While still far from perfect, Chrome OS has come a long way. Unless you have very specific software needs, in fact, it’s highly possible you can rely on it as a primary home computer. And if you’re looking to get in on the most accessible way to enjoy Google’s operating system, it’s going to be hard to find anything better than the ASUS Chromebit.
A computer on a stick (you know, like the Intel Compute Stick), it’s an HDMI dongle that you plug into your existing HDTV to immediately turn it into a full-fledged Chrome OS machine. We’re not entirely sure what you’ll want to do on Chrome that you can’t do on your tablet or smartphone, but, hey, browsing sixteen Facebook tabs on an extra-large screen sure does sound way more fun than the tiny display on your Nexus 6.
The ASUS Chromebit houses a quad-core Rockchip 3288 ARCM Cortex-A17 processor with an ARM Mali 760 GPU, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of onboard storage. It comes with WiFi for connectivity, Bluetooth 4.0 for pairing with a mouse and keyboard, and a USB port for plugging in external storage. A swivel hinge allows you to twist the stick when plugged in, so you can rest it flush against the back or edge panels of the TV, depending on where the USB is located. We’re not sure how the device is powered, although we should find out more as it closes in on a release date.
Pricing for the ASUS Chromebit will be set at $100.