The Asus Chromebook Flip 3400 might not be the latest gaming Chromebook however, because of its top-quality internals including the option of getting an 11th-gen i7 and 16GB RAM this device is quite efficient for a low-power fanless design.
The price of $980 could be shocking to some but developers and people who require the highest specs are likely to be satisfied with the specs they receive.
However, there are some things to talk about such as low nits or weak speakers and the extremely cheap stylus. But that’s not what this review is about. If you’ve been trying to purchase an one of the top Chromebooks available and price isn’t your primary concern, there’s lot to love about it. Asus Chromebook Flip CX3400. Let’s get into it.
Hardware, design what’s inside the box
If you’ve ever seen one of the top 2-in-1 convertible Chromebooks, such as that of the Acer Chromebook Spin 513 (2H), you’ve seen them all. There’s not much to distinguish this one, but it’s a good choice. Asus Chromebook Flip CX3400. It’s not anything bad it’s just that the CX3400 will not be winning any design prizes. It’s a typical 2-in-1 device with Asus located across the middle, and Chrome’s logo on the corner.
The lid’s top is made of aluminum, making an excellent feel but the rest is glass and plastic. In all honesty I was a bit surprised to find this many plastics on an item that costs $980. The plastic is able to keep the weight low and, The whole device is extremely solid. It’s not flexy when you hold the device with one hand against an edge. Even with the lid on it’s not going to shake like the majority of laptops when you hold the device on the edge of the box. This is a solid model that is able to stand enough to withstand some pounding in bags, so it’s intended for use rather than flash.
As a 2-in-1 device that is able to function as tablet, you require sturdy hinges that stand the strain of many folds. You cannot flip the lid of your laptop open with one hand, let alone using one hand. This is the downside for many 2-in-1s. However, you might find it irritating having to use two hands every time you need to open the laptop.
Despite its somewhat dull exterior however, the internals of the CX3400 Flip are impressive if you opt for the 11th-gen I7 model. Remember that it’s a low-power chip which is cooled passively, therefore there are more efficient i7s available but the benefit is no noise from fans. Additionally, the absence of moving parts means that there’s less breakage when throwing the device around. And clearly the design was made for portability , thanks to the large amount of plastic making the body.
There’s also the 16GB RAM as well as 512GB of storage in the i7 model which are both very powerful specifications that make sure you have plenty of Chrome tabs open while also storing all of your Android and Linux apps as you could manage. This device was built to do the job and comes with specs that are at the most powerful models.
There are ports. The first is an micro-SD slot, which means you’ll be able to expand the internal storage capacity if you need more space. It’s located on the left and is accompanied by an USB 2.0 port and a USB-C port. an 3.5mm headphone socket, and the stylus slots included. There’s an additional USB 2.0 port as well as a USB-C port to the right side of the device. It’s also the place where the volume rocker as well as power button are found. Both USB-C ports are able to recharge the gadget, but the device has only one charging LED which is located to the right.
There are ports for speakers on the left and right sides, and on the front. Additionally, there are grill cutouts at the bottom, which means that sound is able to escape easily through multiple grills.
If you lift the lid and open the lid, you’ll see an camera in the deck on the right. The thing that’s peculiar about the camera is it’s standing there, in a strange position. The camera is on the deck, so you can fold it into a tablet, with cameras in the rear. However, here’s the thing that’s odd is that the camera located in the top bezel of the screen is equipped with a privacy shield which you can slide down over the camera to block it. Why would you want to block one camera and only one? Maybe this camera isn’t working even when it’s not folded but if I don’t trust the software to be able to use a blocker on one cam on top, doesn’t it be the same for the bottom camera?
What’s inside the box, it’s an Chromebook and doesn’t include all that much more than the laptop with its stylus. The box includes a charger cable and power brick, as well as an envelope that comes with the box that contains the warranty, the setup instructions and a month-long free trial for GeForce Now.
The 14-inch touch display has its own style even although it’s only 1080 pixels. The resolution is a middle ground that ensures that performance and scaling are kept to a minimum to ensure it’s possible that Android and Linux applications don’t appear terribly unnatural — and it also ensures that the device remains cool as it doesn’t have to show anything at demanding 4K. The colors pop, the blacks are pretty dark, and the display is typically a delight to look at inside.
With only 250nits of brightness it’s not a good screen outside. Additionally, it’s a highly reflective screen and the sunlight and bright lights are your enemy when you use the CX3400. This is a shame as I’d like to see a more powerful brightness screen for this price. Additionally I can see the perfect possibility of offering matt screens for an alternative, something that I would like manufacturers had thought about in these prices. It would be great to be able to see the screen clearly throughout the day and not just in the home or at the office.
The glass of the screen is in line with the case because it’s a 2-in-1 device which means it folds completely backwards and be used as a tablet using the stylus that comes with it. The slot for the stylus is located directly underneath the keyboard, meaning it’s always there, but the sensation of the tip’s plastic sliding across the screen’s glass is barely bearable. I find myself scratching the screen every single time. The plastic tip is rough when it’s running across the glass, which makes me scream every time. Although the stylus is completely useful and does not seem as if it is scratching the surface Note-taking or other activities with styluses aren’t as enjoyable in the way they might be because of the uncomfortable feeling of the glass’s plastic.