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ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 14 (2021) Laptop Review

Tested using Methodology v0.8.2
Reviewed Jul 17, 2023 at 11:02 am
Latest change: Writing modified Jul 10, 2024 at 10:59 am
ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 14 (2021) Picture
7.4
School
4.4
Gaming
7.5
Multimedia
6.0
Workstation
7.4
Business

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 14 (2021) is a 2-in-1 convertible Chrome OS laptop. It's available with Intel 11th Gen CPUs, up to 16GB of memory, and up to 512GB of storage. It has a 1080p IPS display, a 720p webcam, and Wi-Fi 6 wireless connectivity. Ports include one USB-A, two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4s, a MicroSD card reader, and a headphone jack. It supports pen input and comes with a USI 1.0 stylus, which you can dock into its charging slot for transport. You can see our unit's specifications and the available configuration options in the Differences Between Variants section below.

Our Verdict

7.4 School

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 is decent for school use. It has a sturdy build and is easy to carry around, thanks to its thin and light design. The display looks sharp, and since it's a 2-in-1, it supports touch input. It also supports pen input and comes with a stylus if you like taking handwritten notes. The keyboard feels spacious but a little mushy, and the touchpad is decently responsive. Its Intel 11th Gen CPU has no problem handling nearly anything you can do on Chrome OS; just know that you can only use web apps and Android apps from the Google Play Store, so it isn't ideal for students in fields like 3D graphics that need specialized x86 Windows applications. The battery doesn't last a full day, but it's pretty close, so you only need to plug it in for a short time.

Pros
  • Compact and lightweight.
  • Display gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings.
  • Decent keyboard and touchpad.
  • Thunderbolt 4.
Cons
  • Battery lasts less than eight hours of light use.
  • Mediocre webcam.
  • CPU and integrated graphics can't handle demanding tasks.
4.4 Gaming

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 is bad for gaming. Its CPU and integrated graphics can't handle demanding games, and it has a 60Hz display with a slow response time. You can't install DirectX games on Chrome OS, so you can only play Android-based games from the Google Play Store. On the upside, it doesn't get hot or loud under load.

Pros
  • Decent keyboard and touchpad.
  • Fanless design.
Cons
  • CPU and integrated graphics can't handle demanding tasks.
  • 60Hz display with slow response time.
  • Doesn't support x86 Windows games.
  • Slow SSD.
  • Soldered RAM.
7.5 Multimedia

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 is good for media consumption. It's very portable, and its battery lasts over seven hours of video playback, giving you plenty of time to get through multiple movies. Its 1080p display looks sharp, and since it's a 2-in-1, you can set up the laptop in tent mode when viewing content and navigate using touch input. The downside is that it's an IPS panel with a relatively low contrast ratio, so blacks look grayish in dim settings. The speakers get very loud, but like most laptops, they have very little bass.

Pros
  • Compact and lightweight.
  • Display gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings.
  • Loud speakers.
  • Battery lasts seven hours of video playback.
Cons
  • Blacks look gray in dim settings.
  • Speakers sound unnatural with no bass.
6.0 Workstation

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 isn't suitable for use as a mobile workstation. Its Intel 11th Gen. CPU and integrated graphics aren't powerful enough to handle demanding tasks, and you can only get up to 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage. Also, it runs Chrome OS, so you're limited to web-based apps and Android apps from the Google Play Store. On the bright side, it has Thunderbolt 4 ports, allowing you to quickly transfer files and connect up to two 4k displays with a single cable, and it doesn't get hot or loud under load.

Pros
  • Decent keyboard and touchpad.
  • Thunderbolt 4.
  • Fanless design.
Cons
  • CPU and integrated graphics can't handle demanding tasks.
  • Slow SSD.
  • Soldered RAM.
7.4 Business

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 is decent for business use. It's a well-built laptop that's easy to carry around. It has a sharp display, a spacious but slightly mushy keyboard, and a decently responsive touchpad. Its Intel 11th Gen CPU can easily handle general productivity tasks like text processing, spreadsheets, and presentations; however, remember that Chrome OS doesn't support Windows applications, so it might not be suitable if your work requires specialized programs that only run on Windows. The battery lasts just a little less than eight hours of light use, so you'll likely need to plug it in for a quick charge to get through the day. Unfortunately, the webcam is mediocre; the image looks soft with a fair amount of noise.

