Acer has announced four new Chromebooks and three durable laptops designed for education to give your kids just what they need from their computer but also be durable and last.
TravelMate laptops
The new TravelMate laptops are all built to withstand the rigors that kids put them through every single day with reinforced I/O ports, spill resistant keyboards and a tough outer shell with shock-absorbent bumpers to comply with US Military Standard (MIL_STD 810H). They will apparently survive a drop from over a metre — I wouldn’t be testing this though just in case but it does give you some piece of mind.
The three laptops come in various specs as you would expect but are all priced to be affordable to the younger audience.
Acer TravelMate B5 14
The TravelMate B5 14 is powered by the next-generation Intel Core i3-N305 processors, powering a 14-inch 1920×1080 FHD display, providing up to 7.5 hours of battery life. Assuming your kid is not using it to study during recess and lunch and on the bus on the way to school that should be enough to last out the day.
The HDR webcam offers privacy with a privacy shutter and combined with dual digital microphones and Acers AI technology background noise is suppressed while on a video call.
The TravelMate B5 14 includes two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C connector, Intel Wi-Fi 6E and 2×2 MU-MIMO for fast and uninterrupted network connectivity when online.
Acer TravelMate B3 11 and Acer TravelMate B3 Spin 11
Acer is launching two Travelmate B3 models, both with an 11.6-inch display, with the TravelMate Spin B3 11 offering a traditional clamshell design, while the TravelMate B3 Spin 11 includes a 360-degree hinge allowing for use in tablet mode.
The TravelMate B3 Spin 11 model offers an optional touch display which uses an antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass for protecting against odour and micro-organisms. There’s also an option to include a dockable Wacom AES stylus.
The TravelMate B3 11 and TravelMate B3 Spin 11 will both offer all-day battery life perfect for getting your child through a full day of school, with the TravelMate B3 11 offering 9.5 hours of battery life, while the TravelMate B3 Spin 11 will offer up to 10 hours of battery life.
Acer Chromebooks
Acer has also announced a new range of Chromebooks, bringingthe first Acer Chromebook Vero for education, the Acer Chromebook Vero 712. Acer is also launching three new Chromebooks which are also designed with the education market in mind, all with optional LTE connectivity for use on the go. The three models include two new convertibles offering a 360-degree hinge design, the Acer Chromebook Spin 512 and Acer Chromebook Spin 511, as well as the more traditional clamshell design with the Acer Chromebook 511.
All four Chromebooks are durable, with Mil-Spec (MIL-STD 810H certrified) designs, offering metal-plated I/O ports for durability and spill resistant keyboards.
Chromebook Vero 712
The Chromebook Vero 712 is specifically designed with the education market in mind, as well as offering an eco-conscious options for schools. The Chromebook is manufactured using recycled materials and comes in sustainable packaging with an energy-efficient design.
The Acer Chromebook Vero 712 includes a 12-inch HD+ resolution IPS display in 3:32 aspect ratio and is powered by a 12th gen Intel Core processor. The display is TÜV Rheinland Eyesafe certified to reduce blue light and eye strain while using the device.
The Chromebook includes a HD webcam and dual microphone featuring temporal noise reduction making it fantastic for use online.
Acer Chromebook 511, and Acer Chromebook Spin 511 and Chromebook Spin 512
Acer has also announced the Acer Chromebook 511, as well as two convertibles, the Acer Chromebook Spin 511 and Chromebook Spin 512. The three models will be offered with Intel N100 and N200 processors and include optional 4G LTE connectivity.
The Acer Chromebook 511 and Chromebook Spin 511 will both include an 11.6-inch display in 16:9 aspect ratio, while the Chromebook Spin 512 will include a 12-inch display in 3:2 aspect ratio – with the Spin models offering a 360-degree hinge allowing them to be used in tablet mode – and also including an Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass touch display that are scratch-resistant.
An array of storage options will be made available, with options for up to 8GB of RAM. There will be dual USB Type C (3.2) ports on-board for connectivity offering up to 5Gbps data transfer and at least one USB Type A (3.2) port. The three models will also include a MicroSD card reader.
All three models will include a 720p resolution HD webcam with Blue Glass lenses for high-quality video even in low-light conditions.
Price and Availability
All three TravelMate models appear to be arriving in the latter half of the year with Acer Australia aiming for Q3 release. Acer hasn’t released launch dates for their Chromebook series in Australia as yet, however we’ll see updates closer to launch.
Only pricing in USD has been supplied at this stage, but Acer will be updating closer to launch.
The Acer TravelMate B5 14 (TMB514-31) will start at USD $429.99 (around $619 AUD), while the Acer TravelMate B3 Spin 11 (TMB311R-33) will be priced starting at USD $399.99 ($576 AUD) and finally the Acer TravelMate B3 11 (TMB311-33) will start from USD $329.99 ($475 AUD).
The Acer Chromebook Vero will be priced from USD $429.99 (around $619 AUD). The Acer Chromebook Spin 512 will start from USD $499.99 ($719 AUD), while the Acer Chromebook Spin 511 will start from USD $449.99 ($648 AUD) and finally the Acer Chromebook 511 will be priced from USD $379.99 ($547 AUD).
We’ll be updating with local pricing as soon as it’s released.
