Amazon.com: Customer reviews: HP Chromebook 11-1101 (White/Blue)

Top positive review

Our Second Chromebook

Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2013

HP's Chromebook 11 is my second Chromebook because, after one year withSamsung's ChromebookI came to realize that not only a Chromebook does almost everything a laptop or a PC or a tablet would do for me but it does it cheaper, usually faster and better, almost always worry-free and very much in style.
_____________________________________________________

UPDATE (Oct 26, 2014): I placed the HP Chromebook 11 next to the newAcer Chromebook 13 CB5-311-T1UU (13.3-inch Full HD, NVIDIA Tegra K1, 4GB)as I was reviewing it. My goal was to compare looks and display quality and HP's incredible near-180-degree viewing angle and bright picture still outshines that of a newer, more expensive machine with a 1080p display. I thought I'd share this. The HP is the smaller Chromebook, the one on the left.
_____________________________________________________

UPDATE (Dec 26, 2013): I am glad to see HP's 11-inch Chromebook available again. We've been using ours all throughout the charger 'crisis' and we are as happy with it today if not happier than we were on 'day one'. More than two months later, HP's Chromebook 11 continues to be a beautiful little device with a great display that continues to do most of what I require during my off-work hours. It traveled with me on my vacation and will travel with me again and it's there (on couch or on my bedside table) when I need it.
_____________________________________________________

WHY A CHROMEBOOK?

There's so much to say here but let me make a quick summary. And never forget that we are talking about an 'under 300' device here because, yes, anything that costs 3-4-5 times as much should do better most of the time.

˕ My Chromebook is my most used computer excluding work hours and by 'computer' I mean PCs, laptops and tablets.
˕ Malware, spyware, adware-free. Since nothing is really 'installed' on the Chromebook, I can't see how one would ever be infected. I am now using my Chromebook to open suspicious emails or click on dubious URLs that I don't dare touch from a laptop.
˕ Extremely safe OS. I don't know if this is common knowledge but Google is constantly challenging hackers to crack their OS. As far as I know, Chromium wasn't cracked yet.
˕ Easy to share among any number of users without any concerns of compromising privacy. If you have a Google account, you simply sign in and you are going to be within your own, personal environment.
˕ Constantly updated and upgraded. Google updates Chromium every few weeks and I found my Chromebook actually getting better all the time rather than slowly fall into obsolescence. HP's Chromebook will not replace Samsung's, it will be used by another family member who really, really wanted one after watching my happy relationship with our first one.
˕ Nearly maintenance free. Whenever I don't use a tablet or even a laptop for a while, they tend to get very busy for a while once I turn them back on. Tablets, especially, are almost impossible to use until all those dozens of updates/upgrades process. Not the case for Chromebooks. Whatever upgrades may take place don't hit my Chromebook. Whenever I call up an app, I get it in its latest version.
˕ The attached keyboard helps a lot. Yes, you can pair a keyboard and even a mouse to a tablet but the Chromebook's keyboard is always there, it negates the need of a stand or even some protecting case.
˕ Chrome OS is streamlined and efficiently focused where it matters, on the everyday uses most of us need a 'computer' most of the time.
˕ Chrome OS being such a streamlined OS, browsing and running apps on a Chromebook is in fact faster than off a PC/laptop/tablet of equivalent specs.
˕ Relatively low prince, 11.6" display and light weight seem to be just about right for something that typically you'd be using to browse the Web while watching TV or take to and from school.

WHY NOT A CHROMEBOOK?

Yes, Chromebooks can't do everything. Google's productivity suites notwithstanding, they are mainly and they are best at media consumption rather than production. Nobody should buy a Chromebook and expect to be able to edit video or perform some heavy word processing or do some hard-core gaming. There are other machines and devices for such tasks. My experience is that a Chromebook can't do 'everything'. Tablets are more portable, PCs and laptops are more powerful but, to me, my Chromebook is the most fun to use and it's likely to stay this way. I am not going to call it my 'second' or 'third' or 'first' computer but, objectively, it's the one most use outside business hours if what we measure is 'hours'.

HP's CHROMEBOOK 11

I haven't spent a lot of time with HP's but, from the start, it was a very familiar feeling. HPs is not 'exactly like' Samsung's but it's easily recognizable as a Chromebook.

Here are some changes:

˕ USB-based charging. This is a BIG thing. The biggest negative in the case of Samsung's Chromebook was the proprietary charger. HP's USB-based charging allows the use of most off-the-shelf chargers so there's a lot less to worry.
˕ Better quality display. When compared to Samsung's the colors are sharper and brighter and you can view the screen from almost any angle left/right or up/down.
˕ Nicer keyboard. It's the same layout but the keys seem to have a little more travel. As a touch typist I am comfortable with both but, on a blind test, I would probably pick HP's over Samsung's.
˕ Somewhat more stylish design. I got the black model and I like both the color and the color accents. Some prefer 'silver' but they are both Okay as far as I can tell.
˕ Fewer ports. There are no USB 3.0 or HDMI ports on the HP's even though my understanding is that you can, in fact output HDMI through the Micro USB. This may be a big deal for some and they should get Samsung's if that's the case. Speaking for myself, I never felt a need to output HDMI off my Chromebook, ever. Same for USB data transfers.

Overall, I am very pleased with HPs device. The lack of USB 3.0 and HDMI ports amount to a big 'nothing' to me and their absence is balanced and surpassed by the non-proprietary charging method, much nicer display and better keyboard.

RATING

I am not going to compare HP's Chromebook with the Pixel or some top of the line laptop. I noticed that many 'pro' reviewers are complaining because Chromebooks and this particular one are not 'high end' and aren't as nice as the Pixel and such. Well... did anyone check the prices? So, yes, let me make a 'duh' statement: this Chromebook is not as good as devices that sell for 3 times or 4 times as much so anyone who doesn't mind paying more should pay more and get one of those. Even though... look at some reasons above for why one my prefer a Chromebook to a laptop or a tablet, regardless of price.

