ASUS Chromebook C202SA-YS02 11.6
ASUS Chromebook C202SA-YS02 11.6
OUR VERDICT
The Asus Chromebook C202 is a good choice for students because of its durable design, comfortable keyboard and long battery life.
FOR
Great keyboard
Durable and easy to repair
Very good battery life
Durable, modular design that makes it easy to repair or replace parts.
Reasonable price.
Excellent battery life.
AGAINST
Mixed performance
Heavier than competition
Lacks touch screen.
Can be a bit sluggish when browsing in multiple tabs
Mixed performance
Heavier than competition
Lacks touch screen.
Can be a bit sluggish when browsing in multiple tabs
Whenever you hand a laptop to a child, you can expect that they're going to drop it, and in many cases, it may not survive. The Asus Chromebook C202 will help kids avoid that fate, thanks to its durable chassis that's designed to take its fair share of bumps and bruises. Beyond the C202's rough-and-tumble exterior is an excellent keyboard and a battery that lasts over 8 hours on a charge, making it a strong choice for elementary schoolers or anyone who might let it slip.
Design
Although it's a very small laptop, the Asus Chromebook C202 feels like it can take a punch. Built to stand up to the kind of punishment that can only be doled out by school children, the C202's dotted plastic lid and bottom are surrounded by a rubberized protective ring that serves as armor against drops. The dark-blue rubber and gray plastic make the C202 look like the official Chromebook of the New York Yankees, but the only logos are Asus' and the Chrome moniker on the lid.
When you open the lid, you'll see a plastic silver deck with a black, Chiclet-style keyboard featuring blue lettering. The 11.6-inch, 1366 x 768 display is surrounded by a chunky, navy-blue bezel.
As a result of the rugged exterior, the C202 is heavier and thicker than its competitors, weighing 2.6 pounds and measuring 11.5 x 7.9 x 0.88 inches. The HP Chromebook 11 (2.2 pounds,11.7 x 7.6 x 0.7 inches) is the lightest of the bunch, and the CTL Chromebook J4 Plus (2.46 pounds, 11.42 x 8 x 0.76 inches) is a close second. The Lenovo 100S Chromebook rounds out the competition at 2.52 pounds and 11.81 x 8.23 x 0.78 inches.
Durability and drop test
Asus claims that when the C202 lands flat, it can survive falls from 3.9 feet, and when it lands on its side, it can survive drops from 2.6 feet. Additionally, the spill-resistant keyboard should handle 2.23 ounces of liquid.
I took the Chromebook up to our office roof for some drop testing, and the Asus earned some battle scars but kept on kicking. When I dropped it on its side from 2.6 feet, the C202 came away with just slight scuffs on its rubberized rings.
When I dropped it on its side from 2.6 feet, the C202 came away with just slight scuffs on its rubberized rings. When I did a 3.9-foot drop, I heard a snap when it hit the concrete and immediately sensed that something had gone wrong. Upon opening the laptop, I was relieved to see that the system was still fully operational, but saw that the plastic cover had fallen off the hinge, making it difficult to open and close.
It turned out that all the C202 needed was a little TLC. After carefully closing the lid, we snapped the hinge cover back into place, which was no harder than putting the back of a phone on after changing the battery.
After returning the C202 to full working order, it was time to put those spill-resistant claims to the test. I spilled a quarter of a cup of water on the keyboard. The water beaded and rolled off the keyboard for the most part, but a quick flip upside down drained the computer of any residual fluid. A few seconds and a couple of paper towels later, the keyboard continued to work as normal.
Asus' drop test claims seem accurate based on the results of our Chromebook drop test. With a durability score of 7, the Asus C202SA landed in sixth place out of 11 of the most popular Chromebooks. Weak spots include the laptop's top bezel, which separated after we dropped the laptop from 4.5 feet onto concrete and carpet.
I dropped the Chromebook C202 at various heights onto concrete, and it earned some battle scars but kept on kicking.
If you do break the C202, you're in luck -- it's designed to be easy to repair. Parts that tend to break more often, such as the keyboard, have been separated from other components. In a genius move, the power jack has its own circuitry attached, so you don't need to remove the whole motherboard. It takes only four steps to disassemble, provided you have a pry tool and a Phillips-head screwdriver.
Keyboard and Touchpad
This is one of the best keyboards I've ever used on a Chromebook. The keys have 2.1 millimeters of travel and require 60 grams of force to press, resulting in an extremely comfortable typing experience.
On the 10fastfingers.com typing test, I reached 114 words per minute (faster than my usual range of 100 to 110 wpm) with my usual 2 percent error rate. Students will blaze through assignments with the C202. My only wish is that the keys were a little more spaced out, but it clearly didn't cause any typing issues.
The touchpad required just the right amount of force to click, but I found its default settings a little too sensitive, which made the pointer hard to control. However, after I changed the pointer speed, the pad was extremely accurate and comfortable.
Display
The 11.6-inch, 1366 x 768 screen on the C202 isn't sharp, but it's as crisp as you can expect from a Chromebook at this resolution. Just don't expect a wide range of colors. I viewed the 1080p Ghostbusters trailer and found that the red on the Ghostmobile was tinted slightly pink, while Slimer's green goo was paler than it should have been.
The display averaged 250 nits of brightness on our light meter, barely beating the Lenovo 100S Chromebook (244 nits). Both the CTL Chromebook J4 Plus (256 nits) and the HP Chromebook 11 (267 nits) were brighter but still dim compared to the ultraportable laptop category average of 305 nits.
