TECHNOLOGY
Acer's All-Aluminium Chromebook
Chromebooks, designed to run on the Chrome OS operating system by Google, are known for being at the lower end of the laptop price range.
20 April, 2016
As Acer's new Chromebook 14 from Acer demonstrates, though, a lower price doesn't preclude a sleek appearance and handy features.
The new Chromebook 14 remains a thoroughly affordable laptop (at just $300 USD), but it manages to boast features lacking on more expensive models. Buyers of what Acer refers to as the 'premiere model' of the Chromebook 14 will be able to enjoy a 1.6GHz Celeron N3060 dual-core processor, 4GB of RAM, and 32 GB of storage. There are also two USB 3.1 ports, along with an HDMI port and a 720p webcam. The 1080p display allows up to twelve hours of battery life. For users prepared to manage with a 1366x768 screen, battery life can be extended up to an impressive 14 hours.
What makes the Chromebook 14 truly stand out from the crowd is not just its internal specifications but also the external design. The Chromebook 14 is the first all-metal Chromebook designed by Acer, and the brand has gone out of its way to deliver a product that demonstrates quality both inside and out.
Instead of the more common plastic chassis generally found on Chromebooks, the Chromebook 14 boasts an all-aluminium chassis with rounded corners. The aluminium finish gives the laptop a light, attractive appearance and a look reminiscent a MacBook Pro. The weight is also similar to a MacBook, coming in at only 1.55kg. The total thickness of the Chromebook, meanwhile, stands at just17mm. This all compares very favourably with the Chromebook 13 (released by Dell in 2015). The Chromebook 13 may have been popular with business users due to its solid features, but few people considered the external design a success and comparisons were drawn with the ill-fated ThinkPad.
Instead of the more common plastic chassis generally found on Chromebooks, the Chromebook 14 boasts an all-aluminium chassis with rounded corners. The aluminium finish gives the laptop a light, attractive appearance and a look reminiscent a MacBook Pro. The weight is also similar to a MacBook, coming in at only 1.55kg. The total thickness of the Chromebook, meanwhile, stands at just17mm. This all compares very favourably with the Chromebook 13 (released by Dell in 2015). The Chromebook 13 may have been popular with business users due to its solid features, but few people considered the external design a success and comparisons were drawn with the ill-fated ThinkPad.
The Acer Chromebook 14. Images by Acer.
One area where the new aluminium Acer laptop is happy to take inspiration from its predecessor is the range of available customization options. Prices for the Dell Chromebook started at $399 and could go as high as $899 if buyers opted for additional storage, more RAM, an improved processor, and an IPS touchscreen. Acer has priced their laptop even lower (at only $299), but costs will rise if users want to take advantage of some of the add-ons available.
With its industry-leading battery life of up to 14 hours, the Acer Chromebook 14 is an important new product in Acer's award-winning Chromebook line… customers have a wide range of needs for battery life, size, performance and features, and our line of Acer Chromebooks is expanding to make sure customers get exactly what they want.
Jerry Kao
President, Acer Notebook Business Group
The basic model will offer 2GB of RAM, which can be doubled to 4GB if required. All models come with Acer's ComfyView, which reduces user eye strain by incorporating anti-glare and low reflection technology as standard.
As consumers already equipped with smartphones and tablets seek out increasingly lightweight, multi-purpose devices that give them just the amount of computing power they need without saddling them with excess weight, the customizable Acer Chromebook should provide an ideal option for large sections of the market. Thanks to its aluminium exterior, new Chromebook users can embrace the budget laptop without sacrificing the aesthetic appeal that has drawn customers to Apple for so long.
As consumers already equipped with smartphones and tablets seek out increasingly lightweight, multi-purpose devices that give them just the amount of computing power they need without saddling them with excess weight, the customizable Acer Chromebook should provide an ideal option for large sections of the market. Thanks to its aluminium exterior, new Chromebook users can embrace the budget laptop without sacrificing the aesthetic appeal that has drawn customers to Apple for so long.
Banner image by PCWorld.