Are you thinking of a Chromebook for Black Friday? HP x2 at the crossroads

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Chromebooks have come a long way in the last year. Google has released Chromebooks from the category of low-end devices with its superb and expensive Pixelbook last November. More importantly, the company relentlessly added new features and improved the Chrome operating system that powers all Chromebooks.

OEMs saw the future and took the bandwagon with their own high-end Chromebooks. One of the best of these new devices is the HP Chromebook. x2 . The x2 was the first Chromebook to feature a detachable keyboard allowing it to work just as well as a laptop and tablet.

Google recently announced the Pixel Slate as a standalone tablet complementary to the Pixelbook laptop. Both Google Chromebooks can work as two in one if you fold the keyboard of the Pixelbook or buy a keyboard for the Slate.

The x2, Pixelbook and Slate will meet your needs if you want a Chromebook running both as a laptop and a tablet. However, when you compare the three, the x2 hits the ideal place where the cost meets the function.

I have a Pixelbook since last spring and work with a x2 loaned by XP for over a month. I did not have any practical experience with Pixel Slate which is currently available for pre-order.

Comparison of specifications

Here are some basic specifications for the x2, Pixelbook and Pixel Slate.

The x2 is far from Pixelbook and Slate in terms of processing power, memory and storage. At first glance, this may seem like a compromise, but it really depends on how you use a Chromebook.

The Chrome operating system is designed for use with web applications. The Chrome browser is its basic user interface and Chromebooks built in the last year (like the x2) can also run most Android apps. If you rely on the cloud for applications and storage, the 32GB of built-in x2 storage is not likely to be a problem.

The power and memory limitations of the x2 will be more noticeable if you leave many browser tabs and Android apps open while you work. For example, I write this in the Word for Android application on the x2 with three other open Android apps and the Chrome browser with 14 open tabs. Web pages load more slowly than with only Word and only 10 tabs or less open in Chrome. That's how I normally work on a chromebook.

On the plus side, the x2's screen is almost identical to the Pixelbook's exceptional screen. Both are bright and crisp with bright colors. The Slate has a higher screen resolution (3000 x 2000 compared to the x2 resolution and 2400 x 1600 of the Pixelbook) and ppp (293 compared to 235). This high resolution of the screen may seem impressive, but it really does not have much, if any, if the screen is at a distance typical of your eyes.

To see all the details of a 3000 x 2000 image on a 12.3 "screen, the eye should be about one foot away from the screen. If you move farther away, the details on the screen will no longer be visible because of the limitations of the resolving power of the human eye. If your eyes are about 14 inches off the screen, the image of the Slate will look like that of an x2 or Pixelbook. Go back further and more details are lost in all three Chromebooks. It is unlikely that you will notice differences in resolution between the x2, Pixelbook and Slate unless you keep the Slate at the height of your face.

Laptop and tablet modes

The x2 makes perfect sense when it is considered a laptop with a removable screen. With one exception, the x2 is a good portable interpreter. The screen is bright and easily readable, and the unit is well balanced on a desk with the screen slanted as far as it can. The trackpad is wide, responsive and accurate. You have plenty of room to put your hands. The hinge lifts the back of the keyboard about 5/8 "away from the desk. You may notice a bit of bending if you hit the keys hard when typing.

The exception mentioned above is that the keyboard is not backlit. This can be a serious disadvantage if you are not a typist and work in places where the light is dim.

The x2 works just as well in tablet mode. The hinge is physically attached to the keyboard and the screen is magnetically attached to the hinge. The magnetic connection is solid and it is very easy to detach and reattach the screen. The bright screen is a joy to use in tablet mode.

The Pixelbook and Slate work like laptops and tablets, but they have significant drawbacks compared to x2. The Pixelbook's keyboard is not detachable. You enter the keyboard on the back of the device when it is folded into tablet mode, which some people do not like.

More importantly, the Pixelbook is a heavy tablet. In my measurements, the screen detached from the x2 weighs 1 lb. 10 oz. while the Pixelbook is at £ 2. 7.7 oz The x2 is much more comfortable to hold for short periods of time in tablet mode.