Pros
  • Compact and lightweight.
  • Display gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings.
  • Decent keyboard and touchpad.
  • Thunderbolt 4.
Cons
  • Battery lasts less than eight hours of light use.
  • Mediocre webcam.
  • CPU and integrated graphics can't handle demanding tasks.
  • 7.4 School
  • 4.4 Gaming
  • 7.5 Multimedia
  • 6.0 Workstation
  • 7.4 Business
  1. Updated Jul 10, 2024: Added mention of the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2023) as an alternative with longer battery life in the Battery section.
  2. Updated Jan 04, 2024: Added mention of the ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 (2023) as an alternative with a better webcam in the Webcam and Microphone section.
  3. Updated Dec 07, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.2.
  4. Updated Nov 16, 2023: Added mention of the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 (2023) as a Windows alternative in the Software section.
  5. Updated Nov 03, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.1.
  6. Updated Jul 20, 2023: Added mention of the ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip (2023) as an alternative with a higher refresh display in the Refresh Rate section.
  7. Updated Jul 17, 2023: Review published.
  8. Updated Jul 11, 2023: Early access published.
  9. Updated Jul 05, 2023: Our testers have started testing this product.
  10. Updated Jun 19, 2023: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  11. Updated May 24, 2023: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 14 (model CX5400FMA) with an Intel Core i5-1130G7 CPU, 16GB of memory, and 256GB of storage. The CPU, memory, and storage are configurable; the available options are in the table below.

Screen
  • 14" IPS 1920 x 1080 60Hz Touchscreen with stylus support
CPU
  • Intel Core i3-1110G4 (2 cores/4 threads, up to 3.9 GHz, 6MB cache)
  • Intel Core i5-1130G7 (4 cores/8 threads, up to 4.0 GHz, 8MB cache)
  • Intel Core i7-1160G7 (4 cores/8 threads, up to 4.4 GHz, 12MB cache)
GPU
  • Intel UHD Graphics (integrated, Core i3)
  • Intel Iris Xe Graphics (integrated, Core i5 and i7)
Memory
  • 8GB LP-DDR4X 2133MHz
  • 16GB LP-DDR4X 2133MHz
Storage
  • 128GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 SSD
  • 256GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 SSD
  • 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 SSD
Color
  • AI Blue

You can see our unit's label here.

Compared To Other Laptops

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5400 is a decent laptop overall. It has a sturdy build and provides a relatively good user experience. However, its battery life is on the shorter side for a Chromebook, which might be a dealbreaker for some. Also, there are better options that cost less.

For more options, check out our recommendations for the best Chromebooks, the best budget and cheap laptops, and the best travel laptops.

Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (2021)

Although the ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 14 (2021) and the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (2021) are both 2-in-1s, the ASUS is a convertible with a 360-degree hinge, while the Lenovo is a tablet with a detachable kickstand. If you mainly need the laptop for work or school, the ASUS is a better option because it has a much better keyboard and touchpad, a wider port selection, and better performance overall. However, the Lenovo is a better option if you only need the laptop for media consumption, as its OLED display provides a much better viewing experience, especially in dim settings.

ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip (2023)

The ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip (2023) and the ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 14 (2021) are both 2-in-1 convertible Chromebooks with many similarities. The main difference is that the CX5 is designed for general productivity, while the CX34 is designed for cloud gaming, although you could also use the CX34 for work. The CX34 has a brighter display with a higher refresh rate of 144Hz, giving you smoother motion and better responsiveness. On the other hand, the CX5 doesn't get as hot or loud under load, and unlike the CX34, its USB-Cs support Thunderbolt 4.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Chromebook 14 (2023)

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Chromebook 14 (2023) and the ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 14 (2021) are both 14-inch laptops that provide a good user experience overall. The Lenovo has a brighter display, a better webcam, and a longer battery life; however, the ASUS has a sturdier build and a more responsive touchpad. You can get the Lenovo with a touch-sensitive display, but unlike the ASUS, it isn't a 2-in-1 convertible.

HP Chromebook x360 14 (2021)

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 14 (2021) is much better than the HP Chromebook x360 14 (2021) for most uses. The ASUS has a sturdier build, a sharper, brighter display, and better performance. It has the same number of ports as the HP, but unlike the HP, its USB-C support Thunderbolt 4, allowing you to connect up to two 4k displays with a single cable. The HP has longer battery life, but only slightly.

Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2022)

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2022) is much better than the ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 14 (2021). The Acer is available with Intel 12th Gen CPUs, which perform much better than the ASUS' Intel 11th Gen, and its battery life is significantly longer at nearly 14 hours of light use. The Acer also has a more tactile keyboard, a wider port selection, and a much better 1080p webcam.

ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 (2023)

For most uses, the ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 14 (2021) is better than the ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 (2023). The CX5 has a sturdier build and a brighter display, and it's a 2-in-1 convertible that you can use as a tablet, which you can't do on the CX34. It also has a longer battery life, particularly for video playback. On the other hand, the CX34 is available with much faster CPUs that can handle more demanding tasks and provide a smoother experience.

Lenovo Chromebook C340 15 (2020)

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 14 (2021) and the Lenovo Chromebook C340 15 (2020) are both 2-in-1 convertibles. The ASUS has a nicer display, better performance, and Thunderbolt 4 support. It also supports pen input and comes with a stylus in the box. However, the Lenovo has significantly longer battery life, and its keyboard provides a better typing experience.

+ Show more

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Form Factor
2 in 1

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 has a clean, minimal design with thin bezels and a silver-color, wedge-shaped chassis. Although this is a fanless device, the back of the laptop still lifts slightly when you open the screen to allow for better passive cooling. A stylus is included in the box, and you can dock it into its charging slot on the right side of the laptop, near the back. The speakers are on the bottom, near the front.

8.0
Design
Build Quality

The build quality is great. The chassis is all aluminum with a finish that doesn't easily scratch or pick up fingerprints. There's some flex on the lid and display but almost none on the keyboard deck. The feet feel solid and stick firmly to the bottom. The hinges are okay; they're extremely stiff when opening the laptop but feel smoother once you go past 30 degrees.

6.4
Design
Hinge
Range
360°
Stability
Decent
One Finger Lift
No

The hinges are passable. Since this is a 2-in-1 convertible, you can flip the screen into tent mode for media consumption or use it as a tablet. As mentioned in the build quality section above, the hinges are stiff when opening the laptop. They become smoother once you go past 30 degrees, though you may still need to use both hands to make small adjustments. The screen wobbles a little bit when typing aggressively.

8.2
Design
Portability
Size
14"
Thickness
0.7" (1.8 cm)
Width
12.7" (32.3 cm)
Depth
8.3" (21.0 cm)
Volume
74.5 in³ (1,220.9 cm³)
Weight
4.0 lbs (1.8 kg)
Charger Size
6.5 in³ (105.9 cm³)
Charger Weight
0.7 lbs (0.3 kg)

The ASUS CX5400 and its power adapter are compact and lightweight.

6.3
Design
Serviceability
Ease Of Access
7.5
RAM Slots
0
Storage Slots
1
Replaceable Battery
Yes
Replaceable Wireless Adapter
Yes

The ASUS Chromebook CX5's serviceability is passable. Accessing the internals is easy; you only need to remove ten Philips screws and pry open the bottom panel. You need to be careful when removing the panel, as it requires some force to pry open and feels like it could break. Unfortunately, the RAM isn't user-replaceable.

You can see the user's manual here.

Design
In The Box

  • ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 14 laptop
  • 45W USB-C power adapter and cord
  • Documentation

Display
Display
Screen Specs
Resolution
1920 x 1080
Aspect Ratio
16:9
Pixel Density
157 PPI
Panel Type
IPS
Touch Screen
Yes
Screen-To-Body Ratio
85%

The ASUS CX5's display looks sharp and provides just enough space for light multitasking. Its 16:9 aspect ratio is great for media consumption since most videos are in that format; however, a taller 16:10 ratio would have been better for productivity, as the increased vertical space lets you see more information at once, reducing the need to scroll. 16:9 also makes the device feel narrow when using it as a tablet in portrait mode.

5.9
Display
Refresh Rate
Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
No

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 is only available with a 60Hz display. Its slow response time causes noticeable ghosting, which isn't ideal for viewing fast-moving content or gaming. If you want a Chromebook with a high-refresh display, check out the ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip (2023).

7.0
Display
Contrast
Native Contrast
1,120 : 1

The display's contrast ratio is decent and within the typical range for most IPS panels; however, it's still relatively low compared to VA and OLED panels. This contrast level makes blacks look gray in dim settings.

7.3
Display
Brightness
Maximum Brightness
324 cd/m²
Minimum Brightness
10 cd/m²

The display's maximum brightness is decent. It's bright enough for use in most well-lit rooms but not in direct sunlight or outdoors in broad daylight. It gets very dim at the lowest brightness settings, which is great for dark room viewing, as it causes less eye strain.

