Update 6/16/2015 1:30PM: The Asus Chromebook Flip is now available for pre-order at a few online retailers, like CDW. It’s $249 for a model with 2GB of RAM, or $279 for 4GB of RAM.
Google announced the development of the Asus Chromebook Flip on March 31, which has a 360-degree hinge to provide both a tablet and laptop experience. The company says that it will ship in six to eight weeks, and it will retail for $249, according to PC World.
In addition to having the ability to flip the display for tablet use, the product has a touchscreen and a 10.1-inch IPS display. The Chromebook Flip weighs less than two pounds, and it’s completely composed of metal. This makes it a durable, portable computer for consumers who are always on the go.
A Rockchip 3288 processor will power the Chromebook Flip, and it will have 2GB of RAM and 16GB of eMMC flash memory. With its processors, Rockchip has been enabling Google to create more powerful Chromebooks without breaking the bank.
This is one of several Chrome OS devices that will be shipping out in the coming months with a Rockchip 3288 processor. Google recently announced the development of the Chromebit, which is being described as a “computer-on-a-stick.” There’s also a number of new Chromebooks based on the chip from Asus, CTL, Haier and others.
A high-end version of the Chromebook Flip will also be released, which upgrades to 4GB of RAM and 16GB of SSD. On a single charge, the device will be able to operate for up to 10 hours on battery power. It has 802.11ac Wi-Fi, as well as 4.0 Bluetooth.
Asus’ Chromebook Flip is not a particularly unusual system from a hardware standpoint, but its design is certainly odd for a Chromebook. Our past experience with Chrome OS systems that have a touchscreen has been enjoyable, though, so it’s possible the Flip could be an extremely competent convertible.
