Acer announces two new convertible Chromebooks

Acer announced two new convertible Chromebooks. The Chromebook Spin 713 is a premium Chromebook with a 2K 3:2 13.5-inch screen aimed at enterprise users and those in search of a high-end Chromebook. The Chromebook Spin 311 is a smaller 11.6-inch Chromebook.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is a 13.5-inch convertible Chromebook with a 3:2 2K VertiView display. The screen, which is covered in Corning Gorilla Glass, offers more vertical space than the average notebook, much like last year’s Chromebook Spin 712 and many other premium Chromebooks (e.g., the Samsung Chromebook Pro, Google Pixelbook, HP Chromebook X2, etc.). The Chromebook Spin 713 can be configured with one of several 10th Gen Intel Core commercial CPUs, up to 16 GB of DDR4 SDRAM, and up to 256 GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage. The Chromebook Spin 713 is also verified as a part of Intel’s Project Athena innovation program, which is a program designed to deliver the latest and most useful computing features to consumers.

The Chromebook Spin 713 also bears a MIL-STD-810G certification and is somewhat resistant to drops, dings, dents, and other hazards. The aluminum chassis can survive a drop of 122 cm (48 in) and hold up against 60 kg (132 lbs) of downward force, according to Acer. The Chromebook is a convertible with a 360-degree hinge and comes in at 16.8 mm (0.66 in) thin and only 1.37 kg (3.02 lbs).

Port selection on the Chromebook Spin 713 is ample for a Chromebook, consisting of two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C ports (up to 5 Gbps, DisplayPort, USB charging), an HDMI port, a USB 3.0 Type-A port, and a microSD card reader. Wireless connections are handled via dual-band AX201 (802.11ax, 2x2 MU-MIMO) WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0.

Acer also announced the smaller Chromebook Spin 311, an 11.6-inch convertible Chromebook aimed at the education market. The Chromebook boasts a MediaTek MT8183, a 15-hour battery life, and a mere 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of mass. Students will be able to connect to school networks via the 802.11ac 2x2 MU-MIMO WiFi, and the Chromebook Spin 311 sports Bluetooth 4.2.

As new Chromebooks, both the Chromebook Spin 713 and Chromebook Spin 311 support Android apps via the Google Play Store. Acer did not state that the Chromebooks would support Chrome OS’s new Linux integration features.

The Chromebook Spin 713 will be available in North America in July for US$629.99 and in the EU for €699. A business-centric version of the Chromebook Spin 713, dubbed the Chromebook Enterprise Spin 713, will be available in North America in August for US$1099 and in the EU in August for €899. Lastly, the Chromebook Spin 311 will be available in North America in July for US$259.99 and in the EU for €299.