UPDATE
Now that I've been using it for a while, I thought I'd share some things I've recently discovered.
- The machine comes with four USB 3.0 ports. I plugged in a four-port USB 2.0 hub I had lying around and it works great. It's driving my Dell speakers and my keyboard/mouse combination. I used some double-stick tape to mount it to the top of the case. Slick.
- Speaking of which, I connected a Logitech K380 keyboard and Logitech M510 mouse using a single Logitech Unifying USB dongle. While I had to set it up in Windows, it works perfectly here. The function keys don't map to the function keys on a Chrome OS keyboard, but I never use those, so it doesn't matter. The volume up/down/mute buttons work, and I'm happy about that. All the mouse buttons work as programmed, too.
- I tested the dual monitor setup and it works perfectly. You'll need the appropriate cabling to convert the Displayport and HDMI connectors to DVI, but those are easy enough to get. You can even rotate either or both of the monitors 90, 180, or 270 degrees, if that's your thing. I won't keep this configuration since I had to borrow a monitor from my Windows dual-monitor setup to test it. But it's nice to know it works, just in case.
- I've used the generic webcam to make video calls on Google Hangouts. Works wonderfully--well, as wonderfully as the quality of the camera, which isn't very good, but it was cheap, so there you go.
- There is one 3.5mm jack on the front which includes both audio out (speakers) and audio in (microphone). My Windows desktop has two jacks--one for each audio in and audio out. If I wasn't using the Dell USB sound bar, I'm not sure what I would do to hook up both speakers and the microphone in my webcam. Maybe there's a splitter? I'll have to check around (or you can, if it's important to you).
- This chromebox boots up fast, as in less than 5 seconds from power up to login screen. It's a screamer. It's also much faster than my chromebook, with the same RAM and half the drive space.
Bottom Line: I'm more happy with this purchase now than I was on Day 1. What I'm hopeful for is this machine will run Android apps. My Chromebook is on the compatibility list. There are almost no Chromeboxes on that list. However, I've read here and there that most devices will eventually be included, and that would be awesome if true. Even if not, this machine is a keeper. After the terror of applying the last Windows 10 Anniversary Update and hoping it didn't brick my desktop, Chrome OS is a breath of fresh air, even if it can't do everything I need.
ORIGINAL
I am not a fan of laptops. I have one. It has an 11 inch screen and is a delight to carry around when I need computing on the go.
To be honest though, that's rare. Most of the time, I'm on my Windows desktop, connected to two 22 inch monitors. I love that setup but it takes up so much space. Frankly, I rarely need all that it has to offer. I really wanted something sleeker and more minimal.
I used a Chromebook and found it met about 90% of my needs. OK, maybe 95%. I've looked at Chromeboxes since they first came out but never could really justify the expense.
The price point of this Lenovo made it a no-brainer. I wasn't exactly sure what I would do with it if I didn't like it. Fortunately, that is a non-issue. I really do like it.
PROS
The unit is small. It takes up almost no room.
Four USB 3.0 ports. Even my Windows machine doesn't have that.
AC wireless adapter for 2.4/5.0 GHz connectivity.
External antenna for better wireless performance. I get 130Mbps download which is as fast as my desktop wired directly into the router.
Whisper quiet. If it weren't for the light, I wouldn't know it's on.
HDMI and DisplayPort connectors. It's nice to have options. I'm not sure if connecting both would give dual monitor capability. I'll have to try that.
It comes with a Chrome OS configured keyboard and mouse, both wired. Both are more than acceptable, though I'm using an old Anker upright mouse instead. I didn't know a keyboard and mouse were included--that fact is buried in the amazon page. That explains why it came in an enormous box.
Quick boot times. I know that's a Chrome OS thing, but it's awesome.
CONS
Only 8GB of drive space free before installing apps. Chrome OS does a great job of managing drive space; however, had a 32GB version been available, I would have opted for that.
No SD card slot. Not a big deal since I can just use my SD card reader, but almost all devices these days seem to have that.
The box it came it is huge--about 10 times larger than I was expecting. Again, that's because of the keyboard and mouse.
A couple of other things worth mentioning. I have a Dell external USB speaker system that's intended to clip onto the lid of a laptop, plug into a USB port, and provide better sound. I have mine clipped to the top of my 24 inch monitor. I plugged it into the Chromebox and thought there was no way it was going to work. Wrong! It works like a charm. Then I took this no name webcam with microphone that I got off eBay for a few bucks and plugged it in. Again, to my complete amazement, it works. I don't know if that's a Lenovo thing or a Chrome OS thing, but I couldn't be happier.
One of the first things I did was use USPS click 'n' ship to create a shipping label. I forgot I was on my Chromebox and clicked "Print". To my amazement, the machine found my printer hooked up to my Windows desktop. I printed and behold! my printer spewed out my shipping label. I looked at the whole thing in amazement and thought, "This is how technology is supposed to work."
Later, I went to the Microsoft Office site and pulled up my checkbook spreadsheet from OneDrive. I could edit it just fine--no software installed on my machine. Why am I paying for MS Office again? For grins, I opened the same spreadsheet in Google Sheets. It opened, but some of the advanced formulas (LOOKUP, etc.) didn't work. Oh well--can't have everything.
I won't give up my Windows machine. It has terabytes of storage, serves up my printer/scanner, and has my DVD/RW for the few times I need that. It also runs a small handful of applications a Chromebox just won't. But for everything else, my Chromebox will work just fine. I may get another Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic keyboard for my Chromebox. The keyboard that came with it is OK, but the keys are firmer than I'm used to, and the function row keys, while tailored to Chrome OS, are just plain weird. For now, it's OK.
If you spend all your time in your browser, but you want a bigger screen, I'd recommend a Chromebox. Specifically, I'd recommend the Lenovo Chromebox. It has everything you need at a very reasonable price.
| Processor | 1.5 GHz celeron |
|---|---|
| RAM | 4 GB ddr3l |
| Memory Speed | 1600 MHz |
| Hard Drive | 16 GB SSD |
| Graphics Coprocessor | Intel Integrated Graphics |
| Chipset Brand | Intel |
| Card Description | Integrated |
| Graphics Card Ram Size | 4 GB |
| Wireless Type | 802.11ac |
