ASUS Chromebook CX9

The ASUS Chromebook CX9 (CX9400) is a 14-inch business Chromebook that ASUS launched in the US in July 2021. This model, the CX9400CEA-DS762T, sold for $1,149.99 with a Core i7-1165G7, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. ASUS has discontinued it, so buyers will find it only used. It gets ChromeOS updates until June 2031.

Reviewers liked the light, sturdy build and the performance. Their complaints were the price, battery life, and the speakers.

Pros and Cons

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ASUS Chromebook CX9 Comparison Chart

	ASUS Chromebook CX9
Price	List Price: $1149.99 Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon
Model number	CX9400CEA-DS762T
Performance Rating	7.0
Chromebook Plus	No
Processor	Quad-core 2.80 Ghz (max 4.70 Ghz) Intel Core i7-1165G7
RAM	16 GB
Internal Storage	512 GB SSD
Screen Size	14"
Screen Resolution	1920x1080
Screen Type	Glossy, LED Backlit, 400nits
Touch Screen	Yes
Stylus / Pen	Supported
Dimensions width x length x thickness	12.69 x 8.07 x 0.71 inches (322.33 x 204.98 x 18.03 mm)
Weight	2.31 lbs (1.05 kg)
Backlit Keyboard	Yes
Webcam	720p HD
WiFi	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.0
Ethernet	No
Cellular Modem	No
HDMI	Full-Size HDMI
USB Ports	1 USB 3, 2 USB-C
Thunderbolt Ports	2
Card Reader	microSD Card Reader
Battery	3 cell, 50Whrs, Li-ion
Battery Life	Unknown
Fanless	No
Auto Update Expiration Date	June, 2031

An i7 and a 512GB SSD in a MIL-STD aluminum alloy shell

The CX9 weighs 2.31 pounds and measures about 12.7 by 8.1 by 0.71 inches. ASUS built the chassis from aluminum alloy and tested it to the MIL-STD 810H standard. An ErgoLift hinge tilts the keyboard up when the lid opens. The 14-inch FHD touchscreen reaches 400 nits and supports USI styluses, but no pen comes in the box.

This configuration has an 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 with Iris Xe graphics, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB NVMe SSD. The ports are two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), one USB-A, a full-size HDMI, a microSD slot, and a headphone jack. It also has Wi-Fi 6, a fingerprint reader, a 720p webcam with a privacy shield, and a backlit keyboard. The glass trackpad doubles as a numeric keypad. The battery is a 50Wh 3-cell pack, and the two speakers fire downward.

The same chassis also shipped with Core i3 and Core i5 chips and with a 4K touchscreen option. The specs above are for the i7 model with 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and an FHD screen.

Reviewers praise the build and speed, not the price or battery

Chrome Unboxed called its review “All The Specs, None Of The Charm.” The reviewer went through the spec sheet and summed it up: “Is it the best Chromebook you can buy on paper? Yeah, it is, but just like I said with the Asus Flip CX5400 review, there are spec sheets and then there are user experiences.” He said there is “something less than gravitational when it comes to the cx-9 that defies logic just a little bit.” He also said it “picks up fingerprints worse than any Chromebook I think I’ve ever used.”

PCMag gave the Core i5 version 4 out of 5. “It’s light yet sturdy, with great performance, plenty of ports, and a first-class screen and keyboard,” Eric Grevstad wrote, and on the build he found that “There’s barely any flex if you grasp the screen corners or mash the keyboard.” His i5 unit lasted 10 hours and 2 minutes in PCMag’s video rundown test. He noted that the Chromebooks he tested fell short of Windows ultraportables on battery life, but still lasted a full day.

Kent Duke reviewed this i7 model for Android Police, and price was his main objection. He called it “too expensive to wholeheartedly recommend it for personal use, especially when the hardware feels bottlenecked by the limited software.” The trackpad bothered him too: “Its trackpad wobbles whenever pressing down,” and it “feels cheap.” With about 20 Chrome tabs open at 50% brightness, “I usually get around 7 hours of battery life.”

Android Central tested an i7 unit with the 4K screen rather than the FHD screen on this model. Andrew Myrick had no complaints about speed: “Even with multiple tabs open, Linux apps open, and switching back and forth between different desktops, the CX9 has never hiccupped.” His complaint was battery life: “I’m barely able to get five hours out of this thing before I’m reaching for a charger.” The speakers fared no better: “the bottom-firing speakers, even with the unique hinge mechanism, are just not good.” His verdict: “middling battery life really puts a damper on an otherwise excellent Chromebook.”

Who the CX9 suits now

A used CX9 makes sense for heavy browser work, Linux apps, and a Thunderbolt 4 dock, with updates guaranteed until June 2031. Plan to carry the charger. To compare it with Chromebooks you can still buy new, use the Starry Hope Chromebook Comparison Chart.

Frequently Asked Questions