ASUS introduces low profile Fanless Chromebox with WiFi 6 and multiple 4K outputs, configurable up to an Ice Lake i7

ASUS recently announced the Fanless Chromebox, a (very) small form-factor PC, running ChromeOS. The new Chromebox comes with a revamped design that makes it looks a lot like a WiFi router. The antennas are there for a different reason entirely: to facilitate ultra-fast WiFi 6 connectivity. 

Apart from high-speed streaming, the Fanless Chromebox offers a number of iterative improvements over previous-gen ASUS Chromebox hardware. The CPU can now be configured up to an Ice Lake Intel Core i7-10510U, and users can add up to 8GB of DDR4 RAM. The ultra-low voltage Ice Lake processor might not win any performance awards, especially when paired with the integrated Intel HD 620. However, good power efficiency has allowed ASUS to implement a passively-cooled fanless design, hence the name.

The Fanless Chromebox features excellent connectivity. WiFi 6 enables high-speed wireless streaming. 7 USB ports (including one Type C) allow you to connect a wide range of peripherals. In terms of display outputs, the Fanless Chromebook features two HDMI 2.0 ports. The USB Type C port supports display output, meaning you can connect a total of three displays at a time.

Still, ChromeOS could be a dealbreaker, especially if you’re planning on using the Fanless Chromebox for more than your typical HTPC workloads. Redditors have gotten Windows to boot on Chromeboxes before, so this could be something to consider.