HPs is a five-star to me because it's at least as good and in some way better than my now one year old, often used and much trusted Samsung. The thirty dollars price difference between the two can be justified by HP's supporting USB charging, its much nicer display and its marginally better keyboard. As far as performance, they both appear to be up to the task and they both played Netflix movies flawlessly over Wi-Fi and cast them to the big TV through Chromecast (no need of an HDMI cable for that) - I mention it because I just tried that.

Chromebooks are not for everyone and they are not a universal computing device but, if used for what they are meant to be used, they are as good and as revolutionary as tablets.

_____________________________________________________

CHROMEBOOK vs. CHROMEBOOK (HPs vs.Acer C720

I had the opportunity to play with Acer's Chromebook for a day and was therefore able to compare them side by side.

- Advantage HP -

˕ Looks and design. HPs looks much better in my view, you have color choices and that's that.
˕ Display. Same size, same resolution but HPs display is brighter, sharper and, most importantly, can be viewed from almost any angle. Not the case with Acer's.
˕ Charging. The ability to charge HPs Chromebook through almost any USB charger is very important to me. Acer's charger is proprietary.

- Advantage Acer -

˕ Horsepower. Acer's appears to be faster and it should be given its faster processor.
˕ Ports. You get HDMI out, USB 3.0 and SD card slot, all of them missing on HP's machine.
˕ Price. At least at launch, Acer's was selling for less.

I would say it's a tie when it comes to the keyboard and track pad's feel.

Acer's machine has the advantage if you are more 'productivity oriented' and need expansion capabilities (ports) and more raw CPU power. You would prefer the HP if you want a Chromebook mainly for fun and casual activities where looks, the availability of a charger and, very importantly, the quality of the display count more.

_____________________________________________________

NOTES:

- Like most Chromebooks, this one too comes with a free 100GB in Google's cloud for two years. I didn't take advantage of that offer and I'm not going to go for this one, simply because I have no use of 'cloud' storage that goes beyond Gmail at this time.
- While Chromebooks are immune to viruses and other forms of malware, you are as tracked and 'monetized' while on a Chromebook as you are when browsing from your laptop or tablet or phone. However, there are ways to disrupt and confuse the trackers and my two favorite extensions these days are Disconnect Search (or Disconnect.me) that makes it impossible for Google to log your search activities and DoNotTrackMe which does what the name implies. Worth trying.

609 people found this helpful

Top critical review

Critical reviews›

skiqueen

Worked really well for 3 weeks.

Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2014

I bought this Chromebook for work which requires use of web-based records. It worked incredibly well for about three weeks both at work and at home. One day, the screen started to flicker black, about once per minute. I thought I had a bad wi-fi connection. The next day it got worse...and worse...and worse. It got to the point that the screen was flickering so much I couldn't use the computer; a rate of every 1-2 seconds, regardless of which Wi-Fi I was using. I tried restarting. I switched operating systems. I disabled my extensions. I did a Powerwash. I did everything I could find to fix the situation, which apparently is a "software" issue. When nothing worked, I wanted to return it, but I missed my 30 day window to return it and now I'm stuck with it.

I reported my issue to Google, but I don't think they answer when you report a problem. It is extremely frustrating that I cannot find anyone to speak to in regards to this issue, nor can I return to computer. The threads I've read state that this was an issue that was fixed with an OS update last November, but it's not working for me.

On a positive note, when this computer did work, it was great. Beautiful screen, fast processing and everything I needed for work. If I didn't have this flickering screen issue with no apparent way to solve it I would give this 5 stars.

7 people found this helpful

707 total ratings, 663 with reviews

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From the United States

Cthulhu

Our Second Chromebook

Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2013

Verified Purchase

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HP's Chromebook 11 is my second Chromebook because, after one year with Samsung's Chromebook I came to realize that not only a Chromebook does almost everything a laptop or a PC or a tablet would do for me but it does it cheaper, usually faster and better, almost always worry-free and very much in style.
_____________________________________________________

UPDATE (Oct 26, 2014): I placed the HP Chromebook 11 next to the new Acer Chromebook 13 CB5-311-T1UU (13.3-inch Full HD, NVIDIA Tegra K1, 4GB) as I was reviewing it. My goal was to compare looks and display quality and HP's incredible near-180-degree viewing angle and bright picture still outshines that of a newer, more expensive machine with a 1080p display. I thought I'd share this. The HP is the smaller Chromebook, the one on the left.
_____________________________________________________

UPDATE (Dec 26, 2013): I am glad to see HP's 11-inch Chromebook available again. We've been using ours all throughout the charger 'crisis' and we are as happy with it today if not happier than we were on 'day one'. More than two months later, HP's Chromebook 11 continues to be a beautiful little device with a great display that continues to do most of what I require during my off-work hours. It traveled with me on my vacation and will travel with me again and it's there (on couch or on my bedside table) when I need it.
_____________________________________________________

WHY A CHROMEBOOK?

There's so much to say here but let me make a quick summary. And never forget that we are talking about an 'under 300' device here because, yes, anything that costs 3-4-5 times as much should do better most of the time.

