The ASUS C201PA-DS02 is a bestselling 2015 11.6-inch Chromebook that received positive reviews for its sleek design, lightweight, bright display, long battery life and smooth day-to-day performance. However, equipped with a low power processor and small storage, it is not meant for heavy tasks and its usage is limited to running Google Chrome applications. But with 4GB of RAM, the C201PA will run even more intensive Chrome apps with ease and zero lag. All in all, if you can live without Windows operating system, the C201PA-DS02 is a well-priced laptop for its attractive design, exceptional battery life and the ability to run basic tasks like word processing, web browsing and video playback.
The ASUS C201PA-DS02 is an entry level Chromebook built for basic users who want a workable laptop for a very low price. With an attractive blue chassis with silver accented surfaces surrounding the keyboard, it mimics the design of the latest ultraportable. There is no inbuilt optical drive which helps keep the profile stay thin and the weight low. The construction is primarily plastic but it’s sturdy and feels well-made.
The 11-inch screen is a glossy one with adequate pixels and a reasonably wide viewing angle for comfortable viewing. The keyboard has ample sized keys that are properly spaced to prevent accidental strokes. The trackpad is smooth and responsive. With over 10 hours of battery life, you won’t need to carry your charger with you all the time. ASUS has included a decent amount of ports by including two USB 2.0 ports, a micro HDMi, an SD Card reader and Bluetooth 4.0. Equipped with a Rockchip 1.8 GHz Processor and 2 GB DDR3 RAM, it is clearly meant for the most basic of tasks and not hardcore gaming and designing.
The hardware adequately handles document editing, video playback and web browsing on Chrome. However, the system might slow down when working with complex files such as multiple large PDFs. The storage of 16 GB SSD is only enough if you plan on uploading most of your content in the cloud, but it’s better to purchase a large capacity SDcard for your media files. If you want an easy to use laptop for documents and basic multimedia, the C201PA-DS02 is one of the cheapest Chromebooks available.
The ASUS C201PA-DS02 is an entry level Chromebook built for basic users who want a workable laptop for a very low price. With an attractive blue chassis with silver accented surfaces surrounding the keyboard, it mimics the design of the latest ultraportable. There is no inbuilt optical drive which helps keep the profile stay thin and the weight low.
The construction is primarily plastic but it’s sturdy and feels well-made. The 11-inch screen is a glossy one with adequate pixels and a reasonably wide viewing angle for comfortable viewing. The keyboard has ample sized keys that are properly spaced to prevent accidental strokes. The trackpad is smooth and responsive. With over 10 hours of battery life, you won’t need to carry your charger with you all the time.
ASUS has included a decent amount of ports by including two USB 2.0 ports, a micro HDMi, an SD Card reader and Bluetooth 4.0. Equipped with a Rockchip 1.8 GHz Processor and 2 GB DDR3 RAM, it is clearly meant for the most basic of tasks and not hardcore gaming and designing. The hardware adequately handles document editing, video playback and web browsing on Chrome.
However, the system might slow down when working with complex files such as multiple large PDFs. The storage of 16 GB SSD is only enough if you plan on uploading most of your content in the cloud, but it’s better to purchase a large capacity SDcard for your media files. If you want an easy to use laptop for documents and basic multimedia, the C201PA-DS02 is one of the cheapest Chromebooks available.
Pros
- Excellent battery life
- Price
- Decent performance
- Thin and light
Cons
- Average display
- Limited storage space
- No USB 3.0
- No full size HDMI port
Bottom Line
The ASUS C201PA-DS02 Chromebook offers a sleek and compact design, but the the tiny SSD will mean purchasing a microSD card to extent its storage space.
Also available from Amazon.com
- Weight: 2 lbs
- Processor: Other ARM Cortex-A17 1.8GHz
- Display Size: 11.6 inch
- RAM: 4GB DDR3
- Operating System: Chrome OS
- Graphics: Mali-T764
Critic Reviews
- TrustedReviews August 31, 2016
The Chromebook C201 is the latest laptop from the Taiwanese tech giant Asus to run Google’s cloud-focused Chrome OS.
Read full review
Full Specifications
Processor | Other ARM Cortex-A17 1.8GHz [View Benchmarks] |
---|---|
Graphics | Mali-T764 [View Benchmarks] |
Graphics Type | Integrated |
Graphics Memory | Shared |
RAM | 4GB DDR3 |
Operating System | Google Chrome OS Chrome OS |
Weight | 2 lbs |
Battery Life | 12 hours |
Hard Drive 1 | 16 SSD |
Display Size | 11.6 inch |
Display Type | TN |
Display Resolution | 1366 x 768 |
Display Technology | LED Backlit |
Connectivity | 2x USB 2.0 | microHDMI | microSD | WiFi | Bluetooth 4.0 |
Audio | Stereo speakers |
Webcam | HD 720p |
Additional Features | microSD card reader |
Dimension (LxWxH) | 11.3 x 7.6 x 0.7 |
Warranty | 1 year |