Amazon.com: Customer reviews: ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 2-In-1 Laptop- 14" Full HD 4-Way NanoEdge Touchscreen, Intel Core M3-8100Y Processor, 8GB RAM, 64GB eMMC Storage, Backlit KB, Chrome OS- C434TA-DS384T Silver

Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2019

REEAAAALLLLLYYYYY like this one! I'm a veteran of a LOT of laptops over many years, both from work and personal. I wanted: lightweight, good screen, good battery life, good speed, above average RAM, good quality. This one delivers on ALL of the above. It doesn't get hot on your lap, even after 3-4 hours of constant use. I've never had a laptop do that, and it's welcome. The battery life is also FANTASTIC- I've gotten an ACTUAL 10+ hours out of it, which is just crazy. I expected maybe 8 even though they said 10, but it's actually 10.
I've never lived full-time with a Chromebook before, but as it turns out there have been no worries. When I haven't known how to do something I just Google it, I've never failed to find a solution to my problem. It sometimes requires an app to be installed, and sometimes that means an Android app rather than a Chrome native one. That sounds like a pain, but in reality it works really well. (I've also enabled the Linux on it, called "Crostini." It's not quite full Linux, but it runs most apps I've tried. Just gives you another option if you want it. I even ran Linux Firefox, and it works fine.)
I really like the gestures in Chrome OS, and the keyboard and trackpad on this C434 are both excellent- better than 90% of laptops, seriously.
Negatives? The one thing I haven't liked is the backlit keyboard. In low-light but not dark environments (say a dim room), the backlighting makes the keys harder to see, so I end up turning it off. I can turn it up to bright, but it doesn't help me see the keys, it just seems to add more glare. I haven't run into that problem before.
As with almost all current laptops, you have to get a dongle to connect external monitors. I got one with USB-C power distribution (PD), Ethernet, HDMI, and 3 USB ports. Works great, and as a bonus it works with Dex on my Samsung phone too. It gives the Chromebook HDMI output to my 27" monitor, works fine (except for multiplying the cabling).
Overall I would really recommend this Chromebook. Even though it seems expensive for a Chromebook, you're getting a great keyboard/trackpad, good screen and touchscreen, quality construction, plenty of speed and RAM, a card slot, just everything to make the whole experience very smooth. Oh, and the hinge- well it works great in any orientation, tablet mode, tent mode, or laptop mode.
I even used it for a week on vacation where I would sit outdoors by the pool, and I never had trouble seeing the screen. I can't say that about many of the laptops I've used previously.
Just overall a really nice piece of hardware, that runs Chrome OS perfectly, and it looks good doing it.

20 people found this helpful

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Nick Iannello

Great, quality chromebook!

Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2019

Verified Purchase

First Chromebook I've owned and I'm really enjoying it so far. I opted for the 8gb model for a little future proofing. First impressions after 1 week:

Pros:
1. Great size. The footprint is amazing considering the screen size. I have a 15 inch laptop that is the same size. Pretty thin and the keyboard is not cramped at all imo.
2. Screen. Crisp, bright when you need it, bezels are just amazing. Colors are amazing. I just love looking at this screen. It really looks great every time you open it up.
3. Keyboard. There are some negatives to the keys, but the good thing is the travel and feel of the keys. It's the best keyboard I've ever used on a laptop. Although I've mostly had work issued ones to this point. Backlight keys are great at night but suffer during the day. More on that in the cons....
4. Performance. No issues with multiple tabs and apps running. Again I got the 8gb model to help with this.
5. Weight. No issues with the 3lb weight, but haven't used it in tablet mode that much so far.
6. Build ... Very nice build quality. It really feels like a premium device in your hands. Would have liked to see a glass trackpad but this one feels pretty good. If you have $1000+ "pro" laptops you are used to you might not like it. If you are coming from a $500 laptop then you will probably love this pad. It does have a nice solid click and it's not "loose" feeling. Hinges are solid with very little wiggle.

Cons:
1. Backlighting... during the day and at the right angle, the keys are almost blurred out so much that you can't see what key is what. I wish they redid the character cut outs or changed the lighting so that during the day they stood out more. At night though, I love it since there is more contrast.
2. Touch pad. Not an awful pad by any means, just not glass which would have made this imo a lot better.
3. No pen. I was hoping to be able to use a stylus but from what I can tell so far, you can only use one of those generic tipped pens that are out there.... if someone knows of a nice surface style pen that works with this please let me know! Seems like if you go through the trouble of making a convertible laptop, it should be compatible with a nice pen too. Perhaps I'm just not aware of it yet.

The cons don't justify not buying this chromebook imo. If you want a mid+ level chromebook that punches up in build quality, style, and performance, then you can't go wrong here.

