Those in the market for an affordable portable are often steered towards various Chromebooks, and for good reason. As the Acer Chromebook 14 I reviewed a few months back demonstrates, there's no shortage of high-quality, low-cost Windows PC competitors to choose from.
HP is looking to level the playing field in time for the back-to-school season with a refreshed version of its entry-level Windows 10 notebook, affectionately dubbed the Stream.
Replacing the existing 13.3-inch Stream is a slightly larger 14-inch model (1,366 x 768 resolution display) which includes a dual-core 1.6GHz Intel Celeron N3060 processor alongside 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal flash storage (expandable via card slot).
You also get 2x2 802.11ac Wi-Fi and better battery life - HP says the system is good for up to 10 hours and 45 minutes of use on a single charge but expect that to vary a bit depending on usage. It measures just 17.9mm at its thinnest point and tips the scales at 3.18 pounds.
It's no barn burner as it relates to raw horsepower but at a price of around $220, there's not a whole lot to complain about. It's a bit slower than the quad-core Celeron found in the aforementioned Acer Chromebook but again, it's also $80 cheaper.
Look for the 14-inch HP Stream to arrive early next month in your choice of blue, purple and white. There's also a new 11-inch variant with similar specs that'll start at $199.99 come August 24.