Acer announces first 15-inch Chromebook with Core i3 processor, 1080p display

Chance Miller | Jan 3 2015 - 8:29 am PT

To kick off CES 2015, Acer has announced its first ever 15-inch Chromebook. The 15.6-inch screen makes it the biggest Chromebook released to date, but keeping trend with other Chromebooks on the market, the device is still affordable, starting at $250. Acer’s 15.6-inch Chromebook comes in at a hefty 4.85 pounds, which means you probably won’t want to move this one around too much once you get it.

Under the hood, the Chromebook 15 is powered by either a fifth-generation Core i3 processor or a Celeron processor, depending on the configuration you choose. The device is also available with either a 1920 x 1080 display or a 1366 x 768 panel, although we highly recommend you go with the former of those two options. Other configurable options include either 2GB or 4GB of RAM and either 16GB or 32GB of solid state storage.

As far as battery life goes, Acer simply says that its battery performance is “impressive.” The Chromebook 15 packs an HDMI port, as well as one USB 2.0 port, one USB 3.0 port, and an SD card reader. Acer touts that the Chromebook 15 has two full-sized upward facing speakers for excellent volume and clarity. There’s also a front-facing HD web cam. As you’d expect, there’s BlueTooth 4.0 support, as well as 802.11ac WiFi connectivity.

Pricing and availability details for the Chromebook 15 remain scarce, with Acer saying that the details will vary by region. Don’t expect the $250 model to pack any major power, though. You’ll definitely have to pay more for the 1080p display and Core i3 processor.

Full press release below:

Acer Debuts Industry’s First Chromebook with 15.6-inch Display

LAS VEGAS

Acer today continues to lead the Chromebook space with the debut of the industry’s first Chromebook with a 15.6-inch display. The new Acer Chromebook 15 delivers the ideal balance of large screen size, outstanding Chrome performance and sleek, portable design, making it an excellent primary computing device.

The Acer Chromebook 15 is the company’s first Chromebook that uses 5th Generation Intel Core i3 and next generation Intel® Celeron™ processors1 based on Intel 5th Generation Core micro-architecture.

The new Acer Chromebook 15 will be on display at Pepcom’s Digital Experience! Event on Jan. 5th at The Mirage in Las Vegas.

“The Acer Chromebook 15 is a true powerhouse – it provides fast mobile performance and a large display to help customers accomplish more every day,” said Jerry Kao, president of Acer Notebook Business Group. “Acer has been a leader in the Chromebook market, from providing the latest in technology and trailblazing battery life to designing new form factors. We’re driving the category forward again with the world’s first 15.6-inch display Chromebook, the Acer Chromebook 15.”

Acer dominates the Chromebook segment with approximately 40 percent market share worldwide according to Gartner.2

Vibrant, large-screen display leads the industry
The Acer Chromebook 15 provides full immersive computing thanks to the stunning 15.6-inch display, which is 27 percent larger than 13.3-inch Chromebooks on the market. This large size increases productivity by giving customers more real estate to view multiple tabs and apps. The crisp and vibrant display comes in two options. The full HD display has a 1920×1080 resolution that ensures sharp and legible text as well as vivid, clear videos and photos. It also reveals more content on screen to reduce scrolling. In addition, it has wide viewing angles, so customers can comfortably share content such as movies, e-books and games. The second option is an HD 1366×768 resolution display that is ideal for budget-minded customers. Both options are Acer ComfyView displays, so they have anti-glare properties to minimize the amount of reflecting light for less eye strain.

The Chromebook has two full-sized upward facing speakers for greater volume and clarity, which complement the display and provide exciting and realistic multimedia. Customers will enjoy video chats on the HD web cam enhanced by the excellent audio and video capabilities.

Exceptional Performance and All-Day Battery Life
The Acer Chromebook 15 delivers the performance today’s consumers demand with several processor options based on Intel 5th Gen Core micro-architecture. The Chromebook 15 will be available with either a 5th Generation Intel Core i3 or next generation Intel Celeron processor to deliver fast performance and multi-tasking for apps and online games. The new state-of-the-art processor pairs with a solid state drive (SSD) for fast saving and accessing of data.

Customers will be able to enjoy all-day productivity, fun and enjoyment; the Acer Chromebook 15 provides impressive battery life.3

Sleek, reinforced design
The sleek design of the Acer Chromebook 15 features a white fabric-like surface that gives the case a sophisticated look that is comfortable and ensures a secure grip. The Chromebook 15 has been reinforced to handle more bumps and drops; the case can withstand up to 60kg of force, while the corners can tolerate up to 45cm drops without damage. Also, the new Chromebook can endure more twisting and stress on the case and hinges. To ensure a great user experience, the new Acer Chromebook 15 features the largest touchpad of any Chromebook today, so customers have greater freedom when navigating, zooming and scrolling.

Even with the large display, the Acer Chromebook 15 weighs only 2.2kg (4.85 pounds) and measures only 393w x 256d x 24.2h mm (15.4w x 10.08d x 0.95h inches).

Connectivity
The Acer Chromebook 15 keeps customers in touch with up to three times faster wireless connectivity via fast MIMO 2x2Wifi 802.11ac. Also, customers can connect other peripherals to it via Bluetooth 4.0, the USB 3.0 port, USB 2.0 port and HDMI port. The SD card reader enables a way to access and transfer files.

Fun to Share, Easy to Protect
The Acer Chromebook 15 is great for a range of customers who view, edit, create and collaborate both on-line and off-line in programs, such as Office documents and Gmail. Chromebooks are simple to use and ideal for sharing by multiple users, since users can log into their own account to access Docs, website bookmarks and other information. Storage on Google Drive4protects files, documents, and photos safely in the cloud, and ensures that the most current version of the file or document is always available and safe, even if the Chromebook is lost or stolen.

Security is a key benefit of the Chrome OS, as it’s automatically updated to guard against ever-changing online threats. In addition, the Supervised Users feature helps get children online in a safe, controlled way.”

Models, Availability and Pricing
Several models in the Acer Chromebook 15 line (CB5-571) will be available with either a 16GB or 32GB SSD drive and either 2GB or 4GB or RAM.5 Exact specifications, prices and availability will vary by region. In the United States, prices start at $249.99.1

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