The C202's screen reproduced just 58 percent of the sRGB color gamut on our tests -- the same as the Lenovo 100S Chromebook. The J4 Plus hit 74 percent, and the Chromebook 11 showed off 62 percent.
The display registered a Delta-E color accuracy score of 2.8 (the closer to 0, the better), beating the 100S Chromebook (4.6). The J4 Plus had a very accurate screen with a near-perfect score of 0.4.
Ports and Webcam
There are only a few ports along the sides of the C202, but they're all the essentials that students in classrooms will need. The majority of the ports are on the left side: HDMI, USB 3.0, a headphone/microphone combo jack and an SD card slot. The right side houses another USB 3.0 port, the power jack and a security lock slot.
A selfie I took with the 720p webcam had a lot of visual noise. The colors were mostly accurate (with the exception of my face, which looked a little red), but the skylight behind me was completely blown out.
Audio
I didn't expect loud, booming sound to come out of an 11-inch Chromebook, but the C202 punched above its weight class. I listened to Twenty One Pilots' "Stressed Out" and found that the mids and lows were clear and the bass was decent. When I pumped up the volume to its max, the sound became slightly muddled.
Performance
With a 1.6-GHz Intel Celeron N3060 processor and 4GB of RAM, the C202 isn't a performance powerhouse, but it's fine for writing book reports or even manipulating spreadsheets. Just don't do too much multitasking. The browser started to lag when I scrolled through websites with only six tabs open.
The Chromebook C202 finished the SunSpider JavaScript test in 725.4 milliseconds -- just faster than the J4 Plus' score of 735.3 ms but slower than the HP Chromebook 11 G4 (556.7 ms) and the Lenovo 100S Chromebook (589.9 ms).
On JetStream, a newer JavaScript benchmark, the C202 scored 48.85, beating the J4 Plus (44.26) and the HP Chromebook 11 (46.103), but it lost to Lenovo's 100S Chromebook (51.842).
Our go-to graphics test, WebGL Aquarium, measures performance by displaying a large number of fish in a tank and measuring frame rates. The C202 did well in this benchmark, showing 50 fish at a smooth 60 frames per second, but it began to buckle at 1000 fish. The J4 Plus managed 58 fps for 50 fish, the HP Chromebook 11 switched between 53 and 57 fps and the 100S Chromebook managed 45.
On Browsermark, which evaluates speed based on browser actions like resizing the screen and loading web pages, the C202 scored 2,434. This mark trumps those all of the Asus' closest competitors.
Battery Life
Students should be able to use the Asus Chromebook C202 throughout the school day without being tethered to an outlet. The laptop lasted 8 hours and 23 minutes on the Laptop Mag Battery Test, which consists of browsing the web continuously over Wi-Fi. That's longer than the CTL Chromebook J4 Plus (6:39), the HP Chromebook 11 (7:10) and the ultraportable average of 8:12. But it was still outclassed by the Lenovo 100S Chromebook's whopping 11:19.
Heat
Students will be able to keep their cool in the classroom when using the Chromebook C202. After streaming 15 minutes of HD video from Hulu, the touchpad stayed frosty, at 77 degrees Fahrenheit, and the center of the keyboard reached 82.5 degrees. The underside hit 95 degrees, which is right at our comfort threshold.
Software and Warranty
Chromebooks run Chrome OS, which is largely browser based. If you've ever used Google Chrome, you'll have no trouble using a Chromebook. The desktop features a menu bar similar to what you would find on Windows, including pinned apps, a clock and easy access to settings. Almost everything else, including the apps, is opened in Chrome tabs.
Like most Chromebooks, the C202 doesn't come with much software, other than Google's apps. Asus includes a program to register your new laptop, but that's it. There's no software specifically for education, despite that being the notebook's primary purpose.
Google's preinstalled apps include Chrome, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Drive and Play Books. The Chrome Web Store offers a variety of apps, ranging from productivity programs like Microsoft Outlook to games like Spelunky. Most apps require you to be connected to the Internet, though some, such as Gmail Offline, work without Wi-Fi.
Asus offers a one-year warranty with the Chromebook C202. See how Asus fared in our Best & Worst Brands Report and Tech Support Showdown.
Configurations
There's only one major difference between the two configurations of the Asus Chromebook C202 is the RAM. The version we tested with 4GB of RAM , while the base model with 2GB of RAM will run you .
Bottom Line
The Asus Chromebook C202 is a notebook worthy of the honor roll. It offers a durable shell, a very comfortable and spill-resistant keyboard, long battery life, and decent (though somewhat mixed) performance. This laptop is a tad heavier than competing machines, but it should still be in one piece when kids inevitably drop it on the floor.
If you're a student or light user who needs even more than 8 hours of battery life and don't require a lot of durability, you should check out the Lenovo 100S Chromebook, which will last over 11 hours on a charge. However, if you want an extremely durable, affordable and usable Chromebook for your child, the Asus Chromebook C202 is your best choice.
Perhaps the most welcome design choice, given that the target demographic includes kids, is that the keyboard is spill-proof. The laptop as a whole isn’t waterproof, or even water-resistant, but spilling a drink on it won’t ruin the keyboard, let alone the logic board.
