​CES 2015: Acer introduces first 15.6-inch display Chromebook

LAS VEGAS -- After Chromebooks conquered the consumer market during the holiday with Amazon's top three laptop sellers, Acer seems to think that the Chrombeook is ready for the business market.

At CES in Las Vegas, Acer debuted the first Chromebook with a 15.6" display. The Acer Chromebook 15 is also the company's first Chromebook with a choice of the 5th Generation Intel Core i3 or the next generation Intel Celeron processor with the 5th Generation Core microarchitecture. In short, it has the screen-size and CPU power for office work on the road.

The display comes in two versions. The full HD display has a 1920x1080 resolution that ensures sharp and legible text as well as vivid, clear videos and photos. The second choice is an HD 1366x768 resolution display for budget-minded customers. Both options are Acer ComfyView displays with anti-glare properties to minimize the amount of reflecting light to reduce eye strain.

Acer also claims that even with these new larger screens and faster processors the Chromebook 15 will deliver superior battery life.

The device also comes with fast 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, a USB 3.0 port, USB 2.0 port and HDMI port.

The new Acer Chromebook 15 also comes with a white fabric-like surface that's meant to ensure a secure grip. It's also been reinforced to handle bumps and drops. Acer claims that the case can withstand up to 60kg of force, while the corners can tolerate up to 45cm drops without damage.

With its increased durability and size this latest Chromebook isn't a lightweight like most Chromebooks. It weighs not quite 5 pounds. Still, for its size that's not too heavy either. It's just more than you expect from a Chromebook.

"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 in a statement. "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."

There will be several Acer Chromebook 15 line (CB5-571) models. These will be available with either a 16GB or 32GB SSD drive and either 2GB or 4GB of RAM. In the United States, prices start at $249.99.

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