Best Chromebox in 2024

If you’re looking for the best Chromebox available in the market today, it goes without saying that the Acer Chromebox CXI3 serves as the most popular and recommended option simply for the internal processing power as well as the connectivity ports that come by default. The ASUS Chromebox 3 is a close second.

If you have searched online marketplaces for a good Chromebox, chances are that you didn’t come across more than a handful of options. This is because not a lot of companies were drawn into this concept, though ASUS and Acer have clearly excelled in terms of Chromeboxes.

While companies like HP also have a Chromebox available, there haven’t been too many of them.

What is a Chromebox?

While Android TV has been available in some form over the past few years, Chromeboxes have been selling in the market as well. These are tiny boxes that are actually full-blown computers underneath. It comes with connectivity ports for connecting to a monitor or screen of your choice, while the hardware in most cases is good enough to serve as an alternative to a desktop PC. There’s no dedicated Chromebox OS, though, so Google uses standard Chrome OS on these devices.

This operating system is based entirely on the cloud, which means the reliance on the internal hardware is relatively lesser as compared to Windows or macOS systems. This also means that Chrome OS can run faster than most conventional laptops, although internal SSD storage is a major factor in this.

Why aren’t there too many of them?

As we touched on above, Chromebox as a concept didn’t really pick up among the masses. This comes as only a handful of manufacturers launched Chrome OS notebooks or laptops, while Google has launched devices like the Pixelbook that offers a Chrome interface on a tablet, needless to say not many companies were drawn to this.

This is despite Google offering the ability to run Android apps on Chrome OS, something that makes it significantly more attractive as compared to previous iterations. Thankfully, there are a few that we’ve managed to uncover, while there’s also something known as a Chromebit, which is a smaller version of the Chromebox.

What is a Chromebit?

This does sound like a technical term, but Chromebit is actually a pretty handy device that turns any screen or monitor into a Chrome OS computer. While it’s technically similar to the Chromebox in theory, it comes in the size of a conventional flash drive. One end of the Chromebit comes with an HDMI port that plugs in directly into your monitor or television. The rest of the process is fairly similar to the Chromebox, and you even get an identical user interface.

To summarize, a Chromebit is fairly similar to the Amazon Fire TV Stick in terms of design, with the only difference being the operating system and hardware it’s running inside.

So with this in mind, let’s have a look at some of the best Chromeboxes you can get in the market today.

Best Chromebox in 2024

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1. ASUS Chromebox 3

The ASUS Chromebox 3 is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable Chromeboxes available in the market today. This is not only because it’s the most recent Chromebox, but also thanks to the hardware it’s packing under the hood. To start with, the ASUS Chromebox 3 is available in Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 options, so customers can pick the best option depending on their usage pattern.

Additional features of the ASUS Chromebox 3 include 4GB of DDR4 RAM, 32GB of internal SSD storage, and Gigabit LAN including Wi-Fi 802.11AC support. One of the best features of the Chromebox is that comes with a wide range of ports, including a standard USB A port and a USB C port, with the latter supporting USB Power Delivery as well.

There’s an HDMI port onboard which can be used as a primary connection source with your monitor or television, while the USB C slot also supports DisplayPort functionality, potentially allowing customers to pair two monitors at the same time on the ASUS Chromebox 3.

To round of the list of ports, the ASUS Chromebox 3 has a standard audio jack and a conventional microSD card slot for added storage. Naturally, the USB slots can also be used for peripherals like keyboards and mice, while Bluetooth keyboards are recommended given that they reduce the clutter of wires.

Power users will also admire the fact that the ASUS Chromebox 3 comes with a rear mounting VESA bracket for easy mounting on your desk or table.

Buy it Now: Amazon

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2. Acer Chromebox CXI3

Following ASUS’ excellent Chromebox is the Acer CXI3 which is an equally powerful offering with high-end hardware to brag about. This is exactly the kind of Chromebox that you would want if you’re new to the Chrome OS platform, or if you’re simply looking for an alternative to the ASUS Chromebox 3.

In the hardware department, the Acer Chromebox CXI3 comes with an 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor with a clock speed of 1.8 GHz and 4.0 GHz with Turbo Boost. The device also comes with a whopping 16GB of DDR4 RAM, so it’s clear that this is expected to be an alternative to a high-end notebook or desktop. There’s 64GB of SSD storage on this device as well, which is fairly impressive.

Connectivity is where this Acer unit really shines. It has a total of five USB A ports with two on the front and three located on the back. This should be plenty for keyboards, mice, or even charging your smartphones. The front also houses the power button alongside the microSD card slot and an audio jack next to the USB ports.

The back has an HDMI port, a USB C slot that is also compatible with DisplayPort if you want to connect more than one monitor, and a Gigabit Ethernet LAN port as well. Internal connectivity features like Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi-Fi 802.11ac are available as well.

