Chromebox 4: Asus modernizes the mini PC with quadrupled Chrome OS

The mini-PC running on Asus with the vendor-independent name Chromebox with Chrome OS pre-installed as the operating system has received a technology update. Equipped with 10th Gen Intel CPUs, the variety comes down to four selectable models. A Celeron 5205U with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of eMMC makes the entrance.

The mini-PC with pre-installed Chrome OS is a Chromebox

Similar to the Gigabyte Brix and its ancestor, the Intel-NUC, Asus has various mini-PCs such as the PN50 and PN62 (test) with Windows pre-installed as the operating system, as well as compact PC systems in its portfolio that use an Intel platform but come delivered ex factory as a Chromebox with the Google-based Chrome OS operating system.

Since its introduction in 2014, the manufacturer has maintained this product line more or less regularly, most recently earlier this year, and is now launching the 4th generation with Intel’s latest Comet Lake-U generation processors (test ).

4th generation Chromebox with less variety

With the introduction of the new revision, Asus is also narrowing the model range. Compared to its direct predecessor Chromebox 3, which is currently still available with a total of six different CPUs, the Chromebox 4 will only be available in stores with four different notebook CPUs from now on.

The lower end is made up of the Celeron 5205U and Core i3-10110U, each with two cores, with the latter offering a boost clock of up to 4.1 GHz and SMT as well as more L3 cache. The Core i5-10210U and Core i7-10510U, also available in Chromebox 4, offer more cores and higher clock rates, with four cores and SMT clocks of up to 4.2 GHz and 4.9 GHz, respectively. The GPU (Intel UHD Graphics 610/620) integrated in the processors is responsible for the computation and output of the image signals.

SATA SSDs are only in better models

Depending on the configuration, Asus offers small PCs Chrome OS 4 or 8 GB of RAM with 2666 MHz in SO-DIMM format. This can be individually expanded up to 16GB. The entry-level versions have slower eMMC memory as mass storage, which is between 32GB and 64GB when soldered. In the best Chromebox 4 models, however, Asus installs standard SSDs with SATA interfaces that offer 128GB or 256GB of storage. In addition to a classic LAN connection for gigabit speeds, the Mini-PC can also connect to wireless networks using a modern Wi-Fi 6 module (formerly WLAN 802.11ax).

Type C among the many USB ports

RAM and mass storage are at least as good as the previous generation in terms of capacity and performance, and there is hardly any progress between the 3rd and 4th generation of Asus Chromeboxes in terms of interfaces. The 148.5 × 148.5 × 40mm (L × W × H) case offers a variety of connections, including two USB Type A on the front and three on the back. Depending on the model, they support USB 3.2 Gen1 standard with 10 Gbit / s or USB 2.0 only. In addition, USB 3.0 via Type-C connector with integrated PowerDelivery and DisplayPort output is also part of the equipment.

Three 4K displays can be used in parallel

Additional displays can be used with Chromebox 4 via two HDMI outputs. In total, 4K video signals can be received on three screens. The rest of the equipment includes a card reader that can hold microSD format data carriers, a combined audio output via jack and a mandatory Kensington lock for theft protection. Power is supplied via an external power supply included in the delivery, which offers a nominal power of 65 or 90 watts depending on the performance class. The Chromebox 4, which weighs just under 1 kg, can be mounted to the back of compatible monitors or TVs using a VESA bracket.

Since December in North America, this country still lacks the date

Asus will charge just under US $ 290 (excluding tax) for the base model Chromebox 4 for market launch in December 2020. The manufacturer has yet to announce pricing for the other configurations or their launch dates. The cheapest previous generation in this country with a Celeron SoC, 4GB RAM and 32GB M.2 SSD costs the same as a $ 289 Chromebox 3. With a Core i3-8130U and a 64GB SSD, the price rises to at least $ 497, while the currently more powerful Chromebox 3 model with a Core i7-8550U and 16GB of DDR4 RAM and a larger 128GB SSD is available at 869 euros.