ASUS Chromebox Announced

By Nathan Kirsch February 4, 2014

Announcing the ASUS Chromebox

The ASUS Chromebox is a compact and powerful device delivering an incredible Chrome OS experience at an unbelievable starting price of $179

Fremont, CA (February 4, 2014) ASUS today announced the Chromebox. ASUS Chromebox is a stylish and compact device thoughtfully designed to simplify home, classroom or office computing. It is easy to set up right out of the box, and starts up in seconds to give users quick access to their favorite applications, games and websites. It provides integrated virus and malware protection and automatically updates itself for a safe hassle-free user experience.

“The ASUS Chromebox offers the simplicity, security and speed of Chrome OS in the most compact and powerful Chrome device to date,” said Felix Lin, director of product management, Google. “Perfect for home, the classroom or the office, Chromebox is designed for the way we use computers today.

Simplified computing for everyone

ASUS Chromebox provides a gateway to the world of Google web services and thousands of Chrome Web Store apps designed for business, education and home, including many popular services like YouTube, Hulu Plus and Netflix. Users are provided with 100GB of Google Drive space¹, turning the ASUS Chromebox into a complete data hub for their other personal PCs, smartphones, and tablets. Users can access all of their data and files in the cloud by simply logging in to their Google Account on any device, anywhere.

A 4th generation Intel processor that provides very responsive multitasking performance powers ASUS Chromebox and ensures users wont be kept waiting when working on documents, streaming HD video, browsing the web or playing the latest game. It features 802.11 b/g/n dual-band Wi-Fi to speed web browsing and other online activities. Four USB 3.0 ports, Bluetooth 4.0 and an SD card reader are included to ease everyday tasks such as transferring files, photos and other media. ASUS Chromebox is compatible with a wide range of USB devices, including external storage devices, keyboards, mice, webcams and USB hubs, making it easy to expand as needed.

In addition, ASUS Chromebox features HDMI and DisplayPort outputs for dual monitor capability and support for next-generation 4K Ultra High Definition (4K/UHD) displays¹. This gives users the flexibility to use desktop displays or large-screen TVs, giving them more room to work, collaborate or play.

Secure and safe account-based access

The account-based, login and start working or playing nature of ASUS Chromebox makes it an easy-to-use family, classroom or office computer. Users can quickly add new Google Accounts for each family member, classmate or co-worker, and can switch accounts at any time ensuring each users data is safe and secure. Parental controls ensure a safe web environment for kids, and ASUS Chromebox takes the hassle out of computing to allow usersyoung and oldto enjoy everything the web has to offer. It integrates perfectly with todays digital lifestyles, enabling users to bring one-on-one and group conversations to life with photos and free video calls via Google Hangouts, for example, or create, edit and share office documents with Google Docs in real-time.

AVAILABILITY & PRICING

ASUS Chromebox will be available at leading North American resellers in March with pricing starting at $179 US. Please contact your local ASUS representative for further information on availability, configurations and pricing.

SPECIFICATIONS ¹
Operating System	Google Chrome OS
CPU	Intel Core i7-4600U Processor (optional sku in selected markets) Intel Core i3-4010U Processor Intel Celeron 2955U Processor
Memory	2GB / 4GB x DDR3-1600MHz; 2 x SO-DIMM
Graphics	Integrated – Intel HD Graphics (up to 4400)
Storage	16GB M.2 (NGFF) SSD, 100GB of Google Drive space for limited time
LAN	10/100/1000Mbit/s
Wireless	Dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n; Bluetooth V4.0
Interfaces	1 x 2-in-1 Card Reader 4 x USB3.0 1 x HDMI 1 x DisplayPort 1 x LAN (RJ45) Port 1 x Audio Jack (Mic-in/Speaker-out) 1 x Kensington Lock 1 x DC-in
Power Supply	65W
Dimensions	4.88 x 4.88 x 1.65
	¹support for 4KJ/UHD 4K resolution requires Core-i3 or higher SKU

¹ Specifications and product availability are all subject to change without notice and may differ from country to country. Actual performance may vary depending on applications, usage, environment and other factors. For more details about the products mentioned in this press release, please visit http://promos.asus.com/us/chrome-os/chromebox/ .

About ASUS

ASUS is a worldwide top-three consumer notebook vendor and maker of the worlds best-selling, most award-winning, motherboards. A leading enterprise in the new digital era, ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of todays digital home and office, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktop and all-in-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia devices, wireless solutions, networking devices, tablets and smartphones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 4,256 awards in 2013 and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with its Eee PC. ASUS has more than 12,500 employees around the globe with a world-class R&D team of 3,800 engineers. Company revenue for 2012 was approximately US$14 billion.