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ASUS Chromebook CX15: A two-minute review
The ASUS Chromebook CX1505 certainly has a budget price tag, but its features and specifications will hopefully counter the charge that it’s a compromise device unfit for modern purposes.
While it may look sleek, upon closer inspection it’s not as thin or light as its looks might lead you to believe. That ultra-wide display and long under-support bar bolster its portability credentials somewhat.
Build quality isn’t the greatest either, and isn’t up there with the best Chromebook builds. It’s still within reasonable limits, but the plastic chassis has some flex.
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 high standard, which is fortunate since you’ll be interacting with it a lot.
All of the ports on the CX1505 are located on its left side, which can be a little inconvenient for those looking to connect multiple peripherals. One problem, however, is their lack: there are only four, and only two of them are USB (one Type-A and one Type-C port).
Moreover, Type C should be used for charging, so it won’t be available to you all the time. An HDMI 1.4 port and a 3.5mm combo audio jack round out the rest of the physical connectivity options, and they’re at least sensibly ordered.
The CX1505 acquits itself well in terms of performance. It can handle productivity and entertainment tasks quite well, though streaming 4K content is just out of its reach. It can handle some light gaming, though, with relatively undisturbed titles at low graphical settings.
More impressive is the large display. The width is useful for both entertainment and productivity purposes, while the Full HD resolution is still plenty sharp for its size. It’s also bright and reasonably dynamic, which makes for pleasant viewing in all scenarios.
While the CX1505 is great for typing, the trackpad is a letdown. It’s jerky and inaccurate when making small, slow movements, and its clicks feel unsatisfying.
The CX1505’s battery life is decent, lasting seven hours in our movie playback test. However, many of its competitors can beat that figure – some by considerable margins.
There was a time when a Chromebook that cost so little wasn’t worth your time, lacking the power and features even for basic use. But the CX1505’s commendable—if not outstanding—performance, with its generous and high-quality display, certainly impresses at this price point, making it a contender for one of the best budget Chromebooks around right now.
ASUS Chromebook CX1505 Review: Price and Availability
- 9 starts at £159.99 / £249.99 / au$499
- Now available in multiple colorways
- Budget end of the market
The CX1505 starts at $159.99 / £249.99 / AU$499 and is now available in a variety of 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.
That’s a great price, even in the Chromebook market. It’s significantly 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-performance Chromebook, then the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch is a better choice. It handles all kinds of tasks with ease, including demanding workloads like gaming and multitasking. No wonder we think it’s the best student Chromebook. Its keyboard isn’t as good as the one 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 better investment.
ASUS Chromebook CX1505 Review: Specs
My ASUS Chromebook CX1505 review unit had an Intel Celeron N4500, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | ASUS Chromebook CX1505 |
Price | 9 starting at £159.99 / £249.99 / au$499 |
CPU | Intel Celeron N4500 processor 1.1 GHz (2 cores) |
Graphics | Integrated, Intel UHD graphics |
Rum | 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 |
The weight | 3.51lbs (1.59 kg) |
Dimensions | 14.15 x 9.14 x 0.79in (360 x 232 x 20mm) |
ASUS Chromebook CX1505 Review: Design
- Sleek and dynamic look
- Compromised portability
- There is a lack of ports
The CX1505 has a clean, minimalist appearance that’s set off by vibrant colors. I liked the light green finish of my review unit, complementing its overall design particularly well. Rounded corners and smooth, flat planes add to its appeal.
It’s a fairly slim unit, although the prominent support bar running down the side does spoil its glory. It’s heavier than you might expect. Combined with the atypical width, the CX1505’s portability is somewhat compromised.
Moreover, the build quality isn’t particularly impressive. Slightly textured plastics can look and feel interesting, but they aren’t the toughest and can be quite flexible.
The lid hinge feels sturdy in operation, but once in position it’s easy to find. It’s not disruptive, but it’s noticeable, and not exactly a good sign for its longevity.
On a positive note, the bezel around the display is pleasingly thin, allowing the already generous real estate to realize its full potential, while the keys have a subtle grain that makes them feel tactile to use. They also operate smoothly and firmly, with little play or uncertain feedback.
If you’re looking for a Chromebook with lots of connectivity options, you’ll be disappointed with the CX15. Despite its large size, there are only four ports (five on the Intel Core model, thanks to its additional USB-C port), all located on the left side.
