Asus is back with a budget-priced Chromebook that has plenty to offer for the price, though battery life is not the C423NA’s strong suit.
Asus has been on something of a roll recently when it comes to Chromebooks. From the excellent C302CA from a few years, to the equally impressive C433TA, the brand has delivered quality products at the premium end of the Chromebook market.
Now in 2021, a new budget device has arrived in the shape of the C423NA. Can Asus still work its magic when price demands that a few corners are cut? It seems it can, but not across the board. Battery life isn’t particularly impressive, but in just about every other area, this is a good Chromebook for the money.
Design & Build Quality
Asus has opted to use a plastic case on the C423NA rather than the aluminium one found on its more premium models. This is fine, as it not only keeps costs down, but also does the same with the weight. At 2.65lbs/1.2kg, it’s a laptop that you’ll be happy to carry around in a bag all day without feeling it on your shoulders.
You’ll be able to get stuff done too, as the screen offers a good amount of space for writing documents, surfing the web and other traditional Chromebook duties.
There are actually three different displays available on the C423NA, all 14 inches in diagonal. The first has a 1366×768-pixel resolution, and the second – the one Asus sent for review – being Full HD (1920×1080). The third is a Full HD touchscreen, which obviously pushes up the price.
The panel in the test model maxed out at 250nits, which is dimmer than some other Chromebooks, but proved quite sufficient even outside on a sunny day. This was also aided by the matt finsh, which avoids the reflections that you get with glossy touchscreens.