Customer Ratings & Reviews

I was looking for a Chromebook for my casual home and school use, and this device had been under my radar for a while. I would like to think of myself as a tech enthusiast, and this was under my radar for a reason, it checks every mark for today's casual computing needs, and makes a whole lot more sense than getting anything else for the $400 that I was able to get it in the President's day. Awesome screen, perfect performance for online needs, media consumption, and grad school needs, awesome battery (11-12 hours), very good keyboard, and on top of being a laptop, I can use this as a tablet for YouTube, movies and reading, plus it runs Linux and Android apps too. If the Linux part could feel more at home than it currently is, which I hope will be true with future updates, I would have rated it 5.

HP Chromebook X2 12-F014DX The HP Chromebook X2 is the first Chromebook with a detachable keyboard that also runs Android apps enabling it to function both as a Chrome OS laptop and as a high end Android tablet. My initial impression of the hardware was that it felt like a high end device with premium build quality. The tablet itself was made of aluminum and felt solid. The screen was super sharp with rich and vibrant colors. The touchpad was responsive and had a nice click to it. Being new to Chrome OS, I had to learn how it responds to touch gestures using the touchpad. Once I got used to the basics, I was able to use two fingers to scroll around documents, three fingers to move around tabs, and two fingers (instead of one finger) to tap/click the touchpad to bring up the context menu. The touchpad easily and correctly distinguish all my gestures. The keyboard felt good (although the smaller sized layout makes some compromises compared to a full-sized keyboard causing me to type the wrong character more than I would like). The leather-like texture on the keyboard was a nice touch. Setting up was extremely easy. Just connect to my home network and log into my Google account and all my bookmarks and passwords were migrated so my browsing experience was exactly the same as on my Windows desktop. Since Chrome OS boots so much faster than Windows, this makes it the ideal machine to use if you just want to quickly get on the internet to browse around. When I first set it up, it immediately found an update. The update actually took a little longer to finish than what I expected it to take but it was still orders of magnitude faster than updates on a Windows machine. Another update on a later date was even faster. Since I’m new to Chrome OS, I’m still trying to figure things out. I’m using Google Docs to write this review to see if Chrome OS could be viable as a main computer. Instead of Google Docs, we also have the choice of using Microsoft Office 365 as either a Chrome Extension (which is called Office Online) or by using the Android Apps version available on the Google Play Store. It’s a little bit confusing since the HP Chromebook X2 can run both. Which version of a program should we install if there is both a Chromebook and an Android version available? Right now, if there is both a Chromebook and Android version, I will favor installing the Chromebook version. There are two USB-C ports that can be used for data transfer, charging and display (I only tested the charging part) as well as a Micro SD slot that accepted my Sandisk 128 GB card with no problems. I’m not sure how external memory is handled in Chrome OS. Is this memory available for installing more apps? On some of my Android phones, I would run out of memory for installing or updating apps even when I had a large SD memory card installed. Android would not let me install apps on my SD card and would only let me use it to store music or picture files. I don’t know if Chrome OS has the same limitations. With 32GB of internal storage, I probably won’t run out of memory for apps but it would be nice if I knew that external memory is also available for installing applications. The HP Chromebook X2 also comes bundled with HP’s Active Pen that supposedly uses Wacom AES technology. From briefly playing around with the pen, I think it’s good enough for artists who want to use it for drawings or sketching. Android apps start in a smaller window with the option of running in full screen. The Chromebook version of Netflix ran perfectly with great video quality. The Android app version of Amazon Prime Video did not run well and had lots of stuttering. The SiliconDust HDHomerun Android app sometimes had trouble finding my HDHomerun tuner on the network. But when it did find it, it ran great. Sound from the front side speakers was capable of filling the room with clear and crisp sound but felt a little tinny to me. My favorite Android app for the HP Chromebook X2 was Comixology! Comics look absolutely beautiful on that large super sharp screen! With the keyboard detached and running in full tablet mode, the HP Chromebook X2 is a gorgeous comic book reader. It might be a little too large to hold comfortably for long periods but the screen is just gorgeous for reading comic books. Battery life has been excellent. With light use, I was able to get about 5 days of use without needing to charge. The HP Chromebook X2 in laptop mode is perfect for web browsing, email, and other light desktop usage (such as word processing and spreadsheets). It’s also a fantastic media consumption device (Youtube, Netflix and Comixology etc.). With its ability to run Android apps it can also function as a high end Android tablet. I think HP hit a home run with the HP Chromebook X2.

