The HP Chromebook 14 (2021) is a budget Chrome OS laptop. It's part of the HP 14a-na0000 series of Chromebooks. It's available with Intel Celeron or Pentium Silver CPUs, integrated graphics, 4GB or 8GB of memory, and up to 128GB of eMMC storage. There are also multiple display options; you can choose between a TN 720p panel (with or without support for touch input) and a 1080p IPS panel. It has a 720p webcam, Wi-Fi 5 wireless connectivity, and a 47Wh battery. Ports include one USB-A, two USB-Cs, a MicroSD card reader, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
See our unit's specifications and the available configuration options in the Differences Between Variants section.
Our Verdict
The HP Chromebook 14 is decent for school use. It's a compact laptop that's easy to carry around and has exceptional battery life. You have to be careful with it, though, because it doesn't feel particularly well-built. The keyboard feels good to type on, and the touchpad is decent. Its TN panel doesn't look particularly sharp, but you can get a model with a higher resolution 1080p IPS display. Unfortunately, glare is a problem in well-lit environments because the screen doesn't get very bright. The CPU and integrated graphics can handle light workloads like web browsing and video playback, but they aren't powerful enough for demanding tasks like 3D design.
- Compact size.
- Long battery life.
- Decent touchpad.
- Keyboard feels good to type on.
- CPU and GPU not powerful enough for heavy workloads.
- Poor webcam video quality.
- Limited port selection.
- Dim display.
The HP 14 Chromebook is bad for gaming. You can't install any DirectX games on Chrome OS, so you're limited to games from the Google Play Store. Even then, this laptop's low-power CPU and integrated graphics will likely struggle in highly demanding titles. Also, some games might not run properly since they're designed for Android smartphones and tablets, and the screen is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate with no VRR support. On the bright side, it doesn't get overly hot under load, and it's silent due to its fanless design.
- Silent under load due to fanless design.
- CPU and GPU not powerful enough for heavy workloads.
- Limited port selection.
- No user-upgradeable parts.
- 60Hz display and no VRR.
- Can't install x86 applications.
The HP 14 Chromebook is sub-par for media consumption. Its low-resolution TN panel looks washed out due to its narrow color gamut. You can get a model with a sharper 1080p IPS display, but it'll perform similarly. Also, it isn't ideal for dark room viewing due to its low contrast ratio, and it doesn't get bright enough to overcome glare in well-lit settings. The speakers sound relatively balanced despite the lack of bass, but they don't get very loud. It's very portable, though, and the battery lasts long enough to get you through a couple of movies and TV shows.
- Compact size.
- Long battery life.
- Speakers good for spoken content.
- Low-resolution display looks washed out and inaccurate.
- Dim display.
- Blacks look gray in dim environments.
- Poor viewing angles.
The HP 14 Chromebook is bad for use as a workstation. It's only available with low-power CPUs, integrated graphics, and up to 8GB of RAM, so it isn't powerful enough to handle demanding workloads like video editing or 3D design. Also, most professional programs don't run on Chrome OS.
- Silent under load due to fanless design.
- CPU and GPU not powerful enough for heavy workloads.
- Limited port selection.
- No user-upgradeable parts.
- Slow storage drive.
- Can't install x86 applications.
The HP Chromebook 14 is inadequate for business and light productivity. It doesn't feel particularly well-built, but it's very portable, and its battery lasts easily through a typical workday. The keyboard feels good to type on, and the touchpad is decent; however, it has a mediocre port selection and a poor-quality webcam. Unfortunately, the CPU doesn't have enough processing power to handle demanding tasks or heavy multitasking. Also, you can't install any x86 applications on Chrome OS.
- Compact size.
- Long battery life.
- Decent touchpad.
- Keyboard feels good to type on.
- CPU and GPU not powerful enough for heavy workloads.
- Poor webcam video quality.
- Limited port selection.
- Dim display.
- Can't install x86 applications.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 22, 2024: We've updated the review for clarity and readability.
- Updated Jan 23, 2024: Added mention of the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 (2023) as an alternative with faster CPUs in the CPU section.
- Updated Dec 07, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.2.
- Updated Nov 03, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.1.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the HP Chromebook 14 (model 14a-na0021nr) with an Intel Celeron N4000 CPU, Intel UHD Graphics 600, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage. The display, CPU, memory, and storage are configurable; you can see the various configurations in the table below. This review applies to all variants in the HP 14a-na0000 series of Chromebooks.
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See our unit's label here.
Popular Laptop Comparisons
The HP Chromebook 14 is a decent Chrome OS laptop with a comfortable keyboard and long battery life. However, there are better options in its price range, especially when it comes to build quality.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best Chromebooks, the best laptops for college, and the best budget laptops.
The Acer Chromebook 315 (2020) and the HP Chromebook 14 (2021) are both Chromebooks with power-efficient Intel Celeron CPUs. However, the Acer is better for productivity tasks and multimedia viewing because it has a larger, much more color-accurate 15-inch display that gives more room to multitask. It also has a better selection of ports and a far better webcam and microphone. On the other hand, the HP is a much more portable device, with a longer-lasting battery for web browsing and much better-sounding speakers.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 (2021) and the HP Chromebook 14 (2021) are both budget laptops that run on Chrome OS, with the most notable difference being that the Acer is a 2-in-1 convertible, meaning you can flip the screen around to use as a tablet. Although the HP has a larger screen, it doesn't look as good as the Acer's because it has an extremely cool color temperature that gives the image a bluish tint. In terms of processing power, the HP has better single-threaded and graphical performance, but the Acer performs better in multi-threaded workloads. Battery life is about the same for both laptops if you're only doing light productivity tasks like web browsing, though the Acer lasts longer for video playback and gaming.
The Microsoft Surface Go 2 (2020) is an ultraportable 2-in-1 Windows device with a detachable keyboard, whereas the HP Chromebook 14 (2021) is a Chrome OS laptop with a larger screen. The Surface is better for multimedia viewing, as its display has a better resolution, gets brighter, and has a larger gamut with far more accurate colors. Also, it's more portable, feels better built, and has a backlit keyboard and a better-quality webcam and microphone. On the other hand, the HP has a far better battery life, a more varied port selection, and a much better touchpad.
The Google Pixelbook Go (2019) and the HP Chromebook 14 (2021) are both Chromebooks designed for light productivity tasks and media consumption. The Pixelbook Go is better for the most part. It has a sharper and brighter display, a larger and more responsive touchpad, and a significantly better webcam. Also, it's available with more powerful CPUs and can handle heavier workloads. The Chromebook 14's battery lasts longer for light productivity, but the Pixelbook Go lasts longer for video playback.
Test Results
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