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03 Aug

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Asus Chromebook Flip C536 Review: Flawed But Inexpensive

August 3, 2021
Posted by Samson

Two Asus Chromebook Flip C536 sit on a desk and show different folding options.

Asus Chromebook Flip C536 in the test: flawed, but the price wins

RRP $ 580.00

"The Asus Chromebook Flip C536 strikes a solid balance between premium design and affordability."

advantages

Attractive price
Nice aesthetics
Excellent keyboard and touchpad
Pen support
Solid productivity performance

disadvantage

Build quality is a little below average
Bad battery life
Housing is bigger than it should be

The Asus Chromebook Flip C436 was one of the best Chromebooks you could buy. It was stylish, high quality, and extremely powerful – especially for a Chromebook.

Now the Chromebook Flip C536 has superseded that machine, and there have been some significant changes.

I have an entry-level Chromebook Flip C536 configuration with an Intel Core i3-1115G4 CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 128GB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD), and a 14-inch Full HD IPS -Display (1920 x 1080) tested aspect ratio 16: 9. It's available for a more attractive price of $ 580, which makes it a bargain given the components.

design

Person using a pen on the Asus Chromebook Flip C536. Asus

The Asus Chromebook Flip C536 is a handsome white laptop with a black interior, a contrast that makes for a bold look that you normally don't get at this price point. The laptop's lines are simple and streamlined and have very typical angles, but the color scheme makes all the difference and there's just enough chrome to add accents without being intrusive.

Asus has provided the device with a series of special coatings that use a galvanic coating process on the lid and base, which creates a ceramic-like look and feel, and an in-roller process for the keyboard deck, which creates a wonderfully soft and warm surface for yours Palms. In this regard, it is similar to the Dell XPS 13, which uses a carbon fiber material to achieve the same effect. The Asus Chromebook Flip C536 isn't the most flashy laptop, but you will feel like you are carrying around a much more expensive product.

The build quality is not quite as top notch, which is not typical for Asus. The company typically makes solid laptops as boulders and subjects them all to military standards, which are tested for ruggedness, but the Chromebook Flip C536 falls a little short. The main problem lies in the lid, which bends too much and distorts the display. There is a little bit of keyboard flex and the bottom chassis only gives way a little.

Overall, it's not bad for the price, but the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is a Chromebook in the same price range that is more solid. The previous model of the Asus Chromebook Flip C436 was also more robust (and a bit more expensive), which makes this version a little step backwards. I'd like to point out that the Chromebook Flip C436's hinge allowed the lid to be opened with one hand, while the Chromebook Flip C536 version is much stiffer and requires two hands. However, it moves smoothly through clamshell, tent, media, and tablet modes and has the Asus ErgoLift feature that supports the back for a better typing angle and improved airflow.

The Asus Chromebook Flip C536 has thin bezels on the sides, but the top bezel is thicker and the lower chin is huge. That makes for a case that's not as small as many other 14-inch laptops, including the Chromebook Flip C436, which is quite a bit smaller. When I first took the Chromebook Flip C536 out of the box, I thought it was a 15-inch device. It's 0.72 inches thick and weighs 4.17 pounds compared to the C436, which is 0.54 inches thick and weighs 2.42 pounds.

Close-up of the HDMI and USB ports on the Asus Chromebook Flip C536.

Close-up of the headphone jack and USB and micro-USB ports on the Asus Chromebook Flip C536.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is even smaller with its 13.5-inch 3: 2 display. Among other things, the C536 is heavier than the C436 because it is made of an aluminum alloy compared to the lighter magnesium alloy of the previous model. It also has a 57 watt hour battery versus the 42 watt hour battery on the older model. In all fairness, it's a bit of a surprise that the Chromebook Flip C536 has gained so much weight and girth from one generation to the next.

Asus built solid connectivity into the Chromebook Flip C536. There is a USB-C 3.2 port, a USB-A 3.2 port and a 3.5mm audio jack on the left and another USB-C and USB-A port on the right for a micro -SD card reader. This is an improvement over the previous model. Wireless connectivity is Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0.

perfomance

Two Asus Chromebook Flip C536 on a desk with video games. Asus

My test device was equipped with a Core i3-1115G4 (a Core i5-1135G7 is available), which should offer plenty of performance for Chrome OS. We can't run all of the benchmarks on Chromebooks, but the Chromebook Spin C536 only managed 1,209 single-core and 2,849 multi-core in the Android Geekbench 5 app. That's not particularly strong even for Chromebooks, which usually don't do well here. However, it is quite a bit faster than the Asus Chromebook Flip 436 with its Core i3-10110U, which scored a meager 938 and 1,653 points, respectively.

Even with this mediocre Geekbench 5 score, I found the Chromebook Flip C536 very quickly. I've been running a variety of Android apps and opening numerous Chrome tabs and never noticed any slowdown. The 8GB of RAM likely helped keep things going, and the PCIe SSD likely helped too. You can configure the Chromebook Flip C536 with up to 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, but our test configuration will likely be enough for most Chrome OS users.

