Nearly three in four office employees (72%) are working from home as countries and companies address the COVID-19 outbreak, says HP. Of those, a massive 60% are using their own, personal laptops or desktops to get their work done. That’s an incredible security risk — and one that several fresh HP Chromebooks may help to mitigate. Moreover, some 82% of home-bound workers rely on multitasking and yet only 51% believe they are properly equipped. That means more powerful, RAM-endowed gear is needed.
HP announced a range of new machines today, including the Elite c1030 Chromebook Enterprise, the Pro c640 Chromebook Enterprise, and the 14 G6 Chromebook Enterprise — a trio of that aims to ease the worries of IT while simultaneously giving employees the power they need. What do these HP Chromebooks have to offer?
HP Elite c1030: A world of firsts
HP is making a lot of claims about the Elite c1030 Chromebook Enterprise. First of the trio of firsts, this HP Chromebook has a 13.5-inch Full HD displays in a 3:2 aspect ratio. This gives it a screen-to-body ratio of 90%, what could be the highest in the industry at the moment. Further, HP says the c1030 is the first to offer a reflective privacy screen. The screen supports touch and is mounted to a 360-degree hinge. In another first, a portion of the device is made from recovered ocean plastics, as well as recycled aluminum. These help the chassis reach a MIL-STD-810G rating for toughness.
On the inside you’ll find 10th Gen Intel processors, up to 16GB of RAM, up to 256GB of storage, and Wi-Fi 6. The battery delivers 12 hours of life and can be recharged up to 90% in 90 minutes thanks to HP Fast Charge. The c1030 has two USB-C ports, one USB-A port, and a microSD slot.
Business-friendly features include an optional fingerprint sensor, webcam privacy switch, and LTE. It’s 16mm thick and weighs in at 1.34kg (2.95lbs).
The HP Elite c1030 Chromebook Enterprise goes on sale in August. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.
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HP Pro c640: Thin for a 14er
The HP Pro c640 is a bit thicker and heavier than the c1030 thanks to a full 14-inch screen. This machine doesn’t bend all the way over backwards, but it does offer a 180-degree hinge that allows the HD or Full HD screen to fold flat. This means you can easily push the screen down onto a table surface to ease the process of some finger-based screen input. The c640 has an aluminum chassis and also offers a MIL-STD-810G rating for durability.
Under the hood it comes close to the same configuration as the c1030. That means 10th Gen Intel processors, up to 16GB of RAM, up to 128GB of storage, and Wi-Fi 6. The battery is similar in that it pushes through 12 hours and can recharge to 90% in 90 minutes. The c640 is a little bit more flexible when it comes to input/output thanks to two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, a headphone jack, HDMI, and a microSD slot. It has a spill-proof keyboard, which can be configured with a backlight if so desired.
HP didn’t forget work-from-home folk. In addition to HP’s enterprise software, the c640 includes an optional fingerprint sensor, webcam privacy switch, and LTE. It’s 16.5mm thick and weighs in at 1.52kg (3.34lbs).
The HP Pro c640 Chromebook Enterprise goes on sale in June. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.
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HP 14 G6: Sturdy simplicity
Last in this trio of HP Chromebooks is the 14 G6, a more affordable option for the conservative company. The 14 G6 has a traditional clamshell build with grippable plastic materials and metal reinforcements in the corners. The 14-inch display is available in HD and Full HD resolutions, as well as with or without touch support. These options allow IT to refine the pricing and stick to budget. Like the c1030 and c640, the 14 G6 is rated MIL-STD-810G for ruggedness. It passes a 27-inch drop test.
Intel Celeron processors provide the power, and can be paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 128G of storage. Standard 2×2 Wi-Fi is on board, as is Bluetooth 5.0. Battery life is rated at a stellar 13.5 hours, and the device can rack up a 90% change in just 90 minutes. Input/output is a bit more conservative. You’ve got one USB-C port, two USB-A ports, HDMI, microSD, and a headphone jack. The keyboard is spill proof. Backlighting is optional.
This simpler of these HP Chromebooks can be easily managed by IT thanks to the Google Security H1 chip. It also has HP enterprise software on board, and offers an optional privacy camera. With a focus on cost, the HP 14 G6 is thicker at 18.5mm and a touch heavier at 1.53kg (3.36lbs) than its brethren.
The HP 14 G6 goes on sale later this month and will start at $399.
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These options cover the gamut of affordability and power, and should help today’s home-bound business folk get their work done reliably and safely.