A Chromebox is likely one of the finest desktop computer systems for most individuals. Whereas the very best Chromebooks are extra broadly recognized and extra various of their choices, Chromeboxes are a comparatively small market the place you might have one possibility from every main producer that will get up to date each few years.
It’s a good time to be a Chromebox person, as we’re getting updates to the 2 hottest Chromeboxes available on the market. Whereas we might even see different Chromeboxes come out within the first half of 2024, the ASUS Chromebox 4 is the one you may need to purchase for the additional ports and the additional energy.
At a look
Finest total
With 5 USB ports, a large processor choice, and enormous storage choices, the ASUS Chromebox 4 has the whole lot you would need in a Chromebox.
Finest price range
HP makes high quality computer systems and the Chromebox G3 isn’t any exception to that. It is an inexpensive Chromebox with 4 USB-A ports, and it could energy two 4K displays directly (although the dearth of a second USB-C port may be a dealbreaker for some).
3. ASUS Fanless Chromebox
Finest for enterprise
The ASUS Fanless Chromebox affords a low upkeep design and that is supposed for placement in areas with little airflow, giving it quite a lot of flexibility for enterprise use, similar to driving a money register.
Finest desktop various
Whereas it would not include a monitor, keyboard, or a mouse, the Acer Chromebox CXI5 Â is an inexpensive choose for anybody trying to make use of their Chromebox as a desktop pc for common use.
Finest total
ASUS makes a number of the finest Chromebooks for work, and it is by no means afraid to squeeze in each little characteristic and port it could to try to stand out in an more and more aggressive Chrome Enterprise area. Because of this whether or not you are shopping for the enterprise model or consumer-grade, all of us profit from ASUS’s dedication to being probably the most highly effective and detailed machine for the job, and the ASUS Chromebox 4 isn’t any exception.
In a desktop world the place most work-from-homers want to attach a mouse, keyboard, webcam, and USB mic, it is easy for all your USB-A ports to refill, so ASUS opted for 5 USB-A ports somewhat than the 4 ports on the HP G3.
You get two HDMI ports for supporting twin 4K displays and a USB-C port for including extra peripherals or a 3rd monitor through a USB-C hub. After all, you want the ability to assist all these shows, so ASUS is packing a tenth Gen Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 inside together with 8-16GB of RAM.
Storage is one other space the place ASUS takes a slight edge over HP and Acer. To this point, all the ASUS Chromebox 4 configurations have SSD storage, both 128GB or 256GB. Because of this the Chromebox 4 is quicker total as a result of it isn’t being held again by eMMC storage, and there is much more room for Linux apps or offline recordsdata.
Truthfully, even should you do not want a full-time desktop, the ASUS Chromebox 4 may make a pleasant little media PC between assist for nearly all Android media apps and the total Chrome browser for these area of interest providers that do not assist Chromecasting.
ASUS is opting to maintain the bundle and delivery prices small for the Chromebox 4 by skipping the mouse and keyboard within the field. Contemplating {that a} nice Chromebook mouse may be had for lower than a big pizza and extra producers are making Chrome OS-specific keyboards, I am OK with this, particularly if it shaves a couple of {dollars} off the Chromebox 4’s greater value tags.
Finest price range
HP was one of many first to announce its next-gen Chromeboxes, and it was additionally the primary to begin promoting them. Intel’s Tenth-generation processor powers HP’s Chromebox G3 and Chromebox Enterprise G3, and there’s a cheaper Celeron possibility, making it our price range choose.
To accompany these processors, HP consists of as much as 16GB of DDR4 RAM and as much as 128GB of storage — although, for the 32-64GB fashions, you get slower eMMC storage versus the 128GB M.2 SSD. Like most Chromebooks, the HP Chromebox G3 has a MicroSD slot for including some additional storage if that storage is not sufficient.
Because of how USB-C is turning into extra ubiquitous, HP added a single USB-C port on the again with twin USB-A ports, twin HDMI ports, and an Ethernet jack. These twin HDMI ports will come in useful for many who need to use a number of displays, because the Chromebox G3 can energy two 4K displays.
