Asus Chromebook Flip CM3000 reaction: A challenger arrives

 

For those who have known this blog and its adjacent channel I got my big start with my early coverage and review of the Lenovo Chromebook Duet. It was the first Chrome OS tablet that was made to be a tablet, and for the entirety of 2020 Lenovo went unchallenged as the sole vendor of said dedicated tablet/part-time 2-in-1. However, new leaks have found that Asus is coming out with its own competitor to the Duet, the Asus CM3000. This could be the start of a new generation of Chrome OS tablets building upon the Duet, the device that proved that Chrome OS tablets were possible, improving in all the right ways. Coming in a with a more integrated design, a dedicated pen, and a sleek keyboard this tablet is coming for the Chrome OS crown. Let's get into it. 

Image Credit: Asus

Normally I would talk about specs later in the article and start with design but this time I wanted to just get it out of the way. A note: the CM3000 is the internal name based on leaks but that most likely won't be the actual market name, Chrome Unboxed and others have predicted something along the flip lineup of devices, and I agree. With the device is said to come with 4GB of RAM, 128 GB of eMMC storage, and a MediaTek MT8183 processor. These are standard specs for Chromebook of its potential price and are basically the same as the Duet right down to the processor. Yeah, the MT8183 is about the same as Helio P60T, so up to this point the CM3000 is the Duet and I'm still ok with that. I use my Duet every day and I still don't feel like it's gotten sluggish or slow in any way, shape, or form.  

 

Image Credit: Asus

 

It'll have a 10.5-inch screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio, going to 320 nits of brightness, and having a 118% sRGB color gamut making sure for exact and bright colors. As for cameras we have a 2MP 1080p webcam and an 8MP rear shooter, to power the device we have a 27Wh battery, but with the efficiency of Chrome OS and ARM I think battery life is the least of our worries. Some other specs include Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 5, and a weight of 1.16lbs, nothing surprising here. I/O should include a USB-C port, but rumors have not confirmed this, but I would predict 1 or 2 USB-C ports because of the industry standard it's become in the Chromebook space. 

Image Credit: Asus

However, something that I sorely missed with the Duet was a headphone jack and the CM3000 has one, along with it there will be a slot for a storable USI pen that comes in the box, similar to the S pen slot in a Galaxy Note. Although these specs seem all too familiar their still enough to power a basic tablet and the addition of a USI pen, a Headphone jack, and a 10.5-inch screen seems to sum up the spec upgrades.  

Image Credit: Asus

Design is where the fun begins, here Asus decided to really lean into the 2-in-1 aesthetic, much like the Microsoft Surface pro and go. The Duet was more tablet than 2-in-1 with the kickstand, keyboard, and tablet being separate objects. The CM3000 has a much more Surface aesthetic with what looks like a fabric back, much like the kickstand from the duet but somewhat thinner and more ergonomic. 

 

Image Credit: Asus

 

The keyboard is a basic keyboard with a magnet that allows for higher position and clips onto the lip of the device. Much like a type cover on my Surface pro, this positioning is one better suited for typing and lap use, one of the most essential features for a successful 2-in-1 and one I'm Asus opted for. As for colors the only thing we can see so far is a chrome aluminum finish, not exactly the matte two-tone finish of the duet but still looks nice.  

 
 

Image Credit: Asus

From a design standpoint the Asus CM3000 is a genuinely nice and thought-out Chrome OS tablet and as you will soon see with the Tab S6 lite review a pen, USI, S pen, Surface Pen, any pen that comes in the box just polarizes the entire experience. Something you can notice are some lines around the top which are either speaker grills or antenna lines, which could hint at 4G connectivity options. It really solidifies what Chrome OS tablets might look like and include, having a modern 16:10 screen, going 10.5-inches with thinner bezels, and using an established MediaTek processor. 

Image Credit: Asus

I hope that eventually chips such as the Snapdragon 7c make way for official and dedicated Chrome OS tablet chipsets, it'll go a long way to perfecting Chrome OS for tablets and increasing performance for tasks such as android apps and drawing with USI. Speaking of USI I think Asus's idea to bundle in a Pen is genius, my brother has been busy reviewing the Tab S6 lite and the S pen has made all the difference, and as for me Digital art is just so convenient and revolutionary that Chrome OS can't afford not to be a part of it.  

 
 

I hope we can see more Chrome OS tablets follow in the footsteps of the Duet and the CM300, devices that not only set the bar, but also set the template, the key to making a good Chrome OS tablets. 

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