HP unveils powerful new new Enterprise Chromebooks with lockjaw USB-A ports

HP is debuting its latest line of business-class machines today, spearheaded with three new Enterprise Chromebooks. We have two more premium models — the HP PRO c640 Chromebook Enterprise and the HP ELITE c1030 Chromebook Enterprise — and a more budget-conscious HP Chromebook Enterprise 14 G6 that's aimed at frontline workers who are working harder than ever in the midst of this challenging year.

For a $400 Chromebook, the Enterprise 14 G6 is pretty compelling. Like the HP Chromebook 14 G6 announced earlier this year, the Enterprise version is powered by a Celeron processor, has 14-inch touchscreen and non-touch screen options in HD or FHD quality, and its mil-spec tested shell is covered in a grippy coating that can stand up to the daily use and abuse of an overworked office. This model only has one USB-C port, but the tradeoff will be well-worth it for a second USB-A port and an HDMI port for teachers and presenters who won't need to lug around a dongle in order to plug into the projector.

Perhaps the most note-worthy feature on the Enterprise 14 G6 is the keyboard, which might not have a numpad, but it is "wipeable" — meaning that it can withstand repeated wipe-downs with cleaning wipes. As everyone Lysols everything in sight at the office, this is a very important feature, especially in clinics and other healthcare settings. There's also an option for that keyboard to be backlit, though I'm not sure how much that'll add to the $400 starting price. The promised battery life here is 13.5 hours — which with a Celeron, I'm inclined to believe you could actually reach.

Moving on up, the HP PRO c640 Chromebook Enterprise is claiming to be the world's thinnest 14-inch Business Chromebook — though considering how small that segment is right now, it's not saying too much. This lay-flat clamshell has an aluminum shell, but don't write it off as a delicate desk-dweller, HP has put the C640 through most of the same durability tests that its education Chromebooks endure. With at least an i3 processor and up to 16GB RAM, this Chromebook should be more than capable for the multi-taskers and all-day meeting masters, and while it's only 0.65 inches thick, there's still an HDMI port and two USB-A ports here!

This is done using a new "lockjaw" design for the USB-A ports that bump out on the sides, similar to those bump-out Ethernet ports we see on so many USB hubs. I'm very interested in how these ports hold up long-term, but the other business-friendly upgrades are more traditional: the webcam here is a wider angle so that you can show more of your home office — and all the sticky notes on your wall — during a video conference, and there's a privacy shutter to cover up that webcam when you're not using it. Wi-Fi 6 is here, too, if your home office actually has a Wi-Fi 6 router.

This super-slip Chromebook is claiming 12 hours of battery life, but hopefully it won't come up short the way the ASUS C436 and Samsung Galaxy Chromebook have. Alas, only time will tell.

Last but certainly not least, we have the first HP ELITE Chromebook, which is based on Project Athena: the HP ELITE c1030 Chromebook Enterprise. The screen here is a 13.5-inch touchscreen with a 3:2 aspect ratio — for those who just absolutely swear it's better for productivity — and it has HP's Sure View Reflect privacy screen built in. The screen-to-body ratio here is 90.1%, which means that you'll want to take care when you flip this 2-in-1 over into tablet or stand mode, and there's a Daylight Viewable display option with up to 1000 nits of brightness. So you can make this screen hard to snoop on while also making it easy for you to see no matter where your work takes you.

As a Project Athena Chromebook, you've got powerful internals, with a 10th Gen Intel i3 to i7 paired with 8 or 16 GB of RAM. You get either an 128GB or 256GB SSD rather than eMMC storage, and like the c640, the c1030 features a lockjaw USB-A port in addition to the two USB-C ports. There's a physical privacy switch for the wide-angle webcam down next to the power button, and you can also magnetically attach the HP Active Pen — a USB-C charged stylus pen that can last over 20 days on a single charge — to the side of your c1030. The backlit keyboard here is spill resistant for up to 12 ounces of fluid, so it should hopefully survive an errant coffee spill or two.

The C1030 has Wi-Fi 6, but there's also an option for 4G LTE that will work on either AT&T or Verizon, which is great news because the availability of LTE Chromebooks was getting dangerously low.

The HP Chromebook Enterprise 14 G6 is due out this month starting at $400, but pricing has yet to be released for the PRO c640 and ELITE c1030, though all three come with the Chrome Enterprise Upgrade built-in. The HP PRO c640 Chromebook Enterprise we won't have to wait too long on, as it goes on sale in June, while the HP ELITE c1030 Chromebook Enterprise won't arrive until August, which considering how this year is going seems like an entire year away.