ASUS Chromebook Flip C101: smaller than the C302 and up for preorder in the US

ASUS has launched a smaller version of its Chromebook Flip laptop, the C101, for preorder in the US. This version of the Flip is smaller than the previously launched C302 model, and it will be fully on sale across the nation starting this weekend. The model offers, among other things, a tiny 10.1-inch display.

The C101 has appeared on ASUS's US website, as well as Amazon, with a $299 USD price tag. The model is no doubt targeted at people who need something cheap and/or portable, as it's unlikely many people would be able to use this as their everyday laptop. Still, it has decent features for the price.

The days of chunky Chromebooks are largely behind us, and this Chromebook Flip model highlights that with its slim 0.6-inch profile and 2lbs weight. The 360-degree hinge enables to laptop to be used as a tablet by folding the display all the way back; it can also be used in 'stand' and 'tent' modes if you're so inclined.

The touchscreen supports multi-touch but has a paltry 1280 x 800 resolution. The laptop itself is made with an all-metal body, which should make it durable enough to handle the bumps that come with travel. Ports are decent and include a USB 2.0 port, 2 USB-C, and a microSD card reader. The laptop runs Chrome OS, of course, but also has support for Android app.

Under the hood, meanwhile, there's a quad-core Rockchip RK3399 2.0GHz processor, 4GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. The Rockchip processor features a dual-core Cortex A72 and a quad-core Cortex A53, according to ASUS, and is joined by a Mali T860 MP4 GPU. The Chromebook will start shipping on September 25.

SOURCE: ASUS