Playing on the laptop was fine. The Core i3-1115G4 is limited to Intel UHD graphics and not to the newer Intel Iris Xe, but still plays Android games like Asphalt 9 without stuttering or frame loss. It's a great laptop for tablet mode, the most convenient way to play Android games, but it performed well.

4 variations / ways to use the Asus Chromebook Flip C536. Asus

The Chromebook Flip C536 uses a 14-inch Full HD IPS display in the increasingly old-fashioned 16: 9 aspect ratio. Asus doesn't provide any information about the display, and I can't use my colorimeter with Chrome OS laptops. That limits the objective data that I can provide.

Subjectively, however, I found the display bright enough for typical indoor lighting conditions. The contrast seemed good but not great, with a touch of gray that kept black text from really showing up on a white background. The colors were bright and natural, and showed photos and videos with obvious accuracy when I compared them side by side with other laptops. Compared to some other Chromebooks, I would rate the Chromebook Flip C536 as good, but not great, with the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 and Google Pixelbook Go offering more vibrant and enjoyable displays.

Even so, I enjoyed using the Asus display during my test. It won't please creatives who crave wide and accurate colors, but for productivity, web browsing, and Netflix with the display rotated in media mode, it's a display that beats its price.

The sound wasn't quite as good. The volume was sufficient for system sounds and watching YouTube videos that clearly show the mids and highs. Bass was missing as usual and there was some distortion at maximum volume. You should pull out a pair of headphones to listen to music and catch Netflix.

Keyboard and touchpad

Asus Chromebook Flip C536 backlit keyboard. Asus

One of the things that companies sometimes skimp on when making a cheap laptop is the keyboard. I've seen some great budget machines torpedoed by a bad one, and suffice it to say, Asus avoided this trap here. The Chromebook Flip C536's keyboard has a good clearance, comfortable keycaps, and a crisp mechanism that offers plenty of wiggle room and a clicking floor movement.

I found the keyboard to be precise, comfortable, and quiet during my tests, and there is even a tiny number pad if you are entering a lot of data. You can find the usual wide range of Chrome OS keyboard backlights that are effective and consistent. I liked this keyboard better than any I've used on a Chromebook lately, including the Chromebook Flip C436 and Chromebook Spin 713, and just like most Windows 10 laptops.

The touchpad has a wide format, which is a shame because Asus could have accommodated a larger, square touchpad given the available palm rests. It's a decent size, but it could have been bigger. Fortunately, it makes up for it with responsiveness and perfect control over the entire suite of Chrome OS multitouch gestures. The display is touchable, of course there is an optional active pen that you can purchase for coloring. It supports 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and is designed to provide a great handwriting and drawing experience on the display.

Asus has in no way designed to allow you to log in without a password, which is not to be expected at this price point. A fingerprint reader would have been nice though.

Battery life

Music video is played on the close-up image of the headphone jack and the USB and micro-USB ports of the Asus Chromebook Flip C536. Asus

The Chromebook Flip C536 has a larger battery than its predecessor, 57 watt hours versus 42 watt hours, as described above. That should have led to a significant increase in battery life.

Unfortunately, things didn't turn out that way. Again, we're limited in the tests we can run based on Chrome OS, but we have two tests we can run. The first is our web browser test, which goes through a number of popular websites. The Chromebook Flip C536 only managed 6.75 hours, well below the 10.5 hours the C436 achieved. The Chromebook Spin 713 lasted for 11 hours. In our video test, which ran through a local Full HD Avengers trailer, the Chromebook Flip C536 achieved a few minutes under 10 hours, compared with the C436 with almost 13 hours and the Chromebook Spin 713 with almost exactly 10 hours.

These are disappointing results and I ran each test twice to make sure I wasn't missing a thing. Most Chromebooks will get you through a full day of work thanks to the lightweight Chrome OS, and given the Chromebook Flip C536's Full HD display, that's at least what I expected, if not more. Unfortunately, you are unlikely to make it through an 8-hour day without turning on at some point.

Our opinion

The Asus Chromebook Flip C536 is a nice looking Chromebook that offers good performance and great input options. It lags a bit behind typical Asus build quality, but it's by no means a fragile machine. However, the battery life is a real buzzkill that sets this laptop back a lot.

Compared to its predecessor, the Chromebook Flip C536 is larger (with the same display) and cheaper. It would be hard to recommend for the same price, but it's a few hundred dollars cheaper. That is liberating and makes the Chromebook Flip C536 much more attractive.

Are there alternatives?

The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is a tough competitor that is roughly the same price but has a faster CPU and a sharper, more productive 13.5-inch 3: 2 display. It's also a bit smaller, which makes it more functional in tablet mode.

As far as it can still be purchased, the Asus Chromebook Flip C436 is itself a competitor of the successor. It's better built, has better battery life, and is a lot smaller. It is proof that new does not always mean better.