This little thing is surprisingly poppy. I never really had an interest in Chromebooks as I always thought of them as cheap laptops just for browsing the web and email. However, the X2 has really changed my opinion on them and even convinced a co-worker to get one. The X2 is a essentially a decent sized tablet with an attachable keyboard. The keyboard itself is very responsive and the leather like texture is soft and makes it look like some designer style bag. The touchpad is nicely set in the center making it easy to use with either hand and is as responsive as touching the screen. There are no function keys (F1-12) but a whole row of keys assigned specific functions, such as brightness and volume, making it easy for quick adjustments. As far as treating it as a tablet, it easily detaches from the keyboard and instantly recognizes that it is no longer attached showing the on screen keyboard for applications that require it. The screen itself feels very sturdy, however where the front facing speakers are it feels like a slight weak point and tends to scare me when squeezing those edges. There is a fairly large bezel around the screen, ⅝” all the way around. However, this gives plenty of room for a thumb to be holding the tablet without touching the screen. As far as the screen I am truly surprised at the resolution. This screen is sharp, clear and bright. When I first received it I started playing 4K videos on Youtube and could have sworn it was a 4K screen. However, the specs state it is only 2400 x 1600, which is still impressive considering my 17” laptop still only does 1920x1080. The most common use I have had for my Chromebook has been watching videos, from Youtube and Netflix mostly. With the front facing stereo speakers audio is pretty decent, however I mostly use headphones. When attached to the keyboard the hinge keeps the screen at the desired angle and is surprisingly balanced for how far back it can tilt. An active stylus and AAA battery is also included, as well as a tip tool and 3 additional tips. There are two tips that a more pointed, to give a pen type feel, and two that are more rounded, to give a pencil type feel. The tips are more of a personal feel as far as fine tip and broad tip but do not have much more of a difference to them that I noticed. However, using the stylus to draw on the Chromebook felt really satisfying and really inspired me to want to draw more. As many Android applications are supported through the Google Play store you have plenty of drawing options. As for applications, there is the Chrome Web Store and the Google Play store. The Chrome store had most essentials but having been used to Google Play store from my Android devices I felt like it was missing some common applications. However, for the most part many of the applications through the Play store are supported with a few quirks here and there. For instance, some applications responded weird to the on screen keyboard by capitalizing every word I typed while not providing any auto features when I used the keyboard. As for the surprisingly poppy portion, it is really noticable when opening web pages. I use Chrome on my Windows laptop yet it feels faster while using it on the Chromebook. Pages just seem to load faster in general. The same is true for when you open and close the device and the Wi-Fi connection as it is put to sleep to conserve battery but quickly reconnects to the network when opened up or pressing the power button. As for battery life it gets me through the day if actively using it. As for the past 2 weeks I have only briefly used it to check email and light browsing in the afternoon and have yet to charge it again. So, the standby function is doing really well at conserving the battery. I forgot my charger one day that I let it run dead and used my cell phone USB-C charger instead. Though it recognized it as a slow-charger, it managed to get me through the rest of the day. Upon setting the device up for the first time I noticed it used Google Docs online and I thought for sure that meant I could only use it when online. However, once you have logged into your Google account it retains a cache of documents created through Google Docs and you can later access other items once back online if you have not downloaded them to your device. Having been a primarily Windows PC user the Chrome OS was a bit different, however, having used Android based phones for some time now there are plenty of similarities. Using this Chromebook is very much like a blend between the styles of devices. Also, with this Chromebook having an Intel chipset you can enable developer mode and run Linux if you want to try something a little more technical. Once installed, swapping between the two operating systems is seamless. I’d say my only real complaint about this HP Chromebook X2 is the white surface on the back of the screen is making it look like I abuse the poor thing, collecting every little bit of a scuff mark.

Have never had interest in Chromebooks, they were limited in functionality in my world. That changed in a big way when I got my hands on the HP Chromebook X2. It packs a punch and offers the functionality that works in my world from silky smooth web browsing to office functions and beyond. When I say silky smooth that is an excellent description of the speed and response time in the Chrome browser. To my surprise it smokes my home built “beast” desktop in web browsing, the desktop beast has tested out faster than 99 percent of the world’s computers. Yikes, the Chromebook has come a long way. First impression when I saw the HP X2 as we took it out of the box was the stunning design. The pearl white lid is brilliant. That goes along way as I plan to set the unit up for my wife, she loves the look. Couple kudos in my back pocket when she realizes the X2 is hers. After working on the laptop, the last two days setting it up must confess a little jealously that I will not be using the computer. It is fast, everything I have thrown at it from office products, browsing difficult web-pages that typically load slowly, to crunching numbers have not fazed this little brute in any way. It smoothly sails threw all the operations I have thrown at it, I am amazed. Setting up the HP X2 is almost effortless. It is well prepared and executed through all the steps. Surprised at how similar the Chrome GUI interface they have delivered is to the Windows GUI, feels right at home immediately. Screen has an excellent picture, solid colors. Movies look superb. Rely heavily on Office 365 for business as well as home tasks, all the apps are available on Google Play Store and hooked up with our Office 365 account effortlessly. Installed OneDrive to complete the hooks into our Microsoft ecosystem, so far works like a charm. If you plan on using your “old” USB stuff, well that has become so yesteryear, you will need to step up to USB 3.0 type C power connectors. Kudos. If you want to use a mouse I would suggest going Bluetooth, which was my first thought as I have never liked the touch pad mouse thingy. Now that I have used this computer I find the touch pad quite nice, highly accurate and with the touch screen and the stylus I could see myself hanging the mouse up, maybe. CPU, Memory and storage are fast, that is always a big plus. Storage is 32GB which appears to leave you with about 20.5GB for storing your stuff. After loading several of the Microsoft Office Apps and other base programs I am now at 17GB of free space. The storage may seem tight and will be for some but is simply resolved by adding MicroSD memory in the speed and size you desire. Battery life is very strong. Topped off the charge yesterday and the machine has been in use and running for many hours the last two days and I am left with a 60% charge. Like that. Wi-Fi is top notch supporting two band connectivity. My wish is that the keyboard was backlighted, for me it is tough as I use my laptop on the coffee table at night watching the tube. The Oxford Blue on the interior of the unit does not help seeing the keys in dim light. On the other hand, my wife who will be using the HP X2 never uses her backlighted keyboard. Bottom-line, I love this little laptop and it delivers a nice blend of performance, quality build and hits all the right notes for a highly productive computing device. Have now become a convert and admire the Chromebook tech.

