HP is going after the enterprise market with its latest Chromebook, the HP Pro c640 G2 Chromebook Enterprise. The second-gen Pro c640 Enterprise gets a powerful upgrade to Intel’s latest 11th Gen processor, from the prior generation’s 10th-Gen CPU.
HP’s c640 G2 Chromebook Enterprise is designed for all-day productivity with its stated 12.5 hours of battery life, 14-inch display, and a sleek aluminum unibody design that measures just under 16.5mm thick. This makes it the world’s thinnest 14-inch Chromebook, according to the company. And for those who need to extend their work day, Fast Charge technology gets you to a 90% charge in just 90 minutes.
Compared to consumer Chromebooks and laptops, what sets the HP Pro c640 G2 Chromebook Enterprise apart is its spill-resistant construction. “Built to last, the device can withstand a variety of harsh environmental conditions and be sanitized with common household cleaning wipes; the keyboard is spill-resistant up to 11.8 ounces,” HP claims. For security- and privacy-conscious users, HP also included its Privacy Camera, and a fingerprint sensor is also available as an optional upgrade. The device ships with an HD display, with an FHD panel also available as an optional upgrade at an extra cost.
Under the hood, you’re getting the power of Intel’s 11th Gen Core processors alongside Intel Iris Xe graphics. The Intel processors make the Chromebook compatible with Parallels Desktop, which means that you’ll be able to get Windows 10 apps to run on Chrome OS through a virtual machine. The HP Pro c640 G2 Chromebook Enterprise will be able to run Win32 apps, making it ideal for enterprise customers with workflows solidly grounded in Windows 10. Parallels Desktop for Chrome Enterprise is also compatible with rival AMD’s Ryzen processors on Chromebooks.
Other premium features include a glass touchpad for smooth navigation, a keyboard that’s been redesigned for better readability, optional backlighting for typing in lowlight environments, and up to 16GB of memory and 256GB of storage. Wi-Fi 6 is also supported on this Chrome OS-powered laptop.
HP claimed that it had designed its newest Chromebook to help people stay connected, engaged, and productive given the changing dynamics of the work force. The company cited research stating that 32% of employees expect to work from home in the foreseeable future, while 26% plan to split time between working from home and commuting to the office. The features of the HP Pro c640 Chromebook Enterprise G2 help to cater to these users with long battery life, a slim and compact design, and technology features that foster collaboration.
The Enterprise edition of the HP c640 G2 Chromebook is available now starting at $569, while the non-enterprise version starts at $419. The Enterprise version comes with the Chrome Enterprise Upgrade and additional IT tools. Both models are available through HP’s web store.