ASUS is known for quality consumer, gaming, and business products. The company has now started ramping up its efforts in the enterprise space for applications such as digital signage, by offering new products targeted specifically at those industries. One of the new products the company launched on the market is its fanless Chromebox.
We tested it out over a period of one week, and in this review, we will detail its overall performance, features, and other details you would like to know about the device. When the device was first showcased at CES 2021, many media outlets likened its design to a router. Well, that’s because it has connectors on the front for two antennas for strong wireless connectivity.
The overall build quality is very good. ASUS has used extruded aluminium chassis and a fanless design to ensure stable thermal performance whenever, wherever. While the ASUS Chromebox CF66 is offered in a wide range of specifications, our review unit came with a 10th Generation Intel Core i3-10110U processor, 8GB of DDR4 memory, and 128GB of SSD storage.
In terms of the operating system, the device came with Google Chrome OS pre-installed. On the front of the device, you will find the power button, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, a 3.5mm audio combo jack, and a microSD card reader. At the rear, the device offers a Kensington Lock, a Reset Button Hole, a Gigabit LAN port, three USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, two HDMI 2.0 ports, one USD 3.2 Type-C Gen 1 port, a cable lock, a DC-in port, a legacy RS232 via RJ50 COM port, and an extended power switch.
At the rear, you will also find two connectors for the antennas. The ASUS Chromebox CF66 offers support for up to three 4K displays, WiFi 6 connectivity, and Google Play access that lets you install additional apps. The reason why ASUS has also included a legacy RS-232 port via RJ-50 interface on the device is that it can be used for legacy devices, such as sensors, barcode scanners, and receipt printers.
In addition, the RS-232 serial port (RJ-50) enables you to connect to and manage multiple signage installations. The extended power switch, meanwhile, allows you to connect the device to an external power cable and easily turn the device on or off from a distance when it’s mounted on a wall or ceiling.
What’s more, the device can also be VESA-mounted onto the back of a monitor, in case you would like to use it as an office computer. By doing that, you will be able to use free up desk space.
In terms of performance, the Core i5 processor, along with the 8GB of RAM, does help in keeping everything running butter smooth. We did not find any lags or stutters when playing 4K videos on a dual-screen setup and I am sure it can display all sorts of digital signage content with ease.
For a price of AED 2999, you get a device that is quite capable of running high-quality content without any issues. If you are looking for a dependable device that runs Chrome OS for industrial applications such as digital signage, you can’t go wrong with the ASUS Chromebox CF66.
Price: AED 2999
ASUS Chromebox CF66 AED 2999
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Final Rating
Summary
The overall build quality is very good. ASUS has used extruded aluminum chassis and a fanless design to ensure stable thermal performance whenever, wherever. While the ASUS Chromebox CF66 is offered in a wide range of specifications, our review unit came with a 10th Generation Intel Core i3-10110U processor, 8GB of DDR4 memory, and 128GB of SSD storage.
