Earlier this week was perhaps the biggest ChromeOS news we’ve heard in years. Google created a Chromebook Plus device standard to help simplify the buying process with a certain level of hardware requirements. New devices are due out next week but they’re mainly the same as, or are incrementally upgraded from, existing models. Your laptop may already meet the new hardware standards and could be on the Chromebook Plus upgrade list
If it is, that means all of the new AI-powered and other ChromeOS features on the new Chromebook Plus models will be supported and added to your laptop as well. Just as a reminder, here are the Chromebook Plus minimum requirements:
- 12th-gen Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 7 CPU
- 8 GB of memory
- 128 GB of local SSD storage
- 1920 x 1080 IPS display
- 1080p webcam with temporal noise reduction
My 2022 Acer Chromebook Spin 714 does meet these minimum requirements, so I already know it will get the Chromebook Plus upgrade features.
Here’s a list of the currently qualified laptops that will also get it, later this month:
| Acer | Acer Chromebook Spin 514 (CP514-3H, CP514-3HH, CP514-3WH) |
| Acer | Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (CP714-1WN) |
| Acer | Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (CP714-2W, CP714-2WN) |
| Acer | Acer Chromebook 516 GE (CBG516-1H) |
| Acer | Acer Chromebook Vero 514 (CBV514-1H, CBV514-1HT) |
| ASUS | ASUS Chromebook CM34 Flip (CM3401) |
| ASUS | ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 (CX5601) |
| Dell | Dell Latitude 5430 Chromebook |
| Dell | Dell Latitude 5430 2-in-1 Chromebook |
| Framework | Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition |
| HP | HP Chromebook 15.6 15a-nb0xxx (xxx: 001~999) |
| HP | HP Chromebook x360 14 inch (14c-cd0xxx) (xxx: 001~999) |
| HP | HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook |
| HP | HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook |
| HP | HP Elite c640 14 inch G3 Chromebook |
| HP | HP Elite c645 G2 Chromebook |
| Lenovo | Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook 14” (IP Flex 5 Chrome 14IAU7) |
| Lenovo | IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook (14″, 7) (IP Flex 5 Chrome 14IAU7) |
| Lenovo | IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16″ |
| Lenovo | Lenovo Slim 3i Chromebook 14″ |
| Lenovo | IdeaPad Slim 3i Chromebook (14″, 8) |
| Lenovo | Lenovo ThinkPad C14 Chromebook |
| Lenovo | Lenovo 5i Chromebook 16″ |
| Lenovo | IdeaPad 5i Chromebook (16″, 7) |
| Lenovo | Lenovo 14e Chromebook Gen 3 |
You may notice a few expected devices to be missing from this list. I did immediately when only a single “cloud-gaming” Chromebook appeared.
These are what I’d consider at least mid-range, if not higher-performing Chromebooks with their excellent displays, new Intel Core processors, and plenty of memory. And yet, two out of three of them fail to qualify as Chromebook Plus devices.
It only takes one missing hardware component or feature to not qualify.
The Asus Chromebook Vibe CX55 Flip, for example, launched with 11th gen Intel processors, so that’s out the window. The Acer Chromebook 516 GE I bought and later returned is pretty much a hardware beast that, on paper, meets or exceeds the Chromebook Plus specification. But I don’t think that 1080p webcam supports temporal noise reduction because everything else a Chromebook Plus laptop needs is there.
So if you don’t see your device on the list, it’s likely because of a single missing requirement for the Chromebook Plus upgrade. I suspect folks in that camp won’t likely be happy. I know I wouldn’t be. But… a standard is meant to be just that: A standard.
Unfortunately, even one small hardware bit not meeting the standard holds back the whole device from the Chromebook Plus upgrade.
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