Acer is updating its line of budget Chromebooks with new models sporting 14 and 15 inch displays and low-power processors based on Intel Jasper Lake technology.
The new Acer Chromebook 315 (CB315-4H/T) with a 15.6 inch display should hit the streets this month for $300 and up, while the 14 inch Acer Chromebook 314 (CB314-3H/T) is coming in June with the same starting price.
For the most part the two laptops have similar specs, but the 15.6 inch model not only has a larger display and a bigger, heavier body, but also a numeric keypad on the right side of the keyboard.
While the new Chromebook 314 lacks that keypad, there is a little extra room on the left and right sides of the keyboard that Acer used for a pair of upward-facing stereo speakers.
Here’s a run-down of key specs for the new Chromebooks:
| Chromebook 315 (CB315-4H/T) | Acer Chromebook 314 (CB314-3H/T) | |
| Display | 15.6 inch, 1920 x 1080 (touch optional) | 14 inch, 1920 x 1080 (touch optional) |
| Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 Intel Celeron N5100 Intel Pentium Silver N6000 | Â Intel Celeron N4500 Intel Celeron N5100 Intel Pentium Silver N6000 |
| RAM | Up to 8GB LPDDR4X | Up to 8GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | 64GB or 128GB eMMC | 64GB or 128GB eMMC |
| Ports | 2 x USB-C 2 x USB-A 1 x 3.5mm audio 1 x microSD | 2 x USB-C 2 x USB-A 1 x 3.5mm audio 1 x microSD |
| Wireless | WiFi 6 | WiFi 6 |
| Battery | Up to 10 hours (est) | Up to 10 hours (est) |
| Audio | DTS Audio Dual microphones | DTS Audio (upward-facing speakers) Dual microphones |
| Dimensions | 14.42″ x 9.61″ x 0.79″ | 12.85″ x 8.86″ x 0.79″ |
| Weight | 3.53 pounds | 3.2 pounds |
| Starting price | $300 (North America) 399 Euros (EMEA) | $300 (North America) 369 Euros (EMEA) |
| Availability | January 2022 (North America) Q1, 2022 (EMEA) | June 2022 (North America) April 2022 (EMEA) |
It’s kind of interesting how they’re pricing them differently in Europe/M.East/Africa while they’re selling them at the same price in North America, assuming there’s no typing mistake in the text.
I dislike when the Intel Atoms got into Chromebooks.
I wish more (fanless) Windows/Linux books. Why there isn’t?
Only Acer does it consistently, but their keyboards are the worst, it makes it irrelevant.
Pentium Silver N6000 compares favourably to 6-year-old i5-6200u. It has better video decode, roughly same single thread, similar multi-thread, similar GPU, but nearly double the performance per watt, so they can get away with smaller battery = about 200g weight savings if they optimise for the same operating time by reducing battery size.