I LOVE this machine! I have been a fan of Chomebooks since their arrival, and this model has everything I have been looking for. As the first true 2 in 1 model (as far as I can tell) it not only brings everything you would expect from a typical Chromebook, but also a unique versatility. The ability to use the machine as a standalone tablet is fantastic. To top it all off, it comes with great build quality and the feel and looks of a premium device. The best of all worlds. Like I said in my opening, it more or less has everything I was looking for. The weight is nice, while still having a good feel in the hand. It feels well-built. It looks well-built. It has a sleek design, with a nice color combination. Design is not all about looks, however, and here, HP does not disappoint. They thrive. The machine is quick and responsive, has great connectivity (USB-C and SD reader thank you!), a surprisingly great (and detachable and comfortable) keyboard and touch pad and a BEAUTIFUL 3 by 2 IPS screen that is bright, crisp, vivid, and responsive. You will love the screen. Beyond that, I was impressed with the sound level and quality of the speakers. It is not studio level quality, and does not have a lot of bass, but it more than met my expectations. The battery life is excellent, consistently giving me an entire day of use with quite a bit of room to spare. Lastly, HP includes a pen/stylus, (they call it Active Pen) which other brands require you to buy separately, and I like the functionality it provides, especially when combined with the 2 in 1 capabilities of this machine. They also add a pen loop to the side of the keyboard for storage. Another nice little bonus. Ultimately, I really like this laptop. It is unique, feature-rich, performs well and delivers all of this in a premium build, while being a great value at a less than premium price. If you are in the market for a Chromebook or a “traditional” laptop, you should definitely give this a look.

HP 2-in-1 12.3" Touch-Screen Chromebook (X2 12-F014DX) Setup/Testing/Conclusion The HP Chromebook X2 12-F014DX was designed to be an all in one solution for your everyday tasks and needs. With the ability to remove the keyboard completely instead of the traditional fold back design, you are able to use the HP Chromebook X2 as a tablet instead of just a laptop. The HP Chromebook X2 12-F014DX is the first of it’s kind to run Chrome OS. From personal experience, being able to remove the keyboard completely and not just fold it back makes a huge difference in the “feel” of the device itself. I own a Google Pixelbook and although I love the Pixelbook, when you fold back the keyboard to use it as a tablet, the feel is weird as you’ll push keys even though the keys are essentially non functioning. Powered by an Intel Core M3-7Y30 Processor, you’ll be able to enjoy pretty powerful performance for everyday tasks while being power efficient and running minimal heat. The Intel Core M3-7Y30 is a dual core processor with a very low TDP which is 4.5W. The speed of the M3-7Y30 is clocked at 1.0GHz with a turbo frequency of 2.60GHz. The M3-7Y30 also has Hyper-Threading Technology and 4MB of level 3 cache. Some of you may be put off by the “Intel Core M3”. But let me reassure you, you’re getting a pretty powerful chip. This chip was used in the base 2017 Surface Pro. The Core M3 processor is almost identical to the i5 that is in the Pixelbook. The HP Chromebook X2 12-F014DX comes with 4GB of LPDDR3 memory clocked at 1600 along (NOT user accessible) with a very small storage of only 32GB, but it’s expandable to 256GB through the MicroSD card slot. So what this all means is that… You get a fanless, power efficient, and everyday performance tablet/laptop with the HP Chromebook X2 12-F014DX. What attracts me the most with the HP Chromebook X2 is the design (build quality) and the high-resolution display. I love the exterior premium look where it’s a ceramic white finished by aluminum. The keyboard itself feels as good as it looks as it’s a leather like material finished by it’s stunning oxford blue color. Although the display is small with a diagonal size of 12.3”, it’s impressive 2K resolution (2400 x 1600) makes up for it. The glass is also Corning Gorilla Glass 4 so it’s durable and scratch resistant. My only gripes/complaints here is that when I initially looked up the specs of the HP Chromebook X2, the keyboard was advertised as backlit. Unfortunately, the keyboard is not backlit which I feel like it should be standard nowadays. The other is the limited 32GB storage and no other higher spec’d models available for purchase. In conclusion, I personally like the HP Chromebook X2. I can safely say I have officially made it my daily goto for all my personal needs. It covers everything from work to entertainment. The battery lasts me the day and the speakers project some pretty decent “loudness” when watching things on YouTube or Netflix. I really like being able to remove the keyboard and use it as a tablet. All my games that I played worked without any issues. In addition, HP also includes their Active Pen which is really nice. I got to personally mess with it and do some doodling and it was accurate (light/hard pressure). As mentioned above, the only things I wished that were different was the backlit keyboard and bigger storage. I guess the good thing is you can just get a MicroSD card and do that but I wished HP included a bit more storage from the beginning. As for the backlit keyboard, not much you can do there… In addition, if you’re planning to get “wowed” by the camera, I wouldn’t hold your breath. It’s nice that the HP Chromebook X2 comes with a camera, but it isn’t any spectacular. Anyways, go and check out the HP Chromebook X2 at your local BestBuy and see for yourself. Even with my gripe(s), I still would recommend the HP Chromebook X2. Specs Chrome O.S. Intel Core M3-7Y30 Processor (Intel HD Graphics 615) 4GB LPDDR3 - 1600 SDRAM 32GB eMMC 12.3” Diagonal 2K IPS WLED-Backlit Touchscreen (2400 x 1600) B&O PLAY with Dual Speakers Intel 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2x2) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 Combo HP Wide Vision 5MP Camera (Front Facing) 13MP HP Camera (Rear Facing) What's in the box? HP X2 12-F014DX Full-size Island Style Keyboard HP Active Pen 45W AC Adapter User Manuals/Documents

