Is it what players really need?

ASUS has a robust affect within the gaming market. Its computer systems are beloved by players, typically providing nice worth, efficiency, and wonderful designs. The corporate additionally gives many equipment, PC elements, and different merchandise catering to the gaming group. Now it’s attempting to dominate the nascent gaming Chromebook market with merchandise just like the ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip.

Does this new gaming-focused Chromebook have what it takes to win the hearts of players? Let’s dissect the idea and decipher who this Chromebook is for in our ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip overview.

• ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip (Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage): $769.99
• ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip (Core i5, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage): $869.99

Launched at CES 2023, the ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip is a Chrome OS laptop computer that caters to players. It has {powerful} specs (for a Chromebook) and a gamer-centric design supposed to ship an general nice expertise for native gaming, whereas additionally being optimized for cloud gaming to run extra demanding titles.

It prices $869.99 within the USA if purchased from ASUS instantly, although a less expensive model with much less storage and RAM is obtainable from Amazon and B&H. The mannequin I examined was the highest model within the US with a twelfth gen Alder Lake Intel Core i5 processor with built-in Iris Xe graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. Different variants can be found in numerous markets. For instance, some include an Intel Core i3 processor, and different higher-end fashions embrace the Intel Core i7 chip. 128GB of storage can also be an choice in different markets.

The ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip is simply accessible in Pearl White and comes with an included stylus with its personal storage.

First, let’s speak concerning the product itself. I’ll get extra into the entire gaming side and the very idea of a gaming Chromebook in a separate part, as a result of that subject deserves its personal focus. The ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip is, by far, the best-designed Chromebook I’ve examined to this point, and I’ve examined many.

The Vibe CX34 Flip is constructed superbly. Whereas made largely of plastic, it doesn’t really feel low cost in any respect, and it doesn’t look low cost both. It has a clear white design with a easy emblem. You actually wouldn’t be capable to inform it’s a gaming Chromebook if it wasn’t for the orange WASD buttons and different orange accents — that is removed from the RGB nightmare of some gaming laptops. Its elegant aesthetics guarantee it seems to be at residence in any setting, even an workplace. It feels sturdy, too; and it’s. The unit is MIL-STD 810H compliant, which implies it ought to be capable to face up to a beating gracefully.

Design apart, the pc is super-powerful for a Chromebook. This mannequin has a twelfth gen Intel Core i5 processor — an improve over the eleventh gen chip present in ASUS’ earlier Vibe machine, the bigger Vibe CX55 Flip — and 16GB of RAM. Mix that with the simplicity and effectivity of Chrome OS, and this factor flies. I assumed common Chromebooks had been already quick, however I used to be really impressed to see what extra {powerful} and newer elements can do on this working system. Apps and web sites launched near immediately. And it has Wi-Fi 6E, which implies it might reap the benefits of higher web efficiency when you have a appropriate router and a quick sufficient web connection. I’ve Wi-Fi 6 and a gigabit connection, and it labored amazingly.

I even used it for RAW photograph modifying, and it gave me no hiccups working Lightroom cell. It really appeared to carry out higher than on my Home windows laptop computer with very comparable specs, even when solely by a bit. Can it sport, although? Once more, we’ll speak extra about that later.

The 14-inch 16:10 LCD touchscreen is attractive, even with a 1,920 x 1,200 decision. To not say that the WUXGA panel is dangerous, however many players desire one thing like QHD and even larger lately. Nonetheless, that’s loads to ask from a Chromebook, and it seems to be very good in individual. Plus, it has a 144Hz refresh price, so that you’re in a position to hit some fairly excessive body charges in some video games (albeit with out variable refresh price assist), and basic navigation is fluid. It additionally will get fairly shiny at 400 nits through LED backlights, however I nonetheless wasn’t in a position to view the laptop computer display comfortably in direct daylight. It’s seemingly most individuals gained’t be utilizing it within the solar very a lot, however it’s value noting when you really will.

ASUS has made an enormous deal about its collaboration with Harman/Kardon for the audio system, and the outcomes are nearly as good as we anticipated. The audio is full and loud for a Chromebook, with no distortion to be heard, even when the quantity is maxed out. The audio system nonetheless don’t get loud sufficient to be appreciated comfortably in a loud space, however they’ll work nice in a comparatively quiet room. After all, you are able to do higher with good exterior audio system and there’s a headphone jack for loud and intense gaming periods, however these will work completely in a pinch.

The ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip comes with a backlit chiclet keyboard. ASUS says it’s spill-resistant, however I didn’t dare take a look at that. So far as typing goes, the expertise was nice, general. It’s not an impressive keyboard by any means, however it’s higher than common. The spacing is comfy, it’s fairly clicky, and the important thing journey is fairly good.

Ports are one other space the place the ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip is fairly excellent. It contains a USB-A 3.2 gen 2 port, in addition to a few USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 connections. You need to use one in every of these to increase usability with a very good adapter. There may be additionally a 3.5mm headset jack and a microSD reader. As if these weren’t adequate, you additionally get an HDMI 2.1 port, which helps 4K decision screens, in addition to larger refresh charges. ASUS doesn’t specify max monitor refresh charges, and sadly, I’ve no 4K monitor to check, however the HDMI 2.1 specification might in concept deal with upwards of 120Hz at 4K, although the Vibe CX34 Flip gained’t get near with the ability to push that many frames at such a excessive decision.

Ports are necessary for gaming, and this one goes above and past when in comparison with most conventional Chromebooks. For instance, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 has two USB-C ports, a microSD card slot, and a 3.5mm headset jack. Actually, solely different gaming Chromebooks and higher-end choices just like the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 can get near it.

My first grievance isn’t actually a real grievance, however extra of an commentary. Because the title entails, the display will be flipped all the way in which to make use of in pill mode, if most popular. You may as well use tent mode and all of the in-betweens. This may make you imagine the system is made with a sure degree of mobility in thoughts, however regardless of being smaller and lighter than the earlier CX55 Flip, the Vibe CX34 Flip remains to be fairly massive and heavy to make use of in pill mode.

It weighs 1.81kg (3.99 lbs), which is relatively heavy whenever you examine it to extra svelte, mainstream opponents just like the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2, which is 1.23kg (2.71 lbs). And most different convertible Chromebooks weigh lower than 3 lbs. The physique can also be 20.9mm (0.82 inches) thick, whereas one thing just like the aforementioned Galaxy Chromebook 2 measures in at 15mm (0.55 inches) in thickness. The ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip is an enormous, beefy boy!

I used to be additionally not an enormous fan of the battery life. ASUS claims as much as 10 hours of battery life on a full cost. In my expertise, I used to be averaging extra like seven to eight. That stated, I used to be largely gaming, modifying RAW images, actively searching, or watching movies. A few of these are very resource-intensive duties for a Chromebook, particularly one with such {powerful} specs and a very nice display with excessive refresh charges.

Regardless, seven to eight hours, and even 10 hours, remains to be not dangerous. It simply isn’t excellent on the planet of Chromebooks. Many fashionable Chromebooks can deal with 12 hours or extra, although players know they are going to typically should sacrifice battery life for efficiency.

One factor that did actually annoy me was the battery life on the garaged stylus. The stylus works nice, is responsive, is product of good-quality steel, and is housed comfortably within the laptop computer’s physique. It’s a dream come true for a photographer like me. I used to be utilizing it to edit and loving it, however my enjoyment by no means lasted that lengthy. The stylus would all the time die on me after round 45 minutes of utilization. It was then rendered nugatory and needed to be put again in its slot for charging.

I perceive I could also be asking an excessive amount of because of my lengthy modifying periods, however I really feel like this would possibly hassle many different customers, too. It’s undoubtedly value maintaining in thoughts when you plan to get this Chromebook and really care concerning the stylus.

After all, the 720p webcam can also be fairly dangerous. Contemplating the excessive worth for a Chromebook, a 1080p digital camera wouldn’t have been an excessive amount of to ask for. No less than you get a webcam privateness shutter, although! That’s fairly cool for the security-conscious amongst you.

So then, the Vibe CX34 Flip is a reasonably nice Chromebook, however is it a very good gaming Chromebook? Nicely, it’s nearly as good as it may be, however that doesn’t conceal the truth that Chromebooks aren’t all that good for gaming within the first place.

Chromebooks modified the sport. They democratized the private computing market, providing gadgets that carry out effectively, even on the decrease finish of the pricing spectrum. It additionally helps that these machines are quite simple to function and may effectively do what most individuals do on-line. This made Chrome OS an ideal, inexpensive different to a Home windows or Apple laptop computer for issues like social media, basic net searching, creating paperwork, taking notes, and you may even use Android apps.

