Verdict
A pricey , premium Chromebook plan with cloud play in idea , the Asus Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip sports a lot of swanky features you wo n’t find on similar models . But it ’s a high premium to pay given the limits of ChromeOS .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The thought of a insurance premium Chromebook has always been a little baffling . The first laptop to sport Google ’s ChromeOS were pitched as light , budget alternatives to the high-priced PCs and Macs of the world . What they miss in power they made for in savings , and were tailor-make for casual users who did n’t want flashy doorbell and swanky tin whistle .
But if high - goal Chromebooks like theHP Dragonfly Proare starting to appear more regularly , still unusual is the concept of the gambling Chromebook . That ’s what the Asus Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip is pitch as , anyway . It ’s not a full - blooded gambling rig , of course , but a gadget build for cloud play with a dazzlingly crisp screen .
Priced at £ 749.99/$769 , though , it ’s hardly competitively priced . If you ’re first and world-class after a Chromebook and fancy play a few plot on the side , this may do you well . But if you ’re more serious about gaming , or are only so nonchalantly interested that you ’re not fussed about savor vivid visuals , let this one go .
Design and Keyboard
Despite being pitched as a play machine , the Asus Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip is more moderate than the angular , RGB - laden twist that predominate ourbest play laptoplist . Bar the orange - emphasise WASD keys , and a few other orangish highlights on the sides of the consistence , this is a pretty muted aim .
Except for the screen , that is . Its hinge can be roasted 360 degrees , lease you position the filmdom in a tent position or just using the keyboard as a stand . It ’s an effective way of turning the laptop into a monitor , with no jut keyboard getting in the elbow room , leave you to bring it right to the edge of the tabular array . It helps that the hinges rotate smoothly , never becoming stuck or drifting from their put slant when I ’ve used it .
When the screen is rotated , the Chromebook automatically inactivate the remark of the keyboard , avoiding any accidental button press . compound with the touch screen , it can just about function as a 2 - in-1 laptop - pad , if you do n’t mind its goodish weight ( 1.8 kg , which is noticeably heavier than the 1.3 kg of the greatLenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 Chromebook ) . I would n’t recommend using it only for that purpose , but the option to blot out the keyboard can be handy .
There ’s the obligatory RGB backlighting , although it ’s fairly quiet and limited in the range of colours and lighting approach pattern . The key have a passably short travel aloofness and find clearly less squishy than those of many other laptop . It ’s comfortable and responsive , and the sort of keyboard that accommodate long working school term just as well as long gaming sprees . The cutoff keys at the top are nicely wide , too , and take full advantage of the free and thankfully unlittered space .
More jarring are the truncated arrow winder . Both the odd and right pointer are half size , despite there being blank space for full keycaps , which can take some getting used to . Windows user who expect to on a regular basis use the Chromebook for writing will be surprised by the omission of the DEL key fruit . You ’ll have to get used to hit ALT + Backspace when you want to delete the character follow the cursor . Again , it ’s a venial gripe , but expect to take a while to adjust .
The touchpad is less telling . Although it ’s large , antiphonal and smooth , it also feels hollow , making an audible suction stop each meter it ’s pressed . It ’s not a big deal but stands out as an left over defect among the rest of the twist ’s insurance premium features .
The generous array of interface means it is easy to link multiple peripherals . Along its sides , you ’ll get twoUSB - Cports ( ready to hand for when you require to juice up the Chromebook and keep another twist plug in ) a USB - A porthole , HDMI , a 3.5 mm audio jack , and a microSD card reader , which is a rarity among New laptop .
An excellent webcam also name this the form of Chromebook you’re able to utilise for work vociferation . Although it records at only 720p , the lucidity is first-class as colours pop , and it deal brilliantly in low light . Compared to the granular camera on mySurface Laptop Go , there ’s no competition .
Display and Sound
The Asus Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip really shines for its display . A vivid 14 - inch 16:10 screen running at 144Hz , it ’s brilliant , crisp and outpaces many of the display on thebest Chromebooksand Windows laptop computer at this cost point . For gaming , it ’s superb – the rich hues ofThe Witcher 3stand out , while the inkiness and bolshy of Diablo 4 look befittingly warm . And for casual Netflix cyclosis or YouTube browse , it does everything you could need it to .
The special - high refresh rate means everything looks liquid and fluid and is on the dot the form of thing you ’ll come to take for granted – you may not notice the difference jumping from 60Hz to 144Hz , but you certainly will if you decide to go back . The prolonged settlement is a subtle way to elevate the screen above the slew of received 1080p alternatives . The 1920×1200 resolution is n’t 4 atomic number 19 , but those extra pel are nothing to sniff at .
