HP Googlebook 14 review: Gorgeous hardware, Google-sized headaches
I also think Googlebooks are a fairly niche product to begin with because they lean so heavily on Android phone integration. Not everybody has–or wants (hi!)–an Android phone. Also, it would be nice if that integration worked properly… but I’ll get to that later.
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HP Googlebook 14: Specs
- Model: HP Googlebook 14
- OS: Googlebook OS
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite
- Graphics: Integrated Qualcomm Adreno GPU
- Memory: 16GB LPDDR5X
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: 14-inch 2800×1800 OLED touchscreen, up to 120Hz
- Brightness: Up to 500 nits
- Camera: 5MP IR camera with facial recognition and manual privacy shutter
- Audio: Quad speakers with HP Audio Boost 2.0
- Battery: 70Wh
- Charger: 65W USB-C GaN adapter
- Weight: 2.74 pounds
- Price: $1,199.99 starting MSRP on HP.com
HP Googlebook 14: Design, build quality
Foundry / Ashley Biancuzzo
Having just reviewed the Acer Googlebook 14 last week, I had a little deja vu when unboxing the HP Googlebook 14. The two machines have similar builds, but I much prefer HP’s design.
First, the HP logo sits in the middle of the lid. I like the symmetry of it–I think it looks both sharp and clean. On the Acer, the logo sits off to the right corner. This probably wouldn’t bother most people, but I just think the logo looks better in the center.
I like HP’s colorway more, too. The manufacturer calls it “Atmospheric Blue” and it’s subtle yet sophisticated. The deeper blue color is more interesting to look at (in my humble opinion) than the Acer’s grey colorway. That said, this is purely subjective. What I like isn’t going to be what you like.
The build quality is quite good, which is what I’ve come to expect from these particular machines. Googlebooks are a step up from Chromebooks, their mostly plastic brethren, and you can feel the difference as soon as you pick one up.
The HP Googlebook 14 has an aluminum chassis with a sandblasted finish–so there’s no mistaking the premium quality here. Unlike the Acer Googlebook 14, the HP Googlebook 14 is a traditional clamshell laptop rather than a convertible. You won’t get the tablet functionality of a 2-in-1, but this laptop is still built to feel durable.