So if you Google "Chromebook tablets," you'll see that HP is one of the first manufacturers to produce a Chromebook tablet for consumers. (The Acer Chromebook Tab 10 is being targeted towards the education market for now). On to my 5-day review of this tablet! My first impressions are that I love the battery life. Depending on what you are doing, you can get over 10 hrs. The keyboard is okay, but it is NOT backlit which is disappointing. I've always been a big fan of the Logitech, Lenovo, Samsung and Mac keyboards best. This one is good - has enough travel space and doesn't feel "tacky." The screen is bright enough at 2K IPS WLED-backlit. For most of us, this is just fine. Bluetooth sharing is a challenge with my LG 30. Still working on that. 32gb of storage isn't much - by a long shot - but you have the option of loading a micro sd card and that's exactly what I did. It's fanless and I don't feel it overheating or getting too hot. You can feel some "warmth" at the bottom left side. It feels more "lukewarm" than anything - nothing to freak out over. I don't think you should compare this to other Chromebooks; the Google Pixel is more comparable to a laptop, with it's backlit keyboard and glass trackpad. This HP Chromebook x2, is great for those of us who want to use Android apps, check our email, Facebook and Twitter accounts, but also do some LIGHT work on Word, Excel or Powerpoint. The key word is LIGHTLY, but the processor is NOT going to slow you down. Some people see "m3-7Y30" and they freak out! I currently have 10 tabs open in Chrome with no problems. Spend $150 more on a Google Pixelbook if you need to do heavy duty work; you supposedly have the option of downloading and installing an early version of Google Fuchsia, installing Linux, not to mention the fact that Google is working on AltOS. If you need all of that, I suppose a Pixelbook might be your best bet. Bottom line: if you enjoy the "tablet" form factor of ChromeOS, get this one - you won't be disappointed. It comes with an active pen, so you don't have to worry about the extra cost of buying one separately. You can do some sketching and journaling and the tablet portion of this Chromebook is very light. You can always trade-up later on this year if Samsung, ASUS or Lenovo decide to follow HP in creating Chomebook detachable tablets.

First off, this is my second Chromebook, however first 2-in-one. Technical Issues? Nope, surprisingly! There were a ton of things that I liked … including: Quick WiFi acquisition -- when opening the clamshell, it got a wifi signal very quickly. Printing - worked fine with my HP 5200 series wireless printer The display comes set to a very low resolution, so I bumped it up to 1500x1000; the max resolution made it impossible for me, with great eyesight, to use it. I listen to a ton of music during the day -- let’s say 10hours/day. I found there to be seamless audio casting with Google Play Music to any Google device in the house. Also, it connects to a Bose Soundlink Mini via Bluetooth without issue as well. Another very good feature is that there is NOT a proprietary connector to charge it … it uses a USB-C Charger, but requires so much juice to charge, that normal fast-chargers won’t touch it. At least you can use THAT charger to charge your phone, etc. Oh, and it has 2x USB-C ports, so you can still hook up a flash drive if needed. Let’s not forget about the microSD card slot for additional storage as well, though at 32GB on this unit & everything going to the cloud -- I didn’t find myself struggling for free space. There is a solid feeling keyboard. It’s a good size given the tablet portion and the trackpad is perfectly centered - so it’s easy movement between typing & moving the cursor. The magnets are strong and takes a good tug to disconnect it from the keyboard, which doesn’t have a power source itself, thus doesn’t need to be charged in addition to the tablet. The camera is decent, however I didn’t find myself bringing it outside to use so I can’t compare it to my S8+ in regards to quality (and I didn’t research the specs on this camera either, FWIW). Something that REALLY shocked me was how minima the fingerprints were … not like the iPads of yesteryear. Lastly, a pen is new to me, and until I get a real need for it, is somewhat in the way, so I keep it attached to my old 13in MacBook Pro’s Incase pouch. With the Pros, there are almost always some cons. This device has a lot less than I had expected, so here we go … The front-facing speakers (like the Nexus 9) are good but not great; when I see something purposely marked B&O (Bang & Olufsen), I expect more than some tinny output. The screen is a bit wobbly when taking photos while docked to the keyboard, mainly because the display is a HEAVY ‘tablet’ piece. When I was doing some basic video recording on the rear facing camera I definitely had low-light focusing issues. Can’t [easily] rename the device -- which can be annoying for those with naming conventions Apps: Not all are major Android Apps are ready for ChromeOS - it seems like they want to get away from “Apps” and move to Cloud-driven, so -- GMAIL isn’t an App by default, it directs you to Chrome & the gmail web page. Here are some Apps that I came across that just don’t work: Netflix (but the website works fine) Blink Camera Fing So, to sum it up there is plenty of horsepower for the type of use that I’m giving it and I’m a power user in all aspects of technology.