Finally, if you don't need a 2-in-1, keep Google's Pixelbook Go on your list. The battery life is better, the audio quality is superior, and it comes in a smaller package. It's a little more expensive, but not by much, and the vastly superior display will blow your mind.

How long it will take?

The Chromebook Flip C536 isn't fragile, but it's not as sturdy as some of its competitors – including most other Asus machines. It will hold you, but you will feel like you should be more careful with it. The typical one-year warranty is there, but acceptable at the price.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Chromebook Flip C536 has its weaknesses, but the price tag makes it an attractive option nonetheless.

Editor's recommendations

31 Oct

Blog

Wyze Cam V3 Review: A Benchmark for Inexpensive Cameras

October 31, 2020
Posted by Samson

Wyze Cam v3 on table side profile

Wyze Cam v3 review: A new benchmark for inexpensive cameras

"It's almost unbelievable that Wyze has packed so much into something so cheap."

It costs $ 20
Works both indoors and outdoors
More details with colored night vision
Tons of security checks

The attack continues! Wyze has been on the move in the last few months, announcing a number of new smart home devices that seem to have diversified its portfolio overnight. However, the latest announcement is a continuation of one of the most popular devices. Going back to its roots, the Wyze Cam v3 aims to seduce consumers not only because it works both indoors and outdoors, but also because it is feature rich and costs less than $ 20.

Iconic design for outdoors

The iconic design of the original remains a staple with the Wyze Cam v3 as well. The cube-shaped design is made entirely of plastic. For a surveillance camera, it is undoubtedly compact enough to be discreet wherever it is placed. The camera itself can be rotated around its base and tilted to almost any angle for the best viewing angle. In contrast to its predecessors, it is now equipped with an IP65 construction to cope with nature – and therefore more versatile than before.

Wyze Cam v3 power cord John Velasco / Digital Trends

However, if there's one aspect of the design that I'm not keen on, it has to be the dangling power cord. There is a short 8-inch cable that ends with a micro-USB socket which then plugs into a standard micro-USB cable. Since this short 8-inch cable is permanently attached to the camera and the camera is accidentally damaged or damaged on its own, the entire device requires maintenance instead of just replacing a micro-USB cable like other cameras.

There is definitely cause for concern, but I also understand that it is likely a necessary change to make it weather resistant. Even so, the design is an upgrade as it can be used either indoors or outdoors for more versatility than before.

Ambient lighting helps with colored night vision

Security cameras provide a lot of information with their recordings. The Wyze Cam v3 has an improved camera with a wider 130-degree field view, 20 FPS recording, a Starlight CMOS sensor and an aperture of 1: 1.6. While like the v2 it still has 1080p resolution, every other aspect of the camera is vastly improved.

For starters, the wider field of view captures more of the scene, which is useful if you place it in a corner for the greatest possible coverage. The Starlight CMOS sensor is probably the figurehead here, as it enables the v3 to see much better in the dark and to draw details – and at the same time provide the conversation with colored night vision.

The 1080p video it produces is adequate in detail and quality, although its dynamic range can be challenging in contrasting lighting conditions, generally overexposing the highlights. Still, I can see other small details from the footage and it proves its worth when the sun goes down with its colored night vision.

Colored night vision without question coughs up details that you cannot find.

While standard night vision in black and white makes it easier to see in almost pitch black conditions, the additional advantage of color vision offers more details – for example the ability to distinguish the color of a person's shirt. This is invaluable information in emergency situations. So it's fantastic that night vision colors are offered. If you compare the footage side by side, colored night vision undoubtedly highlights details that you cannot find with standard night vision. However, there still needs to be some level of ambient lighting in the scene for it to work effectively. If there aren't, colors are hard to tell.

Two-way conversation is also enjoyable: it produces clear voices through the app and a decent volume through the speaker.

Broader security features

As a rule, cheap cameras are rather elementary. With the Wyze Cam v3, this is far from the truth. This proves to me that my home is safe when I'm not around. First of all, Wyze has the controls necessary to address my needs. From being able to record based on motion or sound detection, setting detection zones to minimize false positives, to adding custom schedules and automated operations, there are a number of options to choose from. There's even a chance to detect smoke and carbon monoxide sirens which will then send a notification.

Wyze Cam v3 on the table John Velasco / Digital Trends

All of this shows that the brand has a better understanding of users' security and privacy needs. Although there is 14 days of cloud storage that saves 12 second clips, I appreciate that there is the option for local storage via the microSD card slot. I would recommend using the microSD card as, just like the Wyze Outdoor Cam, it can record time-lapse recordings of almost any length.

It's there to protect my home when I'm not around.

The offer is rounded off by two-factor authentication, an integrated siren that can be activated via the app (rather weak), and an option to switch off the camera electronically via the Wyze app.

Our opinion

The Wyze Cam v3, at a ridiculously low cost of $ 20, sets the standard for what it means to be an entry-level surveillance camera these days. You will not find anything nearby that offers the same safety features, versatility indoors and outdoors, and colored night vision that offers more detail than normal night vision.