The built - in Harman Kardon speakers , however , do n’t fare quite so well . They ’re sure loud , and can attain an telling top book , though audio usually commence clipping in the last poop of that range .
They ’re at least set well . Located on the bottom and run along its sides , they sound clear enough when the laptop computer ’s keyboard is rotate out in composition position , but voice even louder when the screen is tilt back and the keyboard is used as a stand . tolerate up the laptop computer in whatever position you like , and the utterer will be clearly audible .
Performance
Speed is the name of the biz here . The Intel i5 - 1235U processor run at up to 4.4Ghz , combined with 8 GB of DDR5 RAM and a 256 GB SSD was enough quick for my purposes . Web browsing , video calling and cosmopolitan work task are all a breeze , although the 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD variety might be better for those who ’ll be doing lots of multitasking and tend to go away many RAM - hogging Chrome pill undetermined .
That ’s a generous specification rag for a Chromebook . ChromeOS is n’t intimately as malleable as Windows and can only die hard apps that are patronize by Android . Instead of Microsoft ’s Office 365 , you have Google Docs , Sheets and Slides , alongside the remainder of the Google Play Store to pick through . It ’s an operating system that ’s best suited to casual computer user who want a straightforward gadget for browsing the web , await through their emails and using office package , and are n’t reliant on extra functionality like video - editing apps or other software program that ’s only compatible with Windows .
It does , however , work well for gaming . At least , the cloud gaming the Chromebook is intended for . Using subscription platforms likeNvidia GeForceNowandXbox Cloud Gaming , it can pelt biz over the web rather than running them off its internal ironware , much like how you ’d look on films over Netflix .
When gaming , the biggest source of latency wo n’t be the Chromebook ’s internals , but your internet speed . If you have a dependable , high - speed connexion , ask as marvelous visuals as your streaming political program of choice can provide .
However , the covert will only really daze if you keep it plug into its charger . The display will only race at 144Hz if it ’s receiving succus and will otherwise cast off down to a perfectly serviceable , yet not quite as telling 60Hz . That ’s a morsel of a pity , given the eminent refresh rate is one of the main selling point of the machine .
But there ’s a gumption Asus does n’t want you to think of this as only a gaming laptop . The added style , which can be snugly tuck into the side of the gadget , comes in handy when you ’re editing images or using other creative package packages . It ’s farseeing , ignitor without being too lean , and bursting charge to a full 45 minutes ’ Charles Frederick Worth of juice in 15 minute when put into its side slot . In other words , there ’s little more you could require from it .
Battery Life
you’re able to for sure extract the full 10 hours of battery life that Asus push , but only if you ’re doing small more than web browsing . This play out in my experience and in our Netflix test , which saw this gadget lose around 9 % of mission after streaming for one 60 minutes .
bug out stream videos , playing medicine , and crank up the light , and you ’ll be looking at around five hours . I was able to get a similar run while stake via the cloud , but try run topically installed games – of which you ’ll only be capable to play the most basic – and you ’ll be looking at half that fourth dimension .
Charging time is luckily fast . An minute of charging replenish a petty under half the Chromebook ’s juice , while it take two and a half hours to fully recharge .
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Should you buy it?
If you know you ’ll be streaming games , you may do a trivial right than this Chromebook .
Those who are n’t concerned in streaming secret plan should view more spartan Chromebooks , and those who are more enthusiastic about gaming will have more destiny with a PC .
Final Thoughts
The Asus Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip is undoubtedly a very well - designed ChromeOS laptop . Its dazzling screen , ergonomic hinged display , well - place utterer and solid battery sprightliness make it idealistic for streaming games over the swarm , as well as a luxe Chromebook feel .
Given the demarcation of ChromeOS , you are still paying a premium for a gimmick that ca n’t play AAA secret plan topically . However , thegamingnature of this automobile means you ’re get some features that undoubtedly enhance unremarkable use making it one of the best devices around for cloud gaming . The Vibe CX34 Flip also shines against its key competitor in the ChromeOS play realm , theAcer Chromebook 516 GE , presenting higher caliber hardware and a better display .
Though , it ca n’t be ignored that you could get more bang for your clam , whether through better battery biography or native gambling performance elsewhere . For a range of options in that department take ourbest Chromebooksandbest gaming laptop computer guides .
Trusted Score
How we test
Every laptop we review go through a series of uniform checks design to gauge fundamental things admit habitus quality , carrying into action , screen timbre and battery life .
These include formal synthetic benchmarks and written tests , plus a series of real - public check , such as how well it run popular apps .
FAQs
It sure is , and supports multi - touch so you may whizz around written document with just your digit .
Yep . It includes a style that can tucked into a ‘ service department ’ on the side and accuse in 15 seconds .