˕ My Chromebook is my most used computer excluding work hours and by 'computer' I mean PCs, laptops and tablets.
˕ Malware, spyware, adware-free. Since nothing is really 'installed' on the Chromebook, I can't see how one would ever be infected. I am now using my Chromebook to open suspicious emails or click on dubious URLs that I don't dare touch from a laptop.
˕ Extremely safe OS. I don't know if this is common knowledge but Google is constantly challenging hackers to crack their OS. As far as I know, Chromium wasn't cracked yet.
˕ Easy to share among any number of users without any concerns of compromising privacy. If you have a Google account, you simply sign in and you are going to be within your own, personal environment.
˕ Constantly updated and upgraded. Google updates Chromium every few weeks and I found my Chromebook actually getting better all the time rather than slowly fall into obsolescence. HP's Chromebook will not replace Samsung's, it will be used by another family member who really, really wanted one after watching my happy relationship with our first one.
˕ Nearly maintenance free. Whenever I don't use a tablet or even a laptop for a while, they tend to get very busy for a while once I turn them back on. Tablets, especially, are almost impossible to use until all those dozens of updates/upgrades process. Not the case for Chromebooks. Whatever upgrades may take place don't hit my Chromebook. Whenever I call up an app, I get it in its latest version.
˕ The attached keyboard helps a lot. Yes, you can pair a keyboard and even a mouse to a tablet but the Chromebook's keyboard is always there, it negates the need of a stand or even some protecting case.
˕ Chrome OS is streamlined and efficiently focused where it matters, on the everyday uses most of us need a 'computer' most of the time.
˕ Chrome OS being such a streamlined OS, browsing and running apps on a Chromebook is in fact faster than off a PC/laptop/tablet of equivalent specs.
˕ Relatively low prince, 11.6" display and light weight seem to be just about right for something that typically you'd be using to browse the Web while watching TV or take to and from school.

WHY NOT A CHROMEBOOK?

Yes, Chromebooks can't do everything. Google's productivity suites notwithstanding, they are mainly and they are best at media consumption rather than production. Nobody should buy a Chromebook and expect to be able to edit video or perform some heavy word processing or do some hard-core gaming. There are other machines and devices for such tasks. My experience is that a Chromebook can't do 'everything'. Tablets are more portable, PCs and laptops are more powerful but, to me, my Chromebook is the most fun to use and it's likely to stay this way. I am not going to call it my 'second' or 'third' or 'first' computer but, objectively, it's the one most use outside business hours if what we measure is 'hours'.

HP's CHROMEBOOK 11

I haven't spent a lot of time with HP's but, from the start, it was a very familiar feeling. HPs is not 'exactly like' Samsung's but it's easily recognizable as a Chromebook.

Here are some changes:

˕ USB-based charging. This is a BIG thing. The biggest negative in the case of Samsung's Chromebook was the proprietary charger. HP's USB-based charging allows the use of most off-the-shelf chargers so there's a lot less to worry.
˕ Better quality display. When compared to Samsung's the colors are sharper and brighter and you can view the screen from almost any angle left/right or up/down.
˕ Nicer keyboard. It's the same layout but the keys seem to have a little more travel. As a touch typist I am comfortable with both but, on a blind test, I would probably pick HP's over Samsung's.
˕ Somewhat more stylish design. I got the black model and I like both the color and the color accents. Some prefer 'silver' but they are both Okay as far as I can tell.
˕ Fewer ports. There are no USB 3.0 or HDMI ports on the HP's even though my understanding is that you can, in fact output HDMI through the Micro USB. This may be a big deal for some and they should get Samsung's if that's the case. Speaking for myself, I never felt a need to output HDMI off my Chromebook, ever. Same for USB data transfers.

Overall, I am very pleased with HPs device. The lack of USB 3.0 and HDMI ports amount to a big 'nothing' to me and their absence is balanced and surpassed by the non-proprietary charging method, much nicer display and better keyboard.

RATING

I am not going to compare HP's Chromebook with the Pixel or some top of the line laptop. I noticed that many 'pro' reviewers are complaining because Chromebooks and this particular one are not 'high end' and aren't as nice as the Pixel and such. Well... did anyone check the prices? So, yes, let me make a 'duh' statement: this Chromebook is not as good as devices that sell for 3 times or 4 times as much so anyone who doesn't mind paying more should pay more and get one of those. Even though... look at some reasons above for why one my prefer a Chromebook to a laptop or a tablet, regardless of price.

HPs is a five-star to me because it's at least as good and in some way better than my now one year old, often used and much trusted Samsung. The thirty dollars price difference between the two can be justified by HP's supporting USB charging, its much nicer display and its marginally better keyboard. As far as performance, they both appear to be up to the task and they both played Netflix movies flawlessly over Wi-Fi and cast them to the big TV through Chromecast (no need of an HDMI cable for that) - I mention it because I just tried that.

Chromebooks are not for everyone and they are not a universal computing device but, if used for what they are meant to be used, they are as good and as revolutionary as tablets.

_____________________________________________________

CHROMEBOOK vs. CHROMEBOOK (HPs vs. Acer C720

I had the opportunity to play with Acer's Chromebook for a day and was therefore able to compare them side by side.

- Advantage HP -

˕ Looks and design. HPs looks much better in my view, you have color choices and that's that.
˕ Display. Same size, same resolution but HPs display is brighter, sharper and, most importantly, can be viewed from almost any angle. Not the case with Acer's.
˕ Charging. The ability to charge HPs Chromebook through almost any USB charger is very important to me. Acer's charger is proprietary.

- Advantage Acer -

˕ Horsepower. Acer's appears to be faster and it should be given its faster processor.
˕ Ports. You get HDMI out, USB 3.0 and SD card slot, all of them missing on HP's machine.
˕ Price. At least at launch, Acer's was selling for less.

I would say it's a tie when it comes to the keyboard and track pad's feel.

Acer's machine has the advantage if you are more 'productivity oriented' and need expansion capabilities (ports) and more raw CPU power. You would prefer the HP if you want a Chromebook mainly for fun and casual activities where looks, the availability of a charger and, very importantly, the quality of the display count more.

_____________________________________________________

NOTES:

- Like most Chromebooks, this one too comes with a free 100GB in Google's cloud for two years. I didn't take advantage of that offer and I'm not going to go for this one, simply because I have no use of 'cloud' storage that goes beyond Gmail at this time.
- While Chromebooks are immune to viruses and other forms of malware, you are as tracked and 'monetized' while on a Chromebook as you are when browsing from your laptop or tablet or phone. However, there are ways to disrupt and confuse the trackers and my two favorite extensions these days are Disconnect Search (or Disconnect.me) that makes it impossible for Google to log your search activities and DoNotTrackMe which does what the name implies. Worth trying.

