Samsung Unveils Chromebook 2 Powered by Exynos 5 Octa

We heard rumors late on Friday of a new Samsung Chromebook with faux-leather styling. Today, Samsung officially announced its Chromebook 2 series. Available in 11.6- and 13.3-inch configurations, Samsung's newest Chromebooks use the company's own Eynos 5 Octa processors, as well as full day battery life, and $100 of preloaded software (including Air Droid Premium, Wunderlist Pro, and LittleBridge.com). 

   

Under the hood you're looking at a 13.2-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080 display and a Samsung Exynos 5 Octa clocked to 2.1 GHz with 2 MB of L2 cache with 4 GB of DDR3L RAM. There's also 16 GB of storage, a 720p HD web cam, HDMI, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, MicroSD, and an 8.5 hour battery. The smaller 11.6-inch model packs a 1366 x 786 HD LED panel, an Exynos 5 Octa clocked to 1.9 GHz, 2 MB of L2 cache, and the same 4 GB of RAM. It also has 16 GB of iNAND embedded storage, a 720p web cam, and the same array of ports found in its bigger brother. The battery on this model is only rated at 8 hours, though Samsung didn't provide specifics on the size of the battery in each model.  The 11.5-inch model weighs under 2.5 pounds, while the 13.3-inch model weighs just shy of 3.1 pounds.

   

The 13.3-inch model is only available in 'Luminous Titan Gray' (pictured up top), while the smaller 11.6-inch version of the Chromebook 2 will be available in 'Jet Black' and 'Classic White.' Both will be out next month. The 11.6-inch version will set you back $320, while the bigger 13.3-inch model is priced at $400. No word on international availability just yet, but we'll keep you posted on that front!

[UPDATE] Samsung has let us know that the battery size is 30 Wh and 36.5 Wh in the 11.6- and 13.3-inch models, respectively.

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  • Mike Friesen
    They look nice, but it seems a little much money still for a Chromebook.
    Reply
  • roger smith
    They look nice, but it seems a little much money still for a Chromebook.
    maybe now... but give it time. chrome os is theoretically the perfect os for light computer users. i do computer repair and 99% of the problems i encounter are the result of a combination of novice computer users and microsoft windows.
    Reply
  • JMcEntegart
    12801831 said:
    They look nice, but it seems a little much money still for a Chromebook.

    Better than $1200 for the Chromebook Pixel, I guess...
    Reply
  • tcb1005
    It would be nice if they offered more than 16gb storage.
    Reply
  • JD88
    Very nice, especially the white model. This also gives us a Chromebook with a full HD screen for $400. I don't know of any other notebook that offers that. The screens also appear to be matte which is a huge plus IMO. Since these are using ARM chips they should also be fan-less, silent, and cool like the other ARM models are.
    Reply
  • lightofhonor
    This article needs editing. The 13 inch model is listed as 13.3, 13.2, and 13.6. The 11 inch model is listed as 11.6 and 11.5. Either way, the 13 inch is the most interesting of the two.
    Reply
  • TyrellCorpse
    Would likely go Intel based, load Ubuntu Linux and Virtualbox to run any OS.
    Reply
  • burnley14
    I was getting excited as the article went on, until the price was revealed. Way too much for a Chromebook. You can get a nearly identical machine for half the price; same functionality just marginally nicer materials on these. Not worth double the price.
    Reply
  • JD88
    12803067 said:
    I was getting excited as the article went on, until the price was revealed. Way too much for a Chromebook. You can get a nearly identical machine for half the price; same functionality just marginally nicer materials on these. Not worth double the price.

    Where exactly can you get a 13.3" notebook with a 1080 screen and 4GB of RAM for $200?
    Reply
  • burnley14
    12803067 said:
    I was getting excited as the article went on, until the price was revealed. Way too much for a Chromebook. You can get a nearly identical machine for half the price; same functionality just marginally nicer materials on these. Not worth double the price.
    Where exactly can you get a 13.3" notebook with a 1080 screen and 4GB of RAM for $200?
    Fair enough, I concede the screen is far superior to most of the Chromebooks currently available. I suppose my point was that with regard to pure functionality, I find it hard to justify paying double the price for a machine that performs the same functions as one much cheaper. Others may think the screen is worth the price premium.
    Reply