ASUSChromebook Plus CX34 Laptop with Google AI, 14" Display (1920x1080), Intel® Core™ i3-1215U Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB UFS Storage, ChromeOS, White, CX3402CBA-DH386-WH

For the price point this laptop delivers an amazing amount of value. I hadn't considered Chromebooks before because I thought of them as underpowered machines that could only do the most basic tasks, but that definitely isn't true here. This laptop boots up within seconds and runs extremely smoothly even when handling a lot of different browser tabs and apps at once. I'm sure it wouldn't be able to compete with computers like a Macbook Pro if you threw computationally intensive tasks at it (video editing, etc.), but it would be unreasonable to expect that at this price point.The touchpad is very generously sized and the keyboard is very comfortable and has a good amount of travel, which I prefer to the flatter keyboards on Macbooks. USB-C charging is also a nice touch as you could use a phone charger on this laptop in a pinch. The construction is plastic, not metal, but it feels very solid and I expect it to hold up well. If you are an Android user, there are a lot of useful integrations with your phone. The availability of many Android and Linux apps (for developers and open source enthusiasts) also opens up a lot of possibilities.Overall, I'd highly recommend this computer as long as you don't absolutely need apps that are only found on Windows or Mac.

Excellent value for all the capabilities it has. Exceptionally easy to use! Compact and lightweight so it travels well.

Wanted to buy a Chromebook based on the ratio of cost to value. At $399 this 2023 Chromebook plus has delivered on both aspects. It is fast, has RAM and ROM to spare and an array of ports to attach virtually as much external equipment and memory as possible. Mine is set up with a single micro SD dongle that provides an additional 512 gigabytes of external memory giving it a total of 750 gigabytes of "lightening" memory. It has state of the art Bluetooth capabilities and, importantly for me, allows you to hook up any Bluetooth mouse. At 14"'s, the screen is large and clear. It has a multitude of easy to use settings providing a wide range of variable options. Net, I am extremely impressed and pleased with this purchase. I strongly recommend it to anyone in the market for a new, state of the art computer. Michaelpaul50

Ok system. Buggy, no biometrics. Battery not great. Ok for the money.

This is a great Chromebook Plus machine. You get ONE year of Gemini and some storage with that. That alone covers good chunk of the cost. Actually all CB+ have this bundled offer. Anyways, this Asus model has lots of USB ports and full HDMI. I like everything except the screen. I wish it was a little brighter and colors didn't look washed out. Overall very fairly priced machine and if you take advantage of the AI offer, it's a stellar deal.

The media could not be loaded. This was a great deal, but is fantastic quality. It is a bit heavy, but for a 14" screen with multiple connection types and a ton of space, that really isn't a complaint. Battery life has been great so far. I went back and forth on whether I really cared about a touch screen, and though I have admittedly swiped at the screen a few times, I think I will quickly adjust as my particular needs don't require touch screen.

Second follow-up: This chromebook is worthless.My previous review and follow-up are below. Since the first follow-up, here are the other things to note:-Battery life: After about 8 months, the battery holds a charge for about 4 hours, less than half of what it originally held.- The track pad works for maybe 15 to 20 minutes, then stops working. It works again only if you power down the chromebook and power back up. So, now I have to use an external keyboard and a mouse. Any reason for having a laptop is gone.This Asus chromebook is absolute garbage. Don't waste your money on one.Follow-up, 2 months after original review:My original review appears below. I've dropped my rating on this Chromebook from 3 stars to 2. It clearly has issues related to the keyboard. I've had to start using an external keyboard, because no matter how carefully I type on the Chromebook keyboard the cursor randomly jumps to another place on the screen. With an external keyboard, the cursor behaves normally. So much for the convenience of having a laptop when you have to carry a separate keyboard with you wherever you go.Bottom Line: I don't recommend this Chromebook. There's no way I'd buy another Asus product.---------------------Original Review (November 2023):I bought this after my old Chromebook died. I read a bunch of "best Chromebooks" articles on line, saw this one mentioned a couple of times, and figured it would be a good choice. I should have taken more time to shop. This will work for most of my needs, but after using it for a while I realized I could have gotten another mediocre Chromebook for about half the price without sacrificing functionality.Bottom Line: Shop around. You'll probably find a better deal than this one. I wouldn't recommend it to family or friends.Various pluses and minuses:- No touch screen. I rarely used the touch screen on my previous Chromebook, but on this one I find myself missing that feature. Really, what’s the point of a laptop that can open 180 degrees if you can’t take advantage of a touch screen? Plenty of Chromebooks costing less than this one offer that feature.- What exactly is the “Plus” of a Chromebook Plus? This has the same basic keyboard as other Chromebooks. It has no better battery life than regular Chromebooks. The audio is inferior to my old Chromebook’s.- Bright display with great detail and color saturation.- Looks nice, with the pearl white / light grey color scheme.- Backlit keyboard is a major plus.- Oversized touchpad creates problems if you’re like me and tend to rest the heel of your palms on the deck while typing. You’ll find the cursor jumping all over the place or the screen scrolling down if your palm presses on the touchpad. I’ve had to learn to type without letting any part of my hand other than my fingers touch the computer.- Despite at least a decade of Chromebooks being available, they still refuse to include a Delete key or a Caps Lock key or Page Up/Page Down/Home/End keys. And even though this is a 14-inch display laptop, there is no 10-key numeric pad, even though there's plenty of room for one.- Audio quality is really poor. The speakers are on the bottom of the laptop. If you're going to listen to music, get ready to be disappointed.- Battery life is pretty unimpressive. I use the Chromebook for internet browsing (including viewing videos) and for minor document creation and editing. I usually have between 3 and 5 tabs open. I have not gotten more than 8 hours out of a full charge. The battery indicator is erratic and can't be relied on. (My old Chromebook used to get at least 10 hours on a full charge.)

The Chromebook is responsive, light, a good sized screen, and was very easy to set up.