Get an HP Chromebook 14 (2014) for $199.99
It's baaack! But it won't be for long. Grab this popular Windows alternative before it's gone. Plus: a great deal on a Star Wars game bundle.
This is an update of a deal I've featured a few times before, but a newer model with a lower price. It's like a rerun with new scenes added!
I often hear Chromebooks referred to as "the new netbooks," but they're really not that at all. Netbooks were cramped, clunky, underpowered and overpriced. Chromebooks, which leverage Google's nimble, lightweight, hassle-free Chrome OS, deliver considerably more bang for the back.
Especially today: While supplies last, Woot once again has the refurbished HP Chromebook 14, this time for $199.99, plus $5 for shipping. And it's the upgraded, 2014 model, not the older, slower version that we saw a lot of last year.
This Chromebook 14 comes in your choice of neon green, snow white or ocean turquoise -- lovely colors, all -- with an Nvidia Tegra K1 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 16GB SSD, an 8-hour battery and a 14-inch LED-backlit screen.
Many a bargain-basement Chromebook will saddle you with a small screen and cramped keyboards, but the HP is seriously spacious on both counts. That larger size also allows for more expansion: two USB 3.0 ports, one USB 2.0 and an HDMI output. Despite all this, the system is lighter than last year's model at 3.4 pounds.
This being a Chromebook, of course, you can't run Windows software -- but you can enjoy freedom from viruses, Blue Screens of Death, performance that degrades over time, and other Windows annoyances. Those are among the reasons Chromebooks are increasingly popular in the Cheapskate Labs (aka my house). Mrs. Cheapskate and Cheapskate Jr. both use one.
If you've already jumped on the Chromebook bandwagon, hit the comments and let your fellow Cheeps know what you think. I'm a big fan, save for two issues: printer setup can be a huge hassle, and using Gmail in a Web browser makes me want to cry. Of course, so do most of the aforementioned Windows issues. There is no perfect, am I right?
Bonus deal: May the 4th be with you! In advance of the upcoming "holiday" (which feels decidedly more special this year), Steam is offering big discounts on Star Wars games and bundles. For example, you can get the 14-title Star Wars Collection (2015) for $23. That should keep you plenty busy until a certain movie comes out later this year.