Asus Chromebox 4 with Intel Core i3-10110U review

How fast is Chrome OS in this ? Enjoy Google-enabled apps with WiFi 6 for ultrafast network speeds. It supports up to three 4K displays and is equipped with a versatile USB-C port that enables power delivery and DisplayPort connections. Another feature, it comes with Intel Core™ i3-10110U processor and DDR4-2666 memory for faster, smoother and more energy-efficient performance. Get details in Asus Chromebox 4 with Intel Core i3-10110U review.

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Pros & Cons – Asus Chromebox 4 with Intel Core i3-10110U

Pros

Fast performance
Included VESA mount is easy to install
Plenty of USB-A ports plus USB-C
Nearly silent
Multiple monitor outputs
Compact
Up to 3 displays
Configurable

Cons

Top model is pricey
Mouse/keyboard not included

Asus Chromebox 4 with Intel Core i3-10110U specs

Dimension 5.846 (w) x 5.846 (d) x 1.575 (h) inches (148.5 x 148.5 x 40 mm)
Weight (approximate) 2.205 lb. (1.0 kg.)
RAM 8GB (two 4GB SO-DIMMs) DDR4 @ 2666MHz
Storage 128GB M.2 SATA SSD
Auto Update Expiration (AUE) June 2028
CPU Intel Dual-Core i3-10110U Comet Lake Processor clocked at 2.10 GHz (64-bit)
GPU Intel UHD Graphics (up to three displays, maximum 4096×2304@24Hz over HDMI; 4096×2304@60Hz over DisplayPort)
Network Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX203 802.11ax 2×2 Antenna + Bluetooth 5.2, Gigabit LAN, Realtek® RTL8111H-CG
Software Chrome OS (ships with version 86)
Board Puff
Firmware Duffy
Ports Front: 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1x headphone jack, 1x Micro SD card. Back: 3 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C (PowerDelivery/DisplayPort 1.4), 2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x LAN (RJ45) Port, 1 x DC-in, 1 x Kensington Lock.
Price $289 (Celeron CPU), $489 (i3 CPU), $649 (i5 CPU), $899 (i7 CPU)

Asus Chromebox 4 with Intel Core i3-10110U Price

The Asus Chromebox 4 isn’t, at least in the base configuration we have here, all that expensive – it starts at $289 (£249.99, AU$549), which puts it in the region of lower-tier Chromebooks, and certainly well within reach of those who just want to turn a dumb monitor into something useful.

Asus Chromebox 4 (Intel Celeron 5205U): $289
Asus Chromebox 4 (Intel Core i3): $485
Asus Chromebox 4 (Intel Core i5): $649
Asus Chromebox 4 (Intel Core i7): $889

You can also certainly spend more if you decide to spec things up. Asus offers the Chromebox 4 in everything from that bargain Celeron through tenth-gen Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 specs, the latter of which will cost somewhere in the region of $1,049 (around £765/AU$1,360). Whether going that far with a Chromebox is a good idea isn’t for us to decide, given that we have the Celeron spin on test, but to our educated eye it seems like an i7 would probably boosting things a little too far.

It’s not the cheapest Chromebox implementation – HP’s similarly-specced Chromebox G3 looks set to launch in the US at $254 (around £185/AU$330), and this is more expensive than Asus’ previous Chromebox 3 was.

Compare Asus Chromebox 4 with Intel Core i3-10110U vs Acer Chromebox CXI3-UA91

	ASUS Chromebox 4 with Intel Core i3-10110U, 8GB RAM, M.2 128GB SSD Storage	Acer Chromebox CXI3-UA91 Mini PC, Intel Celeron 3867U Processor 1.8GHz
Computer Memory Size	8 GB	4 GB
CPU Model	Core i3-10110U	Celeron
CPU Speed	2.1 GHz	1.8 GHz
Graphics Description	Integrated	Integrated
Hard Disk Size	128 GB	128 GB
Hardware Platform	PC	default_no_selection_value
Operating System	Chrome OS	Chrome OS
Processor Count	1	2

Design

In the case of the Asus Chromebox 4, that means a 149 x 149 x 41mm (5.85 x 5.85 x 1.58-inch) square with one rounded-off corner. A large power button takes up most of the rounded corner with some ports on the front and more on the back. At 1kg (2.2lbs), it feels pretty heavy.

Ports

You’ll find four slots on the front of the unit: two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, one microSD card slot, and a headphone jack. On the back side of the unit, there are nine ports: three USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, two HDMI 2.0, one LAN (RJ45 port), a barrel jack for power, and a Kensington lock to protect your Chromebox from theft.

VESA

A VESA mount is included in the box. The VESA mount attaches to the back of the monitor (via screws) and you can then slide the Asus Chromebox 4 into the mount for neat, out-of-the-way storage of the hardware.

Processor

The Chromebox 4 comes with one of several 10th generation Intel CPUs. Asus configured our unit with a Core i3-10110U, which is fast for a traditional Windows laptop loaded with software (and OEM bloatware). While the CPU’s 15W TDP requires a fan, the fast performance makes up for the noise. The Chromebox 4 is noticeably more capable than the Celeron CPU on the CBx2: web apps and websites load quickly,

Storage

It comes with pre-installed DDR4 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC stoorage. Storage can’t be upgraded in the Celeron model, but the Asus Chromebox 4 with Intel Core i3/i5/i7 processors can have their storage upgraded, as they use M.2 SSDs.

Chrome OS

When powering the Chromebox for the first time, Chrome OS prompted me to update the system to the latest software. Setting up my Google account was painless, and the machine was fully configured within minutes thanks to Google’s comprehensive account sync — Microsoft should start taking notes.

Linux apps

Linux apps work, with the usual Chrome OS niggles, though CPU-intensive apps like GIMP did feel somewhat more challenged by the hardware than the browser did when performing similar tasks on sites like Photopea.

Cooling fan

There is a fan, though you’ll rarely hear it unless you push things hard, and while it’s not exactly silent when it gets going we’ve definitely heard worse and we’re glad it’s there. The case design allows for a good amount of airflow, so we’re confident that this won’t cook itself.

Asus Chromebox 4 with Intel Core i3-10110U Performance review

Its RAM might be running at an impressive 2,666Mhz and have the relatively light job of supporting a fairly minimal OS, but it turns out 4GB is simply not an adequate amount for a modern machine basically being forced to run one of the most memory-intensive browsers out there.

The Chromebox 4 is noticeably more capable than the Celeron CPU on the CBx2: web apps and websites load quickly, I’m able to render multiple 1080p videos without performance hitches, and the 8GB RAM allows me to multitask with hundreds of Chrome tabs.

The Asus Chromebox directly competes with CTL’s similar CBx2, which only offers Celeron and i7 variants. While the performance gained with the Asus i3 model is significant, it’ll cost you around $200 more. If you require CPU-intensive Linux apps like GIMP, the Asus i3 is an easy decision. Despite its shortcomings, the Asus Chromebox i3 is still a very competitive PC for the right buyer.

The Chromebox 4 is powered by a fairly compact external brick, but its USB Type-C port also supports power delivery. Use it with the right monitor – the BenQ EW3270U, say – and you can do away with that adapter altogether, sending signal and juice through the same cable.