The x2 and slate have almost the same weight. I could not weigh the slate, but Google mentioned it to a pound. 9.6 oz. who has lighter hair than x2 (1 lb. 10 oz). The problem with the Slate is not the weight, it's the keyboard. He does not have it. You can add a keyboard, but you will have to pay for it. And that brings us to the question of. . .

Cost

It's hard to compare prices at this time of year, as Black Friday offers are at stake. HP reduced the x2 list price to $ 599 to $ 549 for Black Friday. The Pixelbook costs between 999 and 1649 dollars depending on its configuration. Google is offering a whopping $ 300 discount on Black Friday, bringing the entry-level unit down to $ 699. The Slate is available for pre-order with a promised arrival for December and no reduction in Black Friday that I've seen. The Slate without keyboard goes from $ 599 to $ 1599. A Google keyboard that connects to the Slate adds an extra $ 199. A wireless Bluetooth keyboard for the Slate manufactured by Brydge costs $ 159.99.

The x2 wins the comparison of costs hands down. At Black Friday, it's 25% cheaper than a Pixelbook; 40% cheaper if you pay the total price. And the Pixelbook does not have a detachable keyboard. If you want a laptop with a detachable keyboard, which you probably do if you're thinking about x2, the x2 costs $ 250 less than the Slate at Black Friday and $ 200 less than the full list ($ 210 and $ 160 If you opt for the keyboard Brydge).

Conclusion

HP's Chromebook x2 delivers the perfect balance of cost and performance over the Pixelbook and Pixel Slate. The Pixelbook and Slate are more powerful machines, but the x2 is powerful enough for most uses and none of Google's devices can compete with its cost and functionality. The Pixelbook costs a lot more and does not have a detachable screen. Slate costs about the same price, but it does not have a keyboard. The addition of a keyboard adds $ 159 to $ 200 at cost. It is obvious.

Oh, and there is one more thing. If you're using a pen with your Chromebook, you're expecting an extra $ 99 for Google's pen. The pen for the x2 comes with the device.

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Chromebooks have come a long way in the last year. Google has released Chromebooks from the category of low-end devices with its superb and expensive Pixelbook last November. More importantly, the company relentlessly added new features and improved the Chrome operating system that powers all Chromebooks.

OEMs saw the future and took the bandwagon with their own high-end Chromebooks. One of the best of these new devices is the HP Chromebook. x2 . The x2 was the first Chromebook to feature a detachable keyboard allowing it to work just as well as a laptop and tablet.

Google recently announced the Pixel Slate as a standalone tablet complementary to the Pixelbook laptop. Both Google Chromebooks can work as two in one if you fold the keyboard of the Pixelbook or buy a keyboard for the Slate.

The x2, Pixelbook and Slate will meet your needs if you want a Chromebook running both as a laptop and a tablet. However, when you compare the three, the x2 hits the ideal place where the cost meets the function.

I have a Pixelbook since last spring and work with a x2 loaned by XP for over a month. I did not have any practical experience with Pixel Slate which is currently available for pre-order.

Comparison of specifications

Here are some basic specifications for the x2, Pixelbook and Pixel Slate.

The x2 is far from Pixelbook and Slate in terms of processing power, memory and storage. At first glance, this may seem like a compromise, but it really depends on how you use a Chromebook.

The Chrome operating system is designed for use with web applications. The Chrome browser is its basic user interface and Chromebooks built in the last year (like the x2) can also run most Android apps. If you rely on the cloud for applications and storage, the 32GB of built-in x2 storage is not likely to be a problem.

The power and memory limitations of the x2 will be more noticeable if you leave many browser tabs and Android apps open while you work. For example, I write this in the Word for Android application on the x2 with three other open Android apps and the Chrome browser with 14 open tabs. Web pages load more slowly than with only Word and only 10 tabs or less open in Chrome. That's how I normally work on a chromebook.