This 2-in-1 Chromebook has quickly become my favorite device as it is small enough to take on-the-go, can be detached from the keyboard and used as a “tablet” and on top of that, its appearance is nice and sleek. It feels solid and high quality. The active pen that comes with the laptop is simple to use, and the loop on the side of the keyboard makes it easy to keep the pen in one place. Furthermore, the battery life lasts longer than 10 hours without charge, which is what makes this device a good option for travel. The size of the keypad is big enough to move the pointer around and is not bothersome as the texture is smooth and leveled to the rest of the keyboard. The keys don’t feel cramped which makes typing comfortable. The best feature is the screen, it is bright and with amazing resolution. The speakers are along the edges of the screen, which is hidden but it is great to have them sounding towards you because it makes the sound more clear and efficient. The sound level and quality are great. The thing that makes this 2-in-1 Chromebook the best is the ability to detach the screen and use is a tablet. For other 2-in-1 devices, one would have to fold the keyboard all the way back to convert the laptop into a tablet mode, so it would end up with a keyboard on the back, making it awkward to handle. This HP 2-in-1 design really sets it apart from other laptops. This is a premium Chromebook that I enjoy using.

Chromebooks have been in the market for a while now, and it was something I’ve been considering since its first product release back in 2011. During that time I’ve had 3 Windows laptops, each priced around $800. I’ve made several conclusions after my experiences with them: I hate gaming on small screens and soon-to-be outdated hardware, I hate leaving them on overnight because of the tidal waves of Windows updates, and I hate how their brick batteries just give up after several years and won’t even hold a 30 minute charge. It’s time for a change. With the current state of Chrome OS and the release of the HP Chromebook X2, they have finally come across something that I’m ready to transition into. I only care about several things now: a flexible device with a good web browser, a good screen for videos and books, and a good battery life. This Chromebook checks all of my boxes. With the specs that's arguably weaker than a high-end smartphone, I thought it wouldn't make the cut… But it does. Reading the news, reading books, writing in Google Docs, browsing pictures, streaming shows, and watching movies are all pretty smooth. It also passed the Hearthstone test; the test being that it runs Hearthstone well. I had all of these apps open at the same time for fun, and I was pleased with how quick it was to launch and switch between them with only a few minor hiccups. In turn, this allows a focus on other things like the display, and my goodness it’s beautiful. At 2400x1600 in 1080p, watching videos in this bright display is just joy to experience. If you’re looking for a Windows or Apple device with a similar screen resolution, be prepared to throw down over $900. I’m also happy with the battery life, which is true to the words of review sites that measured it at 7-8 hours of standard usage. Personally I had 4-5 hours of constant video streaming on near-full brightness. And then there’s the part where you detach the screen from the laptop and converts into a tablet. Honestly, I felt ridiculous holding a 12 inch tablet in my hands that weighed a little over 1.5 lbs. Then I started streaming shows and reading comics and books from the comfort of my couch, and that feeling went away. In spite of this the Chrome OS tablet interface still has a ways to go before it becomes a truly great experience, though it came pretty far since the OS 70 update. I also use it as a pseudo second monitor where my single monitor desktop is at. My desktop’s video card can play recent games at high settings but some of the other hardware is showing its age, so it’s not the best at multitasking. With a tablet stand, I’m happy to use the detached Chromebook as a secondary device to check social media or play videos and podcasts in the background. Of course, the positives comes with several tradeoffs: The speakers are meh. Having them be front facing is always a good design choice but you won’t find a rich bass or range. The ports are sparse. All you’ll have is 2 USB Type-C ports, 1 Micro-SD card slot, and 1 headphone jack. Chrome OS supports many external devices, but this will require a Type-C hub and will bring you down another $20-$60 depending on what you want. However, the USB Type-C ports are intelligently positioned in the lower corners of the screen so you won’t see your cables and hubs dangling in the air. Speaking of Micro-SD, Chrome OS is still not ready to make them completely read/writeable (As of 2/28/19 with this product). You won’t be able to format the card as internal storage like you can already do for a good number of Android phones. Your favorite Android games will have to stay in the already small 32gb of storage for now. You also won’t be able to access the SD card for a number of Android apps, like VLC and MoonReader. The good(ish) news is that you can still watch your local videos on your card using Chrome OS’ native file explorer, provided that it’s in a format that Chrome OS supports. If you’re going that route, then you better get started with converting those .divx and .wmv files. Also, when I purchased this Chromebook it included 100gb of Google Drive cloud storage for 2 years, with an annual fee of $19.99 afterwards. It’s something to seriously consider if you’re in a constant state of migrating your photos, ebooks, documents, and other small files from computer to external hard drive to USB stick and etc. At its suggested retail price for $600, you’ll have to decide what you really care about in a laptop and see if that matches up with what the HP Chromebook X2 offers, but that remains true today for any Chromebook. I got this when it was on sale for $400, and for me that was a no brainer for what it offers.

