ASUS and Google have launched an $85 computer on a stick

With how ridiculously lightweight Chrome OS is, there’s no other operating system out there that’s better suited to being installed on a computer on a stick, which is why ASUS and Google have joined forces to create just that. Known as the Chromebit, this HDMI stick was announced by the two companies earlier this year, and has officially launched for a mere $85. That ridiculously affordable price comes at the cost of having decent specs, but since it runs on Chrome OS, this won’t be a problem so long as you’re connected to the Internet. 

Earlier this year, Google and ASUS announced the Chromebit — a full Chrome OS-based computer on an HDMI stick. Today, the two companies are officially launching this new way of using Chrome OS on any screen with an HDMI port. The $85 Chromebit is a 75 gram (or 2.6 ounces) stick that you can plug into any HDMI port — whether that’s a regular computer screen or that large TV in your living room. It comes with 16GB of onboard storage (in the form of relatively cheap and slow eMMC storage) and 2GB of RAM. In many ways, it’s a larger, bulkier version of the old Chromecast stick. Just like that device, it comes with a dedicated charger, but unlike the Chromecast, it also features a USB port. The Rockchip-based Chromebit comes in “Cacao Black” and “Tangerine Orange,” but overall, it’s a pretty unassuming device that’s mostly meant to disappear behind your screen anyway (hence why I’m not sure why there is an orange version). While most people will likely want to use a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard to connect to the Chromebit, the USB port allows you to plug in wired peripherals as well (and with a USB hub, you could even plug in multiple devices).