ASUS CHROMEBOX-M004U Desktop


Product Details
ASUS CHROMEBOX-M004U Desktop
List Price:$169.00
Price:$159.00 & eligible for FREE Shipping on orders over $35. Details

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Ships from and sold by Amazon.com
59 new or used available from $134.00
Average customer review: 
(623 customer reviews)

Product Description


ASUS CHROMEBOX-M004U Desktop

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With easy out-of-the-box setup, integrated virus and malware protection and feature-enhancing updates, ASUS Chromebox starts up in seconds to get you to your favorite websites and apps instantly. And why a box? Because with a box it houses a processor powerful enough for ultrafast multitasking performance in Chrome OS and the connectivity options to choose your own screen size, connect to multiple displays at once and even attach to any VESA-mountable monitor or HD TV. ASUS Chromebox is the always-new computer that just makes sense.
Personalized data access makes ASUS Chromebox the ideal family device. Easily switch between accounts while ensuring each person’s data is kept private and secure; while parental controls ensure safe, family-friendly web surfing.
With VESA mount built in and HDMI port, ASUS VE228H and VE247H monitors are the ideal displays to pair with ASUS Chromebox.

Experience snappy performance to get you to your digital world faster
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ASUS Chromebox boots up in a flash and synchronizes instantly with your existing Chrome services to get you closer to the internet than ever before. With 100GB of free Google Drive space, access all your data and files in the cloud simply by logging into your Google account wherever you are.
Choose your own screen size or connect two monitors at once
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It may be the world’s smallest Chrome device, but ASUS Chromebox is big on connectivity. It comes with high performance 802.11 n dual-band wireless, four USB 3.0 ports for fast data transfer, HDMI and DisplayPort for connecting to the latest displays and HD TVs, including support for dual displays and an SD card reader for easily accessing stored photos and documents.
Enjoy a high quality experience, online and offline
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Kick back and relax as you browse the web, watch movies and shows on Netflix, or view photos from your SD card. And with a wide assortment of offline apps, ASUS Chromebox lets you edit documents, play games and use other popular apps without an internet connection.
Easy setup and use for people at any tech level
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When booting Chromebox up, browsing the web or performing your essential tasks, it’s all about speed when it comes to Chrome OS. It gets you closer to what you want to do, simply boot up Chromebox and go.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #113 in Personal Computers
  • Size: 2 GB RAM
  • Color: Blue
  • Brand: Asus
  • Model: CHROMEBOX-M004U
  • Released on: 2014-03-14
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: 1.65" h x 4.88" w x 4.88" l, 1.32 pounds
  • CPU: Celeron 2955U 1.4 GHz
  • Memory: 2GB DDR3 SDRAM
  • Hard Disk: 16GB
  • Processors: 1
  • Display size: 4.88

Features

  • 1.4 GHz Intel Celeron 2955U Processor
  • 2GB DDR3 RAM, 16 GB SSD HDD
  • Intel HD graphics
  • Google Chrome OS

Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

372 of 386 people found the following review helpful.
5Just what we needed 
By Blaine A. Edwards 
Our desktop died a few months ago and we were looking for a replacement. Because my wife and I both have tablets and a laptop, we have found that we have not used the desktop as much. As a result, we were wondering whether we should even get a replacement. We decided it would be nice to have but we didn't want to spend $500+ on a new computer. I had heard of the Chromebox previously but didn't pay too much attention to it. I decided it would be worth looking into and after seeing all the good comments, I felt it was worth taking a chance on getting one.

Is it anything spectacular? Yes! Does it do anything more than Chrome on Windows? No. But here is why (when your desktop finally dies/or you are just sick of how slow it is) you should buy a Chromebox:

1) Fast enough to do everything you want to on the internet. If you are like most people, you will realize that 90+% of the time you are on a computer, you are using a web browser. Everything else on your computer therefore is added weight to slow down your internet experience. This may include Virus/Malware Scanning Software, Viruses and Malware, other background processes, etc. ChromeOS takes all this out and gives you the the web browser and a great way of connecting to it. Will it handle the latest high intensity graphics game around? No, it won't come close but if you are looking for something to do that, you probably aren't even looking at Chromeboxes and therefore are not even reading this post.

2) Still can do Microsoft Office Online. This was actually a surprise to me but it actually works fairly well. For those of you who are not familiar with Office Online, it is a web version of Office that doesn't have all the bells and whistles of regular office. If you are like most people, you really don't use the bells and whistles. I do quite a bit of work in Office with my employment (law) and find that everything that I need can be done on Office Online. If you really don't need a lot of features, check of Google Docs, it rocks as well.

3) 100GB of online storage. From your new Chromebox (or Chromebook) go to drive.google.com/redeem and type in some information an viola, 100GB of online storage.

4) It is simple to use. There is no learning curve with the Chromebox. It is the Chrome web browser and if you have used any browser in the last 5 years, you will be up to speed. There are a few features that you don't get on regular Chrome like Bluetooth and WIFI but even make that easy to operate.

