ASUS CHROMEBOX 3-N017U Mini PC with Intel Celeron, 4K UHD Graphics and Power Over Type C Port, Star Gray

I was hunting far and wide for an easy-to-use computer for my octogenarian father-in-law who LOVES his email and internet. Windows Operating System (OS) is getting so complicated that it frustrates him more than it should and Mac's proprietary shenanigans are frustrating and not as simple as they used to be. We've tried them both and neither was interesting. My daughter had a Chromebook for school and the OS seemed about his speed, so when his Windows computer died an untimely death, I convinced him to give this one a try.Put one in the WIN column.In addition to this system providing all the functionality he needs (plus quite a bit), it's easy to use. If you've not used the Chrome OS, it's like a stripped down version of Windows. (I'd encourage you to look it up if you haven't. It's pretty slick.) The thing that knocked my socks off is the blazing speed at which this little dynamo goes through its paces. I'm not kidding when I say that its start-up sequence is 20 seconds, meaning from the time you hit the power button, you'll be able to start surfing the web that quickly. WOW! My iMac (at 4x the cost) takes 4 times as long! I bought the least-expensive version of this Chromebox and it's lightning fast. Windows open and close fast. Web surfing is fast. Video streaming is smooth. The whole OS is responsive and agile. I'm so impressed, I want one for myself.Even after buying all the extras (monitor, speakers, webcam, keyboard, mouse), it's still a remarkable value. If you're looking for a great value that (so far) seems like a worry-free OS, this might just surpass your needs.

This is a perfect device for someone who wants/needs a minimalist desktop. It boots within seconds like any other Chrome device, but if you're not familiar with anything other than a Windows machine, this is a welcome change. No need for anti-virus, etc. It's not limiting in the least, though someone moving to a Chrome device for the first time may need to make a few adjustments to how they work. However, in this day and age, when are you ever not connected to the internet? Unless you need a boatload of storage for your music library or something like that, or perhaps you need some intensive programs installed (image editing maybe?), then there really isn't a need for a full-blown desktop. Cloud apps have come a long way and even something like Only Office is a free and fantastic replacement for Microsoft Office. I really only need to print, scan, browse the net, and do word processing with a desktop, all of which can be handled via this Chromebox: printing via HP's Print for Chrome browser extension, scanning via the printer's web interface, and word processing via one of the free cloud-based office suites. It's plenty fast for what I need it for, and it not only supports Android apps but also has support for Linux apps (in the dev channel, I think). Fast, secure, small footprint on the desk, etc. I've been a Chromebook user for 4-5 years now, and now that I've got the Chromebox, my house is more or less full Chrome. No regrets so far.

So , shopping for my 4th desktop in 13 years. Was time for change. Nothing against Windows. Just not happy with getting 4 years out of the hardware. Seems to sucome to dust. This chromebox on other hand. Has no fan. Energy efficient. With security updates til 2025. At half cost.. Hmmm. I'm in. Very happy with it. It does everything I need. And simple.

I bought this to use on the family TV because we want to browse the web together on the TV occasionally, and we want to search YouTube without the tedious text entry with a Roku remote.I got a wireless keyboard with a built in touchpad, and found that the mouse movement was extremely sluggish/jumpy--especially noticeable when scrolling, which happens in spurts, so I end up scrolling too far, then too far back to correct, then too far forward again, until I finally give up and use the keyboard's arrow keys to scroll, which only works if the keyboard input focus is in the right place. Not a good experience.I tried changing mouse settings (toggling mouse acceleration, adjusting mouse speed, etc.) but the jerky movement persisted.I thought maybe the wireless touchpad was to blame, so I bought a different keyboard/touchpad combo and experienced the same jumpy movement/scrolling. Then I hooked up a wired mouse and found that it had the same problem. I tried powerwashing the device, and that didn't fix the problem.I went to the Asus web site and wasn't able to find Chromebox support information. I tried their chat feature, but they wanted me to go through a tangled web of links that don't seem to include any Chromebox options.The device is pretty much unusable. It was a waste of money for me, and a frustrating disappointment for my family.