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Chromebooks have steadily become viable laptop alternatives, and the HP Chromebook 14a-na0226nr is one of the best options available on a tight budget. While most people gravitate towards Windows or Apple notebooks, ChromeOS-powered devices have their place, and the Chromebook 14 is enough proof, especially for those looking for a basic use device without breaking the bank.
For under $200, the HP Chromebook 14 lets you work on a comfortable keyboard packed into a sturdy design that looks and feels cooler than most Chromebooks, some costing even more. However, its Intel Celeron N4120 processor and 4GB can’t compete with some of the best Chromebooks around. And as with most laptops at this price point, the 14-inch screen maxes out at 720p resolution – meaning, it doesn’t get as bright as the Asus Chromebook CX1400CKA with a Full HD (1080p) resolution screen.
Even with the obvious limitations of a laptop like this, the Chromebook 14 is still the way to go if you have more basic computing demands, particularly when you take into consideration that it will not break your bank.
HP Chromebook 14 specs
- CPU: Intel Celeron N4120
- RAM: 4GB
- Storage: 64 GB eMMC
- Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 600
- Weight: 3.24 pounds
- Dimensions: 8.6 x 12.8 x 0.7 inches
Design & Features
The HP 14a-na0226nr isn’t exactly what you’d call a high-end PC, but it’s a slick, well-designed piece of equipment. The chassis measures 0.7 inches at its thickest point. At 3.24 pounds, it’s reasonably light, but not as much as the 2.58-pound Asus Chromebook Flip C436. That extra weight gives you more ports on the chassis, though, and the Chromebook 14 doesn’t feel at all heavy in hand.
The case is made from plastic, but the ceramic white color looks like the aluminum construction on Apple’s MacBook Air. However, it doesn’t look or feel cheap, and it doesn’t have any exposed screws, so you won’t need to worry about a loose screen popping out randomly.
Port selection is excellent here, at least by Chromebook standards. The left-hand side holds a USB Type-C port (enabled for charging), a micro-SD reader, and a headphone/microphone combo. On the right-hand side, you have another USB Type-C port and a USB Type-A port, in addition to a pair of B&O speakers on each side of the keyboard deck.
Keyboard & Touchpad
The HP Chromebook gets a stellar keyboard and trackpad. The backlit keyboard feels responsive with clicky keys that offer plenty of travel. It does flex ever so slightly when you pound on it, but under normal use, it isn’t disappointing at all. My only gripe is the lack of a dedicated Caps Lock key; in its place, you have a Search key that must be triggered while holding the Alt key.
Not a big deal, though, but it makes it a bit difficult to impulsively reply to a tweet in caps. The touchpad is equally excellent. Here, you have a big and spacious trackpad with plenty of room to mouse around. The entire trackpad is a button, so you really don’t have to move your fingers around to find the left-and-right-click buttons.
The HP Chromebook 14a-na0226nr is a good all-rounder for basic tasks.
Performance
With a 1,366 X 768-resolution display and a 1.1GHz Intel Celeron N4120 processor inside, the Chromebook 14a-na0226nr is the base model that HP offers for budget buyers looking to get productive at home, office, or even college students. It isn’t particularly a technical powerhouse by modern standards, partly due to Chrome OS’s minimal bloat and speedy performance, but that doesn’t matter.
If we were to compare the Chromebook 14a-na0226nr, based on the specs, it would be an equivalent of the Intel Celeron-powered Samsung Chromebook 4 or the Lenovo Chromebook C340, only that both competitors boast Intel Celeron processors and have better 1080p resolution displays. The HP also includes 4GB RAM and 64GB of onboard storage, which is better than the 32GB storage on most Chromebooks.
Since Chrome is designed with cloud storage, the thin local storage on the HP Chromebook 14 isn’t as big an issue as it would otherwise be. Still, it gets Google Play Store support, and like the latest Chromebooks, you have access to the millions of Android apps, just like you would on an Android phone or tablet.
Our review unit, the HP Chromebook 14a-na0226nr, is ideal for day-to-day tasks, provided that you keep your multitasking appetite to the very minimum. You’ll notice occasional stutter under heavy use, videos would drop frames, or scrolling would lag a bit. However, with more casual web browsing and other basic uses, such stuttering gets rare, so you shouldn’t run into problems too often.
Battery Life
HP claims that the Chromebook 14’s 2-cell 47-watt-hour battery can last over 13 hours and 30 minutes on a single charge. In real-world use, you aren’t getting that long of a run time, though.
The HP 14a-na0226nr manages over 10 hours, 39 minutes on a single charge when playing a 720p video file on VLC on loop (50% screen brightness, 50% volume with headphones plugged in). Still, that’s enough juice to see you through a full day at school or work.
HP Chromebook 14a-na0226nr Review: Bottom line
A Chromebook isn’t going to be as flexible as a full-on Windows PC or a Mac. No matter how Google attempts to dress things up – including Play Store integration, with systems like the HP 14a-na0226nr we’re reviewing, you’re relying heavily on web apps to get work done, and certainly, such restrictions aren’t cut for everyone.
Still, for the price, slick design, and excellent battery life, the HP Chromebook 14 is a great value for those looking for a basic web browsing machine. It’s more affordable than the Google Pixelbook Go while offering the same screen size. The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus serves up some stiffer competition, with a 2-in-1 design, newer components, a metallic construction, and more SSD storage – and, you pay more.
But, for a reasonably modest investment, the HP Chromebook 14a-na0226nr stands out as a responsive, friendly notebook that’s actually fine to use at home, work, or college.
Price Comparison
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