On Thursday, reports surfaced that Acer is getting ready to unleash two new Chromebooks in the second half of this year. The news derives from the company's 2014 business solutions brochure (pdf) that lists the C730 and the CB5-311. The former Chromebook is based on an Intel processor, whereas the latter model is based on Nvidia's latest Tegra chip.
The specs show that the C730 will have an 11.6-inch LED-lit screen with a 1366 x 768 resolution. This screen will be powered by an Intel Celeron 2930 or a Celeron 2830 processor, 2 GB or 4 GB of DDR3 memory, and a 3220 mAh battery promising 8 hours on a single charge. This Chromebook will have either 16 GB or 32 GB of internal storage, depending on the final configuration.
The C730 Chromebook will also feature an SD card reader, Wireless AC connectivity provided by Intel, an HD webcam with HDR support, HDMI output, one USB 3.0 port and one USB 2.0 port. The provided accessories include an Acer HDMI-to-VGA converter and an Acer USB-to-LAN cable.
Next is the CB5-311. This model will provide a 13.3-inch screen with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, or a screen with a 1366 x 768 resolution. This screen will be backed by Nvidia’s Tegra K1 processor, 2 GB or 4 GB of DDR3 memory, and a 3220 mAh battery promising up to 14 hours. This Chromebook will provide 16 to 32 GB of internal storage, again depending on the configuration.
The CB5-311 will also include an SD card reader, Wireless AC connectivity, a built-in HD webcam with HDR support, HDMI output and two USB 3.0 ports. In the accessories department, Acer will provide its HDMI-to-VGA converter cable, a 3-pin 45W AC adapter, and the company’s USB-to-LAN cable.
Pricing and availability is unknown for now, but it is possible that we will hear something before the back-to-school season kicks in.
The other Chromebook on Acer's list, the C720P, is currently available to purchase on Google Play. This machine has a starting price of $299, and features Intel's Celeron 2955U clocked at 1.4 GHz, 2 GB of DDR3L memory, 32 GB of internal storage (SSD), and an 11.6-inch HD screen with a 10-point touch input. The Chromebook also has USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports, HDMI output and a battery promising up to 7.5 hours.
If you're doing a little Chromebook shopping, there are a few more listed on Google Play, including the HP Chromebook 11 for $279. This model features an 11.6-inch IPS display, an Exynos 5250 GAIA processor, 2 GB of DDR3 memory, and 16 GB of internal storage. Other features include a VGA webcam, two USB 2.0 ports, a battery promising up to 6 hours of active use, digitally tuned speakers and more. This model costs $279.
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