Google and its partners are preparing to publicly unveil low-priced laptops through their line of Chromebook devices.
The companies were able to slash the prices of its products without compromising their functions through the help of a low-spec processor, according to The Register.
The first item on the list is Google's Chromebook from the Chinese manufacturers Haier and Hisense. This 11.6-inch laptop is now available for pre-orders through Amazon for only $149.00.
In the next couple of months, the Chromebook will be followed by the release of the Chromebook Flip from Asus. This laptop sports a rotating display screen that can be twisted around for a full 360 degrees. It is expected to hit the market sometime during spring of this year for $249.00.
Aside from the Flip, Asus is also preparing to unveil another device this year. The Chrombit, which is being advertised as a computer-on-a-stick, is a USB-sized device that runs on the Chrome OS.
Once connected to any form of display device through HDMI, and with the help of Bluetooth-capable keyboards and mice, users will be able to have an instant computer.
Asus has not yet made an official statement regarding the Chromebit's price but according to the company, customers can purchase it for less than $100 once it debuts.
Google and its partners are able to market the cheap devices because of the RK3288 processor, which is made by the Chinese tech firm Rockchip, PC World reported.
The chip, which was first launched in 2014 and is based on the quad-core ARM Cortex-A17 system, is inexpensive to use because it only consumes up to 3 watts of power. Due to its low consumption, Google's Chromebooks do not require built-in fans, a factor that can significantly reduce the devices' production cost.
Despite being powered by a low-spec chip, Google's latest line of cheap devices functions decently and was designed for those who only need basic computer features.
Although they cannot support video games with high requirements, the devices can be used for web browsing, typing, researching, email checking and other simple functions.
"Our general belief is that you can't get to lower-priced devices by just dropping specs," Google's Vice President of Product Management Caesar Sengupta said according to PC World.
"Users see through that," he added. "But if you keep the performance bar the same, but bring the price down, that's really how you need to go through it."
