Haier Chromebook 11

Updated on June 4, 2026

Note: This Chromebook has been discontinued and is no longer available for purchase new. Its Auto Update Expiration date was June 2020, meaning it no longer receives Chrome OS updates or security patches. The information below is kept for historical reference.

The Haier Chromebook 11 marked a significant moment in Chromebook history when it launched in March 2015. Priced at just $149, it was one of the first Chromebooks to break the $200 barrier while still delivering usable performance. Haier, a Chinese appliance manufacturer better known for refrigerators and washing machines, partnered with Google and Rockchip to produce this budget-oriented device, which was sold as an Amazon-exclusive Chromebook in the United States. Its twin sibling, the Hisense Chromebook 11, launched the same day with the same Rockchip RK3288 reference design but went exclusively to Walmart, so the two retailers each got their own ARM Chromebook at the same $149 price.

| Pros | Cons | | --- | --- | | Ultra-low $149 launch price | Only 2GB RAM with no upgrade option | | All-day 10-hour battery life | 16GB storage fills quickly | | Completely silent fanless design | TN display with poor viewing angles | | 802.11ac WiFi included | USB 2.0 only (no USB 3.0) | | Lightweight 2.4-pound body | ARM processor limited app compatibility | | Quick Chrome OS boot times | Minimal professional review coverage |

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Haier Chromebook 11 Comparison Chart

	Haier Chromebook 11
Price	List Price: $149.00 Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon
Model number	Chromebook 11
Performance Rating	2.0
Chromebook Plus	No
Processor	Quad-core 1.80 Ghz Rockchip RK3288
RAM	2 GB
Internal Storage	16 GB eMMC
Screen Size	11.6"
Screen Resolution	1366x768
Screen Type	TN
Touch Screen	No
Stylus / Pen	No Stylus Support
Dimensions width x length x thickness	8.07 x 11.4 x 0.77 inches (204.98 x 289.56 x 19.56 mm)
Weight	2.4 lbs (1.09 kg)
Backlit Keyboard	No
Webcam	No Webcam
WiFi	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 4.0
Ethernet	No
Cellular Modem	No
HDMI	Full-Size HDMI
USB Ports	2 USB 2.0
Thunderbolt Ports	No
Card Reader	microSD Card Reader
Battery	Lithium-ion
Battery Life	10.0 hours
Fanless	Yes
Auto Update Expiration Date	June, 2020

Hardware and Performance

The Haier Chromebook 11 runs on the Rockchip RK3288, a quad-core ARM Cortex-A17 processor clocked at 1.8GHz paired with an ARM Mali-T764 GPU. This was one of the few ARM-based processors certified for Chrome OS at the time, representing an alternative to the Intel Celeron chips that dominated the market. The ARM architecture delivered excellent power efficiency (enabling the fanless design and long battery life) but came with tradeoffs in raw performance and software compatibility.

For basic Chromebook tasks like web browsing, Google Docs, and email, the RK3288 proved adequate. Chrome OS's lightweight architecture helped mask the processor's limitations, and the fanless cooling meant completely silent operation. However, opening many browser tabs simultaneously or running complex web applications revealed the 2GB RAM limitation. The 16GB eMMC storage filled quickly, making cloud storage essential for any meaningful file management.

The Haier distinguished itself from some Intel-based budget competitors by including 802.11ac WiFi support, providing faster wireless connectivity than the 802.11n found on some contemporaries. Bluetooth 4.0 enabled wireless peripheral connections, while the full-size HDMI port allowed direct monitor connections without adapters.

Display and Design

The 11.6-inch display uses a TN (Twisted Nematic) panel with 1366x768 resolution, a common specification for budget Chromebooks of the era. TN technology suffers from limited viewing angles (colors wash out when viewed from the side) making this display best suited for single-user scenarios rather than group viewing. The non-touch screen kept costs down but limited interaction options compared to convertible models.

At 2.4 pounds and measuring 11.4 x 8.07 x 0.77 inches, the Haier Chromebook 11 was reasonably portable for its time. The plastic construction prioritized affordability over premium materials, though the design proved durable enough for its target market. The chiclet keyboard offered acceptable typing for light use, though it lacked backlighting for low-light environments.

Connectivity includes two USB 2.0 ports, full-size HDMI, a combination headphone/microphone jack, and a microSD card reader for storage expansion. The absence of USB 3.0 ports meant slower transfer speeds when using external drives, a limitation shared with many budget laptops of the era.

Historical Context

The Haier Chromebook 11 arrived during a pivotal period for Chrome OS. Google was aggressively expanding Chromebook options at lower price points to drive adoption in education and emerging markets. The partnership with Rockchip allowed manufacturers to produce devices below the $200 threshold that Intel's platform couldn't match at the time.

Released simultaneously with the Hisense Chromebook 11, the two devices shared the same underlying reference design from Rockchip. Both featured the RK3288 processor, 11.6-inch displays, and similar specifications, though minor variations existed in battery capacity and exact dimensions. This dual-launch strategy from previously unknown brands suggested Google's orchestration in bringing budget Chrome OS devices to market.

The ARM processor choice had long-term implications. When Android apps came to Chrome OS starting in 2016, the RK3288's ARM architecture initially seemed advantageous since Android was designed for ARM. However, many Chrome OS optimizations and enterprise management features were developed primarily for Intel platforms, and the RK3288's eventual support proved limited compared to Intel-based models. By the time the Haier reached its 2020 AUE date, Google had already shifted its low-end Chromebook strategy away from Rockchip and toward MediaTek's Kompanio family and Intel's Apollo Lake / Gemini Lake Celerons, so the RK3288 generation was effectively a one-off chapter in ARM Chromebook history rather than a long-running platform.

