TechRadar Verdict
The HP Chromebase All-in-One 22 is a fantastic, good-looking, and affordable option for consumers looking for a minimalist solution that won’t set them back a whole lot of money. A capable machine that looks great and comes with thoughtful design features you’ll find useful, it’s a top choice for families, students, and remote workers.
Pros
- +
Beautiful, compact design
- +
Snappy performance
- +
Affordable price
Cons
- -
Display isn’t very sharp
- -
Included peripherals could be better
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HP Chromebase All-in-One 22: Two-minute review
The HP Chromebase All-in-One 22 is helping usher all-in-one PCs into the mainstream market, and it’s about damn time. Even now, most AIO PCs on the market are pricey and tend to target professionals who need a minimalist yet powerful solution for their demanding computing workloads.
That isn’t to say that there aren’t all-in-one computers on the market that are affordable enough to the general public. But, you also have to dig deep to find them, as the likes of the iMac (24-inch, 2021) and the HP Envy 34 All-in-One tend to outshine them all.
Also, anything under $800 / £800 tends to feel slightly underpowered, especially when running a full-fledged operating system like Windows 11.
Here is the HP Chromebase All-in-One 22 configuration sent to TechRadar for review
CPU: Intel Core i3-10110U (2.1 GHz up to 4.1 GHz, 4 MB L3 cache, 2 cores)
Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics
RAM: 16 GB DDR4-2666 MHz
Screen: 21.5" diagonal, FHD (1920 x 1080), touch, IPS, BrightView, 250 nits, 72% NTSC
Storage: 256 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
Ports: 2x SuperSpeed USB Type-C (with Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.2), 2x SuperSpeed USB Type-A, 1x headphone/microphone combo
Connectivity: Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX 201 (2x2), Bluetooth 5 combo
Camera: HP True Vision 5 MP privacy camera and integrated dual array digital microphones, 1.4 ųm camera sensor
Weight: 15.37 lb (6.97 kg) tablet, keyboard and mouse included
Size: 19.98 x 6.87 x 17.89 in (507.5 x 174.5 x 454.4 mm, WxHxD)
The HP Chromebase All-in-One 22 fixes all that by using similar specs, but utilizing the lightweight Chrome OS instead. Bridging the gap between the popular (and usually affordable) Chromebooks and the minimalist appeal of AIOs, it offers a snappier performance than its Windows 11 counterparts – not to mention, an attractive design – while keeping its price within easy reach of most consumers.
Among its many notable features are its 21.5-inch touchscreen display with portrait mode, a 2,592 × 1,944-resolution webcam with impressive noise reduction, a two-step privacy cover, and a pair of 5W speakers with plenty of volume.
There are some compromises here – unsurprising considering its price – but there excellent premium features as well, namely its beautiful compact design and its browser multitasking prowess. Finally, users whose daily needs largely involve browsing, streaming, and sending emails now have a budget-realistic AIO option.
If you're looking for an all-in-one for everyone in your household, your work-from-home setup, or the matriculating member of your family, the HP Chromebase All-in-One 22 is a tough contender to beat.
HP Chromebase All-in-One 22: Price and availability
- Several configurations on offer
- Limited availability in the UK
How budget-friendly is the HP Chromebase All-in-One 22 exactly? At the moment, it’s available in several configurations in the US, starting at $629 / £629. This base configuration comes with an Intel Pentium 6405U, Intel UHD graphics, and 8GB of memory as well as 128GB SSD. While that might sound a little underpowered, remember that it’s also running a lightweight operating system that doesn’t need robust specs.
If you do need something more robust, the most kitted-out configuration – the same configuration that was sent to TechRadar for testing – will give you an Intel Core i3-10110U, 16GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, and the same integrated graphics for $699 / £699.
Unfortunately, consumers in the Australia would have to wait to get their hands on an HP Chromebase as it’s currently unavailable in the region. It's also currently unavailable in the HP UK store, but you should be able to find some configurations available at some UK online retailers. On the bright side, the UK HP store suggests that it will soon become available.
Value: 4 / 5
HP Chromebase All-in-One 22: Design and features
- Beautiful, premium design
- Thoughtful design details
HP doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to the HP Chromebase All-in-One 22’s design. This is meant to be a space-saving, minimalist, and appealing all-in-one, and it succeeds in that regard with its 21.5-inch display, compact conical stand that stores all the innards, ports, and speakers, and beautiful white finish that makes it look pricier than it is.
