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ASUS Chromebox 5a vs ASUS ExpertCenter PN64
The quick verdict
- Leads on more specsASUS ExpertCenter PN643 of 5 differing specs (max LAN speed 2.5 Gbps, weight 0.75 kg)
- Best forChromebox 5a for home-office work across several monitorsExpertCenter PN64 for running VMs or a home server
Rankings and scores come from the specs alone and are not affected by affiliate commissions.
Spec ruler
In short
Bottom line. Of the 5 specs that differ, the ASUS Chromebox 5a leads on 2 (USB ports and display outputs) and the ASUS ExpertCenter PN64 on 3 (max LAN speed, weight, and volume). On our home-office work index, the Chromebox 5a scores 86/100 against 78/100.
Using the 8 specs published on ASUS's official tech spec pages plus our own CPU tier rating, here is how the ASUS Chromebox 5a and ASUS ExpertCenter PN64 compare. Max LAN speed: the ExpertCenter PN64 at 2.5 Gbps versus 1 Gbps for the Chromebox 5a, 1.5 Gbps higher (2.5x). The Chromebox 5a leads on USB ports, 7 ports to 5 ports, 1.4x. On display outputs, the Chromebox 5a posts 4 outputs and the ExpertCenter PN64 3 outputs, a gap of 1 output. Weight: the ExpertCenter PN64 at 0.75 kg versus 0.8 kg for the Chromebox 5a, 0.05 kg lower. The ExpertCenter PN64 leads on volume, 0.91 L to 1.27 L, 1.4x. Display outputs per liter: the ExpertCenter PN64 at 3.31 against 3.16 for the Chromebox 5a. Max RAM per liter: the ExpertCenter PN64 at 17.7 GB against 12.6 GB for the Chromebox 5a.
Key differences 3
Max LAN speedExpertCenter PN64 leads
- ExpertCenter PN64 2.5 Gbps vs the Chromebox 5a at 1 Gbps
- the ExpertCenter PN64 is 2.5x faster
100 GB copy: about 5 min vs about 13 min (theoretical)
USB portsChromebox 5a leads
- Chromebox 5a 7 ports vs the ExpertCenter PN64 at 5 ports
- the Chromebox 5a has 1.4x the USB ports
2 more USB for drives or a UPS
VolumeExpertCenter PN64 leads
- ExpertCenter PN64 0.91 L vs the Chromebox 5a at 1.27 L
- the ExpertCenter PN64: 0.36 L smaller
Key specs at a glance
| Spec | Chromebox 5a | ExpertCenter PN64 |
|---|---|---|
| Max LAN speed | 1 Gbps | 2.5 GbpsWIN |
| USB ports | 7WIN | 5 |
| Volume | 1.27 L | 0.91 LWIN |
| Display outputs | 4WIN | 3 |
| Weight | 0.8 kg | 0.75 kgWIN |
Show every spec
| Spec | Chromebox 5a | ExpertCenter PN64 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU tier (our rating, of 10) | 7 | 7 |
| Max RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Max LAN speed | 1 Gbps | 2.5 GbpsWIN |
| USB ports | 7WIN | 5 |
| Display outputs | 4WIN | 3 |
| USB4/Thunderbolt | No | No |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Weight | 0.8 kg | 0.75 kgWIN |
| Volume | 1.27 L | 0.91 LWIN |
| Metric (0–100) | Chromebox 5a | ExpertCenter PN64 |
|---|---|---|
| Home office fit | 86WIN | 78 |
| Living-room media PC fit | 100 | 100 |
| Homelab fit | 49 | 61WIN |
| Tiny desk setup fit | 17 | 36WIN |
The details
How to choose
- USB ports matters most → the Chromebox 5a (7 ports vs 5 ports)
- Max LAN speed matters most → the ExpertCenter PN64 (2.5 Gbps vs 1 Gbps)
More Chromebox 5a leads
- Display outputs: 4 outputs vs 3 outputs
More ExpertCenter PN64 leads
- Weight: 0.75 kg vs 0.8 kg
Combined metrics
- Display outputs per liter: ExpertCenter PN64 3.31 vs 3.16
- Max RAM per liter: ExpertCenter PN64 17.7 GB vs 12.6 GB
Same on both
- CPU tier 7/10, max RAM 16 GB, USB4/Thunderbolt not supported, Wi-Fi generation Wi-Fi 6E
Use-case scores
- Home-office work: Chromebox 5a 86 vs 78
- Homelab or virtualization box: ExpertCenter PN64 61 vs 49
- Tiny desk setup: ExpertCenter PN64 36 vs 17
Use-case scores are Specotomy's own index, computed by fixed rules from official manufacturer specs; they are not manufacturer scores.
FAQ
- Which has more display outputs, the ASUS Chromebox 5a or the ASUS ExpertCenter PN64?
- The Chromebox 5a, with 4 outputs against 3 outputs for the ExpertCenter PN64.
- Which has the faster built-in LAN, the ASUS Chromebox 5a or the ASUS ExpertCenter PN64?
- The ExpertCenter PN64, with 2.5 Gbps against 1 Gbps for the Chromebox 5a.
- Which is lighter, the ASUS Chromebox 5a or the ASUS ExpertCenter PN64?
- The ExpertCenter PN64, with 0.75 kg against 0.8 kg for the Chromebox 5a.
- Which use cases suit the ASUS Chromebox 5a and the ASUS ExpertCenter PN64?
- Home-office work: the Chromebox 5a. A homelab or virtualization box: the ExpertCenter PN64. (based on our own use-case index)