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If we look back over the past few years, ASUS has had a notable presence in the world of Chromebooks. From notable devices like the original ASUS Chromebook Flip C100 to the fan-favorite Flip C302, the company has continued to create Chromebooks that users love and love to use. The follow-up to the C302 – the Flip C434 – was particularly interesting as it took almost two years to unveil and really get things done with a bigger screen, tiny bezels, and a thin / solid frame that was part of the overall maturation. of the Chromebook platform. Notable devices that came out around this time were the Dell Inspiron 14 Chromebook, the Lenovo Yoga C630, and the HP x360 14.
When 2020 arrived and we rolled out to Las Vegas for CES, we were excited to see what ASUS’s upgrade to the well-received Flip C434 was going to be like, and although it was nice in the showroom, our review time with this Chromebook was far from exemplary. I was actually almost depressed about how aggravated I was with the Flip C436 after using it for a short time. With a steep starting price, a mediocre screen, a hard-to-see keyboard, and a shaky feel, this Chromebook was completely outclassed by what Samsung brought to the same show that year in the original Galaxy Chromebook.
Reversal of the tide
But this year, everything seems to have changed. While there were a few glitches in the PR cycle that made us believe there wouldn’t be any new ASUS Chromebooks at CES 2021, ASUS was actually preparing an announcement of not just a new Chromebook, but from a small new family of them. We presented the specs, photos and details of the new Chromebook CX9, Flip C536 and Flip CM5 from ASUS in a previous article, but there’s just more to the story than specs and photos.
Simply put, it feels like ASUS is back. Back to making clean and attractive devices, back to the good walk on the spec sheet, and back to making Chromebooks that I think a lot of people will love. In between, there should be options to fit multiple budgets, displays that look great with their smaller bezels, and materials that not only look good, but are also made to feel good. The fact that they draw attention to the keyboard of the Flip C536 and Flip CM5 tells me that they pay attention to the feel of these Chromebooks. The fact that they’ve included the Chromebook CX9’s substantial ergonomic lift that you only see in high-end ASUS laptops tells me that they take Chrome OS and Chromebooks a lot more seriously.
While the Flip CM5 and Flip C536 will likely be mid-range Chromebooks (with higher spec options), the Chromebook CX9 will be an absolute beast for power users and creative professionals. As well as not tipping into a tablet orientation, this device seeks to nail everything from looks to features to portability. At just 2.2 pounds, it’ll be the lightest 14-inch Chromebook ever, and it’ll deliver everything you need for massive productivity. 11th Gen Intel processors with tons of RAM and storage (up to 2TB in some models) will marry the 400 nits display, backlit keyboard, and Thunderbold 4 for ultimate flexibility and power. It will probably be expensive, but it will also be a beast.
Instead of only bringing this device to the market, however, ASUS has really come up with a full offering this year. With AMD processors on board, the Flip CM5 will likely be the most affordable of the bunch, and I might see models of this Chromebook appear for under $ 500 as a starting price. Of course, the high end configurations with more RAM and storage will increase and I could see the CX9 being one of the most expensive Chromebooks ever, but that is beauty. With all these devices and all their varied options, there is bound to be a device and configuration to meet the needs of most users.
Frankly, I’m shocked at everything ASUS is doing in the Chromebook space this year, and I’m excited to see these devices and get their hands on them. We have to wait a bit for the CX9 as it’s slated for a Q2 release, but we’ll see the Flip C536 before too long with its Q1 release schedule. At the start of Tiger Lake’s Chromebook era, I don’t think I could have asked for much more from a business. Now, about that Acer device that Intel teased in their opening speech …
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