Acer reportedly plans to launch at least two new Chrome OS laptops in 2015. According to OMG Chrome, one will be the first Chromebook to sport a 15.6 inch display, while the other will be an 11.6 inch model. Both are said to be aimed at the education market and will feature rugged hinges and reinforced displays to help them stand up to the kind of abuse that kids can inflict.
Both will reportedly feature Intel Broadwell processors.
The smaller, semi-rugged model is called the Acer C740 Chromebook, and it has a brushed iron metal case with reinforced hinges.
It has an Intel Celeron processor based on 5th-gen Core “Broadwell” technology, a 1366 x 768 pixel display, 16GB to 32GB of storage, 2GB to 4GB of RAM, 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0, an HDMI port, and an SD card reader. It’s said to get up to 8.5 hours of battery life and it should sell for around $260 and up.
The Acer C910, meanwhile, is said to have a 15.6 inch display which will be available in 1366 x 768 pixel or 1920 x 1080 pixel variations.
Storage, memory, and wireless specs for this model are similar to those for the smaller Chromebook. But Acer will offer C910 models with a choice of Intel Celeron or Core i3 Broadwell processors.
Both laptops are expected to launch around March, 2015. While they’re designed for use in educational environments, you’ll probably be able to buy one from retail outlets. No pricing information for the 15.6 inch Acer C910 has been revealed yet.
What’s wrong with Acer? My C720 with Haswell processor and 128GB SSD for multiple Linux installs is the best $179 (plus $69 for the SSD) I ever spent.
I’m really looking forward to one with a better screen, 4GB RAM, and a Broadwell processor.
Well, a 15.6″ model would be intriguing from a brand other than Acer. Personally, I would like to see a Dell or ASUS Chromebook with a screen of that size.