What you need to know
- ASUS has announced the first Chromebook to be powered by Intel's Core Ultra 7 processor.
- The ExpertBook CX54 Chromebook Plus promises double the performance of the competition.
- It features a 14-inch touchscreen display, and is capable of connecting with up to three 4K external monitors.
As it turns out, we don't need to wait until CES 2024 to learn about what new Chromebooks will be hitting the market next year. ASUS has beaten everyone to the punch by announcing the ExpertBook CX54 Chromebook Plus, and by the looks of it, HP finally has a bit of competition at the top end of the market.
This new Chromebook was announced alongside the new Intel Core Ultra lineup of processors, which aim to promise a "no-compromise premium mobile experience." With the CX54 Chromebook Plus, ASUS is set to offer four different CPU configurations, along with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and up to a 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD.
Other features of the ExpertBook CX54 Chromebook Plus include all of the latest AI-powered enhancements and features found in ChromeOS. This includes things like being able to enjoy better video call quality, using Magic Eraser in Google Photos, and accessing the web version of Photoshop.
As for the screen, ASUS relies on a 14-inch (optional) touchscreen display with a 2560 x 1600 resolution. What has us excited about this screen is that ASUS claims it is capable of reaching 500 nits. It still falls short of the 1,200 nits of brightness that the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook is capable of, but it is quite a bit better than a lot of the other Chromebook Plus models out there.
The design itself is what you would expect from ASUS' ExpertBook line, meaning that it meets the US MIL-STD 810H standards while being made from an "all-metal chassis that's crafted from recycled aluminum." This equates to one of the more premium Chromebooks without worrying about carrying a tank, as it weighs just under 3 pounds (1.3kg/2.87 lbs).
Lastly, the Expertbook CX54 Chromebook Plus has all of the ports that you could want in a Chromebook. This includes dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, a full-size HDMI 2.1 port, dual USB-A ports, and a microSD card slot. But ASUS states that you'll be able to connect up to three 4K displays to this Chromebook at the same time, all without needing to rely on a docking station.
Unfortunately, ASUS stopped short of revealing pricing and availability for the ExpertBook CX54 Chromebook Plus. We're also hoping that this won't just be limited to the Enterprise segment.
