money Acer's Chromebook Spin 714 sports an upscale design and a built-in stylus
There's also a new 10.1-inch detachable 2-in-1 Chromebook that starts at just $400.
As one of the leading makers of Chromebooks, this spring Acer is refreshing its lineup with two new offerings in the Chromebook Spin 714 and the Chromebook Tab 510.
Starting at $750 (or $1,100 for the enterprise model), the Chromebook Spin 714 is the more premium of the two, featuring up to a 12th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU and a 14-inch 2560 x 1600 display. And as an added bonus, the Gorilla Glass used on its display includes an antimicrobial coating designed to resist stains and bacteria. At the same time, the screen's 16:10 aspect ratio gives you a little extra vertical screen space for productivity.
Meanwhile, because the Spin 714 is part of Intel's Evo platform, the laptop includes good connectivity thanks to support for Wi-Fi 6E, an HDMI jack and dual Thunderbolt 4 ports. As for battery life, Acer is claiming up to 10 hours on a single charge, with fast charging that can add four hours of additional runtime after being plugged in for 30 minutes. And for people who want a quick and easy way to login to their laptop, there's also an optional fingerprint reader.
But the feature that sets the Spin 714 apart from a lot of other Chromebooks is its stylus, which features 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and has a built-in garage for easy storage. And despite having a flexible 360-degree hinge, the laptop has MIL-STD 810H durability designed to guard against drops and splashes.
Alternatively, for people looking for a more affordable convertible Chromebook, there's the $400 Chromebook Tab 510. Instead of sporting a 360-degree hinge, the Tab 510 features a detachable 2-in-1 design powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 chip. That said, for those wanting to use the Tab 510 as a laptop-like hybrid, just remember its Keyboard Folio Case is an optional accessory.
Sporting a 10.1-inch 1920 x 1200 screen, the Tab 510 is a lot more portable than the Spin 714, and it gets slightly better battery life too, with Acer promising 11 hours on a single charge. And in addition to its front-facing 5-MP webcam, there's 8-MP camera in back. However, even with its lower price, the tablet also supports MIL-STD 810H durability, along with bumpers on each corner and a reinforced chassis for even more rugged credibility. And similar to the Spin 714, the Tab 510 also comes with a built-in stylus.
In North America, the Chromebook Tab 510 is slated to go on sale sometime in July starting at $400, with the Chromebook Spin 714 arriving slightly later in August starting at $750.
