Acer’s Chromebook 15 will have a 15.6-inch screen making it the largest Chrome OS laptop, and one of the highest resolutions as well, with a 1920 x 1080 display. (It will also offer an HD 1366 x 768 resolution display at a lower cost.)
The processor in the Chromebook 15 is based on Intel’s latest Broadwell circuit design, Intel’s fifth-generation Core i3 or Celeron processor. The laptop is among the fastest Chromebooks available, and offers eight hours of battery life.
It will include a webcam, 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, an SD card reader, USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and HDMI ports. Buyers will be able to choose from 16GB and 32 GB solid state drive storage, and 2GB and 4GB RAM options, much like its smaller siblings.
The Chromebook 15 offers better graphics and video, though it is still outpaced by Acer’s Chromebook 13, which contains a Nvidia Tegra K1 chip capable of processing 4K video with 3D performance.
Currently most Chromebooks range between 11.6- and 13.3-inch screens, and are equipped with either ARM or Intel processors — the fastest of which have Intel’s Core i3 processors based on Haswell micro architecture. Intel will be launching the new chips at International CES in Las Vegas, beginning Jan. 6.
The Chromebook 15 is relatively inexpensive at $250, but the larger screen and size does add weight. The Chromebook 15 weighs in at 2.2 kilograms (4.85 pounds).
Created by Google, the Chrome OS is built around the Chrome Web browser already popularly used on PCs, tablets and phones. While there are some offline functions and basic file system features, Chromebooks are intended to always be online, using Web-based tools such as Gmail, Netflix, and cloud storage systems. The Chrome OS also features built-in security that will automatically update on a regular basis.
Acer will be also introducing a new touch screen model of its Chromebook 13 for $330 later this month.
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