HP launches the Chromebook 11-inch G5 w/ 12.5 hours of battery life, optional touchscreen

HP has today launched the latest version of its lower-end Chromebook, the HP Chromebook 11-inch G5. At first glance there might not appear to be anything special about this laptop, but there are a couple of standout features: the laptop offers more than 12 hours of battery life, and there’s also a model that includes a touchscreen (essential for those planning to take advantage of recently-announced Android app support coming to more Chrome OS devices later this year)…

It goes without saying that — while it certainly has many more use cases — the primary target market for this laptop is education. “Engineers at HP took feedback from teachers and students using Chromebooks in the real world to refine the next generation of devices,” HP says in its press release. “Specifically, they aimed to make the latest version of the thin and light Chromebook 11 G5 more durable and user-friendly for students than ever before.”

As for the specs of the laptop, you’ll find an Intel Celeron N3060 Processor, an HP TrueVision HD webcam at 720p resolution, either 2GB or 4GB of RAM, and storage options at either 16GB and 32GB. You can choose between a 11.6-inch HD IPS 1366 x 768 Gorilla Glass touch screen or an 11.6-inch HD Anti-glare 1366 x 768 standard display.  The touchscreen model weighs in at 2.51 lbs and lasts about 11 hours on a single charge, while the non-touch model weighs 2.61 lbs and lasts up to the full 12 hours and 30 minutes. Both models have two USB 3.1 ports, and a headphone jack.

While Android apps won’t be on this Chromebook at launch, Google has plans to rollout support for the Play Store to most recent Chromebooks by the end of the year. HP says that the Chromebook 11 G5 will be available starting in July and hit retailers in October.