Asus Chromebook CM14 laptop in review For beginners

Chromebooks are becoming increasingly popular. Asus now offers high performance Chrome OS hardware, such as the Chromebook Flip CX5 with Intel i7 processor. On the other hand, because the system needs minimal resources, Chromebooks are especially well liked in the low budget market. Our reviewed device falls within this budget friendly category.

Priced at $299.99, the Asus CM14 (CM1402C) has often been available for as low as ~$200 from reputable retailers. This positions the CM14 as one of the most affordable notebooks, and its performance should be evaluated accordingly. The Chromebook comes with four or eight gigabytes of RAM; the lesser version is what we tested.

The colour anthracite is the only one offered. Asus highlights the CM14's sturdy construction by stating that it complies with specific MIL STD 810H requirements. As expected in this price range, Asus has opted for a plastic casing for the CM14. The matte body reveals individual shiny particles, providing a visually appealing look and a good grip due to its slightly roughened surface.

In contrast, the lid is entirely smooth, creating a visual contrast. When the lid is closed, the display is protected from damage by a slightly raised edge and individual rubberized sections. When the Chromebook is opened on a table, the display slides under the body, lifting it slightly, and small rubber feet protect it from potential damage.

The build quality is acceptable; however, both the lid and the body are prone to noticeable dents. The lid is also susceptible to scratches. An interesting feature of the CM14 is its ability to open the display up to an angle of 180 degrees. Asus includes a built in webcam shutter by default. The ports are distributed on both sides, albeit unevenly.

The right hand side features only one USB C port and an LED. On the left side, Asus has included another USB C port, a USB A port, USB ports compliant with the USB 3.2 Gen 1 standard, offering power delivery and DisplayPort for the USB C versions. Additionally, there is an anti theft device (Kensington Lock slot), a 3.5 mm jack connection, and a slot for a microSD card.

There are no connections on the front and back. The two speakers are positioned on the underside of the device, with sound easily escaping from the side through slots in the housing. Using the included screws on the underside, the structure of the Asus Chromebook CM14 is simply accessible. There is a seal on one screw.

Nevertheless, the memory and RAM are soldered in place, and there is no fan, limiting maintenance options. Asus offers a 12 month warranty. The extended update guarantee is noteworthy, as the Chromebook will receive system updates until July 2033. The keyboard of the Asus Chromebook CM14 follows the standard layout for Chrome OS devices.

Instead of the F keys, there are special keys for volume, brightness, etc., and there is no number pad. The keys measure 15 millimeters in width, and the key travel is decent at 1.5 millimeters. Typing on the Chromebook is comfortable without requiring adjustment. The CM14 lacks a backlit keyboard, and the keys sound a bit rickety.

The trackpad is a highlight. With a diagonal of 15 cm, it is spacious, featuring a clear pressure point and a snug fit without play. The gliding properties are also commendable, and the trackpad reliably recognizes gestures. The display quality clearly reflects the price range. Asus has opted for a matte TN panel from CMN.

One notable drawback is the low maximum brightness; we measured a maximum of 230 cd/m². Additionally, the illumination is not particularly uniform, with visible brightness drops towards the corners. Readability of the display is heavily influenced by the viewing angle. When the panel is not viewed straight on, color reproduction and overall content display suffer significantly, making content barely recognizable from acute angles.

We observed screen flickering during our measurements, although the high frequency of 24,800 Hz suggests minimal adverse effects. While there is significant potential for enhancing the display, it remains in line with the anticipated standards for its price category. Comparable values are seen in the HP Chromebook 15a, where the center of the screen is slightly brighter at 260 nits, but the Asus CM14's display offers more accurate color reproduction.

While the color reproduction covers only 60% of the sRGB color space, the noticeable color deviation affects both the grayscale and the colors, with a clear blue cast present in the display. The Asus CM14 faces challenges in outdoor usage due to its low maximum brightness. While the matte panel helps with readability, the display struggles even on cloudy days.

The poor viewing angle stability further hampers readability. The typical use case for inexpensive Chromebooks involves word processing and browsing. Therefore, we primarily assessed the performance of the Asus Chromebook CM14 through everyday use and browser benchmarks. The Asus Chromebook CM14 is equipped with a MediaTek Kompanio 520 (MT8186) as the SoC.

