There was a lot of excitement in the Chrome OS community when HP announced the Chromebook x2 11. We haven’t seen a Chrome tablet with a high-resolution display, premium design, and a workable aspect ratio in a long time. Of course, there were still a lot of unanswered questions concerning the inner workings.
The Snapdragon 7c chip inside the HP Chromebook x2 11 was less than remarkable in my review of the Acer Chromebook Spin 513. Still, I hoped that HP would be able to increase the overall performance of this lovely tablet through software optimization. Is this the greatest Chrome OS tablet on the market? The answer is a little more nuanced and is contingent on when and where you purchase it.
The pricing is one of the most difficult aspects of analyzing the HP Chromebook x2 11. While HP’s MSRP for the 8GB/64GB model is $599, Best Buy has routinely discounted that model to $399 on their website. There are also some odd decisions made about whether or not to include the USI pen in various models. Both of these factors alter the overall worth of the lineup. I’ll explain where each aspect of the device falls on that value range throughout this evaluation. Regardless, this is without a doubt the best HP Chrome tablet available. This is a review of the HP Chromebook x2 11.
Construct and design
One of the most enticing characteristics of the HP Chromebook x2 11 is its build and general look. I would have told you six months ago that the original Chromebook Duet is the best Chrome tablet you can buy. That device’s build quality was anything from premium. If you’re looking for a Chrome tablet, HP now offers one with a nicely built solid metal frame that looks and feels tough. Given, this isn’t a groundbreaking design, but in a market where appealing tablets are scarce, it stands head and shoulders above the competition.
The tablet’s bezels are thin enough to make the display’s front look appealing. The back of the tablet is matte silver, which makes it easier to grip when using it for media viewing or gaming. The stand cover is also a wonderful blue/teal color, which you may select when you buy the tablet. Furthermore, the magnets on the platform are really powerful. If you need a study stand for viewing movies or propping up your tablet while taking notes, this will do the job well.
The tablet feels robust and doesn’t flex much in terms of durability. I didn’t drop the device during my testing, but it should be able to withstand a short drop onto a variety of surfaces. When using the phone in portrait orientation, the power button is a little high up, which I don’t like. Most people, I assume, would use it in landscape mode, but I use my tablet for notes a lot, thus this was a problem for me while using it. This tablet also lacks a headphone jack, which may or may not be a deal breaker for some, but is worth noting. Aside from that, I didn’t have any major issues with the build quality or overall layout of this tablet. In the Chrome OS tablet segment, HP did an excellent job of giving a more premium made choice.
Touchpad and keyboard
I don’t have high expectations for the keyboard and touchpad on a Chrome OS convertible laptop like this. This is partly due to the fact that these components will almost certainly be mushiness, which is not conducive to work. The good news is that the HP Chromebook x2 11 keyboard outperforms other Chrome OS detachable keyboards, including Lenovo’s popular Chromebook Duet.
The HP Chromebook x2 11 keyboard attachment is less cramped than other detachable keyboards, even if it isn’t the nicest keyboard ever. The key travel is also acceptable, and typing a lengthier email or a short blog post on this device when it’s resting on a desk isn’t absolutely uncomfortable. There’s a lot to be said for the fact that you can keep the keyboard connected to the tablet even while it’s closed. This is something you couldn’t do with the original Lenovo Chromebook Duet, which made carrying the tablet and keyboard separately pretty inconvenient. Indeed, this protects your tablet’s front display when you’re carrying it around, which is a significant benefit.
However, the relative flimsiness of this keyboard causes significant problems when used on your lap. It’s a pain to use for long periods of time in this position, especially when simply laying your palm on the keyboard might produce false mouse clicks. This isn’t something that can be easily fixed. Detachable keyboards are designed to be small, which means they have a lot of flex, which might pose issues with stability. This is absolutely not the Chromebook for you if you want to use it on your lap and enjoy the experience.
Support for the display and the pen
Without a doubt, the display on the HP Chromebook x2 11 is its most remarkable feature. If you’re seeking to utilize this for business, you’ll receive an 11-inch 2160 x 1440 IPS panel with a highly usable 3:2 aspect ratio. At 400 nits, the brightness is also fairly good, so you can work outside or just watch Netflix in the sun. All forms of media spring off this display with bright colors and deep blacks, and viewing angles are often excellent. If you’re primarily searching for a media consumption tablet, the HP Chromebook x2 11 excels in this regard.
Of course, if you’re going to consume a lot of media, you’ll need good speakers. HP also has you covered there. The front-facing B&O speakers are powerful and clear enough to enjoy streaming video and games without the use of headphones.
I was ecstatic to get my hands on the HP Chromebook x2 11 and try out the bundled USI pen. I’ve already written a quick evaluation of Google’s new Cursive PWA for Chromebooks, but the Chromebook x2 11 is said to be optimized for it. It’s worth repeating that the USI pen is included free of charge with only a few models of the tablet. The USI pen may not be included with versions purchased directly from HP, in which case it has be purchased separately for $60.
Battery life and performance
This brings us to the subject of performance. When I tested the Acer Chromebook Spin 513, my experience with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c was less than great. Unfortunately, 7c inside the HP Chromebook x2 11 suffers from the same issue. Because of the nature of a tablet interface, it not only has the same hitches in general UI navigation and Android apps, but it also has far more unpleasant flaws. Rotating from portrait to landscape, for example, is quite slow and jerky on this tablet. It takes almost no time to convert an iPad from portrait to landscape mode. That is not the case with the HP Chromebook x2 11, which can be aggravating at times.
This is not the ideal gadget at this price point if you need to perform serious work or multitask in any way. Even at the $399 bargain price, there are better Chromebooks for productivity activities and overall performance. Another area where I would not recommend the HP Chromebook x2 11 is gaming. You won’t be able to play Android games at their highest settings and still have fun.
Overall, battery life is good, particularly for the media consumption tasks that the Chromebook x2 11 excels at. While perusing social media, watching Youtube/Netflix, and penning up some brief pieces for Techloaded247, I was able to squeeze out about 8 hours. You won’t be able to get it to HP’s recommended battery life of 11 hours, but I think 8 hours is a good amount for a media tablet. You can get closer to 6 hours on a single charge if you use it in direct sunshine or turn it up to maximum brightness indoors.
