HP Pavilion 14-c010us Pro Reviews

HP knows what it’s getting into with the Pavilion 14 Chromebook, and that’s why it’s targeting the consumer market. No matter how you slice it, there are still too many quirks surrounding Chromebooks—such as the storage limitations and internet connectivity requirements, or the inability to run many business applications—to recommend the platform wholeheartedly to business users. The Pavilion 14 Chromebook, therefore, is meant for casual use around the home, much like a tablet or (at one point in history) a netbook. It’s hard to argue with its incredibly low cost, and if a very basic web surfing machine is what’s needed, it can deliver. In spite of its limited CPU power, it still manages to feel rather snappy and capable at times, with nearly instantaneous resume time, quick startup, and good network performance. However, there are quite a few negatives to consider. For starters, in spite of the illusionary effects of the nimble 16 GB SSD and thin OS, this is still a weak machine. This fact becomes obvious when you attempt to stream 1080p video to an external monitor, a task which the Pavilion 14 Chromebook can handle, but which seriously taxes it and skips from time to time. Elsewhere, the keyboard is poor, the case is plastic and relatively fragile, connectivity options are less than ideal, and even basic maintenance is a serious challenge.

Overall, while the Pavilion 14 boasts the largest screen among Chromebooks, its relatively low 1,366x768 resolution diminishes the primary benefit typically gained from having more screen real estate—it doesn't display any more data on the screen at one time than its 11.6-inch competitors. All you really get is bigger objects, which just makes everything easier to see. Granted, this makes for less eyestrain, but defeats the primary purpose for having a larger screen overall. We think, then, that the removable battery—the option to run two or three times longer, depending on how many batteries you're willing to buy—is a much more useful feature, and find it a more compelling reason to consider this Chromebook over competing models. This raises the question, is it a compelling reason to buy this model? The answer? That totally depends on your needs. Where the thinner and lighter 11.6-inch models are easier to pack and take with you, making them much more travel-friendly, the bulkier Pavilion 14 is more suited for working around home or the office. We like it as an alternative to inexpensive Windows laptops, and, from that perspective, have no trouble recommending it—especially at its current, after-rebate price point. Here's hoping HP keeps it there, or better yet, brings it even lower.