7.6
Display
Reflections
Screen Finish
Glossy
Total Reflections
3.87%
Indirect Reflections
0.56%
Calculated Direct Reflections
3.31%

The display's reflection handling is good. Its glossy finish mainly struggles with bright reflections, like a lamp or open window during the day. The reflections are visible, even with the screen at maximum brightness.

5.6
Display
Black Uniformity
Uniformity (Std. Dev.)
2.261%

The display's black uniformity is sub-par. The whole screen looks more blue than gray, and there's visible backlight bleed at the corners.

7.0
Display
Horizontal Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Left
26°
Color Washout From Right
27°
Color Shift From Left
51°
Color Shift From Right
54°
Brightness Loss From Left
30°
Brightness Loss From Right
32°
Black Level Raise From Left
60°
Black Level Raise From Right
60°
Gamma Shift From Left
29°
Gamma Shift From Right
31°

The display's horizontal viewing angle is decent. The image dims and washes out relatively quickly as you move to the side. The image quality is still good enough for viewing text documents and other casual content, but it's best to be close or directly in front of the screen for color-critical work.

7.4
Display
Vertical Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Below
29°
Color Washout From Above
28°
Color Shift From Below
45°
Color Shift From Above
45°
Brightness Loss From Below
30°
Brightness Loss From Above
29°
Black Level Raise From Below
45°
Black Level Raise From Above
45°
Gamma Shift From Below
37°
Gamma Shift From Above
33°

The vertical viewing angle is decent. Like the horizontal viewing angle, the image dims and washes out from above and below. Again, it's fine for text documents; it's only a problem if you need perfect accuracy and don't have much room to tilt the screen to the best viewing position, like on a bus or airplane.

7.2
Display
Out-Of-The-Box Color Accuracy
Avg. White Balance dE
3.85
Avg. Gamma
2.24
Avg. Color dE
2.72
Avg. Color Temperature
6,818.8 K

The ASUS Flip CX5's display accuracy is decent out of the box. Most color inaccuracies are minor and hard to spot. The white balance isn't as good, as there's a slight greenish hue at higher brightness levels. The color temperature is slightly cooler than the standard 6500K target, giving the image a small, almost imperceptible blueish tint. The gamma doesn't follow the sRGB curve; dark scenes are too dark, while bright scenes are too bright.

7.9
Display
Color Gamut
sRGB xy
94%
sRGB uv
95.29%
Adobe RGB xy
71.29%
Adobe RGB uv
82.4%
DCI P3 xy
71.46%
DCI P3 uv
78.36%
Rec. 2020 xy
51.49%
Rec. 2020 uv
58.16%

The display has a good color gamut. It has near-full sRGB coverage, the color space used in most content. It's only missing some greens, which is hard to notice with the naked eye. It has good Adobe RGB and DCI P3 coverage but not enough for professional print photography or for viewing and producing HDR content.

10
Display
Flicker
Flicker-Free
Yes
Flicker Frequency
No Flicker
Flicker Active Below
0%

The backlight is entirely flicker-free, which helps reduce eye strain.

Interface
7.4
Interface
Keyboard
Typing Quality
7.0
Numpad
No
Backlighting
Adjustable
Operating Force
66 gf
Actuation Force
31 gf
Pre-Travel
0.96 mm
Total Travel
1.47 mm

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 has a decent keyboard. The layout feels spacious and is fairly standard, so it's easy to get used to. The keys have a good amount of travel, but they're on the mushy side. Also, the keycaps feel somewhat cheap and aren't very stable. Typing noise is very low and isn't bothersome in quiet environments. You can adjust between four backlight brightness levels or turn it off completely.

7.4
Interface
Touchpad
Tracking Quality
7.5
Size
13.1 in² (84.5 cm²)
Material
Plastic
Dedicated Buttons
No

The touchpad is decent. It's reasonably large and feels very smooth for a plastic touchpad. It tracks all movements and gestures well, and there aren't any issues with palm rejection or actions like dragging and dropping or zooming in and out of images. You can only click in the bottom half of the touchpad, and the click mechanism feels cheap and not particularly satisfying.

7.3
Interface
Speakers
Max Volume
78 dB SPL
Standard Error @ Normal Vol. (65 dB)
6.6 dB
Slope @ Normal Vol. (65 dB)
-1.1
Bass Extension (Low-Frequency Ext.)
354 Hz
Treble Extension (High-Frequency Ext.)
20 kHz
Dynamic Range Compression @ Max Vol.
1.1 dB

The speakers get pretty loud with minimal compression artifacts at max volume. They sound clear, with very forward vocals and good instrument separation; however, there's very little bass, and acoustic instruments sound unnatural.