609 people found this helpful

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Love the HP Chromebook 11

Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2014

Verified Purchase

After much hemming and hawing, I purchased the HP Chromebook 11 about a month ago. It's a fantastic device. I spent a lot of time researching Chromebooks, including looking at a few in the flesh at my local big box retailer. In the end the wonderful IPS screen and overall portability (including lightness) of the HP Chromebook 11 won out. The ARM processor can be a little sluggish once I get five or six tabs open in Chrome OS, but I rarely have more than three tabs running in the browser on any device I use regardless of processing power. The screen is vibrant, can be increased to a very bright max brightness when needed, the keyboard is charming and very easy to type on and the device overall has a fit and finish that far exceeds its now $199 price tag. I've enjoyed the purchase so much I'm buying my 70-year-old father an HP Chromebook 11 as a new laptop to replace a very aged Wintel machine that he only uses for email and web browsing. The only negative I've found with the HP Chromebook 11 is battery life, which maxes out at maybe five hours. But it charges quickly and if it's plugged in will charge even while in heavy use. Lastly, the micro SD charger that is nearly universal with all devices now save Apple's proprietary charging technology is fantastic. It works great with any micro SD device. Having the freedom to use just the HP Chromebook 11 charger with every micro SD device is wonderful, especially for travel. Just remember while other micro SD chargers will (slowly) charge the HP Chromebook 11, only the charger it comes with will charge it quickly. But you can always buy an extra. I've had zero issues with the charger. I love the HP Chromebook 11 and think it would work perfectly for most people drawn to Chrome OS. I have had zero need for additional processing power and the only other obvious benefit from a different (better) chipset like the Intel Haswell would be longer battery life. The 2 gigs of RAM and 16 gigs of SD storage are plenty and battery life is more than ample for my every day needs. Enjoy!

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

BKarno

Best Built Budget Chromebook But Already Outdated

Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2013

Verified Purchase

We have 4 Chromebooks in our family. The latest Samsung model, an Acer C720 4GB and C720 2GB, and this HP Chromebook 11. The HP is tops in build quality, sound, and keyboard, and the IPS screen dominates the other current offering's TN panels. However, it's performance is nowhere near the standard being set by the Haswell chipped models. So why would you buy this over the others?

The build quality is really good compared to the other Chromebooks. Very solid body; although I wish the display / lid was a bit more rigid and the finish not so glossy (really shows fingerprints). Excellent keyboard. None of the other Chromebooks we own is as nice to type on. The Samsung has nice keys, but these are much better; nice size / spacing and very quiet. Excellent speakers. If you rely on on-board sound you will really enjoy the performance of the HP's top firing, under keyboard speakers. And of course, the display. The IPS screen is clear and bright, the colors are so much more natural than the Samsung or the Acers, and the viewing angles are stellar as well. Only the $1300 Pixel has better screen in a Chromebook. If you can live with the lower performance of this Chromebook you will certianly be satisfied with the machine as a whole. As long as you aren't opening tons of tabs at the same time it should work well. My daughter uses this HP at college and she really loves it. She notes that it streams Netflix and Hulu Plus really good for her, and that using Google Drive/Document and her cloud printer has worked really well. The only complaint she has is with the charge times, and I have noticed this too. Where many have praised the ability to charge with any Micro USB wire, charging is slow. Even with the original charger (the recalled model that came with it) the charging was not as fast as the the Acers or the Samsung. And if you try to charge this with the charger supplied with your smart phone it will take an even longer time and you will not be able to charge while you use it (the battery will still drain).

Some additional observations. The lack of an SD card slot, and no USB 3 may be an issue for some, and no HDMI makes extending the screen a bit more difficult. Yes the Micro USB is Slim Port capable, but you can't charge and extend the screen at the same time. The 16GB drive is small, but if you have transitioned to working in the cloud this shouldn't be an issue. Still, even with a 100GB Google Drive account, I swapped out the SSD in my C720 for a 128GB unit and ended up with over 100 GB of local drive space. As for the trackpad. I really like the size and feel of it, but it can be a little jumpy sometimes. Still it is generally smooth, quiet, and the clicker works well. The Bluetooth works good with my Bose Soundlink Mini, and I have even hooked up my Nuforce Icon DAC via USB. The Chromebooks all recognize the DAC and it sounds great with music played through Google Play.

I give it 4 stars for the build, stellar screen, and cost to value. The speed is adequate, but it lags with a lot of websites; Facebook being the one I notice the most. My ideal Chromebook would have the screen, sound, and keyboard of the HP 11 with the performance of the Haswell machines. One should also consider that with the popularity of the Chromebooks growing, additional manufacturers like Dell getting into the game, and the certainty that there will be a whole new crop of new and improved machines coming in the very near future, this machine may be outdated sooner than later. Still, it is an excellent Chromebook.

13 people found this helpful

Helpful

skiqueen

Worked really well for 3 weeks.

Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2014

Verified Purchase

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

Samir Darba

Disappointed but can only blame myself

Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2014

Verified Purchase

This is the first and only review I have ever posted on Amazon, but I felt the need to over this product.

As many other reviewers suggest the best thing to do before purchasing is really understanding what you are buying. I wasn't smart enough to do this when I bought the chromebook on impulse, and as a result a lot of my complaints could of been mitigated if I had done further research.

I don't posses a strong hardware or consumer electronics knowledge, so I will not be making too many comparison to other products.

What I like:

The Chromebook 11 by most measures is aesthetically pleasing, light, and extremely portable.

The speakers on this laptop are surprisingly loud and clear.

The display is beautiful. Fan boys of other products that cost 5-7x the cost make argue that the display isn't very good, but I believe they are comparing Apples to Filet Mingion.

Since I already use a lot of Google products (gmail, calendar, google +, drive, etc), other web applications (Evernote, Workflowy, etc), and an Android Phone I found the chromebook to be extremely supportive of my work flow and is probably the overall reason why I use the Chromebook.