Overall I have enjoyed using this product as it feels very durable and has a responsive keypad. It is a little on the weighted side when you have the keyboard attached and make top heavy. So if using it as a portable laptop be aware it is not balanced well between the screen and keyboard. Otherwise the Keyboard is made very well and make a perfect travel companion. Pros: Portable Audio Out Jack Front / Back Camera Front / Back Microphone Pen Holder Fast Charge Easy Read Setup Instructions Keypad made well / Durable Keypad magnetic slots and uses a connector instead of bluetooth Stylus is powered Cons: Only 2 USB - C Connectors Becomes top heavy when attaching keyboard to screen Audio Jack Not full 3.5m connector Screen - The HD resolution is very beautiful and bright. There were no dead pixels and never experienced any problems when using the touchscreen ability. After heavy usage it gets a little warm in the middle of the back casing however its normal when using it 8 hours straight (I Stress Test it) Both camera were beautiful and easy to use between them. The mic was able to pick up voices without any issues from a close to average distance without distortion. I am a little disappointed that there were not more USB connections on the screen however understand that helps kept the cost down. Keypad - They keypad felt great when using, I love how the keys and touch-pad are very responsive. It uses a connection to connect versus Bluetooth which in my opinion is better as I always run into anyone millisecond delays on Bluetooth keypads. The keypad is powered by the connection to the screen so there is no separate charging needed. The side of the keypad has a thin fabric to hold the stylus. It is thoughtful however at times find it getting caught on bags and carry cases. Charging - The charging was fast and the cords are nice and long. I am very impressed with the quick charge ability this has. The adapter is small and makes it easy to carry in the case with the Chromebook. I like the added feature of a light next to both USB - C connectors indicating a charge. On my older competitive model it only had one light so if plugged into another USB - C you are in the dark of charging status. I have really enjoyed this product and would recommend it based on the price, usage and functionality.

Beautiful screen. So fast. Chrome OS plus android apps! This thing is a dream. It's incredibly light as a tablet since it detaches from the keyboard for tablet mode. It can also be placed back into the keyboard section reversed for viewing mode. On board storage is only 32gb but micro sd cards are cheap and I added a 400gb micro sd for $50. File system is simple and clean making the micro sd easy to use. It sits flush to the edge so you don't even notice it. The pen is awesome. Whether you are signing documents, highlighting, photo editing with precision, or sketching I have been very impressed with the pen. I loved this so much I got another one for my son for school/gaming (he plays mostly android games). Then my wife used it and wanted one too. So we have 3 of them. I also have a Surface Pro 4 for comparison. They are very similar in real life usage for us but I like the sturdy keyboard of the HP better. Also the HP gets more than double the battery life of the Surface Pro 4 which has made me use the HP as my primary computer these days. There are 2 USB C ports on opposite sides and you can plug the charger into either one which is pretty cool and useful. Has a 3.5 headphone jack and as mentioned above the micro sd slot. Speakers are plenty loud and sound great. The screen will blow you away. It's just beautiful.

Disclosure: I picked this item up on sale and I don't know if it will return to BB as an in-stock item. Now, that being said...this thing is EXCELLENT. Cons/Pros (This is an intermixed commentary review): - Storage - In the US we only get to purchase the 32Gb model, in Europe there was a 64Gb model that would've better positioned this not only as an upper tier model, but could've directly taken on the Pixel Slate or even the Pixelbook...a move HP SHOULD have made. - Processor - As with Storage, outside the US there was an i5 based model available...however...the i3 in the US model is REALLY WELL suited for the vast majority of things one might want to do (I use Squid, OneNote and Keep to take notes with the stylus...I'll get to that later). Last thought, the US should've gotten the option for an i5 model. - RAM - Yet again, the US got the lower spec'd model with 4Gb, while Europe was able to purchase an 8Gb model. That being said, I've yet to feel a stutter or lagginess in mine. - Stylus - a Stylus without buttons?? That being said, the lag on this unit with the included stylus is pretty low. I've only noticed twice with Noteshelf any lagginess when capturing something with the Stylus, and just once with Squid. A quick search on the interwebs will point out that if one wants an alternative to the HP Stylus that supports Google Assistant invocation (like the Pixel Stylus does on the PixelBook), the Bamboo Ink will fit that bill (you heard right, the Bamboo Ink stylus works on the X2...although the standard nib on the Bamboo Ink is not as pleasant as the HP's Stylus, so you might decide to switch to a different nib). - Keyboard - Really HP? No backlit keyboard? Again, the backlit keyboard, available in Europe, not in the US. If you've come this far in the review, I want you to know that this keyboard ROCKS. I've typed on a PixelBook keyboard, the Pixel Slate's keyboard cover, and my iPad's Logitech Keyboard cover (which is backlit) and the keyboard on the X2 is not only responsive, but the keyboard travel is firm enough to not feel loose/squishy. The only odd behavior I can find is that sometimes if you even glance the trackpad, it registers....be mindful of the sensitivity for those folks who're not accustomed to resting their thumbs on the space bar. - Camera/Microphone - Serviceable. The rear camera is pretty decent though it had a little difficulty with focusing. The forward facing camera work perfectly fine for video conference calls. And the other folks will not only hear you but ambient sounds pretty well, so mind your surroundings if you're on a Skype (through android) or Hangouts (handled within Chrome), or Zoom (again through android) call. Performance - I can't complain about this unit performance-wise for most office applications. Microsoft Word though Android or Office 365 web...covered. Powerpoint...covered. Excel...covered. One Note (script to text functions aren't supported on Android, so don't think you'll be writing with the Stylus and turning into text), its lag isn't what I'd say is bad, but it certainly isn't as well tuned as Squid, Keep or Noteshelf. Is this unit for developers, yes/no. If you're developing for the web and you're working on projects that don't require an inordinate amount of storage locally for the project you're working on, you'll likely be fine. Keep in mind that the X2 only has about 15 1/2 Gb of the overall 32Gb actually available for you as of the moment you start. Adding Android applications, and anything subsequent to Chrome-related, will chew into that. I did find that CrossOver Beta allowed me to install certain Windows Applications (Audacity), though the Android environment is not 100%. For example, some Android apps don't scale well to the screen, and since some things don't have direct hardware access or the emulation of Android isn't specifically tuned to the X2, some apps will misbehave...that's a function of ChromeOS and it's Android emulation, not the X2 specifically. Net-Net Review: If you find this unit on sale or not, SERIOUSLY consider it against other brands. If you do happen to see this on sale...NO-BRAINER. This is what the Pixel Slate ...should...have...been.

