It also has a 57 watt-hour battery versus the 42 watt-hour battery in the older model. Part of the reason the C536 is heavier than the C436 is that it’s constructed of aluminum alloy versus the lighter magnesium alloy in the previous model. The Acer Chromebook Spin 713, with its 13.5-inch 3:2 display, is smaller yet. It’s 0.72 inches thick and weighs 4.17 pounds, compared to the C436 that’s 0.54 inches thick and weighs 2.42 pounds.
When I first pulled the Chromebook Flip C536 out of the box, I thought it was a 15-inch machine. That makes for a chassis that’s not as small as many other 14-inch laptops, including the Chromebook Flip C436 that’s quite a bit smaller. The Asus Chromebook Flip C536 has thin bezels along the sides, but the top bezel is thicker and the bottom chin is huge. It does move smoothly, though, through clamshell, tent, media, and tablet modes, and it incorporates the Asus ErgoLift function that props up the back for a better typing angle and improved airflow. I’ll note that the hinge on the Chromebook Flip C436 allowed opening the lid with one hand, while the Chromebook Flip C536’s version is a lot stiffer and requires two hands. The Asus Chromebook Flip C436 that preceded this model was also more robust (and a bit more expensive), making this version a small step backward. Overall, it’s not bad for the price, but the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is a Chromebook in the same price range that’s more solid. There’s a tiny bit of keyboard flex, and the bottom chassis has just a little give. Mainly the problem is in the lid, which bends too much and causes some distortion on the display. The company usually produces solid laptops as a rock, and it subjects all of them to military standards testing for robustness, but the Chromebook Flip C536 falls a little short.
The build quality isn’t quite so top-notch, which isn’t typical for Asus. The Asus Chromebook Flip C536 isn’t the most striking laptop, but you’ll feel like you’re carrying around a much more expensive product. It’s a bit like the Dell XPS 13 in this respect, which uses a carbon fiber material to achieve the same effect. The laptop’s lines are simple and streamlined and it has very typical angles, but the color scheme makes all the difference and there’s just enough chrome to provide accents without being gaudy.Īsus applied a couple of special coatings to the machine, using an electro-deposition process on the lid and bottom that creates a ceramic-like look and feel, and an in-roller process for the keyboard deck that produces a wonderfully soft and warm surface for your palms. The Asus Chromebook Flip C536 is a lovely white laptop with a black interior, a contrast that makes for a bold look that you don’t typically get at this price.