HP Chromebook 11 G5 Review (Is It A Good Mid-Range Model?)

Pros & Cons Of The HP Chromebook 11 G5 

As with all Chromebooks, there are some amazing positives and several negatives to consider. After reviewing the laptop, here is what we did like and what we didn’t like about the HP Chromebook 11 G5. 

Unique Features Of The HP Chromebook 11 G5

HP has always been one of the best choices for students; it's where they really excel. They know exactly what a student needs and exactly what they don't need, allowing them to focus on the really important things. 

Here are some of the unique features of the HP Chromebook 11 G5. 

Intel Celeron Dual-Core Processor 

Chromebooks may not be the most powerful laptops on the market, far from it, but with the extremely efficient and surprisingly strong Dual-Core intel processor inside, the G5 packs a good punch. Multi-tasking is a breeze, and having multiple tabs up will not slow you down. Unfortunately, this can't be said for some of the competition. 

eMMC Storage 

Chromebooks aren't exactly known for their onboard storage. Of course, with the vast cloud storage that you can access, they don't need to be. However, it is great to see that HP is utilizing the most up-to-date storage onboard. This means the G5 boots up almost instantly and loads programs and apps lightning quick. 

Anti-Glare Display 

Chromebooks are made to be portable and lightweight, and this means they are made to be used in a range of different conditions. After all, what use is a portable rig if you cant use it on the bus, train, or sitting at a cafe? 

Luckily, the G5 comes with anti-glare technology and a display that looks great in all lighting situations. This means you don't have to worry about taking it to a park on those sunny days. 

Install Android Apps From Play Store  

Chromebooks are love or hate machines. One of the reasons why so many people love them is due to their seamless integration with the Play Store. This makes Chromebooks feel more like a phone or a tablet, utilizing the same apps and allowing you to switch or send data from your phone to your Chromebook in an instant without having to migrate your data. 

High Definition Dual Audio Speakers 

One of the categories that HP has always shined is its approach to audio. HP Chromebooks and laptops, in general, have by far the best speaker systems installed of any brand on the market. They sound great, have insane clarity and a surprising level of bass for such a tiny machine.  

If you love blasting your tunes while you work, this is a benefit to owning an HP machine. 

HP TrueVision HD Camera 

If you need to take part in meetings for work or college, you will need a capable webcam. The G6 has a TrueVision HD webcam that captures video in a low lag high-quality way. This means you look great during your meetings. 

HP Chromebook 11 G5 Review 

Now we have looked at the factors that stand the G5 apart from the competition, let's look at how it performs in more traditional categories.  

Design  

The HP Chromebook 11 G5 is a fresh breath of air in terms of the usual design styling that HP utilizes in laptops of this caliber. Instead of the typical white lid build and colorful lines, they have decided to upgrade their stylings to a more modern professional look. This makes it a much better choice for those who want a more serious look. 

The case is made of durable plastic, which can take a beating and a drop or two. So if you are a clumsy soul, you have some protection here. 

Display/Screen 

When you have a display that is only 11 inches big, you need to make sure that the display panel is as bright and strong as possible in order to prevent eye strain and problems. Luckily, HP has knocked it out of the park here. 

The G5 has a bright, vibrant screen that is easy to see in a range of different lighting conditions, and with the anti-glare panel, there shouldn't be anywhere that you cannot work. 

Performance Features For School 

The G5, like all other Chromebooks, is not the strongest laptop you are going to be able to buy in terms of raw performance power. There is no dedicated graphics card, and with the tiny onboard storage, you won't be playing any games or editing videos or pictures here. 

Fortunately, it makes up for it in functionality. If you need a lightweight laptop that is capable of word processing and multi-tasking without breaking the bank, there is more than enough power on board. 

Keyboard & Touchpad 

It’s an extremely difficult task for manufacturers to get keyboards right when they are installing them into laptops as small and compact as the G5. With so little space to work with, generally, people with larger hands are going to struggle. 

In our experience, the G5 keyboard was pleasant to use, it has great travel and responsive keys, but our hands are on the average side in terms of size. If you have larger hands, you might want to consider upgrading to a bigger laptop. 

Connectivity  

In terms of connectivity and ports, you have a good selection here. You have two of the faster 3.1 style USB slots, an HDMI and a multi-format card reader. We would have liked to see a USB-C port, but this isn't a dealbreaker, and for many of us, we won't really feel it is missing. 

Battery Life & Energy Consumption  

One of the main selling points of Chromebooks is their incredible efficiency and battery lives, and the G5 is no exception. With the smaller screen and innovative tech inside, the battery life here is incredible. If you are just doing school work and a bit of light browsing, then you will be able to get nearly 12 hours of battery life from this stellar little machine. 

Audio  

As discussed earlier, the audio on this machine is one of the best features. As with many of HP’s laptops, you get a great audio fidelity and clarity and bass that doesn’t sound tinny. 

Maintenance & Warranty 

HP has an incredible customer service team. When you have a problem, they are snappy to respond, eager to help, and do an excellent job of it. Their warranties are pretty standard for tech products. We always advise people to upgrade their warranty to a longer time period if they have the chance. 

Price  

The price is one of the reasons why we highly recommend this Chromebook. You get a lot of great features, an extremely capable machine when it comes to multi-tasking and student work, and a really nice design, all for a price that is pretty hard to beat. 

Best For

Chromebooks are super portable, have extremely long battery lives, and are intuitive and quick in everyday tasks. This makes them the ideal companion for people who work a lot on the go and for students. You can throw the Chromebook 11 G5 into a backpack without feeling like you are lugging a full desktop around. 

Not Best For

Chromebooks are not suitable for any kind of intensive computing task. This means you will not be able to do things like gaming or photo editing and processing. So, unfortunately, the G5 is not suitable for gamers, animators, editors, or deep learning tasks. 

Specifications

Comparing With Other Laptops (Is The HP Chromebook 11 G5 Any Good?) 

So how does the Chromebook 11 G5 compare to other similar models around the same price bracket? 

In terms of spec and abilities, most Chromebooks are pretty similar. However, they aren't designed for high-powered computing solutions. Instead, they prioritize battery life and user experience. This means that the main differences between models are the features that really allow them to niche down on their targeted user. 

HP Chromebook 11 G5 Vs G6

Take the Chromebook 11 G6, for example. In terms of processors and memory, it is nearly identical to the G5. The only difference? The G6 comes with a touchscreen display which makes it great for meetings and interacting with the page tangibly. 

HP Chromebook 11 G5 Vs G4

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Then you have the G4, the younger brother. The G4 comes with slightly lower power and RAM. This allows a slightly cheaper price tag and a more efficient battery life that can outlast the G5 by several hours. This is the perfect companion to those who do long traveling stints where they will not be able to plug into power. 

HP Chromebook 11 G5 Vs Lenovo IdeaPad 3 11 Chromebook

Another similar Chromebook in the same price range as the G5 is the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 11 Chromebook, an iteration of Lenovo's immensely popular and successful IdeaPad range. With these two, the main differences lie within the design aesthetic. For a younger audience, the G5 will most likely be more appealing. For workers and executives, the sleek matte design of the IdeaPad may call to you more. 

Conclusion

Thanks for reading! We hope that by the end of this article, you have all of the knowledge that you need to make an informed decision on whether the Chromebook G5 is the best option for you. If not, we hope we have helped you a little bit with your research. 

The HP Chromebook 11 G5 is the perfect Chromebook for students and light business use. It has decent power, great battery life, and a design that is a breath of fresh air compared to older HP models.