CES 2019 is right around the corner and naturally, many companies have an array of products to show off at the event. ASUS today announced a range of products based on Google"s Chrome OS, all of which are aimed at the education market, where Chrome OS is most popular. This includes the company"s first-ever tablet based on the operating system, as well as three new laptops with varying specs.
The Chromebook Tablet CT100 is the smallest of the four devices, coming with a 9.7-inch QXGA (2048×1536) display, and it"s aimed at very young children. As such, it features strengthened glass and a rubberized material all around the body of the device to ensure that it can last long enough in the hand of kids.
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It has fairly decent specs, with 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and the OP1 chipset. That chipset was found to be pretty powerful in 2017, and it"s optimized for Chrome OS, so it should be more than enough for its intended use. It includes a stylus too, which can be stored in the tablet itself so it doesn"t get lost as easily. There"s also a 35Wh battery which should be able to power the device for a whole day. This can be charged using a USB Type-C cable.
Next up is the Chromebook C204, an 11.6-inch laptop and the successor to the C202. Like the tablet above, this laptop is also meant to withstand some abuse, with a rubberized chassis and bumpers in each corner to protect the device from impacts. There are two variants of the laptop, one with a touchscreen and one without it, but both come in at a resolution of 1366x768.
Inside the computer, there"s an Intel Celeron N4000 processor, up to 32GB of internal eMMC storage, and 8GB of RAM. A 50Wh battery should also keep the laptop going for a whole day. As for I/O, there"s a USB Type-A port for peripherals, two USB Type-C ports, a microSD card reader, and a combo 3.5mm audio jack. It also supports Bluetooth 4.2.
Then there"s the Chromebook Flip C214, which shares a lot with the laptop above. The display size and resolution are the same, though, since it"s a convertible, the touchscreen is included in all variants. What is optional, though, is pen support using Wacom technology.
Other key differences include the ability to go up to 64GB of internal storage and a variant with the Celeron N4100 processor, rather than the N4000. Additionally, the convertible features a 5MP/8MP world-view camera in addition to the traditional HD webcam. On the other hand, the battery is slightly smaller, at 45Wh.
Lastly, the biggest device being announced is the Chromebook C403. Like the C204, it has a more traditional clamshell form factor, but it comes with a 14-inch display, though the resolution is the same. Aside from that, it shares a lot of the same specs with the smaller laptop, including the 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.
It features a dual-core Intel Celeron N3350 processor, and a 45Wh battery, though, so it actually seems less powerful than the C204 and C214. It does feature an additional USB Type-A port, so you get room for one extra peripheral. ASUS also boasts better audio capabilities with an output of up to 80dB.
ASUS hasn"t provided a lot of details regarding pricing and availability, though the Chromebook C403 and Chromebook Flip C214 are coming sometime this spring, The other two devices should be coming sometime later.