If you ever had doubts about the best Chromebooks becoming viable laptop alternatives, the HP Chromebook 14 14a-na0023nr is sure to remove any concern. While most users prefer Windows or Apple notebooks, some of these ChromeOS-powered devices already have their place, and this Chromebook 14 is proof of that.
If you compare the features and steady performance of the HP Chromebook 14 versus a similarly priced Windows notebook, you might decide to make the big leap. It’s an affordable computer that will get you online, do some essential work, and binge some Netflix – all at a very reasonable price.
To that package, add in a great keyboard, excellent trackpad, and a gorgeous 14-inch screen, and you end up with a laptop that offers much more value than just its rock-bottom price tag. That said, the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 remains our Editors’ Choice pick for budget Chromebooks, with a sleek design, better overall performance, and a bright Full HD touch display.
HP Chromebook 14 14a-na0023nr Specs
- CPU: Intel Celeron N4020
- RAM: 4GB
- Storage: 32 GB eMMC
- Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 600
- Weight: 3.24 pounds
- Dimensions: 8.6 x 12.8 x 0.7 inches
Design and Features
The HP Chromebook 14 is a budget gadget with a nicely done exterior that’s both practical and functional at this price point. The attractive chassis is highlighted by a ceramic white chassis that easily stands out from the crowd. There’s an HP logo at the center on the lid and a Chromebook logo on the extreme left tip. The interior is set on a brushed white deck with white keys and speaker grilles on both sides of the keyboard.
Considering the target audience of this machine – kids and the K-12 niche, you’ll be justified to worry about the white surfaces picking dirt over time. Nonetheless, the white surfaces are a step away from the black or gray chassis commonly found on budget notebooks.
Measuring 0.7 inches and weighing 3.2 pounds, the HP 14a-na0023nr is very portable and has a robust selection of connectivity ports. There’s a USB Type-C port and a charging port on the left side, while the right side has a USB 3.0 port and another USB Type-C port.
Unlike the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 with a Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution display, the Chromebook 14 features an HD (1366 x 768) panel, which still looks good. Still, you shouldn’t expect it to be exceptionally bright or vivid as the Flex 5. But all factors considered the image quality is quite impressive.
The Chromebook 14‘s keyboard isn’t backlit but is still great and comfortable to use. The white, chicklet-style keys are well spaced, making typing seamless, especially with that 1.2 millimeters of travel and above-average 71 grams of actuation force. The touchpad measures 4.5 x 2.3-inches and responds fast to swipes across Google Chrome tabs.
Performance
With an Intel Celeron N4020 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of eMMC storage, the HP Chromebook 14 has enough power to run most day-to-day tasks, including MS Office, browse the web, and binge on Netflix. That should be it; if you run any demanding apps, the system as configured might be painfully slow.
Since Chrome is designed to run with cloud storage in mind, the relative lack of storage isn’t a significant issue as it would otherwise be. Lenovo’s Chromebook Flex 5 has 64GB of local storage and offers more power thanks to an Intel Core i3-10110U processor, and as mentioned earlier, it rocks a Full HD touchscreen.
Overall, the Chromebook 14 is fast enough for day-to-day tasks, but you’ll notice occasional stuttering under heavy use. For instance, videos would drop frames, or scrolling would stutter a bit. However, with more casual web browsing, such stuttering is rare, so you shouldn’t run into problems too often.
Battery life is excellent; according to HP, it lasts over 13 hours, but in real-world use, you’re getting around 11 hours 24 minutes on a single charge. Not bad at all. That’s almost a day at work or school without the need to plug the laptop into a power source. It edges out the Chromebook average (9:10) and crushes the Acer Chromebook 15 (9:07).
Bottom Line
The HP Chromebook 14 14a-na0023nr is an excellent choice for a Chrome OS laptop on the cheap, betrayed only by a low-resolution display. In contrast, competitors like our Editors’ Choice Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 offer a Full HD screen. Still, it excels as a budget laptop for doing simple tasks, like browsing the web, sending emails, or watching videos.
While this Intel version offers more power than its underwhelming AMD competitors, you can get better performance for a little more money. Still, the HP Chromebook 14 with long battery life, an attractive design, and robust port options, you can’t do much better for less than $300.
HP Chromebook 14 Laptop, Intel Celeron N4020, 4 GB RAM, 32 GB eMMC, 14” HD Micro-Edge Display, Chrome OS, Thin & Portable, 4K Graphics, Snow White Keyboard (14a-na0023nr, 2021, Ceramic White)
2 used from $219.95
