HP has recently presented a new Chromebook, which is basically a converted EliteBook Convertible with Chrome OS installed. The new HP Elite c1030 is now available to pre-order in the US, pricing starts from $1,199, at this price it should be one of the most expensive Chromebooks.
Apart from the Google PixelBook (from 1,463 on Amazon), there are very few high-end Chromebooks, most manufacturers prefer to concentrate on devices for less than $500 that are equipped with Intel Celeron or Pentium processors. HP already tried a better-equipped Chromebook in 2016, but this particular model never got a successor.
Thanks to the growing popularity of Chromebooks, HP is giving this niche another chance. The 13.5-inch Elite c1030 shows that Chromebooks can still be well equipped in 2020. The convertible comes with a display in a practical 3:2 aspect ratio and features that are strongly reminiscent of the HP EliteBook 1030.
It includes an Intel Comet Lake-U processor, options from a Core i3 to a Core i7, up to 16GB DDR4 memory, a 256GB PCIe SSD, and Wi-Fi 6. For business, users are excited about the optional Sure View display, which severely restricts the viewing angle to protect privacy. There is also an illuminated keyboard and an optional 4G LTE modem.
The HP Elite c1030 will have to compete directly with the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook – a notebook that comes with an active stylus and a 4K AMOLED touchscreen, two features the model from HP lacks.
HP Elite c1030 price and availability
HP Elite c1030 Chromebook is now available to pre-order on the Bhphotovideo.com, and pricing starts from $1,199.
Along with the Elite c1030, HP has also upgraded its mid-range Chromebook x360 14c convertible with Intel Comet Lake-U, 14-inch IPS touchscreen display with Stylus pen support, and some interesting features, but the price remains far below that of the premium model Elite c1030.