The hinge also has a beefy feeling to it, and it’s designed to allow the lid to open a full 180 degrees and lay flat on a table or desk. This is billed as a way to make it easier for kids to share information in group settings at school, but poor viewing angles are likely to make that difficult in practice.
In terms of ports, the C202SA covers all of the basics. You get two high-speed USB 3.1 ports, with one located on each side of the laptop, a full-sized HDMI port, and a full-sized SD card reader. You also get a headphone jack. The case itself lacks vents, aside from the tiny speaker grills, and the laptop actually runs totally silent because it doesn’t even have a fan inside. This is possible due to the extreme efficiency of the chipset, which also contributes to pretty great battery life.
Setup Process: Hit the ground running
Chromebooks are pretty basic when you get right down to it, and that’s reflected in the setup process. The C202SA, in particular, is almost ready to go the moment you take it out of the box. When you first boot it up, you’re prompted to enter your Gmail username and password, and that’s just about it.
The C202SA has a unique enough look while not crossing the line into looking like a child’s toy.
Even with two-factor authentication enabled, the entire setup process still only takes about two minutes. After that, you’re ready to start using your Chromebook. You will have to download and install a system update the first time you shut the laptop down, and you’ll also have to download and install whatever apps you need, but those are pretty painless as well.
Display: Anti-glare display eases eye strain in bright sunlight
The C202SA has an 11.6-inch screen that uses a native resolution of 1366x768, which is pretty common for Chromebooks of this size. Those who are more used to full HD (1920x1080) laptop and desktop resolutions may feel a little cramped, but the image quality doesn’t suffer from noticeably blocky pixels because of how small the screen is.
In terms of brightness, the screen is also pretty much in the middle of the road. It’s fine for most indoor use, but it’s a little dim for regular use in direct sunlight, and that just gets worse when using it outdoors. One nice thing about the C202SA screen is that it has a matte finish, which does cut down on blinding reflections when using the laptop in direct sunlight.
We found it a whole lot easier to use the C202SA outdoors in bright sunlight than most of the competition due to its anti-glare display, despite the fact that the screen itself isn’t terribly bright. That said, colors are a little muted, and the viewing angles aren’t great. The screen looks fine when viewed head on, but tilting it any direction washes the colors out even further, and noticeably dims portions of the display.
The C202SA has a lay-flat hinge, which means you can fold the lid all the way back until the screen is laying flat. Asus bills this as a useful feature for students working in group settings, but students using the laptop in that fashion would be hard pressed to see the screen without putting their heads together directly over it.
Performance: Works well enough for basic tasks
The C202SA achieved a score of 4632 in the PCMark Work 2.0 benchmark test, which places it in the middle of laptops we tested that had substantially similar hardware. With a 1.6 GHz Intel Celeron N3060, Intel HD Graphics 400, and 4GB of RAM, there are some pretty hard limits on the type of performance that you can reasonably expect out of this laptop.
We found it a whole lot easier to use the C202SA outdoors in bright sunlight than most of the competition due to its anti-glare display.
In practice, we found that the C202SA is able to handle basic tasks like web browsing, writing emails, and word processing without a hitch. However, we did notice some lag in the browser with multiple tabs open, with the issue grows worse depending on the number of tabs and complexity of the sites. We also noticed some slowdown when loading especially large spreadsheets in Google Docs.
Even though the C202SA is designed for tasks like web browsing and word processing, we also performed a couple of GFXBench benchmark tests on the unit. The C202SA was unable to run the standard Car Chase 2.0 benchmark, so we opted for the OpenGL Aztec Ruins test. The picture quality looked fine during the test, but the results of the test were predictably poor, with the C202SA mustering only 10.1 FPS (frames per second). That’s marginally better than other units we tested with similar hardware, but just barely.
We also performed the OpenGL T-Rex test, and it performed better there, managing a more acceptable 34.2 FPS. That’s more or less in line with the results we’ve seen from similar hardware. The takeaway is that you should be able to run some of the more basic games that are available in the Chrome Web Store, but this laptop isn’t designed for gaming.
Productivity: Great keyboard makes typing a breeze
The C202SA is a Chromebook, so it’s designed with productivity in mind. There’s a lot of software it can’t run, but it excels at basic tasks like email, word processing, and web browsing. It also has access to the Chrome Web Store, which means you can use a lot of Android apps that older Chromebooks aren’t able to install.
The keyboard is surprisingly good for a Chromebook in this class, which reflects the sort of quality that Asus is known for. The keyboard is just a bit over 2mm in travel, which makes the keyboard more comfortable to use than a lot of other inexpensive Chromebooks where you don’t get much of a physical press. The keys are also sized and spaced adequately even for adults with fairly large hands. That makes the keyboard comfortable to type on for long periods of time.
Audio: Decent sound gets worse at higher volumes
Chromebooks in this class aren’t known for awesome speakers, which is understandable. There just isn’t a whole lot of physical space to work with, and expensive audio components would likely bump the price up to match. That said, the onboard speakers here aren’t that bad.
It does feature stereo sound, with tiny speaker grilles located on the left and right sides of the laptop. The bass response is decent enough for such a small laptop, and both mid and low tones came through clearly when streaming music and videos.
We found that the audio does get worse the higher you set the volume, which is another common thread with these smaller and less expensive Chromebooks. The solution is to plug in your favorite set of headphones, which is easy due to the fact that the C202SA includes two USB ports and an audio jack.
