When people think of ChromeOS, some of the best Chromebooks might immediately come to mind. What you may not realize is that ChromeOS isn’t just for laptops. Chromeboxes and Chrome desktops have been around for years and aren’t just designed for your home needs.
The Lenovo Chromebox Micro is designed to run ChromeOS, but not in the comfort of your home, although it will gladly do so. Lenovo created the Chromebox Micro as a digital display and interactive solution for running displays in businesses. With that use case in mind, let’s find out how well it handles your everyday needs.
Lenovo Chromebook Micro
The Lenovo Chromebox Micro is a small, quiet device designed for a specific use case. It’s purposefully designed for digital signage and interactive displays. It has plenty of ports, and its small size allows it to fit almost anywhere.
- Small stature and quiet operation
- Perfect for running digital signs.
- Comes with Google Administrative Console license.
- pokey performance
- Limited storage space on board
- Better options are available for home and office use.
Price, Specifications and Availability
The Lenovo Chromebox Micro was announced in December 2023 and comes in one color: black. It comes in two different configurations. You can get it with a Google Management Console license for $389 or without the license for $249. It’s currently available from B&H Photo.
Design and Hardware
Small enough to be hidden anywhere.
Lenovo designed the Chromebox Micro to blend in seamlessly with any environment. At 163 x 79 x 19.7mm, it’s ideal for tight spaces or mounted on the back of a display. And at just 350g, it feels great while being lightweight enough to easily mount using the M2.5 x L6 mounting holes spaced 100mm apart on the bottom of the device.
Viewed from the top, the Chromebox Micro features a matte finish with a flat appearance on the left side. The right side features a chiseled design with the Chromebox logo etched into it. The front of the device features the same matte black finish. The left side houses the power button, while the right side houses the USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port.
The back of the device reveals a generous array of ports for a device this size. You get a headphone jack, a USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, an HDMI 1.4b port, and an Ethernet port. The Chromebox Micro also comes with Google’s H1 Security Chip, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.1.
If you need a keyboard or mouse, you’ll need to provide them yourself, as Lenovo doesn’t include them. It’s disappointing that a keyboard wasn’t included, because even if the Micro is intended for signage, you’ll need a keyboard to get past the initial setup.
Programming
ChromeOS keeps things moving.
If you’ve used any ChromeOS device in the past, you know what to expect here. Even on low-powered devices, ChromeOS is fast and efficient. The primary use of the Chromebox Micro is to power digital signage and interactive displays. Once you’ve set up your initial login and arranged it, your preferred signage software will launch and take over. From there, the Chromebox should run consistently without issues and with minimal interaction.
If you purchase a Google Management Console license, you can manage the device through the Google Management Console. This console acts as an administrative area, allowing you to check device enrollment, push updates, change banners, or even take control of the screen using Chrome Remote Desktop.
That doesn’t mean the Chromebox Micro can’t function as a small home or office PC. ChromeOS isn’t restricted in any way, and you can even enable Linux to develop Linux-based software or apps. The Chromebox Micro comes with the Android Play Store, allowing you to download your favorite Android apps. It also comes with Google’s productivity suite for when you need to get some real work done.
performance
Easily pushed to its limits
With an Intel Celeron N4500 processor, 8GB of LPDDR4X-4266 RAM, and 32GB of eMMC 5.1 storage, the Lenovo Chromebox Micro is powerful, but a bit underpowered.
During testing, I tried to push the Chromebox Micro harder than it was supposed to. I connected it to a 4K display and drove it around for a day to see how it handled normal workflow. When connected to the display via HDMI, it only registered a maximum refresh rate of 30Hz, which made everything look choppy. Thankfully, a ChromeOS update immediately fixed that, and after a reboot, the refresh rate was restored to the correct 60Hz.
With an Intel Celeron N4500 processor, 8GB of LPDDR4X-4266 RAM, and 32GB of eMMC 5.1 storage, the Lenovo Chromebox Micro is powerful, but a bit underpowered.
