The Chuwi AeroBook is a thin and light laptop with a 13.3 inch, 1920 x 1080 pixel display, an Intel Core m3-6Y30 processor, 8GB of RAM, and at least 128GB of storage.
It’s the latest in a line of low-cost laptops from Chinese device maker Chuwi and it’s expected to retail for about $499 when it becomes widely available later this year.
But Chuwi launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign today that lets backers pick one up for as little as $399 (or a bit less if you sign up through Chuwi’s promotion page). You just have to wait until April for it to ship.
There’s usually some level of risk involved in “buying” something from a crowdfunding site, since companies often use these campaigns to raise the money needed to actually finish producing the device they hope to sell. But Chuwi is a well-established company that’s basically using Indiegogo to build buzz and collect pre-orders.
That said, you don’t get the same level of support and customer service when ordering a Chuwi product in the US as you would from a better-known brand like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, or Lenovo.
What you do get is a relatively inexpensive laptop that bears a more than passing resemblance to Huawei’s MateBook laptops (but with less powerful hardware and with a 16:9 display rather than a 3:2 screen).
While the Chuwi AeroBook has a 6th-gen Intel Core m3 “Skylake” processor that was released in 2015, that chip is still more powerful than the current-gen Intel Celeron and Pentium “Gemini Lake” processors that are more commonly found in cheap Chinese laptops these days.
One thing to keep in mind is that the entry-level model comes with 128GB of eMMC flash storage, which isn’t particularly speedy. But there’s also an M.2 2280 slot that you can use to add an SSD.
Chuwi is also offering higher-priced 256GB and 1TB models, although it’s unclear if those will ship with eMMC or SSD storage, or a combination of both.
Other features include a backlit keyboard, a 38 Wh battery, two full-sized USB 3.0 ports, a micro HDMI port, a headphone jack, and a microSD card reader.
The AeroBook has relatively slim bezels around the display, a large touchpad, and a compact design: Chuwi says the notebook is 8mm (0.3 inches) thick and weighs less than 2.8 pounds.
Update 3/14/2019: Chuwi has added a USB Type-C port and support for USB-C charging.
This computer is gonna be slow as sh*t and anyone who understands the tech will know this. Save your money and buy a used ultrabook with an i7 that is a couple generations old, an nvme ssd and 16gb of ram. A laptop like that will boot instantly and will last you for years. This piece of crap will have you pulling your hair out.
it’s really sad when we are left with just two choices, spend a ton of money on top of the line hardware we can’t afford or buy a used system that has issues of their own. But i am partial to supporting small manufacturers because as hard as we might criticize them, There are people out there that just want a new PC and don’t have access to certified used ones. I am a living example of this.
Newegg currently offers a refurbished Surface Pro 3 with a i5 CPU, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB storage and keyboard for $470. That’s a 3-4 year old machine and there’s not guarantee how long the battery will last. Is that a better choice than the new Chuwi AeroBook?
PS I’m currently typing this on my Surface Pro 3. They’re nice.
As of the time of this comment, they have raised $54,595 USD. That’s a good start for a campaign that has been up for less than a Day, The previous Ubook campaign raised $347,421 USD and had stretch goals that made sense. So I’m hoping that Aerobook Campaign there can be similar Stretch goals, that can enable things like the USB Type C and maybe even backlit logo.
Finally an affordable 13 inch laptop! I don’t understand why other manufacturers charge double for 13 inch laptops. I’ll never pay $1000+ for an ‘Ultrabook’.
Because those laptops have a proper SSD, a more powerful CPU and are generally built with more solid materials (and will therefore last longer), including better quality batteries that can sustain many more charging cycles. Also, crucially, Western manufacturers will give you local after-sale support. Here, when it breaks you can throw it away as they don’t pay for shipping back to China…
Not arguing your point, but don’t forget that not everyone can afford more mainstream computers. For someone just starting out and needs a computer, This would be a decent choice. Besides, let’s be practical, to some, even a $400 price tag is asking a lot.
@James yes and no… it’s a decent choice, but lack of any support can turn out to be expensive if it lasts 3 months…. I bought a lenovo tablet for 350EUR which turned out to be defective after 6 months. Sent it back for 15EUR and got it repaired… I bought a $500 electric scooter from China, which was faulty, stopped all the time, had to throw it away cause sending it back was another $200 and given the poor quality, I was not even certain it would come back and really be reliable…
For computers, the best budget solution is buying used from good manufacturers… My $400 macbook air from which I am writing will probably last more than any Chinese ultrabook….
As for your last remark, what a sad world we live in when people spend close to $1000 on their smartphone and then find a $400 laptop expensive…
Amen brother!
I agree, I never considered those people who believe it’s ok to buy a $1000 on a phone, I for one would rather use that money on a system, not necessarily a laptop either. But a used system also comes with a risk, bought a used mac air at $650 a few months back and now I am told will cost me $700 to fix, which to me was madness, All I am saying is that its laptop like these that give the up and comers a chance at buying a new system. Plus I was not just considering the US here, some places life South America, Africa and others, it would be hard to get a decent used system at a cheap price.
So why do 15 inch laptops cost less than $400, but 13 inch laptops cost more than $800? I sounds like price gouging to me!
@dude Cause 15.6″ 16:9 screen are the cheapest… yes, it’s counterintuitive, but budget pc are mostly 15.6, this size is mass produced and cheaper. And they are generally TN panels with 766p resolution. Also, it allows OEMs to have more room, which is important for sticking in cheaper components with less work. That’s why smaller and lighter laptops command a premium. So no, it’s not price gouging…
Yes, digiguy, buy something with a more powerful CPU… like the Macbook! Oops, sorry, the $1300 Macbook has basically the same CPU as the Chuwi. Oh well, can’t win ’em all. 🙁
BTW, virtually all PCs are made in China regardless of the brand name they slap on them! Three of the top PC firms are actually based in China or Taiwan – Lenovo, Asus and Acer.
Jerry, I bought my 2013 macbook air (8GB ram) for under $400. It has a haswell i5 which is still more powerful than this M3 (by the way the new macbook is also more powerful as it is a newer generation M5, now called I5y, with higher TDP and a fan). So, no, not basically the same. But that’s not the point. CPU speed is not the issue here. People should stop measuring PCs only based on CPU speed. There is much more to it.
And you point that all PCs are made in China means very little. Apple and other know brands make their PC and them have them built in China. They use higher end materials and do much more quality check. Meanwhile Chinese cheap devices have had all sort of issues, one of the most important being battery dying very early… And you have no post-sale support or at best have to pay your shipment to China. Acer , Asus and Lenovo have local support. Very big difference, see my example above…
those ports look questionable. Squished, maybe. I’ve never really seen a micro-HDMI look like that
I think we should be more focused on trying to get them to implement USB Type C and do away with the mini-HDMI and USB 3.0 ports… Maybe even the DC charging port… Sigh