This is as powerful as a conventional notebook, which makes this one of the most favored choices on this list. Be sure to have a closer look at the Acer Chromebox CXI3.

Buy it Now: Amazon

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3. HP Chromebox G2

The HP Chromebox G2 arrived a while ago and is still a very reliable offering thanks to the hardware packed inside. It’s also noticeably smaller than other Chromeboxes we find in the marketplace, which can really help save space on your table.

The manufacturer mentions that the G2 runs on the Intel Celeron C3865U processor, and comes with 4GB of DDR4 RAM onboard. It runs on the Intel HD Graphics 610 integrated GPU, which should be adequate to run most Chrome OS and Android apps.

Storage-wise, there’s only 32GB available, though the connectivity options help expand storage in multiple ways. Users get two USB 3.0 ports here as well, while there’s a USB C port available here as well just like other offerings we’ve discussed so far. However, HP specifies that the USB C port can only be used for power or charging other devices, which means it cannot connect to external displays.

Naturally, there’s an HDMI port on the HP Chromebox G2 to establish a connection with your HD or 4K monitors. Additionally, the back houses a Gigabit Ethernet Port if Wi-Fi is unavailable. Though we’re disappointed that the USB C port cannot connect to an additional monitor, this device covers all the bases pretty well.

Buy it Now: Amazon

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4. CTL Chromebox NBCBX1C

This Chromebox by CTL comes with all the features you’re looking for in a mini-desktop. It’s rather small in size, though it has features to compete with the best in the business. As far as internal hardware is concerned, the Chromebox NBCBX1C is packing an Intel Celeron 3867U Kaby Lake processor accompanied by 4GB of DDR4 RAM, though it can be upgraded to 16GB. Users also get access to 128GB of SSD storage with this Chromebox, while the wide array of ports helps with storage expansion.

Looking at the ports here, users will find a total of five USB A ports, making it suitable for practically any wired peripherals you may have. Additionally, there’s a USB C port as well, which can help with power and data transfer with the added bonus of offering DisplayPort support.

There’s a conventional HDMI support on this device as well, so you should be able to easily pair two monitors with this box. Unfortunately, this Chromebox is lacking a dedicated headphone jack, though it has Bluetooth support for wireless audio equipment. Users will also find a Gigabit Ethernet port on this unit.

The CTL NBCBX1C runs the Chrome operating system by default and is compatible with thousands of offline apps as well as a wide range of Android apps.

Buy it Now: Amazon

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5. Acer Chromebox

The second Acer device on this list is not too different from the one we mentioned above, though this variant sports a less powerful processor underneath. It comes with the options between Intel Celeron, Intel Core i3, and Core i5. Additionally, the seller also offers a combo which includes a keyboard as well as a mouse to get you started with your workstation.

This device has a total of five USB ports with three on the back and two on the front. The device also has one USB C port that can supply power and even run a monitor thanks to DisplayPort compatibility. Further, there’s a Gigabit LAN Ethernet port on this unit, allowing you to establish a wired internet connection. Users will also find a standard HDMI output on this Chromebox, which is helpful.

Google’s Chrome operating system runs by default, and thanks to the hardware, this is certainly one of the best Chromeboxes we’ve discussed today. This device also comes with a VESA mounting kit by default. As a bonus, there’s an audio jack on this device that helps with both microphones and earphones.

Buy it Now: Amazon

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6. ASUS Chromebit CS10

When we talk about the best Chromebox, ASUS is the first name that comes to mind. However, the ASUS Chromebit is a stellar replacement to standard Chromeboxes, considering what they bring to the table. It understandably has a unique form factor, though it’s not without a few sacrifices.

To start with, there aren’t a lot of ports on this device which is largely due to the fact that it’s only slightly bigger than a standard USB flash drive. However, it comes with HDMI output while there’s also a dedicated USB port for peripherals and other devices.

The plug and play nature of this device make it suitable for use with large 4K TVs, provided you have a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. The Chromebit CS10 also comes with Wi-Fi built-in, effectively making it a portable Chromebox, which is pretty small to start with.

In terms of internal hardware, users get 2GB of DDR3 RAM accompanied by 16GB of storage. However, ASUS hopes to counter the lack of internal storage and connectivity ports by offering 100GB of free Google Drive cloud storage, which is pretty adequate for practically any user out there.

Perhaps one of the best parts about the ASUS Chromebit is the fact that it is completely wireless, meaning it can be plugged onto practically any monitor to pick up where you left off. If you’re looking for an extremely portable replacement for the Chromebox 3 by ASUS, the Chromebit serves as an excellent starter device.

Buy it Now: Amazon

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