5) It uses Google Print. So this could be a frustration for a lot of people. The Chromebox, even though it has USB ports, does not allow you to connect printers because it doesn't install drivers. So what can you do? First, get a printer that is Google Print capable. Okay, I am with you, I really don't need another printer laying around my house. Second, try the xPrint Server from Lantronix. Granted it is a little expensive (~$150.00) which makes one wonder why not just buy a new printer. Third, use an old computer that runs Chrome as a gateway. While not a great choice, it is better than some of the first options. Fourth, get geeky with a Raspberry Pi. For those that are not aware of what a Raspberry Pi is, it is a $35 computer capable of running Linux. Needless to say, Chrome can run on Linux and it can also install printer drivers. Here is a tutorial on turning a Raspberry Pi into your Google Cloud Print servant.

[...]

Again, this is a hurdle for a lot of people but I will say, after you get Google Cloud Print working, it is awesome. No more worrying about what computer your document is on and what computer is connected to which printer. It is simply, clicking this printer and this document.

6) It can be customized. If you find out that Chrome OS is not your thing that is okay. There are plenty of tutorials on how to install Ubuntu on the Chromebox either as a dual-boot or replacement. If you are interested in this, I would recommend getting an extra 2GB stick of ram (Laptop DDR3). It may also be smart to upgrade the size of the SSD as well. If that looks greek to you, then just stick with Chrome OS.

Hopefully you have found my review helpful of the Chromebox. Just to recap, this is a great desktop replacement if all you need is something to surf the internet with and do homework. You will be pleasantly surprised at how fast it loads up and how easy it is to use.


108 of 115 people found the following review helpful.
5Excellent for what it is. 
By Aaron 
First off, don't buy this expecting it to replace a Windows or Mac desktop. Do some research on what Chrome OS can and cannot do. This won't be a review of ChromeOS, but the device itself.

About the device:

It's pretty dang small. Probably about the size of an Intel NUC. The form factor is what drove me to purchase this device, as I was looking for something small to use for basic web browsing, Netflix, and occasional light office work (using Office 365 - OneDrive). The device does not feel cheap at all; I was surprised at the overall build quality for something under $200.

What's Included:
Inside the box is the usually quick start guide, user manual, and warranty info. The chromebox uses the same AC adapter that Asus's laptops use (I think). There is also a nifty VESA mount that you can mount the device to, and then attach it to the back of a monitor. I have not had a chance to try this out yet.

Connectivity/Ports: I like the fact that all of the available USB ports (4 total) are 3.0. I currently only have a Logitech MK320 mouse/keyboard combo connect to one, which works perfectly. I like that an ethernet port was also included, as well as built in wifi. For video, I'm currently using the HDMI port, but the device also has a full-size displayport as well. Among the ports already listed, there is also an SD-card reader, similar to what you can find on laptops.

Loudness: I wanted to point this out, as this thing is VERY quiet. In face my monitor is louder than the chromebox! I haven't really pushed it to it's full potential yet, so I cannot comment on how loud the fan can get. I have not noticed any issues with heat yet.

I feel like that is all I can speak about the device for now, and will update this review should anything change.
This chromebox is perfect for someone looking to have a small, energy-efficient computing experience.


205 of 228 people found the following review helpful.
5No Brainer as Kid's Computer 
By ifGeek 
This is my 3rd Chrome OS device (Samsung Chromebook, Acer Chromebook) and was purchased to replace a not-very-old Windows desktop that my kids used for school assignments, web browsing and video streaming. The old desktop had a Celeron processor, but couldn't do full-screen video without a lot of stuttering and had a loud fan that screamed through even a low-def YouTube video. This thing feels like a HUGE step up at a fraction of the price. My 11 year old daughter asked if she could set this up and within 2 minutes from opening the box, she was playing a Flash-based game on the Internet. That is precisely what I love so much about my Chrome devices. My kids just get it...right out of the box and my tech-support/virus cleanup/windows patching time has dropped to nil! I love that my kid's homework and docs are all in the cloud and they can no longer lose them due to hard drive crashes or forgetting where they saved them on the box. They use GDocs exclusively and since their schools are now using Chromebooks also, its seamless for them. I'm a web developer and I guess what I'd call a "power user" and even I find that I get downstairs to fire up my super desktop very rarely these days. The Chrome devices just fit the need.

This sleek little black box is perfect on my kitchen counter, where the kids use it on a 24 inch Samsung monitor. It worked well with a cheap Bluetooth keyboard I had and a wired, USB mouse. I think I'll actually use the mounting bracket that came with it to mount this thing on the wall behind the monitor, just to clear even more counter space. As expected, boot time was just a few seconds and there's just something comforting about signing in for the first time and instantly having all of my bookmarks and settings from my other Chromebook.

If you're even considering this, you seriously need to ask yourself what you do that requires a full-blown, bloated OS like Windows or MacOS. If the answer is iTunes, I pity you (I was there once) and recommend looking into new mobile devices also.


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