While Chromebooks aren’t exactly known for their high-caliber performance, they can still get a lot of work done especially for buyers after a laptop that can handle the basics, at least as far as productivity goes – schoolwork, office documents, and the occasional social media and streaming binge. With that in mind, folks looking for an ideal candidate might want to take a sneak peek at ASUS’ newest Chromebook, the ExpertBook CX54 Chromebook Plus (quite a mouthful, we’ll admit). It does pack some interesting hardware, which we’ll take a look at today.
Internal Specs and Performance
While Chrome OS doesn’t typically require high-powered hardware, ASUS has nonetheless included Intel’s latest Core Ultra 7 processor, which works alongside 16 GB of LPDDR5x RAM. There’s also 512GB of built-in storage inside, meaning that there’s a ton of space to store your files. There’s also Google’s Titan C2 chip inside which adds a bit of security and protects important information and user data. Wireless connectivity options include support for Wifi 6E, which is a much-welcome feature, especially in this day and age.
As this is a Chrome OS-powered laptop, the ExpertBook CX54 will of course perform slightly differently from Windows-powered machines, as well as Apple’s line of MacBooks. With that in mind, you do get access to a lot of apps and services from Google, and Microsoft staples such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint, OneDrive, and more.
Design and Display
Opening the laptop presents you with a 14-inch touchscreen, which comes with a rather sharp 2560×1600 pixel resolution, a 16:10 aspect ratio, and up to 500 nits of brightness. The laptop also features very slim bezels, resulting in an 89% screen-to-body ratio. This display is wrapped in a sleek metal body, weighing around 1.3 kg, and measuring just 1.69cm which makes it pretty ideal to bring around on long commutes, flights, and such.
Don’t let the slim build fool you, however – ASUS adds that the laptop is designed to work with US MIL-STD 810H standards, meaning that it’s been tested to withstand knocks and bumps and survive a nasty fall or two. Still, we wouldn’t recommend chucking the ExpertBook CX54 out of a window or into a swimming pool.
Other Features
Other hardware details include a built-in webcam with an 8MP resolution, which ASUS says can support video calling in less-than-ideal lighting conditions, and high-resolution image and video capture. The camera also supports a choice between 1080 and 720p mode, and according to ASUS “provides the largest light-gathering sensitive pixel area among current Chromebooks.”
For hardware connectivity, you’ll find a pair of Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports and an HDMI 2.1 port, which allows the ExpertBook CX54 to connect to up to three 4K external displays. There are also two traditional USB Type-A ports, including a microSD Card slot for easy and handy extra storage.
Interested buyers can grab the ASUS ExpertBook CX54 Chromebook Plus with a Chrome Enterprise Upgrade, which comes with added protection and security via automatic updates, easy-to-use device management in the Google Admin console, and 24/7 support from Google.
