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HP's low-cost Stream laptops now include a 14-inch model
HP is clearly having some success with its cheap-and-cheerful Stream laptops, as it's expanding them in a big, big way. It's refreshing the range with not only some under-the-hood upgrades, but a new model. The Stream 14 (above) effectively replaces the 13-inch version, delivering better performance and a more portable design despite the larger screen. It has faster 2x2 802.11ac WiFi, a 2016-era Celeron processor and a longer 10 hours, 45 minutes of battery life, but weighs less than the old Stream 13 at 3.17 pounds. You won't be blown away by its 4GB of RAM, 32GB of flash storage or 1,366 x 768 resolution, but the Stream 14 will also start at $219 when it arrives on September 7th. Not bad for a mid-size Windows 10 portable, we'd say.
HP is building a $199 Windows laptop
Microsoft has been pushing hard for extra-cheap Windows computers that can take on Chromebooks, and it appears that HP is more than willing to hop on that bandwagon. Mobile Geeks has posted a leaked data sheet for the HP Stream 14, an upcoming $199 laptop that's clearly meant to fight Google-powered PCs. The base 14-inch system should cut corners by using a low-powered AMD A4 Micro processor, 2GB of RAM, a 1,366 x 768 screen and 32GB of flash storage; apart from the capacity, it'd be a step down from the company's $299 Chromebook 14. You'd have to pay more for brawnier parts like an A10 Micro chip, 64GB of space and a 1080p touchscreen. Not satisfied with the limited drive options? HP would try to make up for the shortfall by giving buyers 100GB of OneDrive cloud storage for two years, matching what you get with many Chrome OS devices. There's no word on when the Stream 14 would make its debut, although the deluge of information hints that we could see this budget portable fairly soon.
