Acer Chromebook Spin line expands with new biz and home offerings

Several models form the Acer Chromebook Spin family, and the company is looking to expand the series a bit with two new machines. The Chromebook 713 and Chromebook 311 tackle widely divergent use-cases and have equally divergent price points. Where the 713, with Project Athena cred, targets business users, the 311 is meant more for home or educational use.

Here's the skinny on these two Chromebooks.

2K is more than okay

The Chromebook Spin 713 is a bit of a beast. Starting with the screen, it's got a 13.5-inch IPS LCD panel with 2,256 by 1,504 pixels. This is a step up from the Full HD displays of most Chromebooks. The screen supports touch input and is protected by Gorilla Glass for scratch resistance. Acer kept the bezels around the 3:2 display to a minimum.

The aluminum chassis is tough as nails. It meets MIL-STD-810G, which means it can handle abuse such as drops, banks, knocks, and more. It can withstand drops from up to 48 inches, as well as downward force of 132 pounds. The aluminum resists dents and corrosion.

As the name implies, the Chromebook Spin 713 is a convertible. The display swings 360 degrees so the Chromebook may be used as a laptop, in tent mode for watching movies, or slate mode for tablet-style input.

It has a backlit keyboard, Gorilla Glass trackpad, and stereo speakers have been integrated underneath the deck.

Looking at specs, you've got a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor inside with 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and Intel UHD Graphics 620. It has two USB-C ports (USB 3.2 Gen 1), one USB-A port, a microSD card reader, headphone jack, and HDMI port. Wi-Fi 6 future proofs the machine when it comes to connectivity. The lithium-ion battery is rated at 10 hours. It measures 16.8mm thick and wights 1.37kg (3.02lbs). The Chromebook Spin 713 will be available in other configurations.

Last, the device meets Intel's Project Athena criteria for performance. The device will come in two major models, one at $629.99 (July) and an enterprise edition at $1,099 (August). The enterprise edition features fortified software and top specs.

See also: The best Acer Chromebooks

Dialing it down to 11

Not looking to spend as much, or want something smaller? You may be interested in the Acer Chromebook Spin 311. This machine targets home and education users who need something simpler. The 311 has an 11.6-inch IPS LCD with Gorilla Glass and HD resolution. It, too, is a convertible, so the display swings all the way around the chassis for multiple form factors. It has an improved keyboard with concave keys and lots of travel.

On the spec front, this machine is powered by a Mediatek MT8183 processor. Details regarding RAM, storage, and graphics were not made available. The Spin 311 has Bluetooth 4.2, dual-band Wi-Fi, and weights in at 1kg (2.2lbs). The battery is rates for 15 hours. You'll find two USB-A ports, one USB-C port, and a headphone jack along the side edges.

The Acer Chromebook 311 reaches North America in July for $259.99. More details will be available closer to launch.

See also: The best Chromebooks

Acer had more than Chromebooks on deck today. It announced a slew of gaming machines.

First up are two new Predator machines, the Helios 700 and the Helios 300. The 700 is a gaming notebook that features Acer's sliding HyperDrift keyboard. It boasts an overclocked 10th Gen Intel Core i9 or i7 processor, with Nvidia graphics and advanced thermal management. It reaches North America in August for $2,399.99. The Helios 300 relies on 10th Gen Intel Core H processors, Nvidia graphics, and has a 15.6-inch screen. It reaches the market in July for $1,199.99.

Acer is for the first time bringing its Predator Triton 300 series to North America. This notebook has a 10th Gen Intel Core H processor, Nvidia graphics, 240Hz display and heat pipes. It arrives in September for $1,299.99.

Last, Acer updated the Nitro 7 with a sleek metal chassis. This 5.5-pound beats has the same 10th Gen Intel Core H processors and Nvidia graphics on the Triton, 15.6-inch screen, 144Hz refresh rate with 3ms response time, and blur-free gameplay. It arrives in October for $999.99.

Next: The best Chromebooks under $300

from Android Authority https://ift.tt/2BsF5C9
via IFTTT