ASUS 14", Celeron N4500, 4GB, 64GB eMMC, Quiet Blue

A CAD 319 web browser with a screen. The bundled docking station is the only reason this isn't a total pass.

The Celeron N4500 is a 2-core chip running at 1.1GHz, and it feels like it. This thing is built for one tab of Chrome, maybe two if you're feeling brave. The 4GB of RAM lands in the bottom 2% of all laptops we track, which means multitasking is more of a suggestion than a feature. The 64GB eMMC storage is also near the bottom at the 4th percentile. Windows 11 S will eat a chunk of that before you even install anything. The bundled 160GB docking station storage helps, but it's a workaround, not a fix.

The competitors here are all in a completely different league. The MacBook Pro MWP72LL/A, Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x, and HP OmniBook X Flip all cost several times more and offer dramatically better performance, storage, and build quality. But comparing this ASUS to those is like comparing a bicycle to a sports car. The real question is whether you should buy this or a used ThinkPad for the same money. A refurbished Lenovo with 8GB RAM and an SSD will run circles around this thing for about the same price. The only reason to pick the ASUS is if you want something new with a warranty and don't mind the limitations.

At CAD 319, this is a disposable laptop. That's not an insult, it's the honest truth. You're buying a web browsing machine with a screen and a keyboard, plus a docking station that adds real storage. If you need a cheap machine for email, Netflix, and light document work, this does the job. Just don't expect it to age gracefully.

This ASUS 14" is a budget laptop that makes one big promise: cheap and portable. And it delivers on cheap. The Celeron N4500 and 4GB of RAM are about as entry-level as it gets in 2024, but for CAD 319, you're not exactly expecting a powerhouse. The real story here is the bundled docking station set that adds 160GB of storage, which is almost triple what the laptop itself has. That's the kind of weird, practical bundle we can appreciate.

If you're looking for a laptop that can handle multitasking, photo editing, or anything beyond basic web browsing, this isn't it. Go get a used ThinkPad or a Chromebook with 8GB RAM instead. You'll be much happier.

This ASUS 14" is a niche product for a specific buyer: someone who needs the cheapest possible new laptop for basic tasks and will actually use the bundled docking station. If that's you, go for it. If you need to run anything beyond a web browser and Office, save up or buy used. The 4GB RAM and 64GB eMMC are dealbreakers for most people, and the docking station doesn't fix the fundamental performance ceiling.