The display size might not be ideal for power users and multi-taskers, but it’s certainly enough for this computer’s target market. Plus, its touch capability is beautifully responsive, something you’d expect from pricier models.
There’s also a decent port selection that’s more than enough for the average user. Not that you’d be needing peripherals as it does come with its own Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, both of which get the job done.
The keyboard is comfortable to type on, despite lacking some keys, including media keys (apart from the volume buttons). The mouse could be better – there’s a little more resistance on its buttons than we’d like – but it also does what it’s supposed to do. Users who aren’t very particular with their peripherals will be satisfied.
There are thoughtful design features as well, some of which even the iMac 24-inch doesn’t have, namely the pivot-capable display that will let you switch from landscape to portrait mode with just, quite literally, a finger.
There aren’t any swivel or horizontal adjustments here, but if you require that vertical space to read news articles, work on your book, or help the kids with their essays, you’ll appreciate the fact that portrait mode is on hand and just a push of a finger away. There’s also some up and down tilt for more comfortable viewing.
Another thoughtful design feature is its webcam’s privacy shutter, which allows you to block any video feed and turn the mic off completely when not in use.
Having this feature prevents hackers and other malicious people on the Internet from using your webcam and mic to spy on you, or worse.
Design: 4.5 / 5
HP Chromebase All-in-One 22: Performance
- Browser performance is ace
- Speakers loud but not the best sounding
Here is how the HP Chromebase All-in-One 22 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
Kraken JavaScript: 895.3ms
Octane 2.0 JavaScript: 43,565
Jetstream 2: 134.5
The Chrome OS doesn’t need powerful specs to run smoothly, so it isn’t surprising that when paired with an Intel Core i3-10110U and 16GB of memory, it runs snappier than ever. The HP Chromebase All-in-One 22 scores high in the Kraken JavaScript benchmark test, giving us a lofty 895.3ms, and a decent 134.5 in the Jetstream 2 test.
It proves that in practice as well. On test, we often have it run 20 or more tabs at the same time, several of which have Google Docs Editors suite pages and online publications open, as well as shopping sites and streaming services, and it handles those without signs of a slowdown. This is an all-in-one made for demanding browser needs and multitasking.
Meanwhile, the built-in 5W stereo speakers, which again are housed in the stand, are good as well. They aren’t as crisp and detailed as the speakers you’d find on pricier all-in-ones, but they get pretty loud with decent bass response to fill a room… or at least a small- to medium-sized one.
Fair warning, however: pump that volume up to 100%, and they’ll sound as if tiny little ice picks are stabbing at your eardrums. So, best keep that volume under 90%.
Performance: 4 / 5
HP Chromebase All-in-One 22: Webcam and mic
- Excellent noise reduction
- Crisp and clear mic
If you plan on using the webcam and mic for work meetings and video calls with loved ones, you’ll be happy to know that you’re getting a decently high 2,592 × 1,944 resolution here. It’s not the most detailed webcam we’ve used, and there’s not a lot of contrast or dynamic range. However, it excels in noise reduction, keeping that luminance and chromatic noise well-controlled even in low lighting.
The mic is also great, although it comes with its own compromise. Your voice will come out crisp and clear, but as will any background noise since there isn’t any noise rejection – not surprising since this isn’t a premium all-in-one PC.
Webcam: 4 / 5
Should I buy the HP Chromebase All-in-One 22?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Also consider
HP Chromebase All-in-One 22: Report card
| Value | All-in-ones tend to be pricey, but this AIO brings that price back down closer to the ground in Chrome OS form. | 4 / 5 |
| Design | It has adopted that minimalist AIO design and premium feel without upping the price. Thoughtful design features are also on hand. | 4.5 / 5 |
| Performance | Excellent browser and multitasking performance allows this Chromebase to stand out, despite more powerful rivals. Its built-in speakers are plenty loud as well. | 4 / 5 |
| Webcam | With a resolution higher than 720p and great noise reduction capabilities, its webcam is deserving of praise. Especially with that two-step privacy cover. | 4 / 5 |
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