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Head-to-head · Best Chromebooks Under $500

ASUS Chromebook CX15 vs ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.2 vs 3.8). The gap is mostly about Students and hybrid workers who prioritize all-day battery life and fast multitasking in a no-fuss clamshell. — read the strengths below before deciding.

ASUS Chromebook CX15
Ranked #2 in Best Chromebooks Under $500
ASUS Chromebook CX15
3 sources$239as of Oct 2

The ASUS Chromebook CX15 is the budget pick: a 15.6-inch ChromeOS laptop that often sells around $159-199, with a crisp matte 1080p display, a decent keyboard, and about 11 hours of battery. Reviewers are clear about the trade-offs, PCWorld (3.5/5) and Tom's Guide (80%) both call it good value but slow, and the entry-level 4GB RAM bogs down under multitasking. As a minimum-viable, casual-use Chromebook it delivers a lot for the money, but it is the slowest option here.

Strengths
  • — Outstanding value, often around $159-199
  • — Large 15.6-inch 1080p matte display that resists glare
  • — Decent keyboard with good travel for a budget machine
Watch-outs
  • — Entry configs ship with only 4GB of RAM, which fills up fast
  • — Celeron N4500 is slow once you open more than a few tabs
  • — PCWorld calls it the slowest ChromeOS machine it has reviewed in years
$239 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Chromebooks Under $500
ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34
3 sources$439.99as of Oct 2

The ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 is the endurance and performance champion under $500. PCWorld clocked over 13 hours of battery and praised its fast multi-core Intel CPU, generous ports, and comfortable keyboard, awarding it an Editors' Choice. PCMag rates it 4.0 out of 5 and says it proves budget Chromebooks have more to offer than ever before. Its 16:9 1080p display is solid rather than special and the chassis is plainer than the Lenovo, but for stamina and speed per dollar it is hard to beat.

Strengths
  • — Exceptional battery life, over 13 hours in PCWorld's test at low brightness
  • — Strong performance from Intel Core i5/i3 options with up to 10 cores
  • — Generous port selection including USB-C, USB-A, and HDMI
Watch-outs
  • — 16:9 1080p display is competent but no longer stands out
  • — PCMag noted it lost some ground on battery versus the prior generation in heavier use
  • — 128GB storage is modest for buyers who keep files locally
$439.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

How they stack up

ASUS Chromebook CX15

It is not a Chromebook Plus device, so it lacks their AI features, but its 15. 6-inch matte panel and ~11-hour battery are genuine strengths.

ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34

Like the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 and HP Chromebook Plus 14a it is a 14-inch clamshell, but it offers stronger CPU options than the Acer's i3-N305 and the HP. Its widescreen 1080p panel is less spacious than the Flex 5i's taller, more square display.

Specs side-by-side

SpecASUS Chromebook CX15ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34
CPUIntel Celeron N4500 (2-core)Intel Core i5-1335U (i3 option available)
RAM4GB-8GB LPDDR5X (config dependent)8GB
Storage128GB eMMC128GB SSD
Display15.6" 1920x1080 matte IPS14" 1920x1080 touchscreen, 16:9
Weight3.51 lb3.17 lb
OSChromeOSChromeOS (Chromebook Plus)
PortsUSB-C, USB-A, HDMIUSB-C, USB-A, HDMI
Battery—Up to 13+ hours
← See the full ranking of best chromebooks under $500