On the plus side, the x2's screen is almost identical to the Pixelbook's exceptional screen. Both are bright and crisp with bright colors. The Slate has a higher screen resolution (3000 x 2000 compared to the x2 resolution and 2400 x 1600 of the Pixelbook) and ppp (293 compared to 235). This high resolution of the screen may seem impressive, but it really does not have much, if any, if the screen is at a distance typical of your eyes.

To see all the details of a 3000 x 2000 image on a 12.3 "screen, the eye should be about one foot away from the screen. If you move farther away, the details on the screen will no longer be visible because of the limitations of the resolving power of the human eye. If your eyes are about 14 inches off the screen, the image of the Slate will look like that of an x2 or Pixelbook. Go back further and more details are lost in all three Chromebooks. It is unlikely that you will notice differences in resolution between the x2, Pixelbook and Slate unless you keep the Slate at the height of your face.

Laptop and tablet modes

The x2 makes perfect sense when it is considered a laptop with a removable screen. With one exception, the x2 is a good portable interpreter. The screen is bright and easily readable, and the unit is well balanced on a desk with the screen slanted as far as it can. The trackpad is wide, responsive and accurate. You have plenty of room to put your hands. The hinge lifts the back of the keyboard about 5/8 "away from the desk. You may notice a bit of bending if you hit the keys hard when typing.

The exception mentioned above is that the keyboard is not backlit. This can be a serious disadvantage if you are not a typist and work in places where the light is dim.

The x2 works just as well in tablet mode. The hinge is physically attached to the keyboard and the screen is magnetically attached to the hinge. The magnetic connection is solid and it is very easy to detach and reattach the screen. The bright screen is a joy to use in tablet mode.

The Pixelbook and Slate work like laptops and tablets, but they have significant drawbacks compared to x2. The Pixelbook's keyboard is not detachable. You enter the keyboard on the back of the device when it is folded into tablet mode, which some people do not like.

More importantly, the Pixelbook is a heavy tablet. In my measurements, the screen detached from the x2 weighs 1 lb. 10 oz. while the Pixelbook is at £ 2. 7.7 oz The x2 is much more comfortable to hold for short periods of time in tablet mode.

The x2 and slate have almost the same weight. I could not weigh the slate, but Google mentioned it to a pound. 9.6 oz. who has lighter hair than x2 (1 lb. 10 oz). The problem with the Slate is not the weight, it's the keyboard. He does not have it. You can add a keyboard, but you will have to pay for it. And that brings us to the question of. . .

Cost

It's hard to compare prices at this time of year, as Black Friday offers are at stake. HP reduced the x2 list price to $ 599 to $ 549 for Black Friday. The Pixelbook costs between 999 and 1649 dollars depending on its configuration. Google is offering a whopping $ 300 discount on Black Friday, bringing the entry-level unit down to $ 699. The Slate is available for pre-order with a promised arrival for December and no reduction in Black Friday that I've seen. The Slate without keyboard goes from $ 599 to $ 1599. A Google keyboard that connects to the Slate adds an extra $ 199. A wireless Bluetooth keyboard for the Slate manufactured by Brydge costs $ 159.99.

The x2 wins the comparison of costs hands down. At Black Friday, it's 25% cheaper than a Pixelbook; 40% cheaper if you pay the total price. And the Pixelbook does not have a detachable keyboard. If you want a laptop with a detachable keyboard, which you probably do if you're thinking about x2, the x2 costs $ 250 less than the Slate at Black Friday and $ 200 less than the full list ($ 210 and $ 160 If you opt for the keyboard Brydge).

Conclusion

HP's Chromebook x2 delivers the perfect balance of cost and performance over the Pixelbook and Pixel Slate. The Pixelbook and Slate are more powerful machines, but the x2 is powerful enough for most uses and none of Google's devices can compete with its cost and functionality. The Pixelbook costs a lot more and does not have a detachable screen. Slate costs about the same price, but it does not have a keyboard. The addition of a keyboard adds $ 159 to $ 200 at cost. It is obvious.

Oh, and there is one more thing. If you're using a pen with your Chromebook, you're expecting an extra $ 99 for Google's pen. The pen for the x2 comes with the device.