ASUS Chromebook C223 Review (Testing + Comparison)

Many excellent computers are available that work well with running music-production applications. Never cut corners on RAM, CPU, a hard drive, or solid-state drive while looking for a cheap laptop. You can work more effectively and avoid waiting several minutes for your computer to boot up and get going if your CPU is quick and powerful. RAM and CPU work together to support the use of more plugins in your DAW. A review of ASUS Chromebook C223 is my topic of discussion.

You will experience a delay while recording if your processor isn’t fast enough, and your plugins will lag or crash if your RAM isn’t large enough. This is why having a high-quality computer is crucial. Don’t overlook older computers, particularly those made by Apple. If you purchase something refurbished or used, it may be as good as more modern PCs, and you can save a lot more money.

Remember when all Chromebooks were inexpensive, occasionally cheery computers targeted primarily at frugal home users and even more frugal educational institutions? The Asus Chromebook C233, however, transports us to 2014, when Chromebooks like the Samsung Chromebook 2 and HP Chromebook 11 were commonplace, offering you something lot more functional than the previous generation of Windows Netbooks for about the same price. And for such a cheap device, it creates a good first impression.

ASUS Chromebook C223

You can take Chromebooks anywhere because they are made to be sturdy and light. Plastic is used for the entire body structure, constructed with good form quality.

Despite having an 11.6-inch screen, the presentation only has a 74% screen-to-body ratio. Fortunately, it won’t affect the way you make music. The showcase features an anti-glare LED board for defense.

Design And Build

The Asus Chromebook C223 is a laptop that has a decent design and is lightweight, strong, and well-made. The Chromebook is very portable and can be used anywhere because it just weighs 1 kg. Due to its reduced footprint, it also resembles a notepad. Its dimensions of 28.60 x 19.90 cm and 11.6-inch display make it a perfect option for seniors and students searching for a portable and simple-to-use laptop.

Regarding construction quality, even though the Chromebook C223’s entire body is plastic, it does not seem flimsy. The ports are logically arranged, and the Chromebook feels solid in usage.

Although you cannot anticipate quality materials and excellent craftsmanship for Rs. 17,999, the Asus Chromebook 223 does not disappoint you with its plastic body. The screen bezels are incredibly large for a Virtual DJ laptop released in 2021, and the screen-to-body ratio is only 74%. It’s not a big deal, though.

Remember that the Asus Chromebook C223 has a non-touchscreen display and a non-convertible chassis. In other words, you can’t use this Chromebook as a tablet. It’s a budget-friendly Chromebook with the good build quality.

Display

The 11.6-inch anti-glare backlit LED panel of the Asus Chromebook C223 has a 1366 x 768 resolution (HD). Its aspect ratio of 16:9 is consistent with the design of conventional laptops. Additionally, as I’ve already indicated, the touchscreen panel on this Chromebook is not present.

Regarding the display quality, I would say it is at best passable. The display has a very faint blue tint that makes everything on the screen appear colder. Alternatively, you may use Night Light to alter the color temperature and warm up the screen. Therefore, we advise against performing any color-sensitive tasks on this display.

The poor viewing angles prevent you from seeing anything on the screen clearly from an off-angle. That would make enjoying your favorite Netflix movies and TV episodes on the Chromebook C223 with friends and family less fun.

Aside from that, the display is not very sharp, and pixel peeping reveals that there are pixels. We can’t complain about the panel’s quality, considering the pricing. The display’s increased brightness is what I like the most about it.

According to Asus, the panel may be as bright as 200 nits. And in fact, it was accurate in my experience. Because of the brilliant display, you can use the Chromebook C223 outside without any problems.

Performance

The performance of the Asus Chromebook C223 is the most crucial aspect, so let’s talk about that now. The dual-core Intel Celeron N3350 processor inside this Chromebook has a 1.1GHz base speed and a 2.4GHz turbo speed. 32GB of internal storage and 4GB of RAM are included.

The Asus Chromebook C223 exceeded my initial expectations in terms of performance in my experience. I simultaneously used the Android app Telegram, Twitter, Play Store, and 1080p YouTube videos.

Even when I had 4-5 Chrome tabs open in the background, the gadget never slowed down or stuttered. To switch between apps and tabs, I utilized Chrome OS gestures, and the laptop processed all of my requests without trouble.

The Chromebook kept everything in memory while running multiple, weighty web pages and Android apps simultaneously, which is impressive given that it only has 4GB of RAM. However, occasionally the Chromebook did stall when using the Telegram Android app and a few Chrome tabs at once. However, when using Telegram on a browser, the problem did not appear.

In addition, I discovered an intriguing result when I ran the browser benchmark test and compared the N3350-powered Chromebook to my 6th-Gen i5-based Windows laptop. The Asus Chromebook C223 scored 24.1 on the Speedometer 2.0 test, compared to 31.3 for the Windows laptop.