The Celeron N4500 processor is the main culprit behind this issue. Using Geekbench 6, the N4500 managed a single-core score of 479 and a multi-core score of 746. While benchmarks don’t always indicate true performance, they were pretty accurate in this case.
The dual-core Celeron N4500 was often very slow to perform. It was especially slow when running Chrome with Spotify in the background. The Micro’s advantage was the inclusion of 8GB of RAM. Having 8GB of RAM on ChromeOS is more than enough to keep apps up and things moving. Once the processor catches up, the Chromebox will keep going. Compared to something like the Acer Chromebox CXI5, the Chromebox Micro is less suitable for general home or office use.
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With just 32GB of storage and no expandable storage, don’t expect this device to be overloaded with apps. It’s enough for the absolute basics, but you can fill up the internal storage quickly.
Thanks to its fanless design, the Chromebox Micro was completely silent, no matter how hard I pushed it. The lack of a fan is also important for keeping the internals clean from the dust and dirt that often comes with being small enough to be hidden in corners and cabinets. It’s not designed to be used as a primary computing device, so it’s perhaps a bit unfair to treat it that way. As a device primarily geared toward running streamers, it’s powerful enough to do the job.
a race
The Acer Chromebox CXI5 is a great alternative for anyone who wants to buy a Chromebox but needs something with a little more flexibility. This Chromebox has plenty of ports, excellent build quality, and a variety of configurations to suit your needs. Unlike the Chromebox Micro, this Chromebox doesn’t have a fanless design, so you may hear the fans occasionally. The CXI5 is also a bit more expensive. It starts at $350, but that price quickly adds up if you need a more powerful processor or more RAM.
The HP Chromebox G4 is a great alternative for businesses looking for a device with a lot more power than the Chromebox Micro. With an Intel Core i5-1345U processor, 8GB of RAM, and 64GB of eMMC storage, this Chromebox will have no problem meeting your needs. It’s a bit larger than the Chromebox Micro, so it may not fit in all areas with limited space, and at $639, it’s a lot more expensive.
The Asus Chromebox 5 is very similar to the HP offering, but it comes in a few different configurations to fit all price ranges. At $294, the base model features an Intel Celeron 7305 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD. 4GB of RAM is a bit low, but you can get 8GB for just $10 more. It’s also available with a 12th-gen Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 processor, but the price jumps quickly for the more powerful ones. It doesn’t have a fanless design, and the Chromebox 5 is slightly larger than the Chromebox Micro.
Should you buy it?
The Lenovo Chromebox Micro is a powerful product aimed at a very specific audience. It’s specifically designed to power digital signage or interactive displays. It’s small enough that space is not a concern. Its fanless design means you won’t hear any noise, and the internals will stay clean in dusty environments. And for its size, it has plenty of ports for all your peripherals.
The Chromebox Micro is a performance powerhouse. The dual-core Intel Celeron processor is weaker if you want to use it as a desktop PC. It can get the job done, but frequent slowdowns limit its appeal. Running digital signage requires little processing power, so it’s ideal for its intended use.
The Lenovo Chromebox Micro is a solid product with a very targeted audience.
The Chromebox Micro can handle your home or office needs even if your performance requirements are low. At just $249, I can see this being a first-generation kids’ computer for parents who don’t want their kids to use a mobile device. It will stutter and lag a bit due to the Celeron processor, but it will allow you to run Google Docs and a few browser tabs with some patience. There are more powerful options that cost a bit more but will give you a smoother experience.
If you run a business and fit the intended use of a Micro, the Lenovo Chromebox Micro is a great option. It’s affordable, and most importantly, it can be deployed quickly and easily.
Lenovo Chromebook Micro
The Lenovo Chromebox Micro is a small, quiet device designed for a specific use case. It’s purposefully designed for digital signage and interactive displays. It has plenty of ports, and its small size allows it to fit almost anywhere.
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