HP Chromebook X360 11 G2 EE, Chromebook 11 G7 EE With Military Grade Durability Announced

HP has introduced two new Chromebooks in the company's ‘Education Edition' series, which are powered by Intel's Gemini Lake processors and feature a durable build. The new HP Chromebook X360 11 G2 EE and the Chromebook 11 G7 EE feature a rugged body with a spill-resistant keyboard, shock-absorbing trims and drop resistance. Both HP Chromebooks feature an 11-inch display with an optional touchscreen panel, up to 8GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. There is no word on the pricing or availability details for these Chromebooks.

The HP Chromebook x360 11 G2 EE sports a convertible form-factor, which allows the device to be used in a traditional laptop mode, tent mode and a tablet mode. HP has laid considerable stress on the build quality of the device, which is designed to pass MIL-STD 810G standard and boasts of an IP41 rating. The HP Chromebook also comes with a spill-resistant keyboard, shock-absorbent rubber trims on the sides and a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on the display.

Talking about the specifications, the HP Chromebook x360 11 G2 EE is powered by a quad-core Intel Celeron N4100 processor (Gemini Lake) or a dual-core Intel Celeron N4000 processor paired with Intel UHD 600 graphics unit, and up to 8GB of RAM. In the storage department, there is up to 64 GB of eMMC storage, which can further be expanded via an SD card. The Chromebook also features a 47.36 Wh Li-ion battery, which is claimed to provide a battery life of up to 11.5 hours, and a 5MP webcam that supports HD video chats. There are two USB 3.1 Type-C ports for charging and data transfer, one USB 3.1 port and a headphone/microphone combo jack.

The HP Chromebook 11 G7 EE, on the other hand, packs a more traditional form factor, however with the same durability characteristics as the HP Chromebook x360 11 G2 EE, such as an MIL-STD 810G-rated build, spill-resistant keyboard, rubber trims on the side and drop resistance from a height of up to 76cm on concrete. Under the hood, the Chromebook 11 G7 EE offers a choice between a quad-core Intel Celeron N4100 processor or a dual-core Intel Celeron N4000 processor, coupled with up to 8GB of RAM and an Intel UHD 600 graphics unit. There is up to 64 GB of eMMC storage, which can further be expanded via a microSD card. There is an HD webcam on board while the port options and battery capacity remain the same as the HP Chromebook x360 11 G2 EE.

HP has not revealed the pricing or availability details of the new Chromebooks, but according to a report from VentureBeat, the Chromebook x360 11 G2 EE and the Chromebook 11 G7 EE will hit the market at some point in April this year.  The buyers of both HP Chromebooks will also get a 2-year subscription to Google Drive with a storage limit of 100GB.