Turning a Chromebox Into a Proper Power-Efficient PC

Google's ChromeOS and associated hardware have long been praised for their ease of use and affordability, making them an ideal choice for educational settings and other budget-friendly applications. However, one major drawback is the locked-down nature of the operating system, which severely limits reusability and flexibility.

Fortunately, there's a way to breathe new life into these Chromeboxes by doing some light hacking. The Intel Core i3-8130U based Acer CXI3 Chromebox, recently featured on the Hardware Haven YouTube channel, is an excellent example of this transformation.

This compact mini PC boasts modular SODIMM RAM, an NVMe storage M.2 slot, and a slot for the WiFi card (or SATA adapter), making it a versatile platform for users looking to expand its capabilities.

After resetting the Chromebox to its default configuration and wiping the previous user data, the device ran at just a few watts idle on the desktop screen. This impressive power efficiency is a testament to the machine's underlying x86_64 architecture.

The only obstacle holding this standard PC back from booting non-ChromeOS software was the BIOS, which is where [MrChromebox]'s ingenious replacement BIOSes come into play.

Reflashing the Acer CXI3 unit proved to be a breeze, requiring simply removing the write-protect screw from the mainboard and running the Firmware Utility Script from a VT2 terminal (Ctrl+Alt+F2 on boot and chronos as login). The user was then free to choose between flashing either the RW_LEGACY or UEFI ROM, depending on what is supported and desired.

This particular Chromebox opted for the full UEFI treatment, which enabled seamless installation of Debian-based Proxmox. Moreover, upgrading the NVMe SSD led to an impressive idle power drop from 2.6 watts under ChromeOS to a mere 1.6 watts under Proxmox.

For those with a supported Chromebox and a desire for flexibility, [MrChromebox]'s solutions can transform this device into a fully functional PC, even allowing the possibility of dual-booting ChromeOS and another OS if needed.

In summary, turning a Chromebox into a proper power-efficient PC is an achievable goal with the right tools and a bit of technical know-how. With [MrChromebox]'s replacement BIOSes and other resources available, users can unlock their device's full potential and enjoy a more flexible computing experience.