The Windows laptop performed better, but the difference was only 7 points. It demonstrates that Chrome OS functions just as well on an old Celeron CPU-powered laptop as on one running Windows with an i5.

Keyboard and Trackpad

Surprisingly, the Asus Chromebook C223’s keyboard and trackpad are quite good for the price. My personal HP x360 Chromebook has a superior keyboard, so moving to the Asus Chromebook C223 felt like a downgrade.

Typing on the laptop’s edge-to-edge Chiclet-style keyboard with a respectable 1.5mm of key travel is satisfactory. With the C223, typing is cozy. However, I must tell you that the keyboard deck has some apparent flex, and the keys feel mushy when you are typing. Additionally, remember that the C223 lacks a lighted keyboard.

The multi-touch trackpad is quick and precise. On my Chromebook, I frequently utilize the 3- and 4-finger gestures and the trackpad on the C223 is very responsive. Therefore, if you are a student concerned about the typing experience, you shouldn’t be because you won’t have any serious issues.

 Connectivity Of Ports

There are two USB Type-C ports and one USB Type-A port onboard, as stated in the specs sheet above. The greatest feature is that all the ports are USB 3.2 Gen 1 types, providing higher data transfer rates and other I/O enhancements. The Type-C connectors on the right and left each offer data transfer, power delivery, and display. Your Chromebook can be charged, data can be transferred, and an external monitor may be connected via either Type-C connector.

Of course, a Type-C adapter is required for the HDMI input since the Asus Chromebook C223 lacks an HDMI connection by default. On the left, you also have a microSD card slot that allows you to increase the capacity by up to 2TB and an audio port. Remember that neither the C223 nor any other Chromebook has an Ethernet port.

Regarding wireless connectivity, I’m impressed that Asus decided to put a dual-band wireless chip on this reasonably priced device. It can bond to 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks and supports Wi-Fi 5. I have connected to a 5GHz wireless network at home, and the Chromebook functions without any latency problems. In addition, Bluetooth 4.0 is supported, and my Oppo TWS earphones worked nicely with it.

Webcam And Audio Quality

The Asus Chromebook C223 once again exceeds expectations in the audio department. It boasts a powerful sound output, and the dual speakers deliver great reverberation. I played many songs and videos from Spotify and YouTube, and both platforms had loud, clear audio. It was surprising to hear such a good sound from such a small gadget.

The Chromebook C223’s 3.5mm audio connection is its finest feature, allowing you to connect wired headphones and use them to attend virtual classes, watch videos, and more. The Asus Chromebook C223 has a 720p HD webcam and an integrated microphone, allowing you to easily join courses using video conferencing tools like Zoom or Google Meet. Although the webcam’s quality isn’t particularly impressive, it can still be used online.

Charger And Battery

The strength of a Chromebook is its long battery life, which is the last point. The 4,800mAh Li-ion battery within the Asus Chromebook C223 provides up to 10 hours of battery life. In my tests, I received 7-8 hours of battery life when using various devices.

I also achieved about 7 hours of battery life while using numerous Chrome tabs and Android apps, watching Full-HD videos, and listening to music. Now, it is much better than what is provided by low-cost laptops.

Product Testing

I put it to the test while working on a document and a presentation with YouTube, Netflix, and Prime Video open, and I never got stuck or realized. The Asus Chromebook C223 is not designed for gaming. I attempted to install a few demanding Android games, such as BGMI and Asphalt 9.

But because of the x86 Intel processor, they stumbled a lot and took forever to load the game. You might be able to play demanding games on a low-powered Chromebook like this when cloud gaming becomes a reality in India with the introduction of Google Stadia, Nvidia GeForce Now, or Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Product Comparison

The Asus Chromebook C233, available in both the more conventional metallic grey and the sporty red color, offers a good first impression for a budget Chromebook. It weighs exactly 1kg, is about the size of an A4 pad, and is extremely thin at just 1.73cm closed.

Even though our review device had some scuffs on the base before we got our hands on it, and the lid is thin and a little too flexible for comfort, the overall build seems fairly strong by budget Chromebook standards. The HP Chromebook 11 has excellent viewing angles, allowing you to see the screen well from any position.

The screen doesn’t fold back 180 degrees, but you get a good enough angle to comfortably view it while holding the Chromebook 11 in your lap. All of our test photos have fantastic colors that are vibrant and full of detail.

To Conclude

The sound quality is pretty good; I believe ASUS Chromebook C223 to be superior to my older, larger laptop. Very simple to use, a little slow in the AppStore but no issues. Good battery life! I purchased this laptop for use in college, and thus far, I’ve been able to download Word and other documents from the programs. Convenient, light, and exceptionally adorable. If you want something simple and inexpensive, I suggest it!

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