Network: Slow Wi-Fi
The C202SA doesn’t have an ethernet port, so you have to rely on the built-in Wi-Fi for internet connectivity. The Wi-Fi works just fine, with no dropped connections or signal issues in our testing, but we experienced significantly slower speeds than we did with other similar Chromebooks.
In our testing, the C202SA managed a meager transfer rate of 70 Mbps down and 60 Mbps up when located right next to our router. By way of comparison, a more powerful desktop in the same location achieved 212 Mbps down when connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and 400 Mbps down when connected via Wi-Fi.
When we put a wall between the C202SA and the router, attenuating the signal to about 80 percent, we didn’t see any reduction in download speeds. However, when we moved far enough away to cut the signal down to 50 percent, we saw a reduction down to about 40 Mbps.
These inexpensive Chromebooks do tend to achieve slower speeds than more powerful hardware, but similar Chromebooks notched better results in our tests. For example, we tested the Acer R11 Chromebook under the same conditions, and it was able to achieve download speeds of 335 Mbps.
Camera: Fine for video chat with friends and family
The C202SA includes a front-facing camera that captures video in 720p, but the image quality isn’t very good. Pictures taken with the camera looks like they’ve been processed through an impressionist filter, and video is grainy.
The keyboard is just a bit over 2mm in travel, which makes the keyboard more comfortable to use than a lot of other inexpensive Chromebooks where you don’t get much of a physical press.
The bottom line is that this isn’t a camera you’d want to rely on to video conference for your job, but it’s perfectly suitable for basic video chat on Hangouts or Skype with friends and family. Since this laptop is primarily meant for children, the relatively low video quality isn’t that big of a concern.
Battery: Enough charge to keep going through a school day and beyond
Battery life is one of the C202SA’s strongest suits. Between its relatively beefy battery, power efficient CPU, and fanless passive cooling design, this is a laptop that a child could easily use all day at school, complete their homework after school, and not have to plug it in to charge until bedtime.
To test the battery in the C202SA, we subjected it to PCMark’s Work 2.0 battery test. This is a test that cycles through several different simulated work environments, including word processing, video editing, and photo editing, which is likely to be a lot more intense than any actual use scenario. During that test, it lasted for over 9 hours under constant load, with the screen set to full brightness.
We also subjected the C202SA to general daily use, including tasks like word processing, web browsing, and streaming videos, and found that we were able to get over 11 hours of use out of it. With the screen brightness turned down, and putting the laptop to sleep between classes or when not in use, a child could easily expect this laptop to last all day between charges.
Software: Chromebook basics, plus access to Android apps
The C202SA is an Asus Chromebook that comes with Chrome OS installed, so it’s pretty basic out of the box. If you’re unfamiliar with Chrome OS, the idea is that you accomplish most tasks, like email and word processing, through the built-in web browser. This meets the bare minimum for basic productivity tasks, but you’ll need to download additional software to get anything else done.
In addition to the basics of Chrome OS, the C202SA also has access to the Chrome Web Store, and it’s capable of running Android apps. That means you can download and install a massive number of apps, many of them free, or with free versions, to increase the functionality of the laptop.
Compatibility with Android apps isn’t guaranteed, but it is pretty decent, and Google is always working to improve the cross-pollination between its two platforms.
With Chrome OS, you also have the option of dual booting Linux, which is a free, full-featured operating system. Doing so gives you access to even more free software, but it does require a level of technical knowledge that’s likely to go over most kids’ heads. However, installing Linux on a Chromebook is a fun project for children who are into computers, and Chrome OS makes it easy to undo everything and return the laptop to its factory original state if something gets broken.
Price: Decent price tag for great durability and middling performance
The Asus C202SA Chromebook has an MSRP, which is pretty good for a Chromebook with this hardware and ruggedized design. You can find cheaper Chromebooks, but they won’t offer the same excellent drop protection, spill-proof keyboards, and other features that make this a great Chromebook for kids.
If you’re willing to pay a little more, or you don’t care as much about durability, then you can find 2-in-1 Chromebooks with similar specifications. You won’t find a 2-in-1 at this same price, or at least you won’t find a good one. However, the option is there if you have room in your budget.
Competition: Durability and battery life set it apart
The C202SA lags behind the competition in some areas, but it really shines in terms of durability and battery life, which are both very important features to look for when the intended user is a young student.
The competing Samsung Chromebook 3, similarly outfitted, is similarly-priced to the C202SA and has a slightly more attractive design. It even includes a similar spill-proof keyboard, which can cut down on expensive repairs due to momentary lapses in attention. However, the Chromebook 3 lacks the excellent drop protection of the Asus C202SA.
If you’re willing to pay a little more, you can find 2-in-1 Chromebooks that offer similar specs, and slightly better performance, with the option to use them as either laptops or tablets. For example, the Acer R11 2-in-1 Chromebook has similar specs, and you can use it as a tablet, but it has a higher MSRP . You also lose the ruggedization, which makes a device like the R11 better suited to older students, and even adults, than younger kids.
Take a look at other product reviews and shop for the best laptops for kids available online.
Final Verdict
Good for students and kids
The Asus Chromebook C202SA is an excellent choice for students and young children, with its spill-proof keyboard, excellent drop protection, and raised rubber foot that makes it easier for small hands to carry it around. The excellent battery life is also key, since it provides plenty of power to last through a long school day. The C202SA even makes a decent choice as an ultraportable second laptop for teen and adult users.