Also the operating system turns on and off quickly which is a nice plus.

Things That I Don't Like:

If you are someone who has a lot of tabs open at once, you are going to hate yourself. Since I am someone who generally has a lot of tabs open you can probably guess my frustration. The problem is the more tabs you have open the slower each page loads. I normally like to mass open 20-25 political articles and read for an hour or two, but Chromebook doesn't effectively allow me to do that. Obviously there are simple ways to get around this, but it is still a slight nuisance

If you plan on streaming something, don't plan on trying to do anything else. If you are trying to watch Netflix or Hulu you can't do anything else. It will cause the video to freeze. I know watching Netflix/Hulu probably wasn't the intended user case for the machine, but as someone who likes to do both of those things, it is frustrating. Similarly I have had connectivity issues with Amazon Prime's video service, which really annoys me too.

Things I HATE about the Product:

The BATTERY IS SO BAD. The battery is awful and the charger is a big ole slap in the face. This is the sole reason I wouldn't recommend this product. I actually had the intention of buying 2 more of these Chromebooks for Mothers and Fathers day, but quickly realized I was better saving and just getting my parents ipads for their Birthdays.

I genuinely hope the engineer that designed the charger was fired, because they were a moron to say the least. The biggest problem with the charger is that the battery of the machine still drains while plugged in. Meaning if you are working on something while you battery is low, you might try to plug your chromebook in and attempt to continue to work only to find yourself SOL.

To effectively charge the chromebook it needs to be completely powered off. Even then the charger doesn't charge very well. For example last night before I slept my chromebook had 9% battery. I powered it off and charged it and when I woke up 8 hours later it only had 77% battery (its like the charge is being generated via hamster wheel). Similarly I used my chromebook unplugged for a hour after waking up and it dropped the battery down to 50%. Even as I am writing this right now with my chromebook plugged in, I see the battery slowly dying on me. I should note I currently have display brightness at lowest possible setting and the only application I have open is this one Google Chrome tab to write this review.

Finally occasionally(probably a few times a day) you get the lovely 'low power charger connected' error which is really HP Chromebooks way of telling you 'hey don't count on me working for the next few hours'. I have tried other micro usb chargers with no avail.

Overall:

Its a decent device and I still use everyday, but I would not buy it again. In my humble opinion most people would not find this device useful. I would suggest that most people are probably better spent saving a little extra money and buying something better. Frustration over the battery alone has probably raised my blood pressure, especially before I figured out that the battery was draining even while plugged in.

As someone who is kind of a Google Fanboy, I am really disappointed to see that the company would associate itself which such a stupid battery/charger design.

If this flaw was fixed I would easily rate this product higher and would feel more comfortable buying this as a gift for relatives and friends.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Rlam

First impression: my HP Chromebook 11 vs Samsung Chromebook

Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2014

Verified Purchase

Why on earth do I want a Chromebook to begin with (not a real computer according to many) and buying another one again? No, I am not crazy, here's why:

My requirement for having a device (for now that's what I will refer to instead of computer, netbook, tablet, smartphone,chrome, what have you) is simple. I just use it primarily for travel--e-mailing and web surfing are my 2 main tasks. One would argue you have to have WIFI connection to use a Chrome. So are most of the other devices for those tasks when you are out of the country. Besides GMail has an offline version too.

I don't do photo editing, or take pictures with my computer (seen too many people holding up full sized IPAD to take pictures and almost got blown away when windy), play intensive video games, Microsoft office stuff, printing, faxing etc etc. In other words I just want a glorified smart phone/tablet. So why not those? Already have a Nexus 5 (very portable and with me all day). Have Blackberry tablet too (I know, that is a dying product but had used it few years back and served it's purpose).

So why not follow majority of people and get an IPad (mini or full) or Samsung Galaxy tab? Why firstly I am a contrarian most of the time. I have IPOD years ago (still have it, I am one of those that don't throw things away--still got my original 17 years old Motorola Cell phone that looked like an Army issued brick) and Apple IOS is nice, but just don't like their restrictive format (what Uncle Steve and now Uncle Tim thinks we need) so switched to experiment with Blackberry, Windows and now have been with Android for sometime and loving it.

Besides my Nexus 5, I need a device to travel with but not carrying it all day. Want a work station in the hotel, cruise ship, long train/bus ride and at the airport while waiting. Primarily a bigger screen that is easy on the eyes than 5" (Nexus), 6"-7" (Samsung Notes/tab/phablet) etc and laptop style so I do not have to hold it instead just rest on my lap or desk and use it all day without arm fatigue (even when I have my 7" Blackberry tab it can get tiring holding it for few hours). Having a real keyboard is a must. Fast boot time. Fairly light weight so not weighing down luggage.

That was why I got my Samsung Chromebook about year a half ago and it fulfilled those criteria with flying colors. And I am still using it on a daily basis and it acts as a secondary computer at home.

Now with this HP Chromebook 11 at $199 (I understand there is a 2014 version by HP that weighs a little more and thicker and without the magnesium frame that costs more) it is a bargain for me, so I jumped on it for these reasons:

HP-- about same foot print as my Samsung, weight, dimension, same internals.
Battery life (about 6 hours) vs 7hrs or so with Samsung, does not bother me.

What I really like:

The only Chromebook with micro USB charging (there was charger overheating issue when it first came out 2013 now it is ok). It's important for me because I no longer need to carry the big brick that comes with Samsung Chromebook (I will refer to it as SC from now). HP charger is sized like a smartphone charger.

Speaking about charging, the micro USB charging port has the added advantage of using certain charger, not all USB charger, (I just bought Anker 40W 5-port Family Sized Desktop USB Charger with PowerIQ) to charge if I didnt want to bring my HP charger. I tested using the Anker and it charged the HP just fine (preliminary test charge from 85% to 100% on HP battery took about half an hour with no other devices on the Anker--there was a warning on HP screen "low-power charger connected" but just ignore it).

