Google recently announced not one, but four Chrome OS devices to its 2015 lineup. Two of the four is the most inexpensive Chrome OS hardware we have ever seen, and they pave the way for bringing intense competition to Microsoft’s own lineup of Windows laptops.
Until today, the cheapest Chromebook we’ve come across, cost only $169. That device came in the form of the Asus Chromebook C201. However, Google is aiming to bring the price down even further, which is the reason why we are getting two new Chromebooks at $149 each.
The devices in question are the Haier Chromebook 11 and the Hisense Chromebook 11. The Haier Chromebook 11 features an 11.6-inch LCD display, and weighs in at 2.54 pounds. On the inside, the device is powered by a quad-core Rockchip RK3288 processor that runs at a clock speed of 1.8GHz. It offers up to 10-hours of battery life and, and comes with 2GB of RAM.
When it comes down to the Hisense Chromebook 11, the device is rocking the 11.6-inch display as the Haier Chromebook 11. However, it has less battery life that only taps out at 8.5-hours. Furthermore, it is powered by a faster processor in the form of the quad-core ARM Cortex-A17.
The base model comes with 2GB of RAM, but there is room to increase it to 16GB. However, considering the processor speed, we believe this could be an error, so chances are it can only be increased to 4GB of RAM.
The third Chromebook is the sexy looking Asus Chromebook Flip, and it will cost potential owners $249. Out of all the Chromebook laptops, the Flip is the thinnest and lightest. The weight is just under 2 pounds and just 0.59 inches thick; which is nothing special, but good enough nevertheless.
Unlike the others, the Asus Chromebook Flip comes with a touchscreen. For now, we have nothing else in terms of specifications, but this will change before the device goes on sale.
The final reveal is not a Chromebook, but a portable stick running Chrome OS. Google calls this the Chromebit, and all is needed to get it up and running, is a display. Plug it into a monitor, and right away Chrome OS is ready to be used. The search giant stated that this little device would cost under $100.
We like what Google has announced, and can’t wait to see more, especially from the Chromebit for it is the most interesting.
Source: [Google]