Owner Reference for 2026

Anyone still hanging on to a working Haier Chromebook 11 in 2026 is six years past the official Chrome OS update cutoff, which means no patches for newly disclosed browser vulnerabilities, no certificate-store updates, and an increasingly fragile relationship with modern HTTPS-only sites. The device still boots and still loads pages, but it should not be trusted with anything that asks for a password to a real account: email, banking, shopping carts, or anything tied to a recovery phone number. Used purely as a kitchen recipe reader, a kid's typing-practice machine, or an offline document reader plugged into a CRT or projector via its full-size HDMI port, it still has a niche.

The repurposing options here are narrower than for the Bay Trail-based Haier Chromebook 11 G2 that replaced it: ChromeOS Flex requires an x86_64 CPU and explicitly does not run on ARM hardware, so Flex is off the table entirely. The RK3288 can boot mainline Linux distributions (Debian, Arch Linux ARM) through community ports of the Veyron-Jaq mainboard variant the Haier uses, but driver coverage for the panel, touchpad, and audio is uneven and the install path requires unlocking firmware write protect and flashing custom U-Boot via the Mr Chromebox script. This is hobbyist territory rather than a polished upgrade, and the practical reward for the effort is a 2GB ARM laptop that still has the same RAM and storage ceilings it shipped with in 2015.

For most owners, the right disposition in 2026 is either offline single-purpose use as described above or responsible e-waste recycling. The 2.4 lb chassis weighs little, the lithium-ion pack has an end-of-life that should not go in household trash, and most U.S. municipalities offer free e-waste drop-off that will accept Chromebooks intact. The Haier brand's exit from the U.S. Chromebook market years ago means there is no manufacturer trade-in program to lean on.

Reviewer Perspective

Professional review coverage for the Haier Chromebook 11 was notably sparse compared to more prominent Chromebook brands. Lon Seidman of Lon.TV recorded one of the most-watched video reviews, titled "Haier Chromebook 11 Review: $150 11 inch Chromebook with new Rockchip RK3288 processor", which still appears as the top hit when searching for this device today. The video came out within weeks of launch and runs through the chassis, ports, and Chrome OS performance on the new Rockchip part.

The Dr Earbuds channel produced three short video pieces on the device that taken together cover unboxing, day-to-day review, and a head-to-head against the Hisense twin. In the dedicated review (video ID 3fY83NkrTVQ on this page) the host describes it as "the hair chromebook review now this is an exclusive chromebook to amazon" and notes that "it is rocking the rock chip processor in the same processor that's in the asus chromebook flip" (referring to the Rockchip RK3288 used in the ASUS Chromebook Flip C100PA), confirming the part the spec table lists. The Haier vs Hisense comparison piece (NXl7XnYOpns) opens with the clearest framing of the dual-launch retail strategy: "this is the high sense versus the hair Chromebook this is Walmart's entry level Chromebook made by hense ... and this is Amazon's version this is the hair Chromebook." The same video confirms the memory and CPU class: "the hair is powered by The Rock Chip processor ... both Rock in 2 gigs of RAM."

The limited review coverage reflects the device's narrow distribution (one-retailer-only on each twin) and Haier's minimal brand recognition in the US computer market. Most tech publications focused their budget Chromebook coverage on the simultaneously released Hisense model or on offerings from more established manufacturers like Acer and ASUS.

Those comparing the Haier to modern budget options will find the Chromebook Comparison Chart useful for sorting current models by price, specs, and support status side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I still use the Haier Chromebook 11 in 2026?

A: While the Haier Chromebook 11 can still physically function, it stopped receiving Chrome OS updates in June 2020. This means no security patches, no new features, and potentially incompatible websites as web standards evolve. Using it for any sensitive activities like online banking is not recommended due to security vulnerabilities.

Q: What processor does the Haier Chromebook 11 use?

A: The Haier Chromebook 11 uses the Rockchip RK3288, a quad-core ARM Cortex-A17 processor clocked at 1.8GHz with an ARM Mali-T764 GPU. This was one of the few ARM-based processors certified for Chrome OS at the time.

Q: What is the difference between the Haier Chromebook 11 and Hisense Chromebook 11?

A: The Haier and Hisense Chromebook 11 models were released simultaneously in March 2015 using the same Rockchip RK3288 reference design. Both featured the same processor, 11.6-inch displays, and similar specifications. Minor differences included exact battery capacity and slight dimensional variations, but performance was essentially identical.

Q: How long does the Haier Chromebook 11 battery last?

A: The Haier Chromebook 11 was rated for approximately 10 hours of battery life. The ARM-based Rockchip processor's efficient design enabled all-day usage for typical web browsing and productivity tasks without needing a charge.

Q: Why was the Haier Chromebook 11 so inexpensive?

A: The $149 price point was achieved through several factors: the ARM-based Rockchip processor was less expensive than Intel alternatives, the minimal 2GB RAM and 16GB storage reduced component costs, the TN display was cheaper than IPS panels, and Haier's manufacturing scale in China kept production costs low. The Amazon-exclusive distribution also minimized retail markup.

Q: Could Android apps run on the Haier Chromebook 11?

A: The Haier Chromebook 11 had limited Android app support. While Chrome OS eventually added Android app capability, the RK3288 processor received inconsistent support for this feature. Many users reported compatibility issues, and the device was never officially listed among Chrome OS devices with full Android app support.