6.2
Interface
Webcam & Microphone
Video Quality
5.5
Resolution
720p
Position
Top Center
Privacy Cover
Yes
Face Unlock
No

The webcam's video quality is sub-par. The image looks soft, with a fair amount of noise. The colors look relatively natural but slightly washed out. Voices sound loud and clear over the microphone, albeit with some background noise. The privacy cover is only physical; it doesn't disable the webcam or the microphone at the software level, meaning it can still record audio when closed. If you want a Chromebook with a better webcam, check out the ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 (2023).

Connectivity
7.0
Connectivity
Ports
USB-A Ports
1
USB-C Ports
2
Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt 4
USB-C Charging
Yes
USB-C Display Out
Yes
HDMI
No
DisplayPort
No
3.5mm Jack
Combo mic/headphone
Card Reader
MicroSD UHS 1
Ethernet
No
Proprietary Port
No
Security Lock
No

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5400 has a decent port selection. The USB-A port supports USB 3.2 Gen 1 data transfer speed of up to 5Gbps. Both USB-C ports support Thunderbolt (up to 40Gbps data transfer speed and up to two 4k displays at 60Hz), DisplayPort, and Power Delivery. The latter allows for fast charging of the laptop and other PD-compatible devices connected to the port.

Connectivity
Wireless Communication
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Bluetooth
5.0

The wireless adapter is an Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201.

Configuration
Configuration
CPU
Brand
Intel
Model
Core i5-1130G7
Core Count
4
Thread Count
8

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 is available with the following CPUs:

  • Intel Core i3-1110G4 (2 cores/4 threads, up to 3.9 GHz, 6MB cache)
  • Intel Core i5-1130G7 (4 cores/8 threads, up to 4.0 GHz, 8MB cache)
  • Intel Core i7-1160G7 (4 cores/8 threads, up to 4.4 GHz, 12MB cache)

All three CPUs are designed for general productivity tasks like text processing, web browsing, and video playback, not demanding workloads like video editing or gaming. Although they can all provide a smooth experience on Chrome OS, it's best to skip the Core i3-1110G4 unless you have an extremely light workload, meaning you use only one or two applications or Chrome tabs at a time. This is because it only has two cores, which isn't a lot, even for Chrome OS. The four-core i5 and i7 will provide a snappier experience and give you more headroom if you need to do something more intensive. The Core i7 is only slightly faster than the Core i5.

Configuration
GPU
Brand
Intel
Model
Iris Xe Graphics
Dedicated/Integrated
Integrated
VRAM Size
N/A

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 is only available with integrated graphics. The Core i3 has Intel UHD graphics, while the Core i5 and i7 have Intel Iris Xe. These GPUs can only handle light productivity tasks. You can play some games from the Google Play Store, but you may need to play with low settings in the most demanding games.

Configuration
RAM
Capacity
16 GB
Modules
1 (Soldered)
Type
LP-DDR4X
Speed
2,133 MHz

You can get this laptop with 8GB or 16GB of RAM. The memory isn't user-replaceable.

Configuration
Storage
Advertised Capacity
256 GB
Usable Capacity
224 GB
Drive 1
Kingston OM8PDP3256B-AB1
Drive 1 Type SSD
Drive 2
No 2nd Drive
Drive 2 Type No 2nd Drive

You can get this laptop with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage. The SSD is user-replaceable; the slot supports M.2 PCIe Gen 3 SSDs.

Performance
7.2
Performance
Geekbench 5 (Synthetics)
CPU Single-Thread
1,175 points
CPU Multi-Thread
2,590 points
GPU Compute
N/A

The ASUS CX5400 has a decent overall score in the Geekbench 5 benchmarks. Although its single- and multi-thread scores are lower than expected for an Intel 11th Gen CPU, it's still more than adequate for nearly everything you can do on Chrome OS. The system feels snappy and responsive. The GPU compute test doesn't work on this Chromebook. The integrated GPU likely performs poorly, and Chromebooks aren't designed for GPU-intensive tasks anyway.

not tested
Performance
Cinebench R23 (CPU Rendering)
Single-Thread
N/A
Multi-Thread
N/A

Cinebench R23 doesn't run on Chrome OS.

5.0
Performance
Blender (3D Rendering)
CPU Render Time
9.4 min
GPU Render Time
N/A
GPU Render Time (Optix)
N/A

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 performs poorly in Blender. The CPU takes a long time to render, far too slow for practical purposes. If you need to render images professionally, it's best to get a Windows laptop with a discrete GPU or a MacBook Pro with Apple silicon, like the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021).

