ASUS Chromebox 2-G084U Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. ASUS Chromebox 2-G084U4. Testing5. Power Consumption6. Closing Thoughts7. View All Pages

The ASUS Chromebox 2-G084U is a nifty little device. Essentially a mini-PC, similar to the Gigabyte BRIX or Intel NUC families, it runs ChromeOS rather than Windows.

It is well-designed, too, with a lovely and discrete dark grey colour. Connectivity is very good thanks to a total of 4x USB 3.0 ports, and there is even the option for two displays to be connected simultaneously.

What I really like about the Chromebox is that a wireless keyboard and mouse is included, despite the low £199.99 price point. This makes it very easy to get up and running with the Chromebox, as everything you need (other than a monitor, of course) is right there in the box.

The Chromebox performs like a trooper, too, handling a few basic tasks with ease. It is only when we had 6 YouTube videos open and playing in separate tabs that the system started to lock-up.

Talking of videos, the Chromebox is great for watching 1080p or 1440p videos, too – playback is perfect. Jump up to 4K, though, and things start to get a bit jittery due to the demand on the integrated graphics. For most people with 1080p HDTVs, though, this is not a problem.

Lastly, boot time are also very fast – this Chromebox clocked just 8.68 seconds to reach the login screen from a cold boot. That is over 11 seconds faster than my desktop PC which boots from a Patriot Ignite SSD.

All in all, the ASUS Chromebox 2-G084U is very successful. Of course, a ChromeOS device is not for everybody, but it would be great for school or university students in particular  – people who just want to be able to type documents, email and watch videos online. With Christmas on the horizon, the Chromebook 2 would make a great gift for someone like that.

You can pre-order one from Amazon for £199.99 HERE.

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Pros

• Comes with wireless keyboard and mouse.
• Fast boot times.
• Small and stylish.
• Great for simple, office-based tasks.
• Very affordable.

Cons

• 4K playback is jittery.
• ChromeOS is not for everyone.

KitGuru says: If you know someone who just wants a small and stylish device for emailing, typing documents and streaming videos, this ASUS Chromebox 2-G084U would make a great gift.

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