======= Summary ======= The HP Chromebook X2 is my first Chrome OS and Chromebook experience and I really like it~! The hardware is sleek and premium, the display is crisp and bright, the keyboard and touchpad are excellent, the tablet mode is really awesome, and the Chrome OS software and apps work flawlessly and fluidly. And the battery life is simply superb~!! I've only used Windows computers since 1994 and it took me only a day or two to quickly adjust to the new software and how it all works. Great product from HP~! ***Pros: 1. Premium build materials and design. 2. Bright and crispy screen. 3. Excellent keyboard and touchpad. 4. Superb battery life. 5. Useful stylus/pen. 6. Easy to use as both a laptop or a tablet. 7. Fast & performant. 8. Easy to maintain and keep the computer updated. 9. Google Play Store app support (i.e., lots and lots of apps available). 10. Relatively light (~3 lbs) and easy to carry around. Only 1.5 lbs if used as a tablet. 11. Expandable storage via microSD card. ***Cons: 1. Chrome Extensions work a bit differently in ChromeOS than in a Windows 10 environment & Chrome browser. 2. Slight learning curve if new to Chrome OS (e.g., keyboard shortcuts, file management, network sharing). 3. The main rear-camera is slow and not very good (compared to mid- and flagship level smartphones). 4. Only 32GB of onboard storage. 5. Some Android apps have compatibility issues. 6. Custom arrangement of apps and folders inside the "App Drawer" is not saved and resets after a shutdown/restart. 7. Touchpad gestures are lacking compared to Microsoft's Precision Touchpad. 8. Difficult to access Windows shared folders across home network. 9. No unattended remote access option. ======= General Design & Build Quality ======= The HP Chromebook X2 is quite a looker. I love its aluminum ceramic white lid design paired up with a leathery textured dark navy keyboard. The metal sideframe feels premium and solid. The touchpad feels nice and it has just the right amount of "clickiness" and pressure response when clicking on it. The keys on the keyboard feel good as well - definitely made of higher-quality plastic with a slight texture to it that I appreciate. This $600 Chromebook X2 feels more premium than many Windows laptops that cost $1000 or more. Compared to my $1,300 HP Spectre 13 Windows 10 laptop, it looks and feels just as premium and high-quality. Complete win from HP~!! Detaching the screen and using the Chromebook X2 as a tablet is very sleek and nice. It only weighs ~1.5 lbs and it feels light and well-balanced. I experienced no awkward handling issues. ======= Screen ======= The 2400x1600 (240 dpi) 12.3" screen is excellent~! It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4 and it gets bright enough to comfortably use even in outdoors. The screen registers finger taps and gestures instantly and accurately. In addition, everything looks very sharp and crispy. Watching movies and music videos is a very nice experience. Wonderful stuff, no complaints. ======= Keyboard ======= I highly enjoy typing on the Chromebook X2. The keys are responsive, has a nice matte finish and some texture to it, and repels dirt and oil very well. I only wish there were some additional keys that I'm used to having on my Windows laptops (e.g., Pg Up, Pg Dn, Fn, Home, End, Prt Sc, and Caps Lock). ======= Touchpad ======= The touchpad is sized just right for me. It's not too small nor too big. It feels very solid and smooth when running my fingers across it and gestures are detected accurately and consistently. The pressure required to register a click is just right as well. The only thing I miss from the touchpad are customization options. I would love it if ChromeOS offered custom gesture creations similar to Microsoft's Precision Touchpad gestures. ======= Performance ======= My Chromebook X2 is equipped with a 7th-generation (Kaby Lake) Intel Core m3-7Y30 CPU (1.00 to 2.60 GHz, 4MB cache, 2 Cores & 4 Threads), 4GB of LPDDR3-1600 RAM, Intel HD Graphics 615, 32GB eMMC internal storage, and Intel 2x2 802.11ac Wifi and Bluetooth. Paired up with ChromeOS (7.1.1 Nougat), the computer is able to handle everything I throw at it - opening up Chrome with 26 tabs, playing music in the background via YouTube, working on documents via Google Docs and Keep, and more. I was very pleasantly surprised by how well it kept up with my more powerful HP Spectre 13 Windows 10 laptop (Intel Core i7 8550U CPU with 4 Cores & 8 Threads, 8GB DDR3 RAM, and 1TB Samsung 960 Evo NVME SSD). I haven't run into a single instance where I felt that the Chromebook X2 is slow or sluggish. I'm highly satisfied. ======= Audio ======= The audio performed to my expectations and satisfaction. The volume doesn't get very loud and the bass, of course, is lacking in such a slim formfactor but I experienced no distortions and properly enjoyed all the music and videos I watched. I think it will be good enough and satisfactory for most people. ======= Software (ChromeOS) ======= This is my first experience with ChromeOS and I was delighted by its performance, clean interface, ease of use, and low learning curve. Everything about it has been easy to use - the initial setup process, updating ChromeOS, and finding and installing apps from the Chrome Web Store and the Google Play Store. Almost all of the Android apps I installed to the Chromebook worked without a hiccup and were resized correctly to my satisfaction. I only have a few things on my wishlist for ChromeOS: (1) Easy connection to Windows shared folders on the home network, (2) A better and more flexible file management system like on Windows & File Explorer, (3) Unattended remote access functionality, (4) A more customizable "Shelf" and "App drawer," and (5) Ability to add custom touchpad gestures. With Google constantly improving ChromeOS and Chromebooks now having access to the Google Play Store and Linux apps, the future is very bright and promising. I only expect the software side of things to get better and better from here on out. ======= My Verdict ======= I'm very happy with the HP Chromebook X2. It's premium in its design and build, it works very well as both a laptop and a light 12" tablet, app support and variety is dynamic and wide-ranging, performance is great, battery life is superb, and Google is constantly improving ChromeOS. HP has created an excellent machine with high value - not for just being a Chromebook but even when compared to Windows laptops that cost a lot more. It's a Slam Dunk from HP~!!