Design
Although it's a very small laptop, the Asus Chromebook C202 feels like it can take a punch. Built to stand up to the kind of punishment that can only be doled out by school children, the C202's dotted plastic lid and bottom are surrounded by a rubberized protective ring that serves as armor against drops. The dark-blue rubber and gray plastic make the C202 look like the official Chromebook of the New York Yankees, but the only logos are Asus' and the Chrome moniker on the lid.
When you open the lid, you'll see a plastic silver deck with a black, Chiclet-style keyboard featuring blue lettering. The 11.6-inch, 1366 x 768 display is surrounded by a chunky, navy-blue bezel.
As a result of the rugged exterior, the C202 is heavier and thicker than its competitors, weighing 2.6 pounds and measuring 11.5 x 7.9 x 0.88 inches. The HP Chromebook 11 (2.2 pounds,11.7 x 7.6 x 0.7 inches) is the lightest of the bunch, and the CTL Chromebook J4 Plus (2.46 pounds, 11.42 x 8 x 0.76 inches) is a close second. The Lenovo 100S Chromebook rounds out the competition at 2.52 pounds and 11.81 x 8.23 x 0.78 inches.
Durability and drop test
Asus claims that when the C202 lands flat, it can survive falls from 3.9 feet, and when it lands on its side, it can survive drops from 2.6 feet. Additionally, the spill-resistant keyboard should handle 2.23 ounces of liquid.
I took the Chromebook up to our office roof for some drop testing, and the Asus earned some battle scars but kept on kicking. When I dropped it on its side from 2.6 feet, the C202 came away with just slight scuffs on its rubberized rings.
When I dropped it on its side from 2.6 feet, the C202 came away with just slight scuffs on its rubberized rings. When I did a 3.9-foot drop, I heard a snap when it hit the concrete and immediately sensed that something had gone wrong. Upon opening the laptop, I was relieved to see that the system was still fully operational, but saw that the plastic cover had fallen off the hinge, making it difficult to open and close.
It turned out that all the C202 needed was a little TLC. After carefully closing the lid, we snapped the hinge cover back into place, which was no harder than putting the back of a phone on after changing the battery.
After returning the C202 to full working order, it was time to put those spill-resistant claims to the test. I spilled a quarter of a cup of water on the keyboard. The water beaded and rolled off the keyboard for the most part, but a quick flip upside down drained the computer of any residual fluid. A few seconds and a couple of paper towels later, the keyboard continued to work as normal.
Asus' drop test claims seem accurate based on the results of our Chromebook drop test. With a durability score of 7, the Asus C202SA landed in sixth place out of 11 of the most popular Chromebooks. Weak spots include the laptop's top bezel, which separated after we dropped the laptop from 4.5 feet onto concrete and carpet.
I dropped the Chromebook C202 at various heights onto concrete, and it earned some battle scars but kept on kicking.
If you do break the C202, you're in luck -- it's designed to be easy to repair. Parts that tend to break more often, such as the keyboard, have been separated from other components. In a genius move, the power jack has its own circuitry attached, so you don't need to remove the whole motherboard. It takes only four steps to disassemble, provided you have a pry tool and a Phillips-head screwdriver.
Keyboard and Touchpad
This is one of the best keyboards I've ever used on a Chromebook. The keys have 2.1 millimeters of travel and require 60 grams of force to press, resulting in an extremely comfortable typing experience.
On the 10fastfingers.com typing test, I reached 114 words per minute (faster than my usual range of 100 to 110 wpm) with my usual 2 percent error rate. Students will blaze through assignments with the C202. My only wish is that the keys were a little more spaced out, but it clearly didn't cause any typing issues.
The touchpad required just the right amount of force to click, but I found its default settings a little too sensitive, which made the pointer hard to control. However, after I changed the pointer speed, the pad was extremely accurate and comfortable.
Display
The 11.6-inch, 1366 x 768 screen on the C202 isn't sharp, but it's as crisp as you can expect from a Chromebook at this resolution. Just don't expect a wide range of colors. I viewed the 1080p Ghostbusters trailer and found that the red on the Ghostmobile was tinted slightly pink, while Slimer's green goo was paler than it should have been.
The display averaged 250 nits of brightness on our light meter, barely beating the Lenovo 100S Chromebook (244 nits). Both the CTL Chromebook J4 Plus (256 nits) and the HP Chromebook 11 (267 nits) were brighter but still dim compared to the ultraportable laptop category average of 305 nits.
The C202's screen reproduced just 58 percent of the sRGB color gamut on our tests -- the same as the Lenovo 100S Chromebook. The J4 Plus hit 74 percent, and the Chromebook 11 showed off 62 percent.
The display registered a Delta-E color accuracy score of 2.8 (the closer to 0, the better), beating the 100S Chromebook (4.6). The J4 Plus had a very accurate screen with a near-perfect score of 0.4.
Ports and Webcam
There are only a few ports along the sides of the C202, but they're all the essentials that students in classrooms will need. The majority of the ports are on the left side: HDMI, USB 3.0, a headphone/microphone combo jack and an SD card slot. The right side houses another USB 3.0 port, the power jack and a security lock slot.
A selfie I took with the 720p webcam had a lot of visual noise. The colors were mostly accurate (with the exception of my face, which looked a little red), but the skylight behind me was completely blown out.
