Asus has announced the latest generation of its Chromebox mini-PC series, the Chromebox 3. The mini Chrome OS-powered computer, first launched in 2014, is a versatile machine, capable of being used as a regular computer or as a media streamer connected to your TV.
Its internals have had a huge upgrade since the first generation launched too, and is now available in four different configurations, comprising a mixture of Intel Celeron and and 8th Generation Kaby Lake processors. The four models, including pricing are as follows:
- Intel Celeron 3865U, 4GB RAM, 32GB SSD - £250
- Intel Core i3-7100U, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD - £450
- Intel Core i5-8250U, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD - £570
- Intel Core i7-8550U, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD - £800
The Celeron-powered machine gets Intel HD Graphics 610 while the other there get HD Graphics 620. All four models have dual-band 802.11ac+ Wi-Fi or a Gigabit LAN port for a wired connection. Connections include a Gen 1 USB-C 3.1 port (which can accept power from a compatible monitor), two USB-A 3.1 ports, two USB-A 2.0 ports and a USB-A 3.0 port. You also get an HDMI output with support for dual 4K displays.
The Chromebox 3 runs Chrome OS, which means it has access to the full suite of Android apps from the Google Play Store. This means you can install Netflix for example and watch 4K movies and TV shows if you have the mini-PC connected to a TV.
All four models can pre-ordered from eBuyer now, with availability expected in the next few weeks.