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The general public should and will stay away from the C202. But, educators and parents will appreciate its rugged chassis and cheap-to-buy, cheap-to-maintain design philosophy.
We liked
This Chromebook is built to last. Drops, spills, bumps and dents can send any device to the scrap heap, but the C202 takes its lumps in stride. And, if something does manage to put it down for the count, it's easy-to-repair modular design gets it back on its feet quickly.
We disliked
Asus's latest Chrome OS laptop is simply underpowered, especially when compared to similarly priced Chromebooks. More so than its poor visuals and audio, the C202's shoddy multitasking is what really holds it back.
Final verdict
The Asus C202's purpose-built design ensures it will only ever attract a niche market: parents of school-age children, cost-conscious school boards and chronically clumsy Chromebook lovers.
If you're looking for a Chromebook – and you're not a member of the above niche(s) – there are plenty of zippier Chromebooks out there that are just as inexpensive as the C202. They may not have purpose-built rubber bumpers or a rugged chassis, but many do have warranties, and that's often all you'll need to keep them running.
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