There’s a USB-C port (which is also used for charging), a USB-A port, an HDMI 1.4 port, and a combo audio jack. At least they are ordered sensibly. Finally, I’m always happy to see the power port and audio jack right on the front.
ASUS Chromebook CX1505 Review: Performance
- Reasonable multitasking abilities
- More demanding tasks
- Nice wide display
Benchmark
Here are our benchmarking test results for the ASUS Chromebook CX1505:
Treader Battery Life Test: 7 hours
Jetstream 2 Benchmark: 121.752
Kraken Benchmark: 1254.9ms
Speedometer 3.1: 5.74 (± 0.20)
The CX1505 is capable enough for every day work. It can handle word processing and spreadsheet creation with ease, while streaming high-definition content is also within its grasp. However, if you’re watching anything above 1440p, expect some significant buffering.
Even with the modest 4GB of RAM installed in my review unit, the CX1505 managed to navigate multiple browser tabs admirably. I still experienced some lag in such instances, but not frustratingly so. However, demanding multitasking scenarios, such as running multiple apps simultaneously, lead to more drastic slowdowns, as you might expect.
Light gaming is also within its reach. Asphalt Legends It ran smoothly when I lowered the maximum frame rate to 30fps, but even at the default medium graphics settings, it experienced frequent stuttering while bursting to 60fps. There’s some casual fun to be had, then – but those who take their gaming a little more seriously will be disappointed.
The display is pleasantly bright and vibrant. Colors are vividly reproduced rather than washed out, as they can be on other Chromebook displays in my experience.
And despite its large size, the 1920 x 1080p resolution still looks sharp and clear. This wide aspect ratio also facilitates various production tasks, as well as presenting entertainment content well.
The CX1505’s keys are nicely damped, resulting in softer presses than you might expect, but they’re still as fast and light as you’d expect from a laptop keyboard. They’re also well spaced, and thanks to that wide chassis, the number pad doesn’t crush the layout, as is the case with some other laptops and Chromebooks.
The trackpad has a solid and noticeable click, but its lack of reduction makes it feel clunky and cheap. Gliding isn’t the fastest, either, as attempts to make small and precise movements result in lags and cursor jumps.
Taps are better, but inconsistent: being irresponsible at times, and restless at others. The surface area of the pad is also very small, despite having plenty of room for a large module. At least it’s firmly installed, with no wobbles on it.
The CX1505’s overall connectivity is good for the most part. However, the bluetooth radio stopped working at one point, disconnecting all my devices. Thankfully, the fix for this issue simply requires disabling and then re-enabling Bluetooth from the status area in the bottom-right corner.
ASUS Chromebook CX1505 Review: Battery Life
The CX1505 has a respectable, if not impressive, battery life. It should see you through the day, but it only managed seven hours in our playback test, where we played a movie on a continuous loop.
That beats the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360, which only managed six and a half hours, but it’s up against rivals like the Acer Chromebook 312 and the HP Chromebook 15.6-inch, which both achieved times around the 11-hour mark. And the Lenovo Ideapad Flex 3 Chromebook can last 16-plus hours very impressively.
Should I buy the ASUS Chromebook CX1505?
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Note | Classification |
|---|---|---|
Price | There aren’t many new Chromebooks priced this low, still less than those with competitive specs. | 5/5 |
Design | It may look sleek and minimal, but it’s surprisingly heavy, and it’s not the toughest either. | 3.5 / 5 |
performance | Considering its middling stack, the CX1505 is practically impressive, if not amazing. | 4/5 |
Battery life | Battery life is good but not outstanding. There are plenty of Chromebooks that can outgrow it. | 3/5 |
Total Score | It may not be a powerhouse, but the CX1505 is capable and worthy enough to make it a great value. | 4/5 |
If you buy it…
If you don’t buy it…
ASUS Chromebook CX1505: Also consider
If the ASUS Chromebook CX1505 doesn’t sound right for you, here are some alternatives:
How I Tested the ASUS Chromebook CX1505
- Tested for several days
- Used for various tasks
- Lots of Chromebook experience
I tested the CX1505 over several days, during which 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.
I’ve been using Chromebooks for years and have extensive experience reviewing them. I’ve also reviewed other types of mobile devices, including tablets and laptops designed for productivity and gaming.
