Rumors of a new 11-inch Chromebook have been building for months now, and the device has finally broken cover with HP announcing the Chromebook 11 today. The notebook has the same 11.6-in screen size as the popular Samsung model, but includes a number of new features such as micro-USB charging and a sleek new design.
The new device, which runs Google's Chrome OS platform, features a Samsung Exynos 5250 GAIA APU, 2 GB RAM and 16 GB SSD storage, backed up by 100 GB of cloud storage for 2 years. The device's display comes in at 1,366 x 768 with a 300 nit brightness and 176º viewing angles. There's also dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n wireless and Bluetooth 4.0 on board, though just two USB 2.0 ports for connectivity.
The stated battery-life is slightly shorter than the Samsung Chromebook, coming in at 6 hours rather than the older model's 6.5 hours. At 18mm (0.71 inches) and 1.04 kg (2.3 lbs), the device is also just a touch thicker and heavier than its counterpart, though the difference is practically negligible. The laptop's digitally-tuned speakers have been placed beneath the keyboard and the device charges via micro-USB, meaning you'll be able to use the same charger as your Android smartphone and tablet.
One of the biggest changes from older models is the design. With a magnesium chassis and no visible screws, vents or speakers, the device is noticeably sleeker than other Chromebooks in this price range. The laptop comes in white with blue, green, yellow or red decals, or in an all black model. The new look is crisper than older Chromebooks, but might not suit everyone's tastes.
The HP Chromebook 11 is available today for US$279.
Source: Google
