Dell made a small adaptation of an existing Chromebook, HP and Lenovo came up empty and both Samsung and Acer announced their new devices before CES 2021. So Asus brought news about the device and it delivered big on the last day of the event. Asus has introduced three new Chromebooks, one powered by AMD’s Ryzen chipset and the other two with 11th-generation Intel chips.
Let’s start with the Asus Chromebook Flip CM5, as it is one of the few devices that AMD processors use and one of the even fewer Chromebooks with a 15.6-inch screen.
The large 60Hz IPS touch panel has a resolution of 1080p and an aspect ratio of 16: 9. You will therefore get good viewing angles, but the NTSC color accuracy of 45% is average.
Asus Chromebook Flip CM5 is the choice of AMD Ryzen 3 3250C or Ryzen 5 3500C processors, each with its own AMD Radeon Vega graphics processor. Non-upgradeable memory choices range from 4, 8 and 16 GB. All configurations use fast M.2 PCI-e Gen3 storage in capacities of 128, 256 or 512 GB, depending on the configuration.
As for ports, you get a beautiful range: 2 Type-C USB 3.2, 1 Type-A USB 3.2, an HDMI port, microSD card slot and microphone / headphone jack. There is also a 720p webcam, support for WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 and a USI stylus. The 3-cell 57 WHr battery is used for at least ten hours on paper.
Overall, it’s an attractive package, complete with a Mineral Gray lid base made of aluminum alloy and, in the blink of an eye for the players, orange WASD keys. Asus says the Chromebook Flip CM5 also meets the military standard of MIL-STD 810H3, so it should be solid and sturdy.
Given the large screen, wider keyboard that contains a full number pad, and a huge 5.65-inch glass panel, it is no lightweight device and weighs 4.17 pounds.
Asus Chromebook CX9, based on Intel devices, is a thin and light offering intended for work, weighing 2.3 pounds.
There are three 11th Intel processors to choose from: one of two different Core i5 chips and a Core i7, each with Intel Iris Xe graphics. The specific choices are Intel i5-1135G7, i5-1145G7 or i7-1185G7 chipsets. The memory is 8 or 16 GB, while the storage starts at 128 GB with options up to 4TB according to Android police.
I wouldn’t even want to guess about the cost of it, and I think it’s a little too much for a Chromebook. I can see 1 TB as the maximum for some select people, but 4 TB?
You literally look at a 14-inch 1080p touch panel with USI stylus support. Asus did not provide details on the color gamut or brightness, and since it is not a ‘Flip’ model, the screen does not fold further than a traditional clamshell.
Ports include a pair of USB Type-C / Thunderbolt 4 ports, one on each side, a Type-A port, HDMI output, microSD card slot, and a combo headphone / microphone jack.
A nice touch is the physical privacy blind on the 720p webcam. WiFi 6 was included, and although Asus did not mention Bluetooth, I suspect it included 5.0.
Lastly is the Asus Chromebook Flip C536, which is an Intel version of the CM5. You have a choice of 11th generation Intel processors: the Core i3 1115G4, Core i5 1135G7 or Core i7 1165G7, while memory choices are limited to 8 or 16 GB. There are no 4GB base models here.
Based on the specifications, it is the same 15.6-inch screen, keyboard layout and port choice as the CM5. Asus claims 12 hours of time and the same weight as this CM5.
Unfortunately, none of these devices have any pricing or release dates yet. This is often the case with CES announcements, but it’s a little disappointing.
However, it all brings a newer, more modern design (at least in my opinion) compared to the last few Acer Chromebooks that came on the market. I look forward to taking one of them for a spin; especially the CM5 and its AMD Ryzen processors inside.