Audio
I didn't expect loud, booming sound to come out of an 11-inch Chromebook, but the C202 punched above its weight class. I listened to Twenty One Pilots' "Stressed Out" and found that the mids and lows were clear and the bass was decent. When I pumped up the volume to its max, the sound became slightly muddled.
Performance
With a 1.6-GHz Intel Celeron N3060 processor and 4GB of RAM, the C202 isn't a performance powerhouse, but it's fine for writing book reports or even manipulating spreadsheets. Just don't do too much multitasking. The browser started to lag when I scrolled through websites with only six tabs open.
The Chromebook C202 finished the SunSpider JavaScript test in 725.4 milliseconds -- just faster than the J4 Plus' score of 735.3 ms but slower than the HP Chromebook 11 G4 (556.7 ms) and the Lenovo 100S Chromebook (589.9 ms).
On JetStream, a newer JavaScript benchmark, the C202 scored 48.85, beating the J4 Plus (44.26) and the HP Chromebook 11 (46.103), but it lost to Lenovo's 100S Chromebook (51.842).
Our go-to graphics test, WebGL Aquarium, measures performance by displaying a large number of fish in a tank and measuring frame rates. The C202 did well in this benchmark, showing 50 fish at a smooth 60 frames per second, but it began to buckle at 1000 fish. The J4 Plus managed 58 fps for 50 fish, the HP Chromebook 11 switched between 53 and 57 fps and the 100S Chromebook managed 45.
On Browsermark, which evaluates speed based on browser actions like resizing the screen and loading web pages, the C202 scored 2,434. This mark trumps those all of the Asus' closest competitors.
Battery Life
Students should be able to use the Asus Chromebook C202 throughout the school day without being tethered to an outlet. The laptop lasted 8 hours and 23 minutes on the Laptop Mag Battery Test, which consists of browsing the web continuously over Wi-Fi. That's longer than the CTL Chromebook J4 Plus (6:39), the HP Chromebook 11 (7:10) and the ultraportable average of 8:12. But it was still outclassed by the Lenovo 100S Chromebook's whopping 11:19.
Heat
Students will be able to keep their cool in the classroom when using the Chromebook C202. After streaming 15 minutes of HD video from Hulu, the touchpad stayed frosty, at 77 degrees Fahrenheit, and the center of the keyboard reached 82.5 degrees. The underside hit 95 degrees, which is right at our comfort threshold.
Software and Warranty
Chromebooks run Chrome OS, which is largely browser based. If you've ever used Google Chrome, you'll have no trouble using a Chromebook. The desktop features a menu bar similar to what you would find on Windows, including pinned apps, a clock and easy access to settings. Almost everything else, including the apps, is opened in Chrome tabs.
Like most Chromebooks, the C202 doesn't come with much software, other than Google's apps. Asus includes a program to register your new laptop, but that's it. There's no software specifically for education, despite that being the notebook's primary purpose.
Google's preinstalled apps include Chrome, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Drive and Play Books. The Chrome Web Store offers a variety of apps, ranging from productivity programs like Microsoft Outlook to games like Spelunky. Most apps require you to be connected to the Internet, though some, such as Gmail Offline, work without Wi-Fi.
Asus offers a one-year warranty with the Chromebook C202. See how Asus fared in our Best & Worst Brands Report and Tech Support Showdown.
Configurations
There's only one major difference between the two configurations of the Asus Chromebook C202 is the RAM. The version we tested with 4GB of RAM , while the base model with 2GB of RAM will run you .
Bottom Line
The Asus Chromebook C202 is a notebook worthy of the honor roll. It offers a durable shell, a very comfortable and spill-resistant keyboard, long battery life, and decent (though somewhat mixed) performance. This laptop is a tad heavier than competing machines, but it should still be in one piece when kids inevitably drop it on the floor.
If you're a student or light user who needs even more than 8 hours of battery life and don't require a lot of durability, you should check out the Lenovo 100S Chromebook, which will last over 11 hours on a charge. However, if you want an extremely durable, affordable and usable Chromebook for your child, the Asus Chromebook C202 is your best choice.
ASUS Chromebook C202SA-YS02 11.6
Bluetooth
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Bluetooth 4.2
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Brand
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ASUS
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CPU
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1.6-GHz Intel
Celeron N3060
|
Card Slots
|
SD memory reader
|
Company Website
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https://www.asus.com
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Display Size
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11.6
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Graphics Card
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Intel HD Graphics
400
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Hard Drive Size
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16GB
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Hard Drive Type
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eMMC
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Native Resolution
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1366x768
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Operating System
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Google Chrome
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Ports (excluding USB)
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Combo
Headphone/Mic Jack, HDMI, USB 3.0
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RAM
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2GB
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RAM Upgradable to
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4GB
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Size
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11.5 x 7.9 x 0.88
inches
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Touchpad Size
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3.8 x 2.1 inches+
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USB Ports
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2
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Warranty/Support
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One-year warranty
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Weight
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2.63 pounds
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Wi-Fi
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802.11ac
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Wi-Fi Model
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Intel 7265
Dual-Band 802.11ac 2x2 NGFF Wi-Fi Adapter
|
Perhaps the most welcome design choice, given that the target demographic includes kids, is that the keyboard is spill-proof. The laptop as a whole isn’t waterproof, or even water-resistant, but spilling a drink on it won’t ruin the keyboard, let alone the logic board.
The hinge also has a beefy feeling to it, and it’s designed to allow the lid to open a full 180 degrees and lay flat on a table or desk. This is billed as a way to make it easier for kids to share information in group settings at school, but poor viewing angles are likely to make that difficult in practice.
