Hoping to invite a bit more Google into your kitchen than you can get with a smart display like the Nest Hub Max? Try the new HP Chromebase, the world’s first all-in-one PC with a rotating screen that runs Google’s Chrome operating system.
Not only is the the Chromebase’s 21.5-inch screen far bigger than one you’ll find on any Chromebook, you can also rotate it 90 degrees to use it in portrait or landscape mode. It’s touch-enabled, too, which means you can interact with Chrome OS using swipes and taps.
Stylistically, the Chromebase evokes the far smaller 10-inch Nest Hub Max. Both have curved, fabric-covered bases that contain speakers, paired with a bright and colorful display up top. Both have front-facing cameras for Google Hangout calls. But the Chromebase comes with significantly upgraded specs: its screen is full HD (1,920-by-1,080 pixels) and it has dual 5-watt speakers in the base. The smaller Nest Hub Max has two 0.7-inch tweeters, one 3-inch woofer, and a lower-resolution 1,280-by-800-pixel LCD.
There are a few things you can do with a screen-enabled smart speaker like the Nest Hub Max that you can’t with Chrome OS. The HP Chromebase lacks camera-based gesture control (pause and resume playback by looking at the camera and holding up your hand) or integration with other Nest smart home accessories.
As for the price, the Chromebase goes on sale this month at $600 and up, depending on the components you choose. The base model has an Intel Pentium processor and 64GB of storage, while upgraded versions come with Intel Core i3 processors and either 128GB or 256GB SSDs.
A New Detachable Chromebook
Launching alongside the Chromebase this month is an overhauled version of HP’s Chromebook tablet. The original HP Chromebook x2, introduced in 2018, won high praise for its styling and ability to switch between tablet and laptop form factors with a detachable keyboard. HP is now bringing back this Chrome OS tablet in the form of the Chromebook x2 11, which also costs $600 and goes on sale this month.
Since the original Chromebook x2 had such a compelling blend of design and features, HP appears to be taking a “don’t-mess-with-success” approach for the reboot. The biggest change is therefore under the hood, with the addition of a Qualcomm 7c processor to replace the Intel Core m3 that powered the original.
The new processor is more power-efficient, with up to 11 hours of battery life, according to HP and Qualcomm. It also brings support for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X15 LTE modem, which means this is the first detachable Chromebook to offer cellular data as an option. HP says LTE-equipped versions of the Chromebook x2 11 will cost extra.
Other highlights of the new Chrome-based tablet include dual cameras and a digital stylus that charges wirelessly and works with Google’s Universal Stylus Initiative (USI) for smoother on-screen interactions. Google has been continuously refining touch and stylus support in Chrome OS, most recently adding AI-based handwriting recognition. In addition to these features, the Chromebook x2 will come with new pen-friendly apps like Cursive.
Besides the new Chromebook x2, Chrome-based tablets are few and far between, with Google discontinuing its high-end Pixel Slate tablet earlier this year. Lenovo’s highly rated Chromebook Duet is still on sale, however, and starting at $249 it’s a formidable budget alternative to the new Chromebook x2.