Acer has launched the company’s first Chromebook Plus laptops, the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 and Acer Chromebook Plus 514, debuting with Google’s Chromebook Plus initiative that offers a new tier of Chromebook performance emphasising better hardware designs with upgraded displays and cameras, and paired with new productivity, creativity, and multimedia capabilities.
The Acer Chromebook Plus 515 comes with a large 15.6-inch Full HD display (1920×1080) and powerful 13th Gen and 12th Gen Intel Core processors with hybrid technology, allowing for greater efficiency and performance across productivity, creative, and multimedia workloads.
The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 not only has an AMD Ryzen 5 7520-C processor for great performance in a compact form factor, it also has a 14-inch WUXGA (1920×1200) display for next-level collaboration and on-the-go productivity.
Both new models conform to MIL-STD 810H durability standards, along with an array of usability features such as a 1080p webcam with Temporal Noise Reduction, high-resolution IPS displays, and built-in AI-powered tools for optimum video conferencing and consumption experiences.
“Creativity, productivity and connectivity are the hallmarks of our customers’ dynamic lifestyles – and the capabilities in the new Acer Chromebook Plus laptops sure help our customers do more of what they love,” said James Lin, general manager, notebooks, Acer Inc. “Acer Chromebooks have been trailblazers since the market’s inception – and now we’re excited to deliver a new tier of devices possessing the quality, performance and features that customers value most.”
Both new Acer Chromebook Plus laptops have the memory and storage users need to do and create more. Each has between 8 GB to 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM, combined with SSD local storage options of up to 256 GB for the 14-inch Acer Chromebook Plus and up to 512 GB for the 15-inch version. In addition, both models stay connected with fast and reliable Wi-Fi 6E as well as Bluetooth 5.1 and also include an array of ports for charging, data transfer and display extension including dual USB Type-C ports and HDMI.
Both models are designed for excellent conferencing via their 1080p webcams with Temporal Noise Reduction (TNR) and Blue Glass lens, plus AI-powered tools that automatically enhance clarity and lighting, cancel noise, and blur backgrounds so customers will always look and sound their best, no matter what conferencing app is used. Also, a physical webcam shutter is added and can be closed to protect privacy during meetings, classes, and conferences while users can also mute the mic and turn off the camera with one click for added convenience. Plus, the first-rate visuals are complemented by dual upward-firing speakers with DTS Audio.
These laptops are available with Chrome Education Upgrade for device management in schools. Chrome Education Upgrade helps administrators manage devices at scale to meet the needs of teachers and students. Educators and students can access loads of teaching and collaboration tools, like Screencast, Adobe Express, and File Sync to enable offline productivity. Administrators can maximise productivity, streamline device usage, and deploy security configurations to ensure the students and school remain safe from threats. Administrators can also leverage Chrome Education Upgrade’s functional features such as zero-touch enrollment and 24/7 Google support.
For business users, both models come with Chrome Enterprise Upgrade which unlocks the built-in business capabilities of ChromeOS.
The Acer Chromebook Plus 515 (CB515-2H/T) and the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (CB514-3H/T) will be available in UK retail stores from October.