Asus Chromebook CM14 Review: An Uber-Cheap Laptop Leave a comment

The excellent news is that the keyboard and trackpad are fairly good right here. The Chromebook CM14 provides a cushty typing expertise, and the trackpad is spacious, although the fabric Asus makes use of has a bit of extra drag than I’d like. They’re backed up by a strong base to the laptop computer with none flex throughout regular use.

You get a full 1,920 x 1,080-pixel decision on the 14-inch display screen, although Asus has show scaling set out of the field so it appears extra like a 1,536 x 864-pixel display screen. You’ll be able to modify the scaling again all the way down to native decision and it appears suitably crisp. Nonetheless, I can’t say the identical in regards to the washed-out colours, dim max brightness, and poor viewing angles of the TN show.

If there’s one superpower the MediaTek platform brings to the CM14, it’s effectivity. I used to be impressed with the battery life I might eke out of this laptop computer, clocking in round 10 to 11 hours of combined use all through a standard workday. Asus claims you possibly can stand up to fifteen hours of battery life, so that you might be able to squeeze out much more relying on how you employ it.

The webcam isn’t something particular, providing you with a 720p shooter that appears OK on video calls. You get a bodily change to dam it for further privateness, which is a pleasant contact. Ports are additionally comparatively good for the worth. There are two USB-C ports, one USB-A port, a 3.5-mm headphone jack, and one microSD card slot. The microSD slot is helpful if you’d like further storage, because the 64 GB of built-in storage is certain to turn into restrictive.

Hunt for Gross sales

So must you purchase the Asus Chromebook CM14? Possibly. While you dip into the funds vary, there are all the time trade-offs, they usually’re evident within the poor show and efficiency struggles. Nonetheless, vivid spots like nice battery life, a strong construct, and a very good keyboard make the CM14 a Chromebook value contemplating if you may get by with essentially the most primary of fundamentals.

What makes this a tricky resolution is the aggressive pricing I’ve seen on extra succesful Chromebook Plus laptops, which begin at $399 however are often on sale for a lot much less. On the Chromebook CM14’s full $299 worth, it’s value contemplating whether or not you possibly can choose up a extra highly effective choice, just like the Acer Chromebook Plus 514, by spending a bit of further when it’s on sale. That stated, I’ve seen the CM14 dip to $180 when it’s on sale, and it’s completely an incredible purchase at that worth.