High-powered Chromebooks are still relatively rare, but Asus appears bent on changing that. Asus has quietly launched the Chromebook Flip CX5400, a 14-inch convertible laptop that offers performance that’s difficult to find in some thin-and-light Windows machines, let alone a Chrome OS device.
The new Asus Chromebook runs on a 2.1GHz Core i7-1160G7 processor that should be quick while consuming little power, the chip is designed for fanless laptops, but it’s not clear that’s the case here. You’ll also get a healthy 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports to complement Wi-Fi 6 support, Bluetooth 5, and a microSD card reader.
You’ll also find an included pen to draw on the Asus Chromebook’s 1080p touchscreen, not to mention Harmon Kardon speakers to help fuel TV marathons. The system is fairly light for the size at 3.1lbs, although the 720p webcam won’t thrill frequent video chatters.
The catch is the price. Asus currently lists the Chromebook Flip CX5400 for $1,049.99, and there aren’t currently any downrange models. That makes it a better value (in pure hardware, at least) than many similarly-priced conventional laptops. If you’re thinking of buying a Chromebook for Steam gaming or just want a no-compromise Chrome OS device, this might be on your short list.
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