ChromeOS has just gotten a big shot in the arm in Australia, with online retailer Kogan announcing availability of the Asus Chromebox on their store.
Kogan are now taking orders for the Asus Chromebox (M039U) – the Celeron based unit – for just $249 (with shipping additional), with units beginning to ship from the Kogan warehouse on the 9th of September. The Asus Chromebox (M039U) contains a good basic hardware specification, containing :
- Intel Celeron 2955U Processor
- Intel HD Graphics 4000/4400 GPU
- 2 GB Dual Channel 1600MHz DDR3 RAM
- 16GB SSD with SD/MMC card reader
- Ethernet 10/100/1000Mbps, 4x USB 3.0, Wifi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
- Display Port and HDMI Video Out
- 12.4×12.4×4.2cm @ 600g
- ChromeOS
The size and form factor of the case means it can be mounted (VESA) to the back of a monitor or compatible TV or tucked away out of sight quite easily.
The Asus Chromebox (M039U) went on-sale in Australia in May, with prices starting at $299. The price has dropped to as low as $277, but Kogan is pushing the limits on pricing here.
There’s no sign of the i3 version of the Asus Chromebox, which offers the ability to output 4K video, but we remain hopeful. Head on over to the Kogan website to check it out.
If this had 4GB of ram I’d buy it in a heartbeat.
It’s easy to upgrade – as is the SSD. I love my i3 Chromebox, esp with the 128GB SSD.
Thanks for info. Sounds like the way to go.
If your going to change parts like ram and hdd wouldnt a nuc be much better. Celeron nucs are about $150 mark and then you add ram and hdd.
I dont know how the chips compare between the two units but I cant imagine much difference.
And possibly running Windows – Pfft. Not for me thanks, ChromeOS is what I enjoy.