Asus Chromebit: Cheapest Mini Desktop Runs Chrome OS on Any TV, HDMI Device
The Asus Chromebit is a new, stick-shaped PC that plugs into any TV or HDMI device and operates Chrome OS.
A major selling point of the new device is its price, retailing for just $85, CNet reports.
Laptops keep getting cheaper, with some Windows 10 portables costing under $200. Tiny PC sticks like the Intel Compute Stick, which plug into TVs or other devices, usually cost about $119.
Desktops that run Chrome OS are usually called Chromeboxes, leading Asus to nickname the new device, which comes in stick form, the Chromebit.
The Chromebit resembles an oversized USB drive. In order to operate it, users plug the device into a TV or external monitor through the HDMI port. Users will also need an external mouse and keyboard, which can be connected either via USB or Bluetooth. However, the Chromebit only offers one USB port.
Given its small size, the device relies on the cloud for storage. Users can work on documents via Google Docs and create spreadsheets with Google Sheets. There is only 16GB of internal storage, so offline work must remain minimal.
Chromebit also uses a different chip than most budget laptops and stick PCs. Instead of using the Intel Atom processor like the Intel Compute Stick and the HP Stream 11 use, the Chromebit uses a Chinese-made, ARM-based CPU from Rockchip. This processor is very cheap to use, but performs at nearly the same level as the Intel Atom chip.
This stick PC is not for everyone, but it gets the job done for an extremely cheap price. It is not technically ultra-portable, since users will need a keyboard and mouse in order to operate the device. However, business travelers can usually find a portable keyboard and mouse to take along with them, making the Chromebit a solid option on the go.
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of latinpost.com