Subj : I just tested the best cheap Chromebook Ive seen so far and Im a To : All From : TechnologyDaily Date : Tue Nov 04 2025 04:30:07 I just tested the best cheap Chromebook Ive seen so far and Im amazed by one aspect in particular Date: Tue, 04 Nov 2025 04:16:32 +0000 Description: The Asus Chromebook CX1505 certainly offers a lot of screen for the money, but has it been compromised elsewhere? FULL STORY ======================================================================Asus Chromebook CX15: Two-minute review The Asus Chromebook CX1505 certainly has a budget price tag, but its features and spec hope to counter the charge that its a compromised device unfit for modern purposes. While it might appear sleek, on closer inspection its not as thin or as light as its looks might lead you to believe. That ultra wide display and the long underside support bar sully its portability credentials somewhat. Build quality isnt the greatest, either, and isnt up there with the best Chromebook constructions. Its still within reasonable bounds, but theres some flexing to the plastic chassis. The thin bezel for the display is a welcome touch, though, helping to maximize its already generous width. The keyboard also feels built to a higher standard, which is fortunate since youll be making plenty of contact with it. All the ports on the CX1505 are located on its left-hand side, which may be a little inconvenient for those wishing to connect multiple peripherals. More of a problem, however, is their paucity: there are only four, and only two of them are USB (one type-A and one type-C port). Whats more, the Type-C must be used for charging, so it wont be available to you all of the time. An HDMI 1.4 port and a 3.5mm combo audio jack round out the rest of the physical connectivity options, and theyre at least sensibly ordered. The CX1505 acquits itself well in terms of performance. It can handle the productivity and entertainment tasks well enough, although 4K content streaming is just beyond its reach. It can handle some light gaming, though, albeit with relatively undemanding titles at low graphical settings. More impressive is that large display. The width is useful for both entertainment and productivity purposes, while the Full HD resolution is still sharp enough for its size. Its also bright and reasonably vibrant, making for pleasant viewing in all scenarios. While the CX1505 is great for typing on, the trackpad is a let down. Its jerky and imprecise when making small, slow movements, and its clicks feel unsatisfying. The battery life of the CX1505 is reasonable, lasting seven hours in our movie playback test. However, many of its rivals can beat this figure some by a considerable margin. There was a time when a Chromebook costing this little wouldnt have been worth your time, lacking the power and features to suit even basic usage. But the commendable if not outstanding performance of the CX1505, coupled with its generous and high-quality display, are certainly impressive aspects at this price, making it a contender for one of the best budget Chromebooks around right now. Asus Chromebook CX1505 review: Price and availability (Image credit: Future) Starts from $159.99 / 249.99 / AU$499 Available now in multiple colorways Budget end of the market The CX1505 starts from $159.99 / 249.99 / AU$499 and is available now in various colorways, including green and pink. It can be configured with 4GB or 8GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of storage. An Intel Core version is also available. This is a great price, even in the Chromebook market. Its considerably cheaper than the Asus Chromebook CM14 , which we think is one of the best budget Chromebooks. However, the CX1505 performs better, and that wider display makes it better for productivity and entertainment if not portability. If you want a high-performing Chromebook, then the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch is a better choice. This dispatches all kinds of tasks with ease, including harsher workloads such as gaming and multitasking; no wonder we think its the best student Chromebook . Its keyboard isnt as good as that on the CX1505, though. If you want to stay closer to the budget-end of the market and want something more compact but also powerful, the Dell Chromebook 3120 fits the bill very well, with more processing power and faster memory for a little bit more of an investment. Value: 5 / 5 Asus Chromebook CX1505 review: Specs My Asus Chromebook CX1505 review unit had an Intel Celeron N4500, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. Asus Chromebook CX1505 Price Starting from $159.99 / 249.99 / AU$499 CPU Intel Celeron N4500 Processor 1.1 GHz (2 cores) Graphics Integrated, Intel UHD Graphics RAM 4GB LPDDR4X Screen 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080, 16:9, Anti-glare display, 300nits Storage 64GB eMMC Ports 1x USB-A, 1x USB-C, 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x 3.5mm combo audio Wireless Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) (Dual band) 2*2, Bluetooth 5.4 Camera 720p with privacy shutter Weight 3.51lbs (1.59kg) Dimensions 14.15 x 9.14 x 0.79in (360 x 232 x 20mm) ASUS Chromebook CX1505 review: Design (Image credit: Future) Sleek and vibrant looks Compromised portability Lacks ports The CX1505 has a neat, minimalist appearance buoyed by the vibrant colorways; I found the light green finish of my review unit particularly fetching, suiting its overall design well. The rounded corners and smooth, flat planes add to its appeal. Its quite a thin unit, although the prominent support bar running underneath rather spoils its sleekness. Its also heavier than you might expect; coupled with the atypical width, the portability of the CX1505 is somewhat compromised. Whats more, build quality isnt particularly impressive, either. The slightly textured plastics may look and feel interesting, but theyre not the sturdiest and can succumb to considerable flexing. The hinge for the lid feels sturdy in operation, but its looseness becomes evident once set in position. This isnt disruptive, but it is noticeable, and isnt exactly an auspicious sign for its longevity. On a positive note, the bezel around the display is pleasingly thin, which allows the already generous real estate to be realized to its full potential, while the keys have a subtle graining which makes them feel tactile to use. They also actuate smoothly and solidly, with very little play or uncertain feedback. If youre looking for a Chromebook with plenty of connectivity options, youll be disappointed with the CX15. Despite its large size, there are only four ports (five on the Intel Core model, thanks to its extra USB-C port), all located on the left-hand side. Theres one USB-C port (which is used for charging as well), one USB-A port, one HDMI 1.4 port, and a combo audio jack. At least theyre