Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 Review: A Pretty Chromebook

One large omission from this exemplary is simply a backlit keyboard, which is disappointing if you privation to usage it successful the dark. Older CX34 models came with a backlit keyboard, so, curiously, Asus opted not to vessel 1 connected this updated version.

The bully quality is that, contempt the deficiency of a backlight, the keyboard is comfy to usage for agelong periods. It has a coagulated magnitude of question and ne'er feels onerous to benignant on. If I had to sanction 1 quibble, it’s the tiny size of the home-key ridges connected the “F” and “J” keys, which marque it a small harder to touch-type.

The trackpad is ample and spacious, though the worldly it’s made of creates much resistance connected your digit than I’d like. I besides encountered 1 bug with the trackpad during investigating wherever it was unresponsive aft waking the CX34 from sleep. This seemed to beryllium a one-off and was remedied by a restart (a speedy process for Chromebooks), but it’s worthy noting.

For mundane enactment and web browsing, the interaction show connected the CX34 is fantastic. It’s a 14-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 pixel sheet that looks crisp and cuts down connected a decent magnitude of glare with a matte finish. It isn’t the brightest show retired determination though, and it tin conflict erstwhile moving outdoors connected a sunny day.

While the 16:9 surface ratio is beauteous modular for laptops, I would person liked to spot Asus spell for a somewhat taller 16:10 show here. The accrued vertical abstraction connected a 16:10 surface is large for the productivity enactment the CX34 is targeting. You tin spot this successful enactment connected competitors similar Acer’s Chromebook Plus Spin 714.

Port enactment connected the CX34 is beauteous good, with 2 USB-A ports, 2 USB-C ports, an HDMI slot, and a modular headphone jack. The USB-C ports tin complaint the laptop with the amazingly compact 45-watt charger Asus includes successful the box, but they tin besides beryllium utilized for DisplayPort implicit USB-C connections to outer monitors.