There are two types of devices that use the Chrome OS: laptops and desktop machines. While the best Chromebooks are more widely known and more diverse in their options, Chromeboxes are a relatively small market where you have one option from each major manufacturer that gets updated every few years. We are getting updates to the two most popular Chromeboxes, so it is a good year to be a Chromebox user. While we may see another Chromebox or two come out in the second half of 2022, the ASUS Chromebox 4 is the one you will want to buy for the extra ports and power.

Asus Chromebox 4 Galaxy 21 Sample

Source: Ara Wagoner / Android Central (Image credit: Source: Ara Wagoner / Android Central)

Best overall: ASUS Chromebox 4

ASUS makes some of the best Chromebooks for work, and it never hesitates to squeeze in every little feature and port it can to try and stand out in an increasingly competitive Chrome enterprise space. The ASUS Chromebox 4 is no exception, as it is dedicated to being the most powerful and detailed machine for the job, and this means that we all benefit from it.

In a desktop world where most work-from- homers need to connect a mouse, keyboard, webcams, and a mic, it's easy for all of your USB-A ports to fill up, so ASUS opted for five. You get two HDMI ports for supporting dual 4K monitors and aUSB-C port for adding more peripherals or a third monitor via ausb-c hub. You need the power to support all those displays, and that's why ASUS is packing a 10th Gen Intel Core i3 or i5 inside along with 8-16GB of RAM.

More ports and more power are always welcome.

The storage area has a slight edge over the other two. All of the configurations of the Chromebox have either 128 or 256 gigabytes of storage. The Chromebox 4 is faster because it is not being held back by eMMC storage, and there is more room for Linux apps or offline files. Even if you don't need a full-time desktop, the ASUS Chromebox 4 can make a nice little media PC between the full Chrome browser and almost all the other media apps you can find on the internet.

The package and shipping costs for the Chromebox 4 are small because the mouse and keyboard are not in the box. I am okay with this because it will shave a few dollars off the price of the chromebox 4 and because a great mouse can be had for less than a large pizza.

HP Chromebox Enterprise G3

Source: HP (Image credit: Source: HP)

Best on a budget: HP Chromebox G3

HP was the first to sell its next-gen Chromeboxes, and it was also the first to announce them. The cheaper Celeron option is our budget pick because it powers the HP Chromebox G3 and the Chromebox Enterprise G3. You get slower eMMC storage with the HP models, but they include up to 16GB ofDDR4 RAM and up to 128GB of storage. The HP Chromebox G3 has a MicroSD slot that can 888-269-5556 888-269-5556 888-269-5556 888-269-5556.

HP added a single USB-C port on the back of the device, as well as two other ports, a HDMI port, and an Ethernet jack. The Chromebox G3 can power two 4K monitors, which is handy for people who want to use multiple monitors.

The Chromebox G3 can power two 4K monitors.

I wish there was a second port on the Chromebox G3. With so many of our devices already featuring theusb-c port, the ability to plug in ausb-c hard drive andusb-c monitor in addition to plugging in a phone or peripheral would be nice without having to break out theusb-a orusb-b. Even if it doesn't have as many as the Chromebox 4, having fourUSB-A ports will make things easier for those with older peripherals.

Despite launching almost six months ago, the G3 is not widely available. B&H only has the cheaper Celeron model in stock, so if you need one right now, you will either have to grab that cheaper model or go with the cheaper model. The G3 and the Chromebox 4 have double the support life of the older G2 models, so please don't overpay for them.

Is it a good time to buy a Chromebox?

Acer Chromebox

Source: Jerry Hildenbrand / Android Central (Image credit: Source: Jerry Hildenbrand / Android Central)

We are in a transitional state for the Chromebox market. The HP and ASUS Chromebox G3 are not available for purchase at the moment. If you need a new Chromebox, now is the best time to buy because they are still better than the other ones.

We will have wider availability in the next six months, but both of these Chromeboxes have the same guts under their bodies and have the same auto update expire date. If you need the best Chromebooks right now, the ASUS Chromebox 4 is your winner because it has one extra port over the HP Chromebox G3 and more options.

The pickings are slim when it comes to finding the best Chromebox, as retailers and manufacturers switch from old models to new ones. If you need to upgrade the memory and storage, the new generation of Chromeboxes are user-upgradable.

The best Chromebox will have the ASUS Chromebox 4. The Intel Core i3 and i5 models are powerful and will last you a long time. Every configuration has the power and ports you need to have a great experience and stay safe. It is the best Chromebox for everyone.