A computing platform that redefines the definition of small form factor
When I told my wide that the Chromebit was a computer, she really thought I’d been on the Christmas sherry again. That’s not really surprising, because this device is the size of a decent bar of chocolate, if you remember what size that was before all our confectionery started to shrink uncontrollably.
Removing the easily losable cap from one end reveals an HDMI blade that you can use on any suitable monitor or TV, and at the other end is single USB port that you can use for peripherals if you also own a USB hub.
Power is provided by a small power pack that must be used for the Chromebit to function, and once you've plugged that in and found a suitable mouse and keyboard, you're ready to rock.
Asus was clearly rather paranoid about how this might attach to a screen, so it provided no less than three ways to connect it. The simplest is to let it stick out at 90º, though the length of the device might snag if the port faces directly backwards. There is also a flexible connector that enables the Chromebit to just hang, and there's also a stiff bendable HDMI extension that can hold it vertically. Choice is good but, really, three ways?
As the name strongly hints, this is a Chrome OS device, so it’s built around a cloud ethic that removes the need for Intel hardware. Inside this gizmo is a 1.8GHz Rockchip 3288-C ARM Cortex derivative SoC, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of eMMC flash storage. This silicon was built specifically for Chrome OS with Google’s support and is destined for a selection of new Chromebooks in addition to this device.
That might seem a modest computing platform, but for running a browser it’s more than sparky enough, and generally this a responsive and snappy experience. YouTube videos play remarkably smoothly, even if you're running in 1080p resolution. Undoubtedly a factor in that performance is connecting the Chromebit to a decent wi-fi service, and Asus did make this device 802.11ac to enable the best possible options.
I’ve seen other reviewers criticise this design for having limited storage, as 16GB isn’t much for anything these days. But as the point of this OS and device is entirely cloud-based and generally storage is kept away from the user, it's fine.
Perhaps the inclusion of a micro-SD slot in the next release could placate those who might like to carry some documents they can access without internet access.
In short, for those who like Chrome and its minimalist approach to computing, the Chromebit seems almost perfect for the job. However, as I used the Chromebit more, a number of rather obvious design flaws became apparent that Asus probably should address.
The most obvious of these is the single USB port, because there is sufficient room for two ports on this device, and that would negate the need for a USB hub or more expensive Bluetooth peripherals.
Another is the power pack, where Asus missed a really obvious trick not making it a USB cable variety like on phones. Many TVs these days have a USB port for providing power to external drives, and that could have made the Chromebit installation so much neater than it is currently.
These are small things, but I’ll sling them out there on the possibility that Asus puts out another version of the Chromebit further down the line.
But – and this is the real problem for this product – you can buy a cheap Chromebook for just £10 more. And you don’t need to find a screen, keyboard or mouse to use it.
The advantage the Chromebit has is portability, but once you’ve filled a bag with a mouse, keyboard and USB hub, this isn’t as remotely as small an ensemble as the physical package of the device itself. And you’re assuming there will be an accessible HDMI port on that hotel TV when you get where you're going.
Tiny systems also aren’t as exclusive as they once were. Competitors like the Intel Compute Stick and Lenovo's Ideacentre 300 are available, both of which give you the flexibility of Windows 10 for a similar price. You can still run Chrome on them, even if it is the desktop app and not the OS.
I’m drawn to conclude that when the Chromebit was conceptualised this was a really great idea, but in the short period when Asus made that into a finished product, the world moved on, unfortunately. That’s a real shame, because in many respects the Chromebit is the purest form of the Chrome mantra we’ve seen yet, and Asus should be applauded for delivering it. Mark Pickavance
Yummy Chrome OS on a stick.
Features
• Smallest Chrome OS device, turn any HDMI display into a computer.
• Dual-band a/b/g/n/ac 802.11 wi-fi with Bluetooth 4.0 for fast connections and wireless peripheral compatibility.
• 16GB flash memory storage with easily accessible USB 2.0 slot for expanded storage or wired peripherals.
• Thousands of Chrome OS apps allows for work and play in a portable package.