Just like the mediocre high quality of the show, the touchpad can also be relatively middling. I’ve used worse, however its plastic floor isn’t as easy and responsive as glass ones. The press mechanism is loud and requires an excessive amount of effort to press. It is also free, so you’ll be able to depress the touchpad with out registering a click on. All of that is widespread in low-cost laptops, and over time, it’s one thing I feel I may get used to. However while you leap again to one thing extra premium, you’ll discover an enormous distinction. The keyboard isn’t fairly as troublesome, however the keys do really feel squishier than I like. I do not thoughts the grippy texture on the keycaps.
There’s a strong collection of ports, together with HDMI 1.4, USB-A 3.2, USB-C 3.2, a USB-C port for charging, and a headphone jack. It’s effectively rounded, however there’s an issue: They’re all on one facet. You’ll solely discover a Kensington lock slot on the precise facet of the system. Sadly, which means you’ll solely be capable to cost the laptop computer from the left facet.
Simply Sufficient Energy
{Photograph}: Luke Larsen
There are two variations of the Asus Chromebook CX14 obtainable proper now. My evaluate unit was the dearer configuration, which comes with extra of every little thing—a quicker CPU, twice as a lot RAM (8 GB), and twice as a lot storage (128 GB). The processor is the Core 3 Collection 1, in any other case generally known as the Intel Core 3 N355. It’s an fascinating chip, utilizing solely eight effectivity cores and no efficiency cores, in comparison with the standard dual-core setup of the Celeron chips.
Efficiency isn’t something to jot down house about, although it was 38 p.c quicker within the Speedometer 3.1 benchmark than the Celeron-based Asus Chromebook CX15 I examined final month. Meaning internet functions really feel a bit snappier and extra responsive, particularly when you have got quite a bit happening on the similar time. It’s exhausting to argue with the value of that cheaper configuration (particularly when it’s on sale), however in case you intend to make use of the CX14 for lively work or learning, you’ll recognize the enhance to efficiency and additional storage.
Asus claims the CX14 lasts for eight hours on a cost. In my checks, it lasts for about that lengthy. Thoughts you, that is on native video playback with the display at 100 lux—not precisely a heavy load. My regular work day use dropped that down by fairly a bit, and I actually wanted a recharge in the course of the day. So no, that’s nowhere close to as long-lasting because the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, neither is it akin to extra premium laptops just like the MacBook Air or Floor Laptop computer. However for a laptop computer of this value, it’s respectable.
