The undisputed Chromebook king – Acer, brings a new array of Chromebooks and Chromeboxes to Malaysia today. Headlining the snazzy new lineup is the award-winning Chromebook R 11 738T, the first notebook in the world to support Google Play apps. The R 11 is flanked by two military-grade portables – Chromebook for Work 14 CP5-471 and the Chromebook 11 N7 C731. Additionally, Acer introduces the Chromebox for Meetings CXV2 and Chromebox CXI2.
Google’s low-cost Chromebooks have been gaining traction, especially in the US education market. Quietly but surely, it outsold Apple Macs for the first time in the education section in Q1 2016 (IDC: 2016).
For Acer, the Chromebook isn’t a new thing. It spearheaded the segment with the first Chromebook in 2011. In 2016, it was also the first maker to make Google Play available in a Chromebook device. Also, it brought to market the first Chromebook for Work, with Military Grade Durability.
With its expansive Chromebook range, Acer continues to lead the global market with a 28% market share. The Taiwan PC giant saw a Y-o-Y growth of 33% (Gartner: 2016), in a segment it has dominated in since 2014. Acer has the largest and most complete portfolio of Chrome devices globally – suited for consumers, the education sector and businesses.
Other PC companies that make Chromebook devices include Lenovo, HP, Dell, ASUS, Alphabet, and Samsung.
[nextpage title=”Chrome for Education”]
Acer Chromebook R 11 738T
The impressive Chromebook lineup hitting Malaysian shores is headlined by the award-winning Chromebook R 11. Made to be secure and versatile, the R 11 boasts Acer’s patented 360-degree dual-torque hinge design. Easily switch usage modes, and the cool thing is the intelligent speaker system automatically reverses audio channels depending on the orientation of the device.
The Chromebook R 11 weighs a scant 1.25kg and measures just 19.2mm thin. It features a premium top cover imprinted using Acer’s nano-imprint technology for a unique textured finish.
It is powered by an Intel Celeron quad-core N3160 processor and comes with MIMO 802.11ac wireless technology. It comes with 4GB of DDR3L RAM with 32GB of SSD storage.
Acer has incorporated Google Play in this new portable, making available over 2 million Android apps on the Chromebook platform.
The Chromebook R 11 is priced at MYR1,499 and is available at select authorised Acer resellers nationwide.
Acer Chromebook 11 N7 C731
If there was such a thing as a kid-proof, student-proof portable, the Chromebook 11 N7 would be it. The device boasts a unique spill-resistant design, capable of funneling up to 330ml of spilled. It does this via drainage holes underneath the keyboard.
While it scoffs at liquids, it’s also one tough cookie. So tough in fact, it passes demanding US Military Standard (MIL-STD 810G) quality and durability tests.
It can resists up to 60kg of downward pressure on the top cover, and a free drop from up to 122cm in height (shoulder height). You wanted something that withstands the rigours of student life? You got it.
Despite its toughness, it measures on 22mm thin and tips the scales at a commendable 1.35kg. The fan-less design also delivers cool and quiet performance, great for a classroom or library environment.
The Chromebook 11 N7 is powered by a dual-core Intel Celeron N3060 processor, and equipped with the latest 2×2 MIMO 802.11ac wireless connectivity. It packs up to 4GB of RAM and up to 32GB of eMMC storage.
Battery life is an impressive 12 hours (claimed).
It comes in two variants – the C32C variant comes with 4GB of RAM, 32GB of eMMC storage. Meanwhile the C7UZ variant tops 2GB of RAM and 16GB of eMMC storage.
The C32C is priced at MYR1,099 while the C7UZ variant retails at MYR999.
Both come with one-year International Travelers Warranty (ITW) and is available at select authorized Acer resellers nationwide.
[nextpage title=”Chrome for Work”]
Acer Chromebook for Work 14 CP5-471
Where the Chromebook 11 N7 survives the tortures of school, the Chromebook for Work 14 means serious business.
Based on 6th Gen Intel Core i5-6200U “Skylake,” it delivers optimal application performance, intense graphics performance and battery life.
It may not protect you from office politics, but the Chromebook for Work 14 will give you ultimate durability and peace of mind.
Like the Chromebook 11 N7, this portable is built to US Military Standard (MIL-STD810G). The top cover can withstand up to 60kg of downward weight, and a drop from up to 45cm.
The keyboard and touchpad are also designed to resist 330ml of liquid water spillage.
Additionally, the slim top cover is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, the first of its kind on a Chromebook.
It delivers up to 12 hours of battery life.
Thanks to the powerful Core i processor, superfast SSD drive and Chrome OS, the portable powers up in under 7 seconds. The Chromebook 14 for Work, in fact, is the fastest performing 14-inch Chromebook in the market.
The Chromebook 14 for Work retails for MYR2,299 and is available at selected authorised Acer resellers nationwide. The device comes with a 3-year Next Business Day On-site Warranty.
Acer Chromebox for Meeting CXV2 and Acer Chromebox CX12
I bet you didn’t know that there are boxes running Chrome OS out there. The Chromebox CXV2 and CXI2 run Chrome OS and come with pre-installed web apps and have access to 30,000 additional apps, themes and extensions on the Chrome Web Store.
Both Chromeboxes serve different purposes – the CXV2 is offered as a complete, plug-and-go videoconferencing solution. The CXI2 on the other hand, is a solution for digital signage and directories.
Built-in Chrome Remote Desktop lets you remotely access another computer through a Chromebook.
The Chromeboxes deliver an eight-second boot time, fast connectivity via dual-band wireless LAN and Gigabit Ethernet. There’s a TPM chip built-in for safety and security.
The videoconferencing solution includes a H camera with Carl Zeiss Full HD Wide Angle lens with fast autofocus and auto low-light correction. It also has a digital mic and speaker system for wideband frequency response, and built-in DSP for speech clarity.
The Chromebox for Meetings CXV2 retails at MYR4,599 and the Chromebox CXI2 is priced at MYR1,999. Both are available at select authorized Acer resellers nationwide.
Zero percent interest lease
As a promo, Acer is offering a zero percent interest lease to use program for all new Acer Chrome devices. Prices start from as low as MYR42 per month, based on 24 months contract. Acer also offers to buy back customers’ old notebooks or iPads to reduce up to three months of lease payments.