3.1
Performance
Basemark GPU (Game Scene)
Overall Score
7,066

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 performs poorly in the Basemark GPU benchmark. Its integrated graphics can only handle light, general productivity tasks. You can play some mobile games from the Google Play Store, but you may have to play with low settings to get smooth gameplay. Also, remember that most games from the Google Play Store are designed for Android smartphones and tablets with an ARM processor, so some may not run properly or lack keyboard, mouse, and controller support.

5.9
Performance
Storage Drive Performance
Sequential Write Speed
232.0 MB/s
Sequential Read Speed
913.3 MB/s
Random Write Speed
1.2 MB/s
Random Read Speed
36.0 MB/s

The SSD's performance is middling. Its fast read speeds allow the system to quickly boot up, launch locally-installed apps, and retrieve data. However, its slow write speeds mean it takes a long time to write anything to the drive, like when installing an application.

6.6
Performance
Battery
Capacity
47 Wh
Battery Life (Web Browsing)
7.8 hrs
Battery Life (Video Playback)
7.0 hrs
Battery Life (Gaming)
3.4 hrs
Charge Time
2.9 hrs

The ASUS CX5's battery life is okay. It doesn't last through a typical workday, but it's close, so you'll only have to plug it in briefly. Check out the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2023) if you want a similar laptop with longer battery life.

0
Performance
Borderlands 3
Avg. FPS
N/A
1% Low
N/A
0.1% Low
N/A
1% Low Delta
N/A
0.1% Low Delta
N/A
Avg. FPS On Very Low
N/A

Borderlands 3 doesn't run on Chrome OS.

0
Performance
Civilization VI
Avg. FPS
N/A
1% Low
N/A
0.1% Low
N/A
1% Low Delta
N/A
0.1% Low Delta
N/A
Avg. FPS On Minimum
N/A
Avg. Turn Time
N/A

Civilization VI doesn't run on Chrome OS.

0
Performance
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Avg. FPS
N/A
1% Low
N/A
0.1% Low
N/A
1% Low Delta
N/A
0.1% Low Delta
N/A
Avg. FPS On Low
N/A

CS:GO doesn't run on Chrome OS.

0
Performance
Shadow Of The Tomb Raider
Avg. FPS
N/A
1% Low
N/A
0.1% Low
N/A
1% Low Delta
N/A
0.1% Low Delta
N/A
Avg. FPS On Lowest
N/A

Shadow of the Tomb Raider doesn't run on Chrome OS.

9.1
Performance
Thermals And Noise
Keyboard Temp While Idle
28 °C (82 °F)
Keyboard Temp Under Load
39 °C (102 °F)
Fan Noise While Idle
N/A
Fan Noise Under Load
N/A
Power & Fan Control App
No

The keyboard is cool when idle and only gets mildly warm under load. There's no fan noise because this is a fanless device.

not tested
Performance
Performance Over Time
CPU Temp (Cinebench)
N/A
CPU Perf. Loss (Cinebench)
N/A
GPU Temp (Heaven)
N/A
GPU Perf. Loss (Heaven)
N/A

We can't test the performance over time because UNIGINE Heaven and Cinebench R23 aren't compatible with Chrome OS. There's likely some thermal throttling on the CPU and GPU, as this is a thin and light laptop with no active cooling (fan). The performance loss isn't noticeable if you only perform light tasks like web browsing and video playback, but it is when you push the system to near-maximum capacity, like when gaming.

Additional Features And Software
Additional Features And Software
Software
Operating System
Chrome OS
Additional Software
None

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 runs on the 64-bit version of Chrome OS. There's no other software besides those that typically come with Chrome OS.

Every Chromebook has an 'expiration date' at which it stops receiving software updates. According to Google's official document, the CX5400's end-of-life is June 2029. Google may extend this date as they have for other Chromebooks; it's best to check their official document for any changes. If you want a similar laptop that runs Windows, check out the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 (2023).

Additional Features And Software
Extra Features
RGB Illumination
No
Touch Pen
Yes
Secondary Display
No
Biometrics
No

The ASUS Flip CX5 supports pen input and has a USI (Universal Stylus Initiative) 1.0 stylus. The pen is thin and uncomfortable to hold for extended periods, and it only supports pressure sensitivity, not tilt, so it's mainly for note-taking. The inking experience is just okay; the latency is low, but it feels like writing on glass. For charging and transport, you can dock the pen into its slot on the right side of the laptop, near the back.