ASUS unveils new Chromebooks and a Chrome OS tablet for education
Chrome OS has slowly become one of the most promising operating systems. What began life as a "glorified web browser" has grown to also run Android apps and traditional Linux programs. At the same time, Windows 10 has declined in quality, causing many users to lose faith in Microsoft's operating system. For education in particular, school districts are increasingly turning to Google's Chromebooks rather than devices running Windows 10.
Today, ASUS unveils four new Chrome OS devices for the education market. Three of them (C403, C204, and Flip C214) are laptops, with one of them (the Flip) being a convertible -- meaning it can fold into a tablet. In addition, there is a traditional tablet (CT100). While Chrome OS tablets are fairly unproven, the ability to run Android apps makes them quite useful.
"The series includes two traditional clamshell laptops -- the 11.6-inch ASUS Chromebook C204 and the 14-inch ASUS Chromebook C403 -- and the 14-inch ASUS Chromebook Flip C214 convertible. There's also a brand-new form factor introduced, with the ASUS Chromebook Tablet CT100, a stunning 9.7-inch QXGA wide-angle touch-display tablet," says ASUS.
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The company also says, "The new series features durability, spill- and tamper-resistant keyboards and all-around rubber bumpers to withstand the rigors that electronics often face in schools. This lineup provides educators and parents with a full-range of lightweight, ruggedized options that can cater to their specific curriculum choices and unleash the creativity and productivity of their students. The new ASUS Chromebook Education series will be available in the coming months with configurations, pricing, and availability to be announced at launch."
ASUS shares the following specifications.
| ASUS Chromebook Tablet CT100 | |
| CPU | OP1, Made for Chromebooks, Hexa-core (Dual ARM Cortex-A72, Quad Cortex-A53 big.LITTLE configuration) Processor |
| Display | 9.7" QXGA (1536x2048) multi-touch with glass cover |
| Operating System | Chrome OS |
| Graphics | Mali-T864 GPU |
| Memory | Up to 4GB LPDDR3 1866MHz |
| Storage | Up to 32GB eMMC |
| Wireless | Qualcomm QCA6174 M.2 2x2 802.11AC / Bluetooth 4.1 |
| Camera | User-Facing webcam: 2MP HD camera (UXGA 1600x1200p) World-facing webcam: 5MP HD camera (2592x1944) |
| Interface | 1 x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C (USB-C) (supports charging, data transfers and display connectivity) 1 x microSD 1 x Audio combo jack |
| Security | Google H1 Support |
| Battery | 35Wh lithium-polymer |
| AC adapter | Output: 15V DC, 3A, 45 W Input: 100 -240 V AC, 50/60 Hz universal |
| Dimensions | 9.9 x 238.8 x 172.2 mm |
| Weight | Approx. 568g |
| C403 | C204 | C214 | |
| CPU | Intel Celeron N3350 Processor | Intel Celeron N4000 Processor | Intel Celeron N4000/N4100 Processor |
| Display | 14" 16:9 LED Backlit HD (1366 x 768), 220 nit, 45% NTSC, Anti-glare | Non touch :11.6" 16:9 LED Backlit HD (1366 x 768), 220 nit, 45% NTSC, Anti-glare Touch : 11.6" 16:9 LED Backlit HD (1366 x 768), 250 nit, 50% NTSC, Anti-glare, Touch, Wide View |
Non EMR support: 11.6" 16:9 LED Backlit HD (1366 x 768), 250 nit, 50% NTSC, Anti-glare, Touch, Wide View EMR support : 11.6" 16:9 LED Backlit HD (1366 x 768), 250 nit, 50% NTSC, Touch, Wide View, Wacom EMR support, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Operating system | Chrome OS | Chrome OS | Chrome OS |
| Graphics | Integrated Intel HD Graphics 500 | Integrated Intel HD Graphics 600 | Integrated Intel HD Graphics 600 |
| Memory | Up to 4GB 2400MHz LDDR4 onboard | Up to 4GB 2400MHz LDDR4 onboard | Up to 8GB 2400MHz LDDR4 onboard |
| Storage | eMMC 5.1, 32GB | eMMC 5.1, 32GB | eMMC 5.1, 64GB |
| Wireless | Dual-band Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) gigabit-class Wi-Fi Bluetooth 4.2 |
Dual-band Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) gigabit-class Wi-Fi Bluetooth 4.2 |
Dual-band Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) gigabit-class Wi-Fi Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Camera | HD camera | HD camera (1280x720) | User-facing camera : HD 1280x720 World-facing camera : 5MP/8MP |
| Interface | 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C (up to 5Gbps, DisplayPort, and power delivery support) 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (up to 5Gbps) MicroSD card Audio combo jack |
2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C (up to 5Gbps, DisplayPort, and power delivery support) 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (up to 5Gbps) MicroSD card Audio combo jack |
2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C (up to 5Gbps, DisplayPort, and power delivery support) 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (up to 5Gbps) MicroSD card Audio combo jack |
| Security | Google H1 Security IC, Kensington lock slot | Google H1 Security IC, Kensington lock slot | Google H1 Security IC, Kensington lock slot |
| Battery | 45Wh 3-cell lithium-polymer battery |
50Wh 3-cell lithium-polymer battery |
45Wh 3-cell lithium-polymer battery |
| Adapter | 45W power adapter, plug type: ø4 (mm) (Output: 19V DC, 65W) (Input: 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz universal) |
50W power adapter, plug type: ø4 (mm) (Output: 19V DC, 65W) (Input: 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz universal) |
45W power adapter, plug type: ø4 (mm) (Output: 19V DC, 65W) (Input: 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz universal) |
| Dimensions | 34.3 x 23.3 x 2.05cm | 29.2 x 19.9 x 19.5~20.1cm | 29.2 x 19.9 x 19.5~20.1cm |
Unfortunately, both pricing and availability are unknown at this time. So far, ASUS only says these Chrome OS devices will be sold in the "coming months." Even then, it isn't clear if they will be sold in retail channels or only to school districts directly. With that said, I recently bought an older ASUS Chromebook for education on Amazon, so I expect they will be made available to anyone who wants them.