Screen-- what a difference between HP vs SC. The HP is more vivid and sharper. Enough said.

Keyboard and mouse pad--both I like very much, responsive and tactile. A whole lot better than trying to type on ANY tablet or phone (unless one gets a keyboard peripheral, but that adds weight and clutter).

Boot time- same on both and I really like Chrome for that reason. Opening the screen (which the clamshell design is much more protective on the screen than a tablet) from sleep or totally shutdown it wakes up in less than 5 seconds. Sign in and you are ready to go. Try that on a regular Windows netbook/laptop.

I also like Chrome because it does all the security updates for me without messing with XP (now not supported), Vista, Windows 7, 8 and on and on and one has to relearn/adapt when each version comes up. I got this HP, boot up and signed in, configured and everything I have in the SC pops up exactly on my HP in less than 5 minutes--absolutely no learning curve.

I am not saying this is the best Chromebook but for me at this price it is. I dont care there is no USB 3.0, Haswell, faster processor, HDMI, SD card slot etc etc. It suits me just fine.

Long term update (5-28-15):

Love love this HP Chromebook for all the above reasons why I acquired it as a second Chromebook. It has been used daily whether I am in town or traveling (domestic or international) because of the fast start up. With my home desktop it does take time to boot.
Yes, 11" screen is not as big as my desktop, but I do not find it constraining to me eyeballs.

The reason I update this is because just recently the screen developed a vertical line which when I called the manufacturer no matter what they coached me with it couldnt fix it. Fortunately it is still within 1 year warranty so they sent me another identical Chromebook without charge, I am stoked.

Took me less than a minute to sign in, set WIFI, being in the Chrome system, boom--I have everything that was on the old computer (which I am sending back) including all bookmarks etc in the new system, no transfer of files etc etc. Cant say that for Windows or Apple.
Fantastic customer service. Also many Chromebooks (there are many many manufacturers now) have fans, HP is only one of the fews that are totally quiet since it has no fans and does not heat up.

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Jon K

If you know what your getting with this, you'll be thrilled. **Updated**

Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2014

Verified Purchase

As some have stated before, this is Chrome OS and not a full Windows PC. That means no MS Office and the like. So long as you understand that, you'll be very happy. I personally like having a heavyweight desktop at home for the serious stuff and something small and portable for the road.

Though I've never been an HP fan, this laptop delights. The feel reminds me of the white MacBooks from a few years back. The build is solid, the keys nicely spaced, and a responsive trackpad. What is more important to me than any other though is the screen. And this didn't disappoint. Though the screen specs may not be something to write home to momma about, the display is crisp and bright with good viewing angles. I've seen the other Chromebooks in person and non of them have a better screen (except the Google Pixel obviously). The other displays seem dull and washed out.

It's light, great screen, long battery, and simple to use. Works great when traveling and going to client meetings. I love it.

**Update**

I was initially thrilled with this Chromebook. However after a few weeks of using it I have decided to return it. I originally purchased this Chromebook last year when it was first released and it was fast and zippy and I didn't have any problems with it. Then HP recalled them due to faulty chargers overheating. Mine overheated alot. So I sent it in for refund and anxiously awaited a fixed version to buy. While the hardware appears to be the same, this new one I purchased is incredibly slow at everything. Opening apps, surfing, you name it. It also keeps either dropping my wifi connection regardless of the network I'm on and streams all data very slow even on a fast network. I'm not saying everyone will have this problem, but I did. It's definitely not the same Chromebook I initially purchased. I would be interested in hearing if anyone else has these issues.

7 people found this helpful

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Travis Schirner

Brilliant. Extremely well thought out.

Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2014

Verified Purchase

So, I recently took the plunge to purchase this little chromebook. Being a closeted design connoisseur, I selected the Chromebook 11 over the Acer and Samsung offerings despite having some past problems with HP devices. And, much to my surprise, this HP Chromebook feels nothing like the other janky products that HP churns out on a monthly basis. I've had this product for the total of 1 day now, but I felt the need to write a review because I'm so impressed by it.

Just for fun, I'll walk you through the whole experience of receiving this Chromebook (the fun stuff), and my impressions:

1. UNBOXING - Firstly, this thing comes in boxes in boxes in boxes. The amazon box encases another brown cardboard box which encases the actual device packaging. A bit overkill, but it adds to the suspense of the whole ordeal. The chromebook is packaged in a stark white box that I believe is made of paper, albeit high quality paper formed into a hard, rounded shape. And a ribbon of blue paper with the hp logo and all that jazz wraps it up. Inside of this case is your chromebook, the charger, a quick start guide, and an owner's manual. The charger is small and good looking, although I would've liked it in white to match the notebook. It's also apparently very important to keep around, as it outputs 3.5A in a micro usb charger, which is pretty much impossible to find in any other micro usb charger (I looked). Right off the bat, you can tell from the packaging that this thing isn't gimmicky. There's no excess packaging, four items total in the box. All packaged cleanly and it's a nice unboxing experience.

2. THE DEVICE - Wow. That's what instantly jumps into your head when you see the top of your little gleaming white chromebook in the case. It's quite an impression. No logos, perfectly shiny white, and completely unmarked, with the exception of the quad-colored light bar. What a wonderful design touch that is as well. You open the lid and a small paper cloth (the kind Apple also uses on its products) is protecting the keyboard/trackpad and screen from each other. And then... if you're anything like me, you turn the thing around to see if the lightbar actually lights up... *spoiler* it does! The keyboard might be the first thing you notice about the device that doesn't look 100% premium. I was a bit disappointed at first, but once you start typing on it, you realize that it actually feels pretty good and the keys have good travel. They also feel rather sturdy, not at all like other netbooks/notebooks in this price range. The blue border around the keyboard adds a bit of distinction to what would be an otherwise unremarkable-looking interior, and the trackpad is actually very good. I was surprised, after reading other reviews, that it wasn't worse. Two finger scrolling works like a charm and it's very responsive for what the computer is. While I suppose you could say, in theory, that it does jump around a bit, it's hardly noticeable. Yes, it's not as nice as using apple's $80 trackpad paired with an iMac, but compare this to another notebook or netbook and it's very well done. It's much better feeling and much more responsive than the trackpad on my old, terrible 2010 HP Pavilion DV-7 (a $700 computer at the time), so I'm impressed. The bottom of the device features two non-slip rubber pads which function both as design touches and practical grips. They do both very well. At the end of the initial assessment of the device you'll probably end up spinning it around in circles and notice that there isn't a single screw or access point into the device. Depending on who you are or what you want to do with it, that's either good or bad. I think it's great. You'll also notice that the device only bears one HP logo, on the bottom. Thank goodness for that.

