A lot of Chromebooks are cheap laptops with barebones specs. But a handful of models come out each year which are designed for folks that want a semi-premium notebook that just happens to ship with Google’s ChromeOS rather than Windows, macOS, or another desktop operating system.
Case in point: last year’s Acer Chromebook Spin 714 was available with up to an Intel Core i7-1260P processor, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Now Acer is updating the line with a new model that supports up to a Core i7-1365U processor, 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. First announced in April, the new Acer Chromebook Spin 714 CP714-2W with an Intel Raptor Lake-U processor is now available for purchase.
Prices start at $700 for a model with an Intel Core i5-1335U processor, 8GB of LPDDR4X memory, and 256GB of PCIe NVMe storage. In fact, that’s the only model available so far, but since Acer promised that the notebook supports up to an Intel Core i7 chip, it’s likely that more models are on the way, although higher-powered versions of the new Chromebook 714 may not be available in all regions.
The laptop’s other features include a 14 inch, 1920 x 1200 pixel touchscreen display, a 360-degree hinge that lets you fold the screen back for use in tablet, tent, or stand modes, and a “quick charging USI stylus” for writing handwritten notes or drawing on the screen.
The Chromebook Spin 714 features a 56 Wh battery, an aluminum body, stereo upward-facing speakers with DTS audio, and a QHD webcam that Acer says is it’s first “2K webcam” in a Chromebook.
Despite the fact that this year’s model has a 15-watt U-series processor rather than a 28-watt P-series chip, Acer says the new models “provide up to 10% performance improvement” over the previous-generation.
In addition to support for up to an Intel Core i7-1365U chip, Acer says the Chromebook will be available with up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.
But we may also see cheaper models at some point: Acer also teased entry-level specs in April, including a Core i3-1315U processor and 128GB of storage.
Other features include support for WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, two Thunderbolt ports, an HDMI port, a backlit keyboard, and optional support for a fingerprint reader.
The laptop measures 313 x 224 x 18mm (12.3″ x 8.8″ x 0.7″) and weighs 1.37 kg (about 3 pounds).
This article was first published April 20, 2023 and most recently updated June 12, 2023.Â
I would love to buy high-end chromebooks for my nieces and nephews, but the school district does not have a bring-your-own-device system. They are running 5 year old netbook class chromebooks.