In terms of ports, the C202SA covers all of the basics. You get two high-speed USB 3.1 ports, with one located on each side of the laptop, a full-sized HDMI port, and a full-sized SD card reader. You also get a headphone jack. The case itself lacks vents, aside from the tiny speaker grills, and the laptop actually runs totally silent because it doesn’t even have a fan inside. This is possible due to the extreme efficiency of the chipset, which also contributes to pretty great battery life.
Setup Process: Hit the ground running
Chromebooks are pretty basic when you get right down to it, and that’s reflected in the setup process. The C202SA, in particular, is almost ready to go the moment you take it out of the box. When you first boot it up, you’re prompted to enter your Gmail username and password, and that’s just about it.
The C202SA has a unique enough look while not crossing the line into looking like a child’s toy.
Even with two-factor authentication enabled, the entire setup process still only takes about two minutes. After that, you’re ready to start using your Chromebook. You will have to download and install a system update the first time you shut the laptop down, and you’ll also have to download and install whatever apps you need, but those are pretty painless as well.
Display: Anti-glare display eases eye strain in bright sunlight
The C202SA has an 11.6-inch screen that uses a native resolution of 1366x768, which is pretty common for Chromebooks of this size. Those who are more used to full HD (1920x1080) laptop and desktop resolutions may feel a little cramped, but the image quality doesn’t suffer from noticeably blocky pixels because of how small the screen is.
In terms of brightness, the screen is also pretty much in the middle of the road. It’s fine for most indoor use, but it’s a little dim for regular use in direct sunlight, and that just gets worse when using it outdoors. One nice thing about the C202SA screen is that it has a matte finish, which does cut down on blinding reflections when using the laptop in direct sunlight.
We found it a whole lot easier to use the C202SA outdoors in bright sunlight than most of the competition due to its anti-glare display, despite the fact that the screen itself isn’t terribly bright. That said, colors are a little muted, and the viewing angles aren’t great. The screen looks fine when viewed head on, but tilting it any direction washes the colors out even further, and noticeably dims portions of the display.
The C202SA has a lay-flat hinge, which means you can fold the lid all the way back until the screen is laying flat. Asus bills this as a useful feature for students working in group settings, but students using the laptop in that fashion would be hard pressed to see the screen without putting their heads together directly over it.
Performance: Works well enough for basic tasks
The C202SA achieved a score of 4632 in the PCMark Work 2.0 benchmark test, which places it in the middle of laptops we tested that had substantially similar hardware. With a 1.6 GHz Intel Celeron N3060, Intel HD Graphics 400, and 4GB of RAM, there are some pretty hard limits on the type of performance that you can reasonably expect out of this laptop.
We found it a whole lot easier to use the C202SA outdoors in bright sunlight than most of the competition due to its anti-glare display.
In practice, we found that the C202SA is able to handle basic tasks like web browsing, writing emails, and word processing without a hitch. However, we did notice some lag in the browser with multiple tabs open, with the issue grows worse depending on the number of tabs and complexity of the sites. We also noticed some slowdown when loading especially large spreadsheets in Google Docs.
Even though the C202SA is designed for tasks like web browsing and word processing, we also performed a couple of GFXBench benchmark tests on the unit. The C202SA was unable to run the standard Car Chase 2.0 benchmark, so we opted for the OpenGL Aztec Ruins test. The picture quality looked fine during the test, but the results of the test were predictably poor, with the C202SA mustering only 10.1 FPS (frames per second). That’s marginally better than other units we tested with similar hardware, but just barely.
We also performed the OpenGL T-Rex test, and it performed better there, managing a more acceptable 34.2 FPS. That’s more or less in line with the results we’ve seen from similar hardware. The takeaway is that you should be able to run some of the more basic games that are available in the Chrome Web Store, but this laptop isn’t designed for gaming.
Productivity: Great keyboard makes typing a breeze
The C202SA is a Chromebook, so it’s designed with productivity in mind. There’s a lot of software it can’t run, but it excels at basic tasks like email, word processing, and web browsing. It also has access to the Chrome Web Store, which means you can use a lot of Android apps that older Chromebooks aren’t able to install.
The keyboard is surprisingly good for a Chromebook in this class, which reflects the sort of quality that Asus is known for. The keyboard is just a bit over 2mm in travel, which makes the keyboard more comfortable to use than a lot of other inexpensive Chromebooks where you don’t get much of a physical press. The keys are also sized and spaced adequately even for adults with fairly large hands. That makes the keyboard comfortable to type on for long periods of time.
Audio: Decent sound gets worse at higher volumes
Chromebooks in this class aren’t known for awesome speakers, which is understandable. There just isn’t a whole lot of physical space to work with, and expensive audio components would likely bump the price up to match. That said, the onboard speakers here aren’t that bad.
It does feature stereo sound, with tiny speaker grilles located on the left and right sides of the laptop. The bass response is decent enough for such a small laptop, and both mid and low tones came through clearly when streaming music and videos.
We found that the audio does get worse the higher you set the volume, which is another common thread with these smaller and less expensive Chromebooks. The solution is to plug in your favorite set of headphones, which is easy due to the fact that the C202SA includes two USB ports and an audio jack.
