The company’s first attempt at Chrome OS is also the first ever all-in-one device with Google’s operating system
We’ve seen Chromebooks, and even Chromeboxes, but LG has partnered with Google this time around to launch the world’s first Chromebase, a Chrome OS all-in-one desktop. Other than the larger screen, this really isn’t a big departure from what we’ve seen with Chrome OS devices of the past. We’re looking at simple hardware — both in design and internals — running an unedited version of Google’s software that’s generally being targeted at a lower end of the market.
Although we don’t know the exact pricing or availability for LG’s first shot at Chrome OS hardware, given what’s here we can’t expect it to cost all that much. You’re getting a 21.5-inch display at 1920 x 1080 resolution, powered by what you find in modern Chromebooks — an Intel Celeron dual-core processor, 2GB of RAM and an assortment of standard ports. You’ll get a standard keyboard and mouse thrown in — color matched to the either white or black system you buy — but aside from that this is a no frills affair.
One interesting aspect of the Chromebase is its ability to act as an external monitor for another device with an HDMI input on the back, which could really open up possibilities for this device. Considering the solid quality of the display (from our time with it), this could be a nice choice to run Chrome OS some of the time and then simply turn into a dumb display for another computer with the flip of a switch.
We can easily see the Chromebase carving out a niche market in education, libraries and homes with simpler computing needs. Particularly if the price is right.
