Asus chromebox 3 review in Spanish (complete analysis)

We have with us the Asus Chromebox 3, the update of the famous Asus miniPC that equips Google's Chrome OS system based on free software and with the enormous number of applications available on Google Play. The range of options has increased and has been renewed, with 8th generation Intel processors such as Celeron, i3, i5 and even i7, and of course with the ability to play multimedia content in 4K on up to two screens.

In this analysis we will tell about our experience with this Chromebox and its main properties. If you are thinking of purchasing a mini PC, this could be the option you are looking for.

First of all, we thank Asus for trusting us by ceding the product to us for analysis.

Asus Chromebox 3 technical features

Unboxing and design

Asus Chromebox 3 is a mini-PC equipped with the Chrome OS desktop operating system oriented to navigation, multimedia content and the learning of the little ones in an extremely simple and secure window interface.

But of course, before it will have to be opened, and Asus Chromebox 3 comes to us in a neutral cardboard box of considerable dimensions for what is the size of the product, and then you will understand why. In it we only see the Asus logo and its slogan. It is an economic product and the box shows it, without information or frills.

Inside this box we have enough things, since this Asus Chromebox 3 includes a USB keyboard and mouse, so you don't have to buy a separate peripheral kit. Extremely useful option and well thought by Asus. Then we will see the performance of these two fairly basic peripherals.

We will also have the following elements in this box:

Asus Chromebox 3 VESA Mount 100 × 100mm + screws Instruction manual and warranty Cable and power supply Mouse + keyboard peripherals

We take our mini-pc out of the packaging to take a closer look. For design purposes, it is practically the same as previous versions in terms of finishes as well as size and distribution of connections. in the upper area it is made clear who the manufacturer and creator of the operating system is, on a well-made brushed aluminum-look plastic casing.

The measurements of this Mini-PC case are 148.5 mm wide and tall with only 40 mm thick, weighing 1 Kg. It is a highly portable unit and ideal to place behind our monitor on the VESA compatible bracket.

Asus has also wanted to maintain the type of construction on a metal chassis and PVC plastic shells throughout the exterior area. The power button is found just in the front left corner with a small power and charge indicator when we are using the USB Type-C.

We go directly to the front area to see what connectivity it gives us. Asus Chromebox 3 features two USB 3.1 Gen1 5Gbps, a 3-in-1 SD card reader, and a 3.5mm jack combo jack for audio output and microphone input

We continue with the rear area where we find the rest of the team's connectivity. It consists of:

Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 connector Two USB 2.0 One USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C One HDMI connector Power connector

Very interesting is the fact of providing a double connection for screens, because this USB Type-C is compatible with the DisplayPort interface to transport a 4K image and video signal.

It is also interesting to connect with an RJ45 GbE connector for wired LAN connectivity, extremely useful to place our Mini-PC in a switch or router in network contact with our main PC or a NAS that we have with all the content.

We do not forget the ventilation grille that we have in the upper area, which will be where the processor is installed.

On the right side we have a Kensington lock and a completely smooth plastic area, like the left side area. In this case we do not have legs or anything similar to place the mini-PC vertically on the desktop, something that others do.

The rubber feet are installed in the lower area for placement on a table or wherever we want. In it we have abundant vents to allow air flow in the upper area of the PCB inside.

Interior and hardware

Opening this Asus Chromebox 3 is very simple, since we will only have to remove the rubber feet, which, yes, are glued to the chassis. Then we will have to remove the four screws that house inside and ready.

This action will be necessary if for example we want to add a RAM memory module to the Mini-PC or change the storage unit.

In the area that we see in the first instance, an important element is missing, it is the processor, since it is located on the back of the motherboard. The version that has come to us for this analysis is the most basic, which installs an Intel Celeron 3865U processor, an 8th generation dual-core processor working at 1.8 GHz and 2 MB of cache. The integrated graphics in all versions will be the Intel HD Graphics 620.

We have more versions, specifically three more with Intel Core i3-7100U, Core i5-8250U and Core i7-8550U processors. We see that in all cases they are CPUs that are also used for laptops, so they are not low-performance processors at all. In any case, we think that for basic use this Celeron is very good, it is also a lightweight system and we will have 4K playability and smooth navigation.

The RAM in this model consists of 4 GB DDR4 at 2400 MHz that is signed by the manufacturer Samsung under the SO-DIMM slot. We can expand it to 32 GB thanks to a double slot, as if it were a laptop. It is something that is really appreciated in a team of such characteristics.

In the storage section , Asus Chromebox 3 has a 32 GB SATA M.2 drive in this version, although we also have another 64 GB in the same configuration. In either case, the capacity is expandable up to 256 GB. Although there is space inside the chassis, Asus does not give the option of installing a 2.5 "hard drive inside, and we have a SATA connector for this purpose.

And we must also comment on the network connectivity of this Asus Chromebox 3. Because in addition to the GbE controller for the wired network, we have an entire In tel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 for Wi-Fi connectivity, which gives us a 2 × 2 AC867 Mbps bandwidth operating at 2.4 and 5 GHz of course. We add the support for Bluetooth 4.2 on this same network card.

