What you need to know
- HP launched two Chrome Enterprise devices this morning: a new G3 Chromebox and the Pro c645 Chromebook.
- There are options to order the HP Chromebook Pro c645 with AMD Ryzen processors.
- Hints that a Ryzen-powered Chromebook was coming started back in April 2020, but this is the first announced using the new APU from AMD.
It's time for new Chromebooks to start hitting retail shelves, but today HP gives us a glimpse at a model that's more likely to appeal to enterprise users: The HP Pro Chromebook c645.
It looks like another outstanding enterprise grade Chromebook from the company, complete with options like a 128GB M.2 SSD storage drive, up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM, a 1080p 14-inch touchscreen, and all the ports you'll need (including a Kensington Lock). Oh it has one other really cool spec — models featuring a Ryzen 3, Ryzen 5, or Ryzen 7 CPU.
| Category | HP Pro c645 Chromebook |
|---|---|
| Processor Options | AMD Athalon 3050CAMD Athalon 3150CAMD Ryzen 3 3250CAMD Ryzen 5 3500CAMD Ryzen 7 3700C |
| Graphics | Integrated AMD Radeon Graphics |
| Memory | Up to 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage | Up to 128GB NVMe M.2 SSD |
| Expandable Storage | microSD |
| Connectivity | Intel 2x2 Wi-Fi 6, BT 5.0, both with HP Extended Range Antenna Design |
| Ports | 2x USB-A 3.22x USB-C 3.21 HDMI 1.4Headphone/Mic combo 3.5mm jackKensington Security Lock slot |
| Security | Google Titan C chipOptional fingerprint sensorHP Privacy Camera |
| Dimensions | 323.6 x 221 x 16.5 mm |
| Weight | 1.54 kg |
| Availability | December |
Source: HP
It's always great to see a new high-end Chromebook come out, but the real interesting part here is the inclusion of an AMD Ryzen-branded processor.
These won't be the same Ryzen series CPUs you might find in a desktop (that also requires a huge cooler and hefty power supply) but something more in line with AMD's successful line of APUs (Application Processor Unit) that power plenty of small PCs and game consoles. Just with a little more "oomph" factor.
HP already makes the Chromebook 14 that uses an AMD processor with a dual-core,dual-thread design and a 6-watt Thermal Design point (a way to measure power usage). It's believed that these new AMD chips will deliver more power — up to 4 physical cores with 8 threads in the Ryzen 7 3700's case — and use true AMD Radeon Vega GPUs. Of course, the trade-off is these won't have the same power-sipping 6-watt TDP.
All the tech talk aside, what HP is offering should have the equivalent power of a Chromebook with an Intel "laptop" grade core i5 and core i7 but with a much better GPU. This means they should make for an excellent enterprise device indeed.
Look for more information about availability and pricing as we move closer to the December launch of this beauty.
The 14-inch touchscreen excels at multitasking, and the backlit keyboard is easy to type on late into the night. There is also a newer $1000 version in the C436, so the C434 is getting more and more discounts as we head into the holiday shopping season.