Network: Slow Wi-Fi
The C202SA doesn’t have an ethernet port, so you have to rely on the built-in Wi-Fi for internet connectivity. The Wi-Fi works just fine, with no dropped connections or signal issues in our testing, but we experienced significantly slower speeds than we did with other similar Chromebooks.
In our testing, the C202SA managed a meager transfer rate of 70 Mbps down and 60 Mbps up when located right next to our router. By way of comparison, a more powerful desktop in the same location achieved 212 Mbps down when connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and 400 Mbps down when connected via Wi-Fi.
When we put a wall between the C202SA and the router, attenuating the signal to about 80 percent, we didn’t see any reduction in download speeds. However, when we moved far enough away to cut the signal down to 50 percent, we saw a reduction down to about 40 Mbps.
These inexpensive Chromebooks do tend to achieve slower speeds than more powerful hardware, but similar Chromebooks notched better results in our tests. For example, we tested the Acer R11 Chromebook under the same conditions, and it was able to achieve download speeds of 335 Mbps.
Camera: Fine for video chat with friends and family
The C202SA includes a front-facing camera that captures video in 720p, but the image quality isn’t very good. Pictures taken with the camera looks like they’ve been processed through an impressionist filter, and video is grainy.
The keyboard is just a bit over 2mm in travel, which makes the keyboard more comfortable to use than a lot of other inexpensive Chromebooks where you don’t get much of a physical press.
The bottom line is that this isn’t a camera you’d want to rely on to video conference for your job, but it’s perfectly suitable for basic video chat on Hangouts or Skype with friends and family. Since this laptop is primarily meant for children, the relatively low video quality isn’t that big of a concern.
Battery: Enough charge to keep going through a school day and beyond
Battery life is one of the C202SA’s strongest suits. Between its relatively beefy battery, power efficient CPU, and fanless passive cooling design, this is a laptop that a child could easily use all day at school, complete their homework after school, and not have to plug it in to charge until bedtime.
To test the battery in the C202SA, we subjected it to PCMark’s Work 2.0 battery test. This is a test that cycles through several different simulated work environments, including word processing, video editing, and photo editing, which is likely to be a lot more intense than any actual use scenario. During that test, it lasted for over 9 hours under constant load, with the screen set to full brightness.
We also subjected the C202SA to general daily use, including tasks like word processing, web browsing, and streaming videos, and found that we were able to get over 11 hours of use out of it. With the screen brightness turned down, and putting the laptop to sleep between classes or when not in use, a child could easily expect this laptop to last all day between charges.
Software: Chromebook basics, plus access to Android apps
The C202SA is an Asus Chromebook that comes with Chrome OS installed, so it’s pretty basic out of the box. If you’re unfamiliar with Chrome OS, the idea is that you accomplish most tasks, like email and word processing, through the built-in web browser. This meets the bare minimum for basic productivity tasks, but you’ll need to download additional software to get anything else done.
In addition to the basics of Chrome OS, the C202SA also has access to the Chrome Web Store, and it’s capable of running Android apps. That means you can download and install a massive number of apps, many of them free, or with free versions, to increase the functionality of the laptop.
Compatibility with Android apps isn’t guaranteed, but it is pretty decent, and Google is always working to improve the cross-pollination between its two platforms.
With Chrome OS, you also have the option of dual booting Linux, which is a free, full-featured operating system. Doing so gives you access to even more free software, but it does require a level of technical knowledge that’s likely to go over most kids’ heads. However, installing Linux on a Chromebook is a fun project for children who are into computers, and Chrome OS makes it easy to undo everything and return the laptop to its factory original state if something gets broken.
Price: Decent price tag for great durability and middling performance
The Asus C202SA Chromebook has an MSRP, which is pretty good for a Chromebook with this hardware and ruggedized design. You can find cheaper Chromebooks, but they won’t offer the same excellent drop protection, spill-proof keyboards, and other features that make this a great Chromebook for kids.
If you’re willing to pay a little more, or you don’t care as much about durability, then you can find 2-in-1 Chromebooks with similar specifications. You won’t find a 2-in-1 at this same price, or at least you won’t find a good one. However, the option is there if you have room in your budget.
Competition: Durability and battery life set it apart
The C202SA lags behind the competition in some areas, but it really shines in terms of durability and battery life, which are both very important features to look for when the intended user is a young student.
The competing Samsung Chromebook 3, similarly outfitted, is similarly-priced to the C202SA and has a slightly more attractive design. It even includes a similar spill-proof keyboard, which can cut down on expensive repairs due to momentary lapses in attention. However, the Chromebook 3 lacks the excellent drop protection of the Asus C202SA.
If you’re willing to pay a little more, you can find 2-in-1 Chromebooks that offer similar specs, and slightly better performance, with the option to use them as either laptops or tablets. For example, the Acer R11 2-in-1 Chromebook has similar specs, and you can use it as a tablet, but it has a higher MSRP . You also lose the ruggedization, which makes a device like the R11 better suited to older students, and even adults, than younger kids.
Take a look at other product reviews and shop for the best laptops for kids available online.
Final Verdict
Good for students and kids
The Asus Chromebook C202SA is an excellent choice for students and young children, with its spill-proof keyboard, excellent drop protection, and raised rubber foot that makes it easier for small hands to carry it around. The excellent battery life is also key, since it provides plenty of power to last through a long school day. The C202SA even makes a decent choice as an ultraportable second laptop for teen and adult users.
ASUS Chromebook C202SA-YS02 11.6
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