For this reason I used to be left scratching my head after I first began listening to about gaming Chromebooks. After spending a while with the ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip, I’m nonetheless scratching my head; I really feel like Chrome OS goes via an id disaster. Let me try to clarify why.

So, these gaming Chromebooks aren’t precisely sensible for native gaming, at the very least proper now. The specs are spectacular for Chrome OS, however not {powerful} sufficient for high-end gaming on a laptop computer. There isn’t any discrete GPU, for starters. To not point out there isn’t a number of true PC video games accessible for Chromebooks. Steam is engaged on this, and the favored platform has a Chrome OS app in beta. I examined it and rapidly realized that taking part in these video games, even utilizing this overpowered Chromebook, was almost unimaginable. Closing Fantasy VII Remake launched, however it solely ran at 10fps, lagged on a regular basis, and crashed continually, even on the bottom settings. It additionally took about 5 minutes to truly launch the sport.

That stated, Steam has a big selection of nice video games and fewer resource-intensive ones will work higher when you dial down the settings.

Cloud gaming labored superbly, although. I used to be in a position to run any sport utilizing NVIDIA GeForce Now, Xbox Sport Move, Amazon Luna, and Boosteroid. After all, you’ll want a secure and quick web connection, however I performed very comfortably for hours on finish. Moreover, Android video games through the Google Play Retailer ran completely — even the extra intensive ones like Asphalt 9: Legends. In order that takes us again to the entire level. These new gaming Chromebooks aren’t designed with working video games domestically in thoughts. They’re made for cloud gaming, and simply so occur to be {powerful} sufficient to run Android video games, identical to how Chromebooks basically are constructed with cloud computing in thoughts, not native apps and storage.

However this can be a Chromebook that prices simply shy of $900 on the high spec. And its principal lure, cloud gaming, can actually be provided by any system, and certainly any Chromebook. NVIDIA GeForce Now’s solely actual Chrome OS requirement is that the system has at the very least 4GB of RAM. Moreover, you possibly can run it on macOS, Home windows, Android, iOS, Android TV, and even a browser, amongst different platforms. So if you need a tool for cloud gaming, it can probably be the one you’re really studying this overview on, or nearly another.

Now, let’s say you do care about native gaming, and Chromebooks begin launching with devoted GPUs, they usually can run critical titles. This one is already $869.99. Throwing a devoted GPU at it should solely inflate the value additional. At that time, gaming Chromebook producers will intently compete with very critical laptops working an precise desktop OS in all its glory. There are all kinds of {powerful} Home windows laptops on the similar worth or much less, which might do each native and cloud gaming. And when you occur to desire Apple, we’ve seen the MacBook Air M1 go for as little as $799 when offers come up. Restricted sport assist on macOS apart (albeit greater than Chrome OS), it gives blisteringly quick efficiency, is a dependable on a regular basis software, and it might simply run video games within the cloud.

Likewise, whereas gaming Chromebooks just like the Vibe CX34 Flip and the Acer Chromebook 516 GE are handsome, feature-rich, performant, and provide an general premium expertise, so do many others. Highly effective, high quality Chromebooks exist already. The one distinction is that they could not have that gaming aesthetic. And, in fact, that’s a sound argument. We regularly get issues primarily based on how they give the impression of being, however simply know that it might be the one actual differentiator between one thing just like the ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip and one of many many different premium Chromebooks you should buy.

So, after some powerful love concerning the state of gaming Chromebooks as an idea, the place do I stand with the ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip? You would possibly assume I wouldn’t advocate it, however I really love the system! It has a fantastic display, good audio, blazing efficiency, ports galore, a helpful stylus, and an impressive design. I would really like the way it seems to be and feels even when I wasn’t a gamer, and its formidable specs imply it’s completely able to dealing with productiveness workloads which are out of attain for some common Chromebooks.

My complaints had been only a few, they usually had been largely relating to issues I’d contemplate common or primary versus dangerous. It’s definitely not essentially the most transportable Chromebook you may get, battery life is merely OK, and its principal promoting level — cloud gaming — is obtainable on far cheaper gadgets that don’t want top-end specs to stream AAA video games. Should you don’t want all this energy or want one thing just a little extra transportable, there are many different nice Chromebooks to contemplate.

Total although, the ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip is an impressive Chrome OS laptop computer. Should you like Chrome OS, and worth a high-quality pc, then this Chromebook is certainly one you’ll get pleasure from. You’ll simply must set your expectations and know what you’re getting is a succesful gaming Chromebook, not a fantastic gaming laptop computer.