3. Bootup- This thing is completely silent with no fan whatsoever. It's kind of like having a tablet strapped to a keyboard stand that houses all of the tablet's guts. Actually, that's exactly what it is. Boot time is around 10 seconds (don't quote me on that). Most importantly, it feels quick. The screen is bright and, dare I say, beautiful. You won't be disappointed. There's about a 5-step setup process you are walked through where you sign into your google account and all that jazz. After that, Google reminds you to redeem your offers (100GB drive storage, 12 gogo inflight passes, and 60 days google play music all access). When I first tried to redeem the Google Play offer, Google said I wasn't eligible. When I clicked "Why isn't my device eligible?" I was taken to a webpage that told me "For some reason, we can't redeem your offer at this time. We're also confused by this." Hmmm.... okay. So this is a bit quirky. The Google drive offer worked perfectly fine and I decided not to redeem the gogo offer just yet (you have 60 days to redeem and they'll last 12 months after that). You have 60 days to redeem all the offers. The Get Started guide also shows you how to set up Google Cloud Print, which worked without any hiccups whatsoever for me. The computer is quick and you can have quite a few browser windows open at once without any stall in performance. The most I've totaled is around 7, I like to keep things clean. But I was impressed with the performance. This is something I was uneasy about, as the Acer variant has a Haswell CPU on board and I was told it was better performing. The performance on the HP Chromebook 11 is admirable at the very least. You might have to wait two seconds for something to fully pop up, but it is fast. I've been getting roughly 5 hours of battery life. Not too bad, but certainly not the best. It's definitely serviceable as a work computer.

ROUNDUP:
Screen: 9/10
Keyboard: 8/10
Touchpad: 8/10
Design: 10/10
Performance: 7/10
Materials: 7/10 (glossy finish picks up fingerprints)
Overall: 8.1/10

However, I love the design and it's definitely a five-star, 10/10 computer for the cost.

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Kyle

For the money, not much else will beat it.

Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2014

Verified Purchase

I purchased this Chromebook as a gift for my girlfriend. She is a full-time student, nurse, and mom. We already have a 17" Lenovo laptop in the house, but it's a constant battle of "who needs the computer". I wanted to get her something that was not only portable and reliable, but would also suit her taste. Normally against my better judgement, the aesthetic of the HP 11 was a huge deciding factor for my purchase. I figured that at most, she'd have a few tabs open, maybe listen to a song on YouTube, and edit a paper in Office at any given time, so the fact that it wasn't a 'powerhouse' laptop wasn't really an issue.

BUILD QUALITY:
----------------------
I searched high and low for reviews on build quality, screen quality, etc. I have to say that upon messing around with it today for about an hour or two, it has exceeded my expectations. The screen is absolutely beautiful. The clarity and range of color really is just amazing. I was worried that at 11", it would be a real pain to switch from the 17" screen I'm so used to. That was not the case at all. I'm 6'1" and I wouldn't say I've got big hands, but I'm a pretty big guy, and the HP 11 felt very comfortable on my lap. There was no "squinting" or straining to see the text on the screen as I feared there would be. Everything was absolutely crisp and clear.

As far as the build quality, it feels very rigid. The plastic is very sturdy and the hinge is tight (I feel I need to point out that on any other >$300 laptop I've used, a squeaky or loose hinge is an absolute dealbreaker for me). If I could summarize the overall "feel" I get from the actual form of the laptop, it would be "Plastic Macbook". The keyboard and trackpad feel great.

The speakers are actually built under the keyboard. They get very loud for a laptop. You won't be getting a lot of bass (It's actually almost non-existent), but the midrange and treble is there. For a $225 laptop, it's not getting much better. If you need the bass, there is always the headphone jack (audio was very full and pleasant from there with my headphones!)

Oh, and this thing charges with a micro-USB. That is awesome. I have like seven of those things lying around my house, so it's good to know that even if I lose the laptop charger, I can still power on my Chromebook (albeit a bit more slowly)

Overall, the HP 11 just feels right. It's great. I had my reservations with buying another HP having owned a Pavilion in the past (Eek. Hard drive failed, hinge creaking from day one, keys breaking off) so I was surprised to see that they seemingly hit it out of the park on this one. Time will tell, but the initial impression is great!

PERFORMANCE:
-----------------------
Most people's main beef with this Chromebook is the performance. I'll be honest, I was worried before it arrived. I was wondering if I had just spent money on a pretty, but unusable laptop. As beautiful as the laptop is, I would have felt like an idiot if it was not even functional. The first thing I did when I got the laptop was open up Chrome (since you won't be doing much else?). I opened my Gmail, my Drive folder, a YouTube page, Facebook, and a Word document. I figured that rather than going on a mission to bog down the computer, I would use the computer as my girlfriend will use it. Talking to a friend on Facebook, writing a paper, listening to music, etc. With all of those tabs open, I only really experienced "stuttering" (specifically the YouTube audio) when trying to scroll too fast within a page or switch between tabs back to back to back.

