Skip to main content

Asus may turn to ARM processors for its latest low-cost Chromebook

asus may turn to arm processors for its latest low cost chromebook
Image used with permission by copyright holder
When it comes to budget laptops, undercutting your competitors by just a few dollars can make all the difference. That’s why, with ASUS soon to launch what it describes as its “most affordable Chromebook to date,” it may well have replaced its usual Intel CPUs with one from Chinese ARM licensee, Rockchip.

Although not officially announced, an image has appeared online of the upcoming Asus Chromebook C201, with its listed internal specs highlighting its use of the quad-core, Rockchip 3288-C ARM CPU. This goes along with 2GB of DDR3 RAM, an 11.6-inch 1,366 x 768 display and 16GB of eMMC on board storage. It’s also described as having a battery that lasts up to 10 hours at a time.

chromebookc201-transparent
OMGChrome

The image stems from a catalogue for school computers from Phoenix-based reseller Troxell and puts the Chromebook alongside the likes of the Acer Chromebook 13 and the Asus Transformer pad, which use Nvidia Tegra K1 and Intel Bay Trail-T processors respectively. That means the C201 is likely outclassed by most of its close competitors, so expect a budget price.

Considering the new Chromebook is being pitched as being ultra-affordable, this could mean that it costs as little as $200. Maybe even less, as Acer already sells Intel-powered Chromebooks for the same.

Ultimately we’ll need to wait until Asus makes an official announcement. However, with catalogues going out to schools already, it can’t be long before the C201 is ready for shipping and in that case, those eager to try one out, will get their hands on it within the next few months.

Editors' Recommendations

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is the Evergreen Coordinator for Computing, overseeing a team of writers addressing all the latest how to…
This is the absolute best Asus Chromebook deal for Cyber Monday
Asus Chromebook Flip C434

Walmart may just have the best Chromebook deal this Cyber Monday. It has discounted Asus’ excellent Chromebook C425 by 40% bringing it down to $279 from its $449 street price. The deal seems to a Walmart-exclusive so far and is not available on any other retailer.

The Asus Chromebook C425 is for anyone who’s looking for a run-in-the-mill notebook without a touchscreen or any convertible tricks. It offers a 14-inch 1080p display that goes nearly edge-to-edge except for at the bottom. The model Walmart is selling for $279 runs on an Intel Core M3 chipset, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of onboard storage.

Read more
The XPS 16 is fighting an uphill battle against the MacBook Pro
Dell XPS 16 sitting on desktop with flowers.

It took a few years, but Dell finally updated the design of its two largest XPS laptops. The XPS 15 gave way to the XPS 14, while the XPS 17 was replaced by the XPS 16. The latter gained the ultramodern look of the XPS 13 Plus, complete with a glass palm rest, a hidden haptic touchpad, and a row of LED function keys.

It's a significant update but places the XPS 16 in direct competition with the Apple MacBook Pro 16. That's an excellent matchup with proven performance and battery life and an elegant design that's solid, if a lot more conservative.
Specs and configurations

Read more
These 4K monitors are discounted at Best Buy — from $200
The Sony InZone M9 sitting next to a PlayStation 5.

A 4K monitor is a great way of enjoying an enhanced image as you work with more pixels, higher resolutions, and often better colors too. Over at Best Buy, there are some great monitor deals squarely focused on all things 4K. There are dozens of 4K monitors in the sale so the smart move is to hit the button below to see what’s there for yourself. If you want some help though, we’re here. We’ve picked out a few highlights in the sale so take a look for yourself.

What to shop for in the Best Buy 4K monitor sale
Samsung makes some of the best monitors around so why not start with the ? It’s currently reduced by $150 so it costs just $200. Its IPS panel looks great with AMD FreeSync support effectively eliminating screen tears and stutters. There’s also HDR support which brings with it some great looking colors while wide viewing angles mean it looks great from any perspective.

Read more