Acer Chromebox CXI3
Computer Shopper|August 2019

VERDICT Small, speedy and surprisingly well connected, this is the best-realised Chromebox yet.

James Archer
Acer Chromebox CXI3

THE RARITYWITH which new Chromeboxes launch is at least partially balanced by each design coming in about half a dozen different specs. The Acer Chromebox CXI3 is a perfect example. You can have it with an Intel Celeron 3865U and 4GB of RAM for about £250, but the version we tested packs a quad-core, eight-thread Core i5-8250U, not to mention 8GB of RAM and a 64GB SSD.

That all makes it something of a powerhouse in Chromebox terms. Like their laptop counterparts, Chromebooks, Chromeboxes typically settle for less horsepower, and a focus on cloud-based applications and storage in order to stay more affordable than equivalent Windows systems. This particular £502 model might be stretching the concept, but it does allow for slicker, smoother everyday use than most Chromeboxes.

There’s not a hint of slowdown when racking up browser tabs and running multiple applications, and booting up is almost instant. The CXI3’s power is shown quite starkly in its Geekbench 4 benchmark results: 4,286 in the single-core test and 11,106 in the multicore test. Compared to the Celeron 3865U-powered Asus Chromebox 3 (Shopper 368) we tested last year, the CXI3 is almost twice as fast on single-core performance and scored more than five times higher in the multicore test. Even though the Chromebox 3 is half the price, the numbers still favour Acer’s device.

SMALL FAVOURS

This story is from the August 2019 edition of Computer Shopper.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the August 2019 edition of Computer Shopper.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM COMPUTER SHOPPERView All
XIAOMI Mi Mix 3 5G
Computer Shopper

XIAOMI Mi Mix 3 5G

VERDICT This is the most affordable of the first 5G smartphones, but even with great hardware, the service isn’t yet worth the expense

time-read
6 mins  |
November 2019
RHA T20 Wireless
Computer Shopper

RHA T20 Wireless

VERDICT They’re not cheap, but these well-designed earphones deliver superb sound quality

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2019
Protect And Preserve
Computer Shopper

Protect And Preserve

Data might be A Valuable Commodity, But It’s Remarkably Easy To Lose Or For Others To Get Their Hands On. Mike Bedford Provides Guidance On How To Preserve, Recover And Destroy Data, And Looks At The Technologies Involved

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2019
NZXT H510i
Computer Shopper

NZXT H510i

VERDICT Some qualities shine through, but this is an underwhelming case from a maker we know can do better

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2019
Kicking Off A New Era Of Football?
Computer Shopper

Kicking Off A New Era Of Football?

With the new football season well and truly under way, David Crookes talks to Jon Hare about reviving the spirit of Sensible Soccer with a new, more sociable offering that he hopes will avoid an own goal

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2019
NAIM Mu-so 2
Computer Shopper

NAIM Mu-so 2

VERDICT A luxurious and fine-sounding slab of metal, but for most homes it won’t be worth the expense

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2019
Motorola One Vision
Computer Shopper

Motorola One Vision

VERDICT The One Vision comes close to being a brilliant mishmash of tech – shame about the camera

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2019
JBL Xtreme 2
Computer Shopper

JBL Xtreme 2

VERDICT With top-quality sound and a versatile design, this is a great – if expensive – rugged Bluetooth speaker

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2019
HUAWEI MateBook 13
Computer Shopper

HUAWEI MateBook 13

VERDICT What the MateBook 13 lacks in flourish, it makes up for in value and performance

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2019
GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Master
Computer Shopper

GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Master

VERDICT A loaded and forward-thinking motherboard, but not one that fully justifies its high price

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2019