Under normal circumstances (i.e; not playing games, programming, and doing video editing at the same time), the laptop will be fine for anyone doing light to moderate browsing and work online. This would be a killer laptop for the non-techies in your life. My girlfriend isn't concerned with video editing/programming/rendering, and most people aren't. They're looking for a simple way to get online, check their email, do some office work. Most people don't need 8GB ram, 4.0 GHz processor, and 1TB hard drive.

PROS:
---------
+ Great screen. Vivid, bright, detailed. It holds a candle to a Macbook's display.
+ Very sturdy build. Doesn't feel cheap like most laptops in it's price range
+ Stays cool and quiet (no fan!)
+ ChromeOS is simple and intuitive. No start menus/control panels/preferences (the kind that scare grandma; there are options within the Chrome browser to customize your experience) to confuse you. It's very straightforward and presented within a very clean user interface.

CONS:
---------
- The HP 11 does not pack a lot of horsepower. It's great for handling web surfing, document editing, video calls, and light YouTubing. You won't be doing heavy photo/video editing, gaming, or programming (unless you boot Ubuntu, but that's a whole different story), but chances are, you aren't looking at a Chromebook if you are doing any of those things.
- Sound quality could be better. It's loud and clear, but it could benefit from some more low end.
- ChromeOS does not support adding any programs such as iTunes, Photoshop, or VLC. You can get away with alternatives like Google Music and Pixlr Photo Editor.

OVERALL:
-------------
This little thing is pretty cool. Hopefully it holds up over time. I know that software updates won't be an issue until 2018 (the year Google guaranteed it's support). If it does hold up, I see myself grabbing this over my 17" monster of a Lenovo laptop when I just want to hop online for a bit.
Most of the gripes I have with it are things I knew getting into it. I know the ChromeOS in it's current state is a bit limited in what it can do. I knew that it wouldn't be a workhorse of a laptop. I knew that at it's price point, I'd sacrifice things like sound quality for screen quality and yadda-yadda-yadda. I think that's why I was pleasantly surprised when the screen was *that* nice and it was able to do more things at once than I thought it could.

Solid purchase; highly recommended!

3 people found this helpful

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Solomon Kim

Do you have one foot in Google's ecosystem and the other in Amazon's?

Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2014

Verified Purchase

This won't be a comprehensive review. The reviews that have already been written ought to give you a pretty good idea of the advantages and drawbacks of the hardware from a broad perspective. What I'd really like to address is something that I didn't see too much written about, which is how this Chromebook has been working out for me as someone who has one foot in Google's ecosystem and the other in Amazon's.

Just a couple of unrelated compatibility issues to document:

1. It does NOT work with my HMDX Jam Classic bluetooth speaker.
2. I have NOT been able to watch WWE Network on it.
3. It DOES work with my Apple Magic Mouse (which is a bluetooth device) including right-clicking and scrolling functionality.

Just to give you an idea of the perspective from which I'm writing this, I was using a Macbook Air and a Kindle Fire HD at home. I recently sold the Macbook and within a few days, my Kindle Fire HD was stolen, so I picked this up to replace both devices, and it's working out for me because all of this is happening at a time when I've transitioned to no longer needing a full computer at home. It certainly doesn't have as much functionality as the Macbook and Kindle combined. Just know what you're getting into when you get a Chromebook. I use this as little more than a Facebook-and-streaming-video-looking-at machine and for that it's great.

As I alluded to earlier, the biggest consideration I had in mind when shopping for a replacement device was the fact that I watch a lot of streaming video through both Google Play and Amazon (and Hulu, Netflix and Crackle as well). Having a Macbook was a good way to consume video from all those sources (albeit a much more costly solution than a Chromebook). I really loved my Kindle Fire HD for watching Amazon streaming video, but I couldn't watch Google Play videos on it and was limited to Amazon's app store, which has less selection than Google Play's. Ultimately, I settled on this Chromebook because I figured it would play nicely with my Nexus 5 and Chromecast, whereas the Kindle Fire HD was the only Amazon device I owned, and now I don't even have that.

This Chromebook is very close to being every bit as good as my Macbook when it comes to having one foot in Google's ecosystem and the other in Amazon's. Chrome on Chromebook is just like Chrome on any full desktop OS--out of the box, it has Flash already integrated and gives you access to the full web... There are no mobile versions of sites or compromise of any sort. Watch Google Play, Hulu, Netflix, and whatever other similar services you could want (except WWE Network) on the computer screen just as well as you could on any computer. The only difference for me is that I was using torrents on my Macbook to procure content that I couldn't get through Google or Amazon or Hulu, but there appears to be a pretty well-reviewed Chrome app called JSTorrent that is a Java-based bittorrent client. I haven't tried it yet, but perhaps I don't even need to compromise on the torrent thing.

Chromecasting Google Play Movies mostly works pretty well. My browser crashes a lot when I try to initiate the cast and sometimes it takes a few tries to get it to start up. When I start a video up, there's a bit of a hiccup from the jump, but once it gets going, it works flawlessly. You can even do a little multitasking on the computer while video continues to play smoothly and at high resolution (provided you have a good enough internet connection) on the TV. Chromecasting a Chrome tab showing Hulu or Amazon Prime or whatever other web-based streaming service is a bit of a different story though--the frame rate and resolution take a noticeable drop and when I go to full screen video, the cropping is a little bit off on my TV--a small portion of the margins gets cut off, although it does seem to retain correct aspect ratios...or I guess I should say that at least nothing looks stretched or skewed. It gets especially choppy when you start multitasking. Even looking at Facebook or typing this review at the same time is enough to make it a little annoying to watch. Casting a tab is still a bit of a work in progress. As it is now, though, it seems like it would still be a good way to share a screen on a TV that's showing still images or something other than video. All of that said, I experienced most of these problems when using the Macbook with Chromecast as well.

All in all, this Chromebook is great for general web browsing. For streaming video content and talking to Chromecast, it's not a perfect experience yet, but it's acceptable, and I'm not sure if its kinks are related to this specific hardware or if it's Chromebooks at large.

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