sensibly ordered; Im always happy to see the power port at the end and the audio jack at the very front. Design score: 3.5 / 5 ASUS Chromebook CX1505 review: Performance (Image credit: Future) Reasonable multitasking capabilities More demanding tasks Good wide display Benchmarks These are the results of our benchmarking tests for the Asus Chromebook CX1505: TechRadar Battery Life Test: 7 hours Jetstream2 Benchmark: 121.752 Kraken Benchmark: 1254.9ms Speedometer 3.1: 5.74 (0.20) The CX1505 is capable enough for everyday tasking. It can handle word processing and spreadsheet creation with ease, while streaming hi-definition content is also well within its grasp. However, expect some significant buffering if youre watching anything above 1440p. Even with the modest 4GB of RAM installed in my review unit, the CX1505 managed to juggle multiple browser tabs admirably. I still encountered some lag in such instances, but not to a frustrating extent. However, more demanding multitasking scenarios, such as running numerous apps simultaneously, lead to more severe slowdowns, as you might expect. Light gaming is just about within its reach as well. Asphalt Legends ran smoothly enough when I reduced the maximum frame rate to 30fps, but I encountered frequent stuttering when ratcheting it up to 60fps, even on the default medium graphics settings. Those after some casual enjoyment are catered for, then but those who take their gaming a little more seriously will be disappointed. The display is pleasingly bright and vibrant. Colors are vividly reproduced rather than washed-out, as they can be on other Chromebook displays in my experience. (Image credit: Future) And despite its large size, the 1920 x 1080p resolution still looks sharp and clear. That wide ratio also makes various productivity tasks easier, as well as serving entertainment content well. The keys of the CX1505 are well damped, resulting in softer presses than you might expect, but theyre still as snappy and as light as you would expect from a laptop keyboard. Theyre well spaced, too, and thanks to that wide chassis, the numberpad doesnt cramp the layout, as is the case with some other laptops and Chromebooks. The trackpad has a solid and noticeable click, but it feels nasty and cheap, owing to the lack of dampening. Gliding isnt the smoothest, either, with attempts to make small and precise movements resulting in lag and cursor jumps. Taps are better, but inconsistent: being unresponsive at times, and too eager at others. The surface area of the pad is quite small, too, despite there being plenty of space for a larger module. At least its solidly installed, with no wobble to it. The overall connectivity of the CX1505 is good for the most part. However, the Bluetooth radio stopped working on one occasion, severing connection with all my devices. Thankfully, fixing the issue merely required disabling and then re-enabling Bluetooth from the status area in the bottom-right corner. Performance score: 4 / 5 Asus Chromebook CX1505 review: Battery life (Image credit: Future) The CX1505 has a respectable, if not impressive, battery life. It should see you throughout the day, but it only managed seven hours in our playback test, where we ran a movie on a continuous loop. This beats the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360, which only managed six and a half hours, but its bested by rivals such as the Acer Chromebook Spin 312 and the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch, which both achieved times around the 11-hour mark. And the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook can last a hugely impressive 16-plus hours. Battery life: 3 / 5 Should I buy the ASUS Chromebook CX1505? Notes Rating Value There arent many new Chromebooks priced this low, still less those with competing specs. 5 / 5 Design It may look sleek and minimal, but its surprisingly heavy, and its not the sturdiest, either. 3.5 / 5 Performance Considering its middling spec, the CX1505 is impressive in action, if not spectacular. 4 / 5 Battery life Battery life is good but not outstanding; there are plenty of Chromebooks that can outlast it. 3 / 5 Total Score It might not be a powerhouse, but the CX1505 is capable and cheap enough to make it excellent value. 4 / 5 Buy it if... You want a wide display The 87% screen-to-body ratio certainly looks striking and helps with both productivity and entertainment. Youll be doing a lot of typing The keyboard on the CX1505 is great, offering a satisfying feel and generous spacing, despite the inclusion of a number pad. Don't buy it if... You want serious performance Some light multitasking and entertainment are possible, but demand anything more and the CX1505 will struggle. You want something very portable The wide and relatively hefty body of the CX1505 makes it less portable than you might imagine. ASUS Chromebook CX1505: Also consider If the Asus Chromebook CX1505 doesn't sound right for you, here are some alternatives: Acer Chromebook Spin 312 The Chromebook Spin 312 is a more compact and versatile device, thanks to its small 12.2-inch screen and convertibility, allowing you to use it like a tablet. In truth, its touchscreen is best used when the unit is propped on a desk, rather than held in the hand, but its still one of the best 2-in-1 Chromebooks , and its amenable keyboard and keen display only add to its appeal. Battery life is pretty good, too. Read our full Acer Chromebook Spin 312 review . HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch For a more capable Chromebook, look no further than the HP Chromebook Plus. Its great for all kinds of tasks, while the display renders all sorts of content well. Its most disappointing aspect is probably its keyboard, as the number pad squeezes the other keys, which may take some getting used to. Its official pricing might look high, but weve seen it around for a lot less. Read our full HP Chromebook Plus review 15.6-inch How I tested the Asus Chromebook CX1505 Tested for several days Used for various tasks Plentiful Chromebook experience I tested the CX1505 for several days, during which time I used it for productivity, entertainment, and general browsing. I used it for word processing and spreadsheet editing, as well as streaming HD and 4K content. I also played mobile games downloaded from the Play Store, and ran our series of benchmark tests for Chromebooks. Ive been using Chromebooks for years and have extensive experience reviewing them. Ive also reviewed other kinds of mobile devices, including tablets and laptops designed for productivity and gaming. First reviewed November 2025 Read more about how we test ====================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/chromebooks/asus-chromebook-cx15-review --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64) * Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100) .