HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook review: Not a black-and-white decision

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The two-in-one features a 12.8-inch full HD display, an 8th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, an 8GB of RAM and a 256GB of solid state storage. And because this is HP and not a Chromebook, the Dragonfly also has a Windows 10 Professional license, which HP says is included in the base price.

Also in the premium-ness category, the Dragonfly is more expensive than the Chromebooks that made

HP thinks freelancers want a sturdy premium Chromebook. Okay, let’s unpack that: the computer maker cites a projection from Statista indicating 86.5 million workers — or 50.9% of the US labor force — will be juggling gigs by 2027. And because Hewlett-Packard likes to go where the wind blows, it wanted to have a spotlight product that can reliably play hard and work hard, while remaining easy to maintain and troubleshoot. Apparently, that’s all in a Chromebook — specifically, the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook.

There are, however, a couple of enhancements that make the Elite Dragonfly 2 even more attractive, including an improved keyboard and a more powerful processor than its predecessor.

The keyboard still isn’t as snappy as a proper laptop, but it’s a step in the right direction. The keys have a decent amount of travel, and the overall keyboard feel is just a little bit more substantial than the Chromebook Pixel 2

It’s the follow-up to last year’s Elite Dragonfly Chromebook, which appealed to suit-and-tie office dwellers that could afford to spend more than $1,400 on a computer that doesn’t have “Windows” or “MacBook” printed somewhere on it. The twist here is that there aren’t any real customization options in the hardware besides a choice in color of Ceramic White or Sparkling Black; it’s just one SKU, it costs $999, and that’s your lot. Simplicity. And one of the best Chromebooks you can get at this price level.