It seems that retailers still aren’t totally in sync with manufacturers on how to get Chromebooks out the door. For better or worse, the ASUS C302CA has been a bit of an interesting saga leading up to CES 2017.
Just a few days ago, we broke the early release and availability from Newegg.com. The device was up for purchase and many of us were able to place our order and were charged for the device. Additionally, quite a few of our readers reported their devices shipped out.
Not long after, we all received phone calls letting us know that the orders had been cancelled and shipments were being routed back to the retailer. It seems our early access had been revoked.
A bright spot? We were able to get the actual release date a bit more firm: January 5th, 2017.
Second Chances
But, then came Best Buy. Today, one of our readers has alerted us that Best Buy, in a move very similar to Newegg, has made the ASUS C302CA available for purchase, shipping, and local store pickup before its actual launch.
Of course, I ordered one and it is slated to be here a day before we depart for CES in Las Vegas.
Here’s the link if you would like to give it a go yourself.
Less Hardware for the Same Money
It is worth mentioning that this listing shows 32GB of eMMC storage vs. the 64GB that the Newegg listing showed. Additionally, this device is equipped with the Skylake Pentium chip instead of the Core m3 Skylake that the Newegg model was shipping with. Were they both accurate? No way to know, honestly, until we get the device in-hand.
It is interesting that the price is the same for both when Newegg’s device is a much stronger machine both in storage and processor speed. My guess is $499 is the price for this model and a $599+ will be tagged on the m3/64GB version. From the early outings of this device, it is clear that it will be getting an 8GB RAM version as well, so who knows how many configurations we are likely to see!
Here are the rest of the specs we get in the current Best Buy listing:
- 12.5″ Full HD touch screen for hands-on control
- The 1920 x 1080 resolution boasts impressive color and clarity. Energy-efficient LED backlight.
- Intel® Pentium® processor 4405Y
- Basic dual-core processor boosts multitasking capabilities for reliable Internet browsing, e-mail and everyday productivity.
- 4GB system memory for basic multitasking
- 32GB eMMC flash memory
- Intel® HD Graphics 515
- Weighs 2.65 lbs. and measures 0.5″ thin
- Aluminum chassis
- Bluetooth 4.0 interface syncs with compatible devices
- 2 USB Type-C ports
- 2 USB 3.0 ports maximize the latest high-speed devices
- HDMI output expands your viewing options
- Supports MicroSD memory card formats.
- Backlit keyboard
- Headphone/microphone combo jack.
What I’m hoping is that this shipment makes it out and a few of us get a chance to play with this Chromebook before its actual unveiling at CES next week.
If ours arrives on the expected timeline, be prepared for a quick unboxing before or in Vegas! Here’s the link again if you missed it above!
