Acer has announced the launch of its first Chromebook powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c computer processor. The new laptop models, the Acer Chromebook Spin 513 (CP513-1H/ CP513-1HL) and Acer Chromebook Enterprise Spin 513 weigh less than 1.2 kg and come with optional 4G LTE cellular connectivity. The company has also announced the launch of the new all-in-one computer (AIO) system Acer Chromebox CXI4 that is said to be "ideal" for schools, work from home, and entertainment purposes. Similarly, there's an Enterprise version of the Acer Chromebook CXI4 as well along with a Halo Smart Speaker that comes with Google Assistant support.

ACER CHROMEBOOK SPIN 513 AND ACER CHROMEBOOK ENTERPRISE SPIN 513

The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 features a 13.3-inch full-HD IPS touchscreen display that has a 78 percent screen-to-body ratio, and Corning Gorilla Glass protection. The laptop display can rotate up to 360 degrees, therefore giving the device a tablet-like form factor. It further packs two in-built microphones, handy for the 4G LTE variant as well as for enabling Google Assistant. Under the hood, the Chromebook Spin 513 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c processor and the graphics are handled by the Qualcomm Adreno 618 GPU. The battery is said to last for up to 14 hours of battery on a single charge, and users will also get up to 8GB LPDDR4X SDRAM and up to 128GB of storage. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11ac with 2x2 MIMO technology and ports like USB Type-C for charging, USB 3.2 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gbps), and Bluetooth v5.0.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 (CP513-1H) will first arrive in the European and African markets in January 2021 for EUR 429 (approx Rs. 37,400) and reach the North American markets the next month at $400 (approx Rs. 30,000). The Acer Chromebook Enterprise Spin 513 will be available in North America in March 2021 starting at $700 (approx Rs. 51,530) and in the European and African markets in February 2021 for starting EUR 699 (approx Rs. 61,000). The India availability of both the Acer Chromebook laptops remains unclear.

ACER CHROMEBOX CXI4, ACER CHROMEBOX CXI4 ENTERPRISE

Powered by up to a 10th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, the Acer Chromebox CXI4 and Chromebox CXI4 Enterprise are AIO systems that just need a display to give a full desktop experience. The company claims that the Acer Chromebox CXI4 loaded with Chrome OS is a great choice for school labs, classrooms, families and small businesses. Similarly, the Chromebox Enterprise provides workers with business capabilities for a more "efficient" performance. It comes with up to five USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, a USB 3.2 Type-C port, two HDMI ports, and Intel Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax).

The Acer Chromebox CXI4 will be available in North America in Q1 2021 and will retail at $259.99 (approx Rs. 19,200). The Enterprise variant of the Acer Chromebox CXI4 will start at $409.99 (roughly Rs. 30,200).

ACER HALO

Acer has also unveiled the retro-looking smart speaker, Acer Halo that supports Google Assistant and DTS sound. The base of the speaker comes with RGB lighting that can be further customised to provide the mood "suited for day or night." The Halo Smart Speaker's design allows high-quality audio to be projected 360 degrees. At the top of the speaker, users get inline controls such as volume rockers, play/pause buttons, and Google Assistant button. The Acer Halo will start shipping in North America in Q1 2021 for $109 (approx Rs. 8,000) and European countries in December for EUR 119 (approx Rs. 10,300).