A YEAR ago, we couldn’t have imagined that we would be stuck at home for nearly a year now, working and studying out of our living, dining or bed rooms. One of the things I am thankful for is the company I consult for providing me with an Acer laptop because before that, I did everything on my phone. That would be okay without online meetings and events. But our new circumstances require both a mobile device and a laptop or two.
Again, let me say that I’m no techie but I do appreciate technology and the conveniences it offers. So here’s an attempt at a review of the new 2-in-1 from Acer (www.acer.com).
At CES 2021, Taiwan tech giant Acer launched the new Acer Chromebook Spin 514, which is said to be the most powerful Chromebook Acer has ever made and the first one to use AMD hardware. Acer first launched the 514 Chromebook as a higher-end option for its Chromebook line. The 2021 version, a 2-in-1, is the first Acer laptop to use Ryzen 3000 C-Series mobile processors and AMD Radeon graphics.
The company also launched the Acer Chromebook Enterprise Spin 514 (CP514-1W/ CP514-WH) which also features the latest AMD Ryzen 3000 C-Series Mobile Processors and the business capabilities of Chrome OS unlocked to support business customers.
“The pairing of AMD Ryzen Mobile Processors with a durable design makes the new Acer Chromebook Spin 514 an excellent choice for users that need to get work done at home,” said James Lin, general manager for Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. “Users will be blown away by the new level of responsiveness and performance provided by the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 with AMD Ryzen Mobile Processors. Plus, the Ryzen 7 3700C Processor offers the best graphics available in an AMD-powered Chromebook, so our customers can take advantage of the growing range of apps and extensions to tackle even more challenging projects.”
Based on Zen architecture, AMD Ryzen Mobile Processors ensure consistent responsiveness, fast boot times and long battery life. Thus, Acer said everything is fast on the new Chromebook, whether it is streaming content, utilizing multiple apps simultaneously, or running office productivity tools.
The Chromebook Spin 514 also includes state-of-the-art AMD Radeon Graphics for enhanced gameplay, streaming and content creation. Models with AMD Ryzen 7 3700C or Ryzen 5 3500C quad-core processors will come with powerful AMD Radeon Vega Mobile Graphics built in.
The power-efficient AMD processor technology contributes to the Chromebook Spin 514’s thin-and-light design that delivers up to 10 hours of battery life and can be easily taken anywhere, at just 1.55 kg (3.42 lbs) light and a mere 17.35 mm thin (0.68 inches). In addition, the Chromebook Spin 514 comes with up to 16GB DDR4 DRAM and up to 256GB storage.
The original metal chassis is now a sandblasted and anodized aluminum shell available in gray, silver, and mist green. It has also been ruggedized to withstand drops of up to 4 feet and 132 pounds of downward force, and is MIL-STD 810H compliant to resist extreme environmental conditions such as high and low temperatures, and rain, sand and dust.
The device features a convertible design that can be opened a full 360-degrees, enabling its touchscreen display to be used for collaboration, sharing, presenting or typing in a variety of spaces and environments.
The new Chromebook has two USB Type-C ports, both supporting USB 3.2 Gen 1 (up to 5Gbps), DisplayPort over USB-C and USB charging. It also features two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, one featuring power-off charging and a microSD card reader. Select models of the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 also feature an HDMI port for conveniently connecting to projectors during meetings and classes.
Meanwhile, the Chromebook Enterprise Spin 514 model has a number of security features and the ability of IT staff to manage app deployments and updates for a company’s work force. The 514 edition promises “zero-touch enrollment” to allow the laptop to be set up to enroll automatically in the company’s administration as soon as it’s connected to the Internet for the first time.
The Acer Chromebook Enterprise Spin 514 provides security, enterprise capabilities and cost savings, helping businesses manage devices at scale. Chromebook Enterprise unlocks the built-in business capabilities of Chrome OS and Acer Chromebooks by enabling IT to secure, orchestrate and power the cloud work force. The offering also creates a secure and productive environment for cloud-based workers.
The new Acer Chromebook Spin 514 and Acer Chromebook Enterprise Spin 514 both support apps via Google Play and web-based apps, so customers will have access to all the apps they love for productivity, creativity, services and more. n
Read full article on BusinessMirror
