- October 10, 2013 08:00am EST
Acer today released more details about its C720 Chromebook, including when consumers can expect to find it on store shelves.The C720, which debuted at this year's IDF show, is thinner and lighter than the Acer C7 Chromebook we reviewed earlier this year, and it promises all day battery life.
The new Chromebook is 30 percent thinner (at 0.75 inches thick) and lighter (at 2.76 pounds), so it's a natural fit for the student or writer who has constant access to coffee shop and public Wi-Fi.
Like previous Chromebooks, the C720 Chromebook is constantly updated with the latest version of the Chrome OS and built around the Chrome browser. Acer claims seven second boot times and up to 8.5 hours of battery life. The C720 comes with 4GB of DDR3L memory and uses an Intel Celeron 2955U processor based on Haswell technology. The system also has 16GB of local SSD storage along with 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi to get to Google's cloud-based storage.The C720 Chromebook has an 11.6-inch anti-glare widescreen, with a 1,366-by-768 resolution. The system features USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports for connecting external storage and peripherals. You can hook the system up to a HDTV or external monitor with the built-in HDMI port. The C720 Chromebook has a HD webcam and microphone for video conferencing, and a SD card reader for viewing and uploading pictures and videos to the Internet.
Improvements to Chrome OS mean that in addition to multiple user support, the C720 Chromebook can be remotely administered by IT managers at your school or business. Gmail is included, and users will have access to all the Chrome apps in Google's Chrome Web Store, including games, utilities, and other programs.The first model in the series is called the Acer C720-2800 Chromebook, and is available for pre-order now on Amazon.com and Bestbuy.com with 4GB of system memory and a 16GB SSD for $249.99. The C720 Chromebook coms with a one-year standard warranty that can be extended to three years with Acer Advantage service.
Look for a review of the Acer Chromebook C720-2800 in the coming weeks on PCMag.com
