Lenovo Chromebox Micro Brings Chrome OS to New Markets

This week, Lenovo announced the Chromebox Micro, an ultra-thin and affordable media player aimed at digital signage and kiosks. That said, it’s hard to imagine enthusiasts not being interested in this product for personal use.

“The global digital signage market size was estimated at nearly $25 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 8 percent from 2023 to 2030,” Lenovo explains in its announcement post. “Growth in the industry is being driven by innovation in consumer experiences in retail and hospitality, as well as smarter infrastructure in healthcare, education, and the enterprise.”

To meet the needs of these markets, the Chromebox Micro is smaller than most phones, small enough to fit into signage and kiosk solutions, Lenovo says, and it has a fanless, ventless, and dust-proof enclosure. It supports dual 4K displays, and it can be paired with 15.6- and 21.5-inch inFLEX displays specially designed for the device. The Chromebox Micro can be deployed at scale, managed remotely, and deployed with Zero Touch enrollment.

The internals are, of course, humble: It’s powered by an Intel “Jasper Lake” N4500 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of eMMC storage, and it provides two USB Type-C ports, 2 USB Type-A ports, plus HDMI, Ethernet, audio-out, and a lock slot. It will cost $219 when it ships in the first quarter of 2024.