Back at CES 2020 (which feels like it was 5 years ago at this point), one of the big Chromebook releases that we were very excited by at the time was the new ASUS Chromebook Flip C436. In every way, this Chromebook looked like the clear successor to the very-popular C434 that came before it and only built on that pedigree. With tiny bezels, a convertible frame, thin build, latest processors, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5, fingerprint scanner and a plenty of RAM and storage on board, it looked like the Flip C436 was set to be one of the best Chromebooks of 2020.
As we found in our review, however, there were some choices made by ASUS that made the whole package a bit less exciting than we thought. Odd things like keyboard backlights, less-than-sturdy build quality, and a sub-par screen simply let me down during my review time with the Flip C436. That’s not to say it’s a bad device: it just didn’t live up to what it could have been and missed in multiple places when sat next to its direct competitor in the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook.
While I still feel like those shortcomings are worth noting and for many users the rather-excellent Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is the better overall device, there was a variant of the ASUS C436 we never got to actually spend much time with. That version costs $999 like the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook, but it comes bearing some massive spec upgrades, too. For that nearly-1K price tag, you are getting upgraded to 512GB of NVMe storage, 16GB of RAM, and the sweet-looking pearl white finish. I mean, look at that thing up there!
Best Buy is showing the full-spec ASUS Flip C436 as available for shipping and it is one of the first places we’ve seen this souped-up version anywhere besides listed on ASUS’ own website (perhaps on the same timeline, Amazon now has the same version for a little over $999, too). As Chromebook inventory is finally starting to come back, we need devices across the spectrum to be available for the holidays. While tons of users love finding deals on the cheapest possible Chromebook where they can, there are lots of us looking for a stunning, sleek, powerful device as well. For its shortcomings, the ASUS Flip C436 definitely doesn’t lack in aesthetic appeal and sheer processing power. For $999, it is clearly the most hardware you can get in a Chromebook at this point, and you’ll soon be able to trot down to your local Best Buy to see one in the flesh and snag it if the mood hits you right.
Shop the ASUS Chromebook Flip C436 on Chrome Shop
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