Acer and Asus release new Chromebook laptops
ASUS today announced ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34, a compact, lightweight and cost-effective all-rounder 14-inch laptop that’s ideal for users seeking enhanced productivity and creativity on the go. Chromebook Plus laptops offer up to double the speed, double the memory, and double the storage — and Chromebook Plus CX34 is the very first Chromebook Plus from ASUS. ASUS Chromebook Plus Enterprise CX34 built with ChromeOS business device manageability will be released this year mid-November.
Powerful, portable and primed to push productivity further, ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 sports a stylish and durable design that weighs a mere 1.44 kg and is packed with features to help users achieve more. These include AI-powered tools and apps powered by an up to Intel® Core™ i7 processor, as well as a 180° lay-flat hinge, expansive 5.7-inch touchpad, fast, stable WiFi 6 and up to 10-hour1 battery life to enable energetic individuals to power through everyday work and play. The all-new laptop is available in Pearl White or Rock Grey colorways, exuding understated modern style.
"Google is excited to be working with ASUS as a critical partner on our Chromebook Plus launch. The ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 is compact yet productive, engineered to help users get more done, whether it's an enhanced video calling experience, creative work through Magic Eraser and apps like Photoshop on the web, or sitting back and watching a movie on a crisp high-resolution screen." — John Maletis, VP of Product, Engineering, UX, ChromeOS
Portable productivity
Engineered with an up to Intel Core i7 processor and 16 GB of fast, power-efficient LPDDR5 4800 MHz memory, and featuring a large-capacity 512 GB PCIe® SSD, ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 delivers the performance and responsiveness required for seamless productivity. This helps provide ample storage for business files, school work and entertainment content. Adobe Photoshop® and Adobe Express® for example, empower users to quickly and easily edit standout photos or create social graphics, flyers, business cards. And with LumaFusion, ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 assists users in transforming raw footage into stunning video with features like track layering, audio mixing, custom titling, and keyframing. Customers who purchase a Chromebook Plus device between October 8, 2023 and January 31, 2024 get a complimentary three-month trial to Adobe Photoshop Web. The three-month trial membership also gives Chromebook Plus users access to Adobe Express Premium plan.
For fast, reliable connectivity at home, in the office, classroom, or when commuting in between, ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 includes Wi-Fi 6 technology, ensuring online content loads in the blink of an eye. This desirable connectivity is boosted further by exclusive ASUS technologies, such as ASUS WiFi Master for ChromeOS, ensuring greater speed, stability and range — helping users to stay connected anywhere, fast. And for the times when users don't have access to WiFi, with File Sync on Chromebook Plus, they will have access to their Google Docs, Sheets and Slides online and offline.
In addition to the intuitive control afforded by the optional touchscreen, ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 benefits from a large 5.7-inch touchpad. This expansive input area is optimized to provide smoother, more responsive fingertip control, making it easier to multitask and achieve more without the need for a mouse.
Immersive and reliable
ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 is equipped with a gorgeous 14-inch Full HD (FHD), three-sided NanoEdge display, improving immersion and maximizing the workspace.
With a 1080p webcam and built-in video call controls that automatically enhance clarity and lighting, cancel noise, and blur backgrounds, users always look and sound their best — no matter what video call app they’re using. They can also mute the mic and turn off the camera with one click for added privacy and convenience. As well, this high-resolution camera can be quickly hidden behind a retractable cover.
Wellbeing is also a cornerstone of ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34’s design, with the keyboard, touchpad and palm rest all protected by ASUS Antimicrobial Guard. This exclusive treatment is scientifically proven to inhibit bacterial growth by up to 99% over a 24-hour period to keep the laptop hygienic.
ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 is also built tough, with a series of structural reinforcements to boost chassis strength. The design meets the next-level and industry-leading US MIL-STD 810H durability standards , which are more rigorous and demanding than ever before. Additionally, the device undergoes stringent in-house testing — including panel-pressure, shock and drop tests — to ensure maximal toughness and shrugs off everyday knocks and bumps.
Friendly flexibility
ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 was created to be a friendly and flexible companion for college students, teachers, and busy professionals. The bright, clear FHD 14-inch display is available with an optional touchscreen, for input that’s as easy as it is intuitive. The screen is also attached with a strong 180° hinge that enables it to be laid fully flat — making it perfect for sharing content or collaborating on projects. The 10-hour1 battery life is more than enough to power through a full day of work or school, with plenty to spare in the tank for some rest and relaxation.
For maximum convenience, ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 is crammed with connectivity. Two full-function reversible USB-C® (USB Type-C®) ports make it easy to charge the laptop or to connect it to peripherals and external displays. USB-C also empowers superfast data-transfer speeds — making it possible to transfer a 2 GB video file to a USB drive in under two seconds. ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 also features two standard USB 3.2 ports, an HDMI 1.4 port and an integrated 3.5 mm headphone/mic combo socket.
More power gets more done
Chromebook Plus, the new upgraded tier of Chromebooks from Google, is easy to use and easy to love. Users enjoy up to twice2 the performance for enhanced video conferencing and creativity apps, plus improved personalization and productivity that segues seamlessly between the online and offline worlds.
Chromebook Plus includes new features that make exploring creative endeavors with ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 more magical. The built-in Google Photos app includes enhanced features like the AI-powered Magic Eraser that easily removes unwanted background distractions and an HDR effect to enhance brightness and contrast. Users will also enjoy the revamped movie-creation tools to help them make high-quality movies with only a few easy clicