Since the launch of Chrome OS Linux apps in 2018, manufacturers have been in an arms race to produce better, more powerful Chromebooks to meet developers and other power users ‘ performance demands. ASUS unveiled its latest Chrome OS flagship device, the ASUS Chromebook Flip C436, at CES 2020, and it’s a real spec sheet stuffer.
ASUS has created a variety of beloved devices over the years that reach the sweet spots between price, performance and style. Most recently, the ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 delivered the Google Pixelbook experience at a significantly lower price, making it a top spot on our Best Chromebooks list.
ASUS is launching a high-performance version of the C434, known as the ASUS Chromebook Flip C436, starting in 2020 with a bang. Unlike its predecessor, the Flip C436 offers up to 10th-generation Intel i7 processor laptop-grade — which will blow the doors off most other Chromebooks including the Go Pixelbook — and 16 GB RAM.
Most importantly, the unique feature of the ASUS Chromebook Flip C436 is that it uses a proper NVMe solid state drive instead of the eMMC storage used in almost every Chromebook. While that might not sound impressive on its own, it will have a major impact on your daily use of Chrome OS and its file manager. So far, only two Chromebooks— the original Pixelbook’s highest model and the Chromebook business Dell Latitude — have offered NVMe storage.
Looking past the performance features the new convertible from ASUS also offers many of the same niceties seen on other Chromebooks at CES this year, such as WiFi 6, a fingerprint reader, and Universal Stylus Initiative support. For Chromebook Flip C436, no launch date has yet been announced, and pricing will likely vary depending on the model you choose.
