Customer Ratings & Reviews

If you want basic computer functionality like being able to download, install, and run anything from the web, look elsewhere. Most software is not compatible with this OS. There's no storage drive, so you only get a quarter of a terabyte to work with. The only part of the four hours I used it that wasn't painful and needlessly complicated was the factory reset, which is supposed to be complicated, so you don't do it by accident. The only positive thing about this experience was the relative ease of returning it to the store to exchange for something fit for purpose. The accompanying image is it not letting me scale a browser window to fit the screen - a function I did figure out eventually, but even then the computer seemed to protest it - and I wish I'd taken a photo to show text on discord wouldn't wrap, but would bleed off the screen, making it unusable - which is particularly bad, because discord text usually wraps fine on the smartphones and tablets this OS is obviously for!

Although personally I have always been a bit reluctant to trust many of today’s big tech companies with private data, Google and the Chrome book platform with it’s reliance on much of its content and storage being cloud-based, poses a particular dilemma. At initiation, there are numerous agreements that need to be approved in order to be able to use this device. Perhaps it’s just a foolish Luddite’s dilemma that to be able to receive free or nearly free goods and services in the form of software, you really are required to pay with your marketable privacy. So, initially I was reluctant to surrender, but did so for the sake of the experience and to be able to evaluate this hardware and its operating system. ASUS products have a great reputation for being cutting edge and dependable. Having used many motherboards from ASUS and one previous foldable Windows ASUS laptop, I can say I’ve rarely been disappointed. I am fascinated by how ASUS’s foldable, touch screen computers have progressed over time. This unit, the Chromebook Vibe CX5501FEA looks gorgeous, feels luxurious and performs very well given its included components which includes 8 GB of ram, an Intel I5 1135G7 processor, a 256GB PCIEG3 SSD and a 15.6”144Hz Full HD Multi-touch responsive display with very good off-axis accuracy. Although I freely admit I have little direct experience with Chromebook products other than watching my two children’s use of school-supplied basic Chromebooks back when they were in high school, I can say they would have been woefully jealous of this ASUS product, with its technological sophistication, Cloud–based game-centric identity and large, fast, clear, screen. Although they would most likely have loved the larger screen size, they probably would have, like most of us, struggled a little bit with stowing away that large 15.6” screen and carrying those 4.3 pounds of smartness. Included with the laptop is a 15V DC 45 watt 100~240 V AC input power supply with an annoyingly short cord of about 6 feet in length, which is approximately 1.5 feet shorter than the older ASUS Windows version of this style of laptop. According to the specifications, a full charge can yield as much as 10 hours of laptop use, but only about 6 hours when running videos. Also included were a few paper documents for warranty and safety notices, as well as the shortest quick start guide that I have ever seen. Perhaps of most interest for some, is a card for the new Chromebook owner that allows the redemption of access to free game playing. This is a laptop that is relatively thin as well as being very agile. With the help of a full touch screen, this model has a fully foldable and lit keyboard that can be situated as a tent, tucked under in stand mode, completely folded over in tablet mode or right there under your face, in the normal position. In addition, one of the benefits of the normal position, courtesy of the hinges, is a slightly raised rear keyboard that helps the typing position, allows extra airflow under the laptop depending on what the laptop is sitting on and also allows the Harmon Kardon audio system to have just a little more acoustic breathing room for dispersion. Connectivity-wise, this unit sports a full-sized HDMI 2.0 connector for an external monitor or projector, two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 connectors, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A connector, a microSD card reader and an analog 3.5 mm audio jack. Keep in mind that the power supply, when charging, will be using one of the two, USB-C connectors. The wireless connectivity includes Bluetooth 5.0 and speedy Wi-Fi 6 (802.11AX) (as well as backward compatibility to recent earlier versions like Wi-Fi 5 and 4) that allows all that zippy, cloud-based gaming to occur with minimal network interference. In use, this product’s screen is the main attraction, as it is fast, beautiful, versatile and accurate. Next is the keyboard that is stylish, includes a full numbers pad and importantly for gamers, includes anti-ghosting technology to insure that when multiple keys are pressed simultaneously, all your commands get through unscathed to win your battle or do your bidding. The WASD keycaps used for some common game controls are highlighted with a bright color for quick location. One last area of interest is the low friction area of the palm rest that ASUS has dubbed, “Obsidian Velvet” or in plain descriptive terms, a slippery black surface. The online gaming capabilities are obviously the centerpiece of this device and I am just scratching the surface at exploring what it can do whilst writing this review. My son, the college student, is the serious gamer in the family, but is away for another few weeks, so this laptop will get a real workout when he gets home. Conclusion: So, the takeaway for this product is that it is easily powerful enough for most typical computing needs such as browsing, email and video conferencing (although the video camera is limited to 720P resolution, so not the best, especially in darker conditions). However, the limitations of some applications and storage reliance on network connectivity may inhibit usefulness and flexibility when out of Wi-Fi range. Also trying to find Chromebook equivalent applications for more specialized needs is frustrating, especially after dedicating years of experience to trusted programs that are not supported by this OS. For those using this device in schools, homes or within a culture that will always be accessible to trustworthy Wi-Fi, this works. For a lot of us that travel, or may have to rely on sketchy Wi-Fi or use specific programs that are unavailable to this OS, it doesn’t.