As excited as I was to see the arrival of the Core m5 model of the ASUS Chromebook Flip C302, I am still a little salty about the price. The original model of my favorite convertible is right in the sweet spot for this caliber of a device and right no you can even get it for less than retail.
The nearly $150 jump to get the Core m5 processor is just too much and I fear that ASUS is pricing themselves right out of the market on a Chromebook that so many have waited months to get their hands on.
$599 is what it should be, period. To stay competitive with devices like the Samsung Chromebook Pro, the Core m5 ASUS needs carry the same value factor as its Core m3 counterpart and anything over $600 is pushing it. Honestly, $549 would make the ASUS my holiday shopping pick of 2017. (Unless of course, Google decides to knock a couple hundred bucks off of the Pixelbook.)
On the bright side, today has brought us the first discount I’ve seen on the latest iteration of the ASUS Flip C302. It’s not sub-six hundred dollars but it is a big enough discount to possibly push some shoppers off the fence of indecision.
You can get the ASUS Chromebook Flip C302 on Amazon for $619 and get a device that offers a user experience and hardware internals that are, for the most part, unrivaled. Pixelbook excluded, of course.
Here’s what you’ll get for your money:
- Intel Core m5 processor (Skylake 6th gen)
- 4GB RAM
- 64GB storage
- 12.5″ (16:9) LED backlit FHD (1920×1080) touch display
- Backlit Keyboard (YAY!!! Samsung, pay attention)
- 2 x USB-C
- Micro SD card reader/headphone mic jack 3.5mm
- Convertible form-factor
- Android Apps
- 12 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
- 2.6 pounds
Again, I’d really like to see this device dip below the $600 mark and make a real dent in the Chromebook market for power users not ready to dump a grand or more on a Pixelbook but this is something at least.
The ASUS C302 is still my pick over the Samsung Pro and will remain so. If you’ve been looking to get your hands on the Core m5 model, this is your chance. A lot of people have asked if we will see it discounted for the holidays and I’d say this is probably as good as it gets.