Asus Chromebox 3 also has an integrated TPM for encryption using the authentication system hardware.

Mouse and keyboard

The good news is that in the purchase pack we also have included a mouse and a keyboard to be able to fully work our Asus Chromebox 3 without the need to buy absolutely anything, except a clear monitor.

Starting with the mouse, we have a fairly basic kit with the two main buttons and a wheel in the center with the action button. The finish is in shiny black plastic, quite elegant and striking, although there is no doubt from minute zero that it is a basic product with basic functionalities, since we do not have any side navigation buttons. Something very positive is that it works perfectly on all types of surfaces, so we do not find an optical sensor.

The keyboard for its part is also quite basic and is made of PVC plastic with the keys in rough touch and low profile. The configuration is full keyboard, with well-adjusted edges and with a good overall typing position. The actuation of the keys is membrane-type with remarkable hardness but correct operation

We do not have the presence of the "F" keys, so it is a keyboard specifically designed for Chrome OS, with multimedia keys for volume control, brightness, lock, screen printing and navigation by applications.

In general, they are somewhat basic but very necessary products for this type of mini-PC with Chrome OS.

Chrome OS experience

Chrome OS is a Google desktop operating system that already has a long history behind it. We should not confuse this operating system with Android, since they are completely different systems, the first oriented to desktop computers and the other to mobile terminals.

A positive aspect is that the majority of Google Play applications for Android will be compatible with Chrome OS and we can almost always use them with any problem. But the store of native applications for this system is in the Chrome browser itself and with the name Chrome Web Store, through which we will base a large part of our day-to-day with this Asus Chromebox 3.

It is a fairly stable system we must say, simple, with a clean interface and without any extra application installed by the manufacturer. It is also very light and easy to use, since the operation of the windows and the file explorer is very similar to that of Windows, for example. With the difference that the application panel is like that of Android and also the configuration of the device.

We have been using it to play 4K videos and we have not had any problems with different formats, nor when it comes to detecting screens, whether in 4K or 1080p through HDMI. The reproduction is fluid despite having the most basic version for this analysis.

We also have Smart Lock integration, so that we can unlock the device directly from our mobile, without the need to enter the user password, which will be the normal method. We must say that not all the applications that we have downloaded from Android are compatible with the system, for example, Gimp for graphic design, or others that use hardware typical of a mobile, but when it came to playing we had no problems.

Another basic aspect is navigation, and here the processor does a great job, for video playback, streaming and social networks. In this aspect it seems that we are before Windows of all life. The detection of USB sticks and other peripherals such as mice or keyboards has been carried out without problems, however, in terms of printers it is a somewhat more complicated matter, especially with older models.

Temperatures

We had doubts about the cooling of the device, but the truth is that they have all dissipated quite quickly. We have put this processor under stress through applications such as the CPU Throttling Test and after repeating the process several times, the temperature has not moved from 46 degrees with both cores at 100%.

In addition, the ventilation system is extremely quiet and we will practically not notice its presence. So great work here from Asus, it remains to be seen that it can offer us with CPUs with greater processing power and greater heat release.

Final words and conclusion about Asus Chromebox 3

Well we have had this Asus Chromebox 3 for a few days to check its operation and even write this same analysis through the OpenOffice application for Chrome and we have been quite comfortable with the team in general lines. It is a very low consumption system and with an extremely simple to use interface that mixes windows environment with Android-type configuration management, so we will not get used to it very easily.

As for details of use to comment, it is true that some Android applications are not fully compatible, but they are isolated cases and for hardware reasons. We also experience interface lockdown while copying large files from a flash drive to the computer. On the other hand, the reproduction of content, basic gaming capacity and especially web browsing, we will not have any problem.

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An interesting advantage is having a specific keyboard and mouse for the system, since for example the screen printing is different and the multimedia keys designed for this purpose are highly appreciated. They are basic peripherals, but they work correctly as long as we do not use them too intensively.

Performance and connectivity are very good, despite being the basic model, it is a CPU that supports 4K content playback on two screens with HDMI and USB Type-C. We have three USB 3.1 Gen1 with a speed of 180 MB / s and also card reader and Jack output, so very happy in this regard. Both memory and hard disk are expandable, although we would have liked a SATA connector for 2.5 ”drives since they physically fit in space.

Asus Chromebox 3 in this version with Celeron + 4 GB of RAM we will have it available for a price of about 300 euros, while the most powerful versions with Intel i7-8550U will be at prices of up to 855 euros. For basic use of navigation, multimedia and education for the little ones, this model is a great option, very economical and versatile.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ FLUIDITY IN NAVIGATION AND 4K CONTENT	- STABILITY OF THE SYSTEM IMPROVABLE IN SOME ACTIONS
+ PRICE	- BLUETOOTH VERSION IS NOT 5.0
+ WIDE CONNECTIVITY	- DOES NOT HAVE 2.5 INCH SATA CAPACITY
+ GOOD REFRIGERATION AND EXPANSION CAPACITY
+ WI-FI, BLUETOOTH AND RJ45 FOR LAN
+ BRING KEYBOARD, MOUSE AND VESA SUPPORT