29 people found this helpful

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morjoie

I Love This Chromebook, Even Though It's Not Perfect

Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2019

Verified Purchase

I haunted the Asus and Amazon websites waiting for the right oppotunity to grab the 8gb/64gb version of this chromebook. I really wanted the 8gb/128gb version, but I can't find that anywhere and Amazon seems to be the only vendor selling this chromebook with 8gb ram. Before, I had the Asus c302 with 4gb of ram/64 gb storage, and that was an awesome chromebook. After giving it to a relative, I decided it was time for an upgrade, and I went with the Asus c434 with 8gb of ram.

So, after working with this chromebook for a month, overall I am happy. This chromebook is so beautifully designed. The sleek aluminum casing, the hinges that slightly lift up the keyboard, and the screen itself are a joy to behold. This version of the Asus chromebook is about a pound heavier (about 3.3 lbs) than the previous version (about 2.4 lbs) but the chromebook is so well balanced that the additional weight is hardly noticeable (to me). I love using Chrome OS. I use Chrome OS everyday, and I use my chromebook more than my iPad and way more than my Windows laptop (which has been relegated to a cabinet). The keyboard is really easy to type on. And, although some reviewers have dinged the touchpad, I find it very easy to use. The battery life of 8-10 hours is as advertised, so no complaints there. The laptop is very snappy. I open up numerous tabs all the time and this laptop doesn't skip a beat, so that is terrific. In addition to the usb-c ports on either side of the laptop, there is a usb-a port, a welcome addition.

But like I said, i's not perfect, so I couldn't give it 5 stars and the 4 stars are really more like 3.5 to 3.75 stars. Asus has broken some things in its drive to upgrade and improve its flagship chromebook:

The decision to make the keyboard silver instead of black was misguided. It looks great, but as many others have stated, with the backlight on, it is unnecessarily difficult to make out the keys. This isn't a dealbreaker for me, however. I just turn off the backlight. Another solution that I haven't seen mentioned is using a keyboard cover. Mubuy makes a keyboard cover skin for the Asus c302. It's sold on Amazon for about $7.99. This cover also fits the Asus c434. The only hiccup is that the cover designates the laptop lock key as the power on/off key. Other than that, the cover fits the c434 like a charm. It not only solves the backlight issue, but it also keeps debris out of the chromebook keyboard. Problem solved!

Others have mentioned that the microsd card slot does not allow a card to fit flush. I don't know how Asus missed this. I have found over the last month that several times I have dislodged the card, without intending to. Because this laptop has only 64 gb of storage, being able to securely keep data on a higher capacity microsd card is of the utmost importance. In the c302, the card fit all the way into the spring-loaded slot. Never once was it unintentionally dislodged. Boo Hiss, Asus!

While the screen is beautiful to look at, it glitches once in awhile. It doesn't happen a lot, but it shouldn't be happening at all. I don't remember this issue with the Asus c302. There are times when I am working with a webpage and the screen will just go black - for no apparent reason. It seems to happen when I am using the keyboard and trying to enter data. It doesn't seem to happen when I'm watching a video or playing a game - as far as I can tell. It happened as I was writing this review! I don't lose my info when this happens, but it is troubling, nonetheless.

The touchscreen can become nonresponsive, again for no apparent reason. The mouse works consistently, so I can keep working, even if the touchscreen stops. The touchscreen works most of the time, but this "glitch" is troublesome. The screen blackouts and the touchscreen issue alsmost made me send this chromebook back to Amazon. But while these defects are an issue, they happen seldom enough that I decided to live with them. But these issues are why this laptop doesn't merit 5, or really even 4 stars, unfortunately. The quality control at Asus manufacturing needs to be improved, ASAP.

Another issue is Android apps. While this is not the fault of Asus, I have to mention that playing and working well with Android apps has still got a ways to go. These issues/problems keep a good experience from becoming great.

But what can I tell you?? In spite of these issues, I love using this chromebook. I use it practically every day. And, at the end of the day, I'm glad I bought it (mostly ;-) ).

60 people found this helpful

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Jon Shemitz

A really nice, small Linux laptop

Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2020

Verified Purchase

I'd like a screen with somewhat higher pixel density, but it is nice and pretty sharp. I'd like a bit more horsepower, but it's a $600 Linux laptop with really good Chrome support. It's nice and fast for Google docs and spreadsheets and web browsing in general; it breezes through large, complex pipelines in the Linux terminal; it doesn't handle a compute-intensive Java app even as well as my cheap Dell desktop.

