If you spend much of your time working or studying online, Chromebooks are generally a cheap and hassle-free way to do so. There are pricey models too of course, including Google's Pixelbook and now Acer's Spin 713.
Two models are being made available, one aimed at consumers and the other at businesses. The Spin 713 has been co-engineered with Intel as part of the latter's Project Athena innovation program, and features Intel's 10th Gen Core processors, up to 16 GB of DDR4 SDRAM and up to 256 GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage. And all day productivity is promised from a fast-charge battery that's good for 10 hours between plug ins.
The Chrome OS-powered notebook sports a 13.5-inch, 2,256 x 1,504 resolution IPS touch display at a 3:2 aspect, surrounded by thin bezels. The aluminum chassis is reinforced to MIL-STD 810G standards, and includes a shock-absorbing bumper that can see it surviving drops from up to 48 inches (122 cm) and brush off downward force of 132 lb (60 kg).
The 713 rocks a 360-degree hinge for notebook, tablet, presentation and tent modes. Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 are included, there are two USB 3.1 Type-C ports with DisplayPort and power functionality, a USB 3.0 port, HDMI and a microSD card reader slot. Finally, a backlit keyboard makes for continued working as ambient light fades.
The Enterprise Spin 713 edition is essentially the same model but comes with the Chrome Enterprise Upgrade for cloud-based workers.
"Businesses of all sizes are embracing cloud-based tools, so their employees can work more effectively from their offices or homes, while also staying connected and collaborating with colleagues, customers and partners," said the company's James Lin. "Acer’s new Chromebook Spin Enterprise 713 will help businesses accomplish more, while delivering what IT management wants – security, ease of deployment, manageability, and a solid return on investment."
The consumer Spin 713 goes on sale next month for US$629.99, with the Enterprise Spin 713 following in August for $1,099. If you find either of those prices a little on the high side, Acer has also announced July availability for the $259.99 Spin 311, with up to 15 hours of battery life and an 11.6-inch display.
Source: Acer
