ASUS Chromebook Plus 14" CX1405CTA-DS31-CB, Core 3 N355, 8GB, 128GB eMMC, Rock Grey

The ASUS Chromebook Plus CX1405CTA-DS31-CB is a lightweight, affordable Chromebook with a surprisingly capable 8-core CPU. The 128GB eMMC storage and dim 300-nit display are the main letdowns. Worth a look for students on a budget, but skip it if you need fast storage or a bright screen.

The Core 3 N355 is a surprisingly capable chip for a Chromebook. Eight cores at 1.9GHz means Chrome tabs, Google Workspace, and Android apps all feel snappy. Our database puts the CPU at the 37th percentile, which sounds mediocre until you remember this is a Chromebook, not a gaming rig. The 8GB of LPDDR5 helps multitasking, but the 128GB eMMC storage is the real bottleneck. eMMC is slow, and at the 5th percentile for storage, it's one of the worst we've seen. Expect sluggish file transfers and limited offline space. The integrated Intel UHD Graphics are fine for video playback and light Android games, but don't even think about anything demanding. Gaming scores a 4.7 out of 100, which is basically a polite way of saying no.

Stacked against the Apple MacBook Air M4, this ASUS gets demolished on screen quality, storage speed, and build. But the MacBook Air costs significantly more, so that's not a fair fight. The HP OmniBook X Flip and Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 are also in a different league, with OLED displays and faster storage. The Lenovo Legion 5i and MSI Creator A13V are gaming and creator machines, so they're not even in the same conversation. For pure Chromebook buyers, the real competition is other budget Chromebooks, and this ASUS holds its own on CPU performance but falls behind on storage and display.

Pricing in Canada runs between CAD 522 and CAD 570 across three listings. For a Chromebook with an 8-core CPU and 8GB of RAM, that's reasonable, especially with the affordability percentile at 75. But the eMMC storage and dim display make it feel like a budget machine wearing a mid-range price tag. If you can find it closer to CAD 522, it's a fair deal. At CAD 570, you're paying a premium for the Chromebook Plus branding and not much else.

The ASUS Chromebook Plus CX1405CTA-DS31-CB is a 14-inch Chromebook aimed squarely at students and anyone who lives in a browser. It packs an 8-core Intel Core 3 N355, 8GB of LPDDR5, and 128GB of eMMC storage into a 1.38kg chassis. On paper, that's a solid little workhorse for Google Docs, streaming, and the occasional Android app.

But the spec sheet tells a story of compromises. The 1080p display only hits 300 nits with 45% NTSC color, the storage is eMMC (slow), and the port selection is thin. It's a Chromebook that knows its lane, and for the right buyer, that lane is perfectly fine.

Skip this if you need fast local storage, a bright or color-accurate display, or any kind of gaming. The eMMC drive is painfully slow, the screen is dim and washed out, and the integrated graphics are strictly for video playback. If you work with large files, edit photos, or want to play even light games, look for a Chromebook with an SSD and a better panel, or step up to a Windows laptop.

This Chromebook is for students and casual users who need a lightweight machine for web browsing, writing papers, and streaming video. The 8-core CPU is a pleasant surprise, and ChromeOS keeps everything simple. But if you need offline storage, a bright screen for outdoor use, or any kind of gaming, this isn't the one. It's a solid B-student of a laptop: gets the job done, but don't expect honors.