HP's New Chromebooks Have Two Features Every Laptop Needs

HP has revealed a set of new Chromebooks, and while the Chrome OS notebooks may be intended for business, features like being able to clean them with disinfecting wipes could find some appeal at home in this age of coronavirus. The HP Elite c1030 Chromebook Enterprise packages Chrome OS in a sleek 13.5-inch notebook, with an integrated privacy screen to keep away prying eyes.

Hit the right key-combo and the Elite c1030's screen automatically turns on a privacy shield, blanking out for anyone looking at it from a 35-degree angle from either side. HP Sure View Reflect has been offered on the company's Windows notebooks for a while now, but it's the first time we've seen it on a Chromebook.

The 13.5-inch touchscreen display is 3:2 aspect, and has a 90.1-percent screen-to-body ratio. That's also a first on a Chromebook, HP claim. Inside, there are 10th Gen Intel Core processors, WiFi 6, and optional integrated LTE for getting online. HP says the battery should last for up to 12 hours.

As for the body, that's made with a recycled aluminum top lid, a keyboard using 50-percent recycled plastics, and speakers that use ocean-bound plastics. HP expects the Elite c1030 Chromebook Enterprise to be awarded EPEAT Gold as a result. It'll go on sale in August, with pricing confirmed closer to that point.

The other big news in HP's Chrome OS line-up today is the HP Chromebook Enterprise 14 G6. That's intended for frontline workers, but the fact that the keyboard supports being wiped down with cleaning wipes – HP namechecks Windex's Original Glass & Surface Wipes and Clorox's Disinfecting Wipes – to avoid things like COVID-19 could make it interesting for home use too.

It has a 14-inch display and an HDMI output, while the battery lasts for up to 13.5 hours, HP claims. There's fast-charging, too. No LTE option, but HP has boosted its WiFi radio for longer range, and there's USB-C connectivity along with USB Type-A.

The HP Chromebook Enterprise 14 G6 is available now, priced from $399. Disinfecting wipes, though, might be a little tougher to find in stores.