Each January, the Client Electronics Present units the tech stage for the upcoming yr. There are literally thousands of merchandise launched, lots of which received’t even be accessible for just a few months. And yearly, I’ve seen ten or extra new Chromebooks and ChromeOS units. Apart from this yr. CES 2024 was principally a bust for brand new Chromebooks.
What new Chromebooks launched at CES?
Barely a handful of ChromeOS laptops had been introduced. Of these, the Asus Expertbook CX54 Chromebook Plus was really pre-announced again in December. The Asus CM30 ChromeOS pill obtained some press in November. Present attendees additionally obtained a have a look at the new Lenovo Chromebox Micro. That too was a December information merchandise.
About the one new Chromebooks I discovered about from CES are a trio of “goal constructed” laptops from HP. You’ll be able to learn the official launch on the brand new Fortis Chromebooks right here.
The TL; DR abstract: These are rugged 11- and 14-inch Chromebooks with Intel quad-core processors. Costs vary between $309 and $369, relying on the mannequin. In different phrases, they’re ideally suited for subject staff and within the schooling sector.
The Chromebook Plus launch pre-CES
When Google and its {hardware} companions launched the Chromebook Plus fashions in October, I had a sneaking suspicion that CES can be non-event for ChromeOS. Why? As a result of the Chromebook market isn’t like the normal Home windows PC market.
Earlier than, throughout and after CES, you’ll be able to at all times discover new Home windows PC {hardware} launching. There are laptops for on a regular basis customers, for creators, for avid gamers, for… properly, nearly everybody. And lots of of these product launches heart across the chip designer cycle.
Which means: When Intel and/or AMD debut new CPUs, you see a slew of recent computer systems launch over the next months.
The Chromebook market isn’t fairly like that. ChromeOS laptops are likely to get the newest CPUs properly after the PC distributors get them in Home windows machines. An ideal instance of that is the Chromebook Plus fashions at launch: A number of used twelfth gen Intel silicon despite the fact that thirteenth gen chips formally launched in October of 2022!
The purpose right here is that this. As soon as the Chromebook Plus fashions launched, I figured most of Google’s {hardware} companions would journey that out for at the least six months. With CES solely three months after the Plus launch, I didn’t count on a lot.
Kudos to Asus who at the least has a uncommon 14th gen Intel, or Meteor Lake, Chromebook Plus on the best way.
Will 2024 be a continued bust for Chromebooks?
Circling again to the start of my ideas, I discussed that CES units the stage for the approaching yr. With such a dearth of ChromeOS units at this yr’s occasion does that imply 2024 can be a wash for Chromebooks?
I don’t assume so. I feel this entire state of affairs was certainly one of semi-bad timing.
If Google had deliberate for the Chromebook Plus launch at CES, it might need been higher. However working with numerous {hardware} companions, completely different chipsets and managing the software program is like herding cats.
So the Chromebook Plus linueup launched when it was prepared. And that meant with some older CPUs and tweaks on current fashions relatively than utterly new units.
As soon as laptop computer distributors get via their preliminary wave of recent Home windows PCs, we must always see extra up to date Chromebook fashions accessible. They need to at the least have Intel’s thirteenth gen chipsets inside though some, like Asus, will bounce proper to even newer CPUs. In any case, we’d like that improved silicon for AI options. (Be aware: I’m not bought on that simply but.)
We even have the reported ending of Qualcomm’s unique partnership with Microsoft’s Home windows on ARM effort this yr. I’m hoping that’s true and that we will lastly get a few of the higher Snapdragon chips inside Chromebooks and ChromeOS tablets. Or perhaps even some ARM chips from AMD and/or Nvidia. Extra silicon choices can be welcome in ChromeOS-land.
Even when CES wasn’t a showcase to set expectations, there’s a lot to stay up for within the Chromebook area in 2024. Let’s see the place the yr takes us.
