The new 10-inch Asus Chromebook Flip confidently follows in the footsteps of its 12-inch big brother. Replacing the 2015 model, the laptop impresses with a similar, compact and versatile design and $299 (£349) price. AU pricing and availability have yet to be announced, but pricing converts to AU$375.

With access to the Google Play Store in beta mode, the Asus is more useful than its predecessor. It can install and run most Android apps, although some work better on the bigger laptop screen than others.

It has a new processor designed for Chromebooks that run Android apps. Don't mistake this for a higher-end Chromebook with a mainstream Intel CPU, but it still runs apps and performs other basic Chrome OS tasks fast and smoothly enough for it to be a great travel-friendly laptop that kids can also enjoy.

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Pretty and petite

The Asus Chromebook Flip's petite and lightweight dimensions make it easy to travel with. Yet, it still feels solid and looks stylish, thanks to its all-metal and glass design.

Dimensions

1.9lbs (862g)



0.6-inch thick (15mm)



The brushed aluminum chassis and black keyboard keys give it a MacBook-esque look when open, though the Chrome logo on the lid (and the lowercase keyboard) is a dead giveaway.

The laptop has a 360-degree hinge that allows the keyboard to completely fold over to prop up like a tent, flip over like a stand or completely turn over to transform into a tablet.

Ready for App-tion

Chrome OS revolves around Google's Chrome web browser, but with the addition of the Google Play Store, the laptop becomes more like an Android device. Now, imagine a processor within a processor that's solely dedicated to powering apps. That's a simple way of describing what's inside of the Asus Chromebook Flip C101PA. It's the same SoC (system on a chip) found inside the $350 Samsung Chromebook Plus.

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Specs

Rockchip 3399 CPU



4GB RAM



16GB internal storage



Two USB-C 3.1 ports



USB 2.0 port



MicroSD card slot



The ARM-based Rockchip 3399 CPU consists of a dual-core Cortex-A72 and a quad-core Cortex-A53 with a separate coprocessor that's designed specifically for Chromebooks running Android Apps. The processor runs alongside 4GB of RAM. It only has 16GB of internal storage, making the MicroSD card expansion slot an essential feature for those interested in downloading many apps.

Performance isn't the fastest, but it's still a good performer, especially for a budget Chromebook. Apps ran smoothly and launched relatively fast, as long as there weren't many apps or windows open in the background.