Whereas the Chromebox G3 sports activities a complete of 4 USB-A ports — two up entrance and two within the again — and a USB-C port, I want there was a second USB-C port. With so a lot of our gadgets already that includes the USB-C port, the power to plug in a USB-C exhausting drive and USB-C monitor along with plugging in a telephone or peripheral would’ve been good with out having to interrupt out the USB-A adapters or USB-C hubs. Having 4 USB-A ports will make issues simpler for these with older peripherals, even when it would not have as many because the ASUS Chromebox 4.
One different small frustration with the G3 is that it isn’t broadly obtainable. It drifts out and in of inventory on HP’s web site, and B&H usually solely has the Celeron mannequin in inventory, so should you want one proper now, you may both must seize that cheaper Celeron mannequin or go along with ASUS. There are additionally a couple of older G2 fashions drifting round, however please do not overpay for them as a result of the G3 or the ASUS Chromebox 4 have double the assist life forward of it because of the June 2028 AUE date.
Finest for enterprise
Chromeboxes are wonderful gadgets for POS and digital signal purposes and are equally at house in industrial environments as mild workstations. You want to purchase an appropriate mannequin, and the brand new Fanless Chromebox from ASUS may be it.
It is designed particularly to be mounted inside a cupboard and forgotten about. You’ll be able to lengthen the ability change for upkeep and the fanless cooling design means you needn’t add quite a lot of airflow. This makes it excellent to drive a money register or bar code scanner workstation in addition to one thing you may cover away to energy a digital signal or menu.
It should additionally work simply positive for house use, although you should purchase the Chromebox 4 in an identical configuration of processor and reminiscence for much less. In order for you a PC you may stuff it away inside a scorching leisure middle, although, this may be the one you want.
Finest desktop various
In the event you’re simply trying to change your desktop pc for one which runs on Chrome OS, the best choice would be the Acer Chromebox CXI5. This inexpensive Chromebox has a ton of configurable RAM and storage, and there are a plethora of ports — together with three show inputs — on this mini-PC. An included VESA adapter permits you to mount it to the again of your monitor. That truly results in the largest letdown with this Chromebox: you may want to supply your individual monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
If you have already got a desktop setup and simply need to change your PC, this possible is not going to be a difficulty, but it surely’s one to be conscious of. That stated, the Acer Chromebox CXI5 continues to be a really perfect alternative for anybody simply wanting a Chromebox for common on a regular basis use.
How to decide on
Is it a very good time to purchase a Chromebox?
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Final yr was a transitional yr for Chromeboxes. You will discover them more often than not, however particular fashions are sometimes bought out. It is nonetheless a very good time to purchase should you see what you want or are prepared to attend for it to come back into inventory.
We’ll have wider availability within the subsequent six months, however these Chromeboxes have the identical guts beneath their chassis and have the identical Auto Replace Expiration date of June 2028. The ASUS Chromebox 4 has one additional USB-A port over the HP Chromebox G3 and extra SSD configuration choices, so should you want the very best Chromebook proper now, the ASUS Chromebox 4 is your winner. However actually, both of the mainstream Chromeboxes at present obtainable from ASUS and HP are nice choices.
In the event you want one thing you may tuck away and by no means see once more, the ASUS Fanless Chromebox may be just right for you. It is designed for industrial and industrial purposes and could be excellent because the brains for a POS system or a digital menu.
A transitional time for Chromeboxes
There are few choices available on the market when discovering the very best Chromebox as you would discover with the very best Chromebooks, so the pickings are slim, particularly proper now as retailers and producers are switching from previous fashions to new ones. Nonetheless, now that the brand new era Chromeboxes will see Chrome OS updates till June 2028, they will final for a protracted, very long time, and so they’re user-upgradable if that you must up the reminiscence and storage.
The ASUS Chromebox 4 is what you’ll anticipate to see from the very best Chromebox. The Intel Core i3 and i5 fashions obtainable proper now are highly effective and can simply final you the following eight years. Each configuration has the ports and energy that you must have an amazing expertise whereas staying safe and up-to-date with Google’s Chrome software program. We predict it is the perfect Chromebox for everybody.
