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Last week, AMD unveiled the company’s latest processors designed specifically for Chromebooks. The 7020-C series is aimed squarely at the mid-range Chromebook market that includes devices in the $300-$600 price range. The first Chromebook to surface actually showed up prior to the announcement in the form of the Dell Chromebook Latitude 3445. That device is geared towards the enterprise sector but this week, the first consumer-focused model has arrived and it’s available from Best Buy.
ASUS Chromebook CM3401
We’re hoping to get our hands on a review unit post haste but at first glance, the new ASUS Chromebook CM3401 looks like a very formidable machine for its MSRP of $499. The 14-inch touchscreen 2-in-1 features the Ryzen 3 7320C, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB SSD which puts it on par with a number of its Intel-based counterparts and the MIL-SPEC chassis means that it should be a relatively solid device.
The CM3401 supports a stylus and this model is equipped with a 1080P webcam which is a plus considering many mid-range devices are still rocking a 720p shooter. Port selection is solid with two USB-C, one USB-A, a MicroSD slot and an HDMI port. Yes, it does have a headphone jack. Despite what ASUS’ website states, Best Buy lists this model as not having a backlit keyboard but I suppose that’s forgivable when you look at its list of features.
The new AMD Chromebook is rocking a 14-inch 16:10 display and ASUS lists it as having 300 nits of brightness, as it should. Presumably, this Chromebook will see some discounts in the future but right now, you can pick it up for $499. In my opinion, that feels like a very solid price if this AMD processor performs as well as AMD has said. You can find the ASUS Chromebook CM3401 over at Best Buy at the link below.