The chip is passively cooled, eliminating the need for a fan. Our test device features four GB of soldered RAM. The overall performance of the Asus Chromebook CM14 is satisfactory. It provides enough power for tasks such as document writing and internet browsing. However, when working with six or more Chrome tabs open, the performance starts to decline, and slight stutters may occur.

In common benchmarks, the Chromebook CM14 typically falls in the lower midfield compared to other devices. The HP Chromebook 15a with Intel Celeron N4500 performs better in this regard. The internal memory of the Asus Chromebook CM14 is 128 GB. The manufacturer, on the other hand, relies on eMMC memory.

During testing, the transfer rates are correspondingly low. Our measured values are even lower than the SD card reader's transfer speeds. Because of the strong cloud focus, most Chromebooks have slower storage, which is tolerable. However, even for a Chromebook, the Asus CM14's speeds are poor.

Asus has equipped the Chromebook CM14 with an integrated ARM Mali G52 MP2 graphics unit. While this GPU is entirely adequate for daily tasks, playing current games is also possible on the Chromebook, thanks to platforms like the Google PlayStore or cloud services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming. It's worth noting that certain games, like PUBG Mobile, can only be played in HD resolution with a high frame rate due to restrictions in the settings.

While playable, there may be occasional stutters. In our common benchmarks, the Asus CM14 consistently ranks at the lower end among the comparison devices. When running demanding programmes, the gadget shows noticeable stuttering. The MediaTek processor in the Asus Chromebook CM14 is passively cooled.

Consequently, the device operates without a fan or mechanical drive, ensuring a silent user experience. The MediaTek Kompanio 520 exhibits low performance, but it also generates pleasantly low heat. We measured a maximum temperature of 37.1 °C (98.78 °F) on the underside, and the top of the Chromebook only reaches 30.4 °C (86.72 °F).

Consequently, the notebook never becomes uncomfortably hot during use. Positive impressions are given by the Asus CM14's speakers. The midrange is well balanced, and the output is clear, even though they may not be very loud at 79.5 dB. However, the Chromebook lacks significant bass or low frequencies.

The power consumption of the Asus Chromebook CM14 is remarkably low. Standby consumption is measured at 0.28 watts, and we recorded a maximum consumption of 11.1 watts. Therefore, the included 45 watt charger is more than adequate for the laptop. With our standard WLAN test, we assessed the Asus CM14's battery life.

The Chromebook had a battery life of about 12 hours and a display brightness of 150 cd/m2. As a result, the notebook easily lasts a working or school day. Only the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook with the same chipset exceeds the CM14 in terms of battery life. Despite being equipped with a 45 watt power supply, the Asus CM14 takes over 100 minutes to achieve a full charge.

The charging progress is as follows: it reaches 22 percent in the first 30 minutes, 58 percent after an hour, and 93 percent after 90 minutes. According to Asus, the CM14 is the ideal laptop for everyone. It's not, yet it gets a lot of things right. The performance provided is enough for office applications, internet browsing, and some games.

The PlayStore and Linux container significantly broaden the choice of applications. The low performance of the processor also has its advantages. Despite passive cooling, it does not get hot, and power consumption is low. As a result, the Chromebook CM14 achieved runtimes of 12 hours durin our test.

If one can tolerate the dim display and slow memory, the Asus CM14 stands out as a durable and budget friendly Chromebook with extensive update support. The low price is particularly evident in the TN panel. The display is not particularly bright with an average of 204 cd/m². The viewing angle stability is also poor.

At least Asus has installed a matte panel. The values of the internal memory are also expandable. Read and write speeds are low. A ray of hope: Chromebooks store a lot of data in the cloud. Unfortunately, the WLAN transfer rates are likewise modest. We appreciate the input devices of the Asus CM14. The keyboard offers a satisfying key travel, and the touchpad is generously sized.

Additionally, we commend the Chromebook for its extensive update support. Lenovo's IdeaPad Slim 3 CB competes in the same price range, featuring a similar processor but with improved WLAN performance. The HP Chromebook 15a , equipped with an Intel chip, delivers slightly better performance, albeit with slightly shorter battery runtimes.

The Asus Chromebook CM14 in our configured version has an RRP of $299.99 on Asus's official website. It is also available from various retailers, including Amazon ..