This chromebook is an excellent option out there. Plenty powerful for day-to-day use, excellent battery life. Really neat feature to be able to use it in tablet mode and the ChromeOS in that configuration works extremely well. The included pen works flawlessly for note taking. It's light and sleek. The only downside is the headphone jack is a little awkward to use when in laptop mode but you can always use bluetooth headphones. The keyboard works great and doesn't feel as cheap/clicky as some of the other chromebooks out there.

Having both a Chromebook and an Android tablet I have been waiting a while for a good chrome os tablet to come out. When this was released it looked like it had everything I was looking for. After about a month of use, I have to say I am very satisfied but there are some quirks and minor complaints I hope are fixed. One complaint is the lack of native storage made worse by the fact that the Android side cannot access any sd card. This is something I have heard and am hoping will be fixed with an update in the future. What helps is having a full feature chrome browser on it though it takes some getting used to but not in a bad way. Being used to downloading all your go-to apps like on a phone or tablet like Netflix, youtube, Hulu or facebook but there is really no need to do that having an actual browser and it ends up just being a waste of limited storage. Battery life when using the device like a Chromebook is good but when using android apps or games it can cut that life in half or worse. It is nice having Microsoft apps on the device and definitely makes this a more productive product but certain apps don't work well when using as a laptop vs a tablet and don't really respond to the mouse properly. Overall I think this is a great product at a great price coming with both a pen and a keyboard. the few complaints that I do have about are ones that seem like they can be fixed or improved on with an update especially as Google becomes more committed to chrome os.

First class Chromebook/detachable Tablet with respectable specs, good audio and a great screen (same as Pixelbook), Exceptional design and build quality. High performance Chrome Tablet easily/quickly reconfigurable as Chromebook with integral keyboard that doubles as stand to use tablet in tent mode, or flipped to configure as convertible Chromebook. Allows Linux (Debian) apps installation for running off-line. Cache design extracts exceptional power from 4GB RAM and Intel Core m3: near-Pixelbook performance rivaling 8GB/i5 machines. Short on memory (32GB), but expandable via SD card for additional 256GB. Good day of battery time between charges (7-10 hours). Pen/Stylus included. Only shortcomings found during first week of usage are no keyboard back-lighting and heavy/ugly Charger/AC adapter (easily and cheaply replaced by adapter/charger better matching machine's beautiful design).

I wanted a laptop for travel, something for checks maps, booking rooms, email, bill pay, and social media. Yes, I could do all of those things on my phone but ehe keyboard and larger screen make the laptop a better choice. At $500 this computer is a great value for the performance it provides. I was worried the the Core m (Atom) process would not be up to the task but (so far) it has proven me wrong. The computer run cool (no fans) and silent with battery life lasting many hours before needing a charge. Can certainly go a day with normal use and more that a week on standby. I have loaded some Androids apps any they a functional. Keyboard is good as is the trackpad but he touchscreen is so convenient for swiping and navigating. Compared to the new Pixel Slate I feel that the HP Chromebook is a better deal.

It feels premium like a 1k device. It is versatile. ChromeOS is more useful than I could have imagined. Android and linux support is phenomenal. (Linux support requires linux experience). Its just one of the best devices I've gotten. my other laptop cost me over 1.2k and I use this chromebook more. I can edit documents browse the web. Watch movies/TV shows, program all on this device. Perhaps the best feature is the battery life 7 to 12 hrs depending on nature of usage. Screen is fantastic keyboard and touchpad are great. Perhaps the 2 things keeping this at 4 stars is I would expect at this price point we could have at least 8gb of ram which would make linux usage more seamless. Moreover we need a new minimum of 128gb ssd since we are now in the age of android and linux on chromeos. Either that or better more seamless microsd integration (similar to full linux). Overall I am so happy with this purchase I have chronic buyer's remorse. I dont feel that here.

Really great chromebook! Great build quality and battery life. Only thing that worries me is the 4gb of ram and 32gb of storage. Would prefer 8gb of ram and at least 64gb of storage for future-proofing. Otherwise, the experience is smooth and using it is a joy!