Samsung Exynos 5 Chromebooks

The Samsung Exynos 5 (also known as Exynos 5250 or Exynos 5 Dual) holds a significant place in computing history as the world’s first commercial processor based on ARM’s Cortex-A15 architecture. Announced in November 2011 and released in October 2012, this dual-core chip debuted in the Samsung Chromebook Series 3 (XE303C12), marking the first time Chrome OS ran on ARM silicon. The processor was built on Samsung’s 32nm High-K Metal Gate process and featured two Cortex-A15 cores clocked at 1.7 GHz, promising roughly 50% higher per-clock performance than the previous Cortex-A9 designs. Samsung marketed the Exynos 5 as capable of delivering “smartphone-like” energy efficiency while powering devices with displays up to 2560x1600 resolution.

The Exynos 5 integrates a Mali-T604 MP4 GPU licensed from ARM, featuring four GPU cores clocked at 533 MHz and capable of 72.5 GFLOPS. This graphics processor supports OpenGL ES 3.0, OpenCL 1.1, and DirectX 11, with hardware video decoding for 1080p content at 60 fps. The processor’s dual-channel LPDDR3 memory controller delivers bandwidth of up to 12.8 GB/s, which was double that of contemporary processors. The power consumption ranges from 4 to 8 watts under load, enabling fanless designs with completely silent operation. At launch, the Samsung Chromebook XE303C12 represented a bold bet that ARM processors could deliver a viable alternative to Intel for web-centric computing.

The Exynos 5 powered a small but notable family of Chromebooks between 2012 and 2014. Samsung’s own Chromebook XE303C12 launched first at $249 with a TN display and 2GB RAM. HP followed with the Chromebook 11 G1 in multiple color options, featuring an IPS display and 4GB RAM at similar price points. HP later released the Chromebook 11 G2 with minor refinements. These devices targeted students, education deployments, and users who needed an affordable, lightweight laptop for basic web browsing and productivity. The fanless designs and all-day battery life (rated 6-7 hours) made them particularly attractive for classroom use where silent operation mattered.

Performance

The Samsung Exynos 5 scores approximately 5,000 on the Octane 2.0 JavaScript benchmark, placing it at the very bottom of Chromebook processors tracked on this site. This represents a significant performance gap compared to even budget Intel chips of the same era. The Intel Celeron N2830 (Octane: 8,700) outperforms it by 74%, while the Intel Celeron N2840 (Octane: 8,700) from just two years later delivers comparable advantages. Among ARM competitors, the Rockchip RK3288C (Octane: 7,103) scores 42% higher, and the Samsung Exynos 5 Octa 5800 (Octane: 7,100) delivers 42% better performance with its quad-core big.LITTLE design.

Real-world testing from 2012-2013 reviews revealed inconsistent performance that depended heavily on workload. Laptop Mag found the Samsung Chromebook could simultaneously run Plants vs. Zombies, two other browser games, and YouTube in different tabs “without any performance issues.” However, AnandTech characterized the same device as delivering performance that was “slow (relative to more expensive notebooks)” and suitable primarily for basic tasks. The HP Chromebook 11 reviews noted that Google Docs took about 5 seconds to create a new document, Settings took 3.5 seconds to open, and the desktop app Gliffy required a “glacial 9 seconds” to launch. HD YouTube playback worked but was described as “borderline too much for the machine” when attempted alongside other browsing.

The Exynos 5’s historical significance outweighs its benchmark numbers. As the first Cortex-A15 product to reach consumers, it demonstrated that ARM could power laptop-class devices and compete with Intel’s low-end Atom and Celeron chips in specific workloads. Phoronix benchmarks showed the Exynos 5 running Ubuntu Linux outperformed both the quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 and Intel Atom processors despite having only two cores. However, Intel’s Bay Trail and subsequent Chromebook processors quickly surpassed the Exynos 5, and Samsung never released another ARM-based Chromebook. The chip’s legacy lives on in the subsequent explosion of ARM-based laptops and tablets that followed its proof-of-concept.

Ideal Use Cases

All Chromebooks powered by the Samsung Exynos 5 have long passed their Auto Update Expiration (AUE) dates. The Samsung Chromebook XE303C12 expired in July 2018, the HP Chromebook 11 G1 in October 2018, and the HP Chromebook 11 G2 in June 2019. These devices no longer receive Chrome OS security updates, making them unsuitable for any use involving sensitive data, personal accounts, online banking, or other security-critical applications. Google explicitly recommends retiring Chromebooks that have reached AUE for typical computing tasks.

When these devices were current, they excelled as ultraportable machines for basic web browsing, email, and light document editing. The fanless designs operated in complete silence, which proved valuable in quiet environments like libraries and classrooms. The Samsung Chromebook’s 2.43-pound weight and under 0.7-inch thickness made it one of the most portable laptops available at its $249 launch price. Education deployments valued the combination of low cost, durability, and all-day battery life. Reviews from the era recommended these devices specifically for “grandparents, children and students, and people who just check their email, go on Facebook, or watch YouTube videos.”

For anyone considering an Exynos 5 Chromebook today (typically available for under $20 on the used market), these are obsolete devices suitable only for experimental purposes, display pieces, or conversion to lightweight Linux installations. The Exynos 5’s full ARM Cortex-A15 architecture has good upstream Linux kernel support, making distributions like Debian ARM64 or Arch Linux ARM viable alternatives to the expired Chrome OS. Some enthusiasts have repurposed these devices as dedicated terminals, digital picture frames, or retro gaming emulation platforms. However, the 2GB RAM limitation on the Samsung model and the overall age of the hardware mean that even basic modern web browsing will feel sluggish compared to any current device.

What to Look For

If you’re acquiring an Exynos 5 Chromebook despite the security limitations, the three available models differ meaningfully in their configurations. The HP Chromebook 11 G1 stands out with its 11.6-inch IPS display, offering noticeably better color and viewing angles than the TN panel in the Samsung Chromebook. The G1 also includes 4GB RAM across all variants, providing significantly better multitasking headroom than the Samsung’s 2GB. HP offered the G1 in distinctive two-tone color combinations including white with red, blue, yellow, or green accents. The original launch experienced charger-related safety recalls, so verify any used unit has the correct replacement charger.

The Samsung Chromebook XE303C12 offers the original Exynos 5 Chromebook experience with a few advantages: HDMI output for connecting external displays (missing on HP models), an SD card slot for storage expansion, and one USB 3.0 port. However, the 2GB RAM and lower-quality TN display make it the least capable option for any actual use. The Samsung weighs slightly more than the HP G1 (2.43 lbs vs 2.3 lbs) and features a simpler silver design. Original pricing of $249 made it competitive at launch, but the 2GB limitation was criticized even in 2012 reviews.

The HP Chromebook 11 G2 refined the G1 design with a traditional power adapter instead of the problematic micro-USB charging solution. It maintains the 4GB RAM and 32GB eMMC storage of the G1 but uses a WLED display rather than IPS, resulting in slightly less impressive visuals. At 2.95 lbs, it weighs more than both alternatives. All three devices feature eMMC storage (16GB on the Samsung, 32GB on HP models) that cannot be upgraded, so what you see is what you get. Battery degradation will be significant on any unit this old, so factor in potential battery replacement costs if portability matters for your experimental use case.