The logo on the screen's back is slightly misaligned, and when closed the device does look like a cheapo clone of a Macbook Air. But that's what it is, and with its handsome keyboard and narrow bezels the device looks mighty fine open and in use. It has a slim, metallic shell, with a "360 degree" hinge that can be a normal laptop; a big, portrait-mode tablet; or a landscape tablet in what they call the "tent" mode. I've mostly used the laptop configuration, but I have used some of the other modes. If nothing else, it's nice to be able to scroll by touching the screen and sliding it up and down.

The pretty keyboard also has a nice feel, which seems like a neat trick. There is a backlight, but it's not very bright and it looks a bit odd from oblique angles, like when the device is literally in your lap.

Overall, I'm very happy with this machine. It's a fast Chromebook that can run Linux apps (and/or terminal) in a window or full-screen.

2 people found this helpful

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AmazonUser

Good laptop, bad keyboard, really bad service

Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2021

Verified Purchase

Update
Contacted Asus. It’s under warranty but I need to send it in and pay for shipping. I asked if they could just send me a new key. They refused saying that if I put the key back on it would void the warranty. It made no sense. Terrible customer service over a 50 cent part.

This experience was so bad I wouldn’t buy another laptop or any other Asus branded item. Can’t recommend. I usually give vendors the benefit of a doubt but this was really bad. OON’T BUY.

————-

Overall a very nice Chromebook. Fast, good, stable OS, zero software problems in 6 months of use.

Con: One of the keys on the keyboard just fell off while typing. I don’t think it’s broken, but when I put it back on, it barely stays in place and works, I guess, but it feels off and not like the other keys. I’ve had a lot of other laptops and never had that happen before.

Verdict: would not buy again. I’ll buy a different brand next time.

One person found this helpful

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Jennifer M. Lenz

So far, so great!

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2020

Verified Purchase

As you know, it takes awhile to get used to a new computer- especially if you're switching out from a mac/PC to chrome. That being said, the transition has been quite easy and so far (I've had it about 20 days) I absolutely love working with this computer.
I'll address some of the issues I was concerned about based on other reviews:
The keyboard: A lot of people say the figures are way too light to read. I didn't care because I'm a good touch-typer and generally don't need to see the keys, but I found that this feedback was partially incorrect... the keys are only too light to read SOME of the time. And when that happens, you can increase the key brightness very easily (use alt plus the button for increasing screen brightness).
The screen: I have tried out all modes (tent, tablet, laptop, etc). So far, I have had no issues with the transition, the screen orientation, or the touch screen. Everything works smoothly. The only issue I have had so far, is that sometimes I have to tap on the little x to close a tab in Chrome multiple times before it closes. This doesn't happen anywhere else (what I tap on immediately responds), so I don't know what the issue is here.
In terms of getting used to a touch screen, I'll say it's worth learning all the shortcuts. I still haven't, and sometimes it's a pain trying to figure out how to switch from one task to another, simply because I'm not familiar with the process. You could do everything the 'old' way, by using the keyboard and track pad, but I've found that I much prefer the touch screen because it's faster and easier (when I know what gesture to use).
By the way, I have a random stylus-pen combo that I got free years ago and never thought I'd need. It works perfectly with this screen! If you prefer the touch screen functions, you'll be happy to have a stylus because the screen does get dirty/smudgy really fast.
As I've said, this laptop is still new to me and I've read that some issues show up a bit later on... if that happens I will indeed update, but so far I really enjoy this laptop and have no issues whatsoever. It's fast, easy to use, has a long battery life, light, and looks good overall.

One person found this helpful

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Kojiro Vance

Warehouse item arrived defective but would recommend buying "new"

Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2020

Verified Purchase

Open box deal advertised as "damaged packaging" only but the item arrived with a broken screen. The display was peeling away from the chassis, which is a pretty bad defect for a 2-in-1. It's always a roll of the dice with Amazon Warehouse deals, and this time I lost. At least the return process is simple.

I've used a non-damaged model and I would still recommend the Flip C434 as a new product. But I would caution against Warehouse deals. The Flip is a good secondary device except for power users. The m3 processor is adequate for browsing and running simple, well-made Android apps in chromeOS. But dual booting into Linux (with Crouton) was a bit taxing and I couldn't get Linux-compatible games to launch via Steam. A bit disappointing.

One person found this helpful

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Customer Service Refugee

Great build quality but questionable sound mixers.

Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2020

Verified Purchase

Great product. My only complaint is the volume control. I need to install an extension in chrome to compensate for some problem with the master volume that cannot be fixed with reboots and resets. The master volume and tab can both be set to maximum but be barely audible. This was not a problem initially but seems to be connected to poor audio device drivers. I've had similar problems on other unix-like devices such as macbook pros, android phones and chromebooks. It seems like there is a setting in the soundcards that attempt to provide more consistent volumes between different apps that slowly overcompensates and ends up muffling the volume. The chrome extensions seem to let you change this value while Android, Chrome and MacOs seem to hide this value in their sound mixers. I've spent hours reading posts from people with similar problems before finding a solution that I would consider a poor hack. Overall, I've owned two new ASUS devices since giving up on Apple's exaggerated performance claims and non-upgradeable devices. I have an ASUS Zenbook Duo that outperforms my Macbook Pro's at a fraction of the price and this Flip that is my go to device because of its extremely good battery life, build quality and price. For consumption I recommend the Flip and for production the Zenbook Duo and if you want a serious computer and don't want to be charged several times the marketprice for upgraded memory or storage avoid Apple. Asus is selling great systems at a fraction of the price Samsung and Apple are charging with real innovation. The new Apple m1 computers based on Arm look promising but are handicapped by Apple's determination to monopolize their ecosystem.

One person found this helpful

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tom pennington

Function

Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2024

Verified Purchase

Notebook is not a laptop. Although it is a quality machine, it will not replace a laptop. It does not have the computing power that you need for some applications.

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John

Very nice

Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2020

Verified Purchase

I will start with who I am because it could help you make your decision. I didn't go to school for anything, yet I own a very web tech related company. My father, who did go to school for electrical engineering, taught me to buy things made out of metal. Things that will last decades and that you can pass down to your offspring. I have his drill. I will pass it down to my own son, who will probably pass it down to his son. When I buy things I dig deep. I rarely buy a dud. I often find something that was out of stock because I thought about it and went to another part of the store where somebody misplaced the item.

So let's talk about this Chromebook.

I would tell you to buy it. Yes, I gave it four stars, but for a good reason.

Screen. My regular computer has a massive screen. My go-to laptop has a massive screen. This one is big, but resolution wise? It's missing a lot on the right and a good amount towards the bottom. But seriously, it's bright enough, it's big enough, and it is a touch screen. Now I want computer to do this! One half of the star I removed was because it isn't as responsive as the touch screen on my Dell laptop. But it ain't fuzzy like people said. I use tech. This is just fine. Oh, it ships with a crappy resolution by default. You have to set it higher and it will be nice and crisp.

Okay. Wow. So I now know why people had issues with the screen. Settings, search display. Change resolution. I liked it before. Now I love it! Strike my previous comments. It has plenty of real estate to the right and bottom. The default is to have it work for Grandma. I made it native 1920x1080 and it's perfect! But wait! There's more! Literally. It will do 2194x1234. Hmm. But I liked the native better.

Keyboard. It's backlit. But the etching on the keys is too deep. So looking directly down on it, it's pretty. But looking from a normal angle? Completely trashed. Luckily I type without looking at keys. But! Some keys are off. Where they feel they should be. But, whatever. If you can type without looking, you'll adapt quickly.

Speed. This thing is peppy! Installing apps is very fast. Almost instant. Swapping between apps, etc is quick.

Battery. This thing lasts forever. Granted I don't watch a lot of video. But really, I'll get like 6 hours of work time unplugged! And I'm all over this thing. I plugged my pixel into it and it quick charged my pixel. Took about 16% of the battery to do it. My pixel needed about 70% charge.

Track pad is alright. Says it tries to ignore your palm. I found that it found it here and there. I prefer a mouse anyway.

Sound. It ain't a gaming laptop. Sound wasn't great. But it wasn't total crap either. It works. It's fine. It's a Chromebook, not Beats by Dre.

It will be updated with new chrome os updates for years. So no worries there.

Linux is now part of the OS. So pretty cool.

You can have multiple users. Like windows they are in their own compartment.

Lots of keyboard shortcuts to look up in Google. Make it very fast to get around this thing.

Overall I would say you should buy this. I got the 8 gig RAM version. I got it to use while traveling in our van across country. My Dell drew way to much power for a cigarette lighter inverter. This thing just rocks.

Do get the Amazon basics bag to carry it. Don't worry about the straps issue there. This thing is light. So it won't cause the straps issues.

When you register it for the warranty with Asus you have to select the commercial NB product type. Apparently this is the company level netbook.

36 people found this helpful

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ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 2-In-1 Laptop- 14" Full HD 4-Way NanoEdge Touchscreen, Intel Core M3-8100Y Processor, 8GB RAM, 64GB eMMC Storage, Backlit KB, Chrome OS- C434TA-DS384T Silver

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ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 2-In-1 Laptop- 14" Full HD 4-Way NanoEdge Touchscreen, Intel Core M3-8100Y Processor, 8GB RAM, 64GB eMMC Storage, Backlit KB, Chrome OS- C434TA-DS384T Silver

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