The Chuwi CoreBook Pro laptop that was announced last week is now available for purchase for $499.
It’s a laptop with an unusual mix of premium and low-end features.
While the price seems pretty good for a laptop with an all-metal body, a 13.2 inch, 2160 x 1440 pixel IPS display, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of solid state storage, it’s also worth keeping in mind that this notebook is powered by a processor that was released in 2016.
The 28-watt Intel Core i3-6157U processor with Iris 550 graphics isn’t necessarily a bad processor, it’s just an older one than you’ll find in most notebooks released this year. It should be fine for basic computing tasks, and the integrated GPU is actually better than what you’d find in many recent laptops with newer Intel processors.
Chuwi’s notebook features a 46.2 Wh battery, a backlit keyboard, and ports including USB-C, USB 3.0 Type-A, 3.5mm audio, and a microSD card reader. The system supports WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 4.2.
The laptop ships with a 256GB M.2 2280 SATA SSD, but Chuwi says the CoreBook Pro can be upgraded with faster PCIe NVMe storage.
The Chuwi CoreBook Pro measures 289mm x 219mm x 17.75mm (11.4″ x 8.6″ x 0.7″) and weighs 1.34 kg (2.95 pounds). It’s available for purchase from the Chuwi Store.
Note that Chuwi is a Chinese company that may not offer the same level of customer service and support as PC makers with a more established presence in the US and Europe.
It’s good to hear that the SSD is upgradable, but how about the RAM?