laptop than a gadget.
The Gadgeteer’s headline carries a warning to check the price. At $1,299, the HP sits in territory where buyers can also consider well-established Windows and Mac laptops.
The skeptical view
Digital Trends ran a hands-on preview of the Googlebook line with a doubtful title. Its writer says they understand what a Googlebook is but not why they would need one. The piece describes the software as very good at acting like a browser and awkward when asked to behave like a traditional PC.
That is a preview rather than a full review, and it covers the platform more than HP’s hardware. Still, it points at the main question for any buyer. The laptop’s hardware may be strong, but much of its value depends on how much of your work happens in the browser, in Android apps or on your phone.
Where it fits
Techlicious has published a guide that sorts all five models by use. It labels the HP Googlebook 14 as best for all-day productivity, which fits the Snapdragon chip’s efficiency focus. We could not confirm independent battery-life measurements, so treat any runtime claims with caution until full reviews are out.
BGR included HP’s first Googlebook in its list of gadgets to watch this month, alongside Apple’s iPhone Duo, Samsung’s new tablets and Microsoft’s Surface Pro.
Open questions
- Performance: no independent benchmark or thermal testing appeared in the sources reviewed.
- Software: app streaming and phone-file access are the selling points. Digital Trends’ early impression is that the broader experience is less convincing.
- Price: $1,299 is a premium figure for a new platform with a short track record.
- Availability: Tech Advisor describes the line as on sale now, but the sources differ on exact launch dates, so check retailer listings.
For now, the HP Googlebook 14 looks like a well-specified answer to a question many buyers have not yet asked. People deep in the Android ecosystem may find the phone integration appealing. Everyone else would do well to wait for full reviews with battery and performance numbers before paying $1,299.