It is often very easy to forget, there resides an island of hope for computing devices, far from the hustle and bustle of Microsoft’s Windows and Apple’s macOS. For students and those who have very specific productivity requirements from their laptops in particular, the Google Chrome OS is a comparatively minimalistic (and you may argue, nicely refined too) operating system that gets the job done without much of a learning curve. It is largely reliant on good (or at least consistent internet connectivity) to get the most out of it though.
Does it tick the boxes for you? It just might, with HP’s latest Chromebook 15.6, which is perhaps the best showcase for this OS, at this time. The newest Chromebook series, in a way, makes clear the PC maker’s intention of building this alternative for buyers. It is fairly well spec-ed too, and a price tag of ₹28,999 puts this just lower than most entry-spec Windows laptops too.
Alternatively, this OS on moderate specs, has the potential to perform better than Windows can, or does.
Also Read: Google in Chromebook retail push
The HP Chromebook 15.6 is quite well built, though it is all plastic through and through. If it wasn’t for the Chromebook logo on the lid, this would look like just about any other HP Pavilion notebook, from the Windows line. Enough ports on either side too – a full-size USB, two USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack and a microSD card reader.
The power adapter will take up one USB-C port, mind you. What you get as a result of that sacrifice, is fast charge. You should look for the gorgeous Forest Teal colour option, amidst the sea of black and greys.
This, on paper, isn’t the most powerful laptop. The beating heart is the Intel Celeron N4500 chip. Not the newest (it’s been around since 2021) and neither is it the most endowed (dual core processor). Yet for Chrome OS, this gets the job done with considerable comfort. It certainly helps to have 4GB RAM to keep things moving along. There is a snappy response when you open an app and leaving a few open doesn’t necessarily slow the performance either.
The display real estate is ideal for schoolkids, who may find themselves focusing on two different apps at the same time (a web page and a document, for instance) – there is enough space side by side for this. The 15.6-inch screen isn’t the richest or most vibrant but has enough of the colour vividness to look spot on for work and educational apps, and for the inevitable Netflix binging beyond that.
It certainly helps to have a display that’s not very reflective either – ambient lighting reflecting back, strains the eyes after a while.
With a larger display giving it a larger than usual footprint (compared with 13-inch or 14-inch machines), HP has been able to add a dedicated numeric keypad to the keyboard. There is also a larger touchpad, compared with the previous generation. The keyboard itself is the familiar island-style, with the responsiveness and spacing just spot on. It makes for a good keyboard if you intend to write a lot.
Storage may be a bit of a concern with the HP Chromebook 15.6, with just 128GB internal storage space available. The push, and expectedly so, is towards the Google One cloud storage bundle. There is 100GB drive space (it is valid for 1-year) bundled, but beyond that, you will most likely pay for the extra cloud storage space.
Battery life is a strong point. You can leave the charger at home, since a fully charged HP Chromebook 15.6 lasted us close to 12 hours on a single charge, with display brightness at 50% and quite a few tabs open (and active) on Chrome.
For all that’s positive about the refinements, minimalism, and simplicity of the Google Chrome OS, it is difficult to shrug the feeling that not much has changed in a quite a while. The way it works, the online focus and the fact you’re using mobile-ish versions of certain apps on the desktop, mean the more serious users are never likely to be swayed. That’s just how this platform has been put together.
There are attempts to change that, such as HP’s inclusion for GeForce Now for cloud gaming, may add some value – but that’s another subscription to pay for.
Yet, the Chromebook’s strongest point is minimalist computing, with strong battery stamina. It is what the HP Chromebook 15.6 definitely delivers on. This means it is quite ideal for the hybrid work culture and for students, who need a laptop that serves the needs for online classrooms, researching for assignments and a bit of the entertainment tasks once the studies are done.
On the work front though, one thing to keep in mind, do check whether the apps you regularly use are available for the Chromebook. Many apps weren’t available a long time ago (and you were mostly reliant on Google’s apps such as Docs and Chrome), and though the situation is much better now with the full Play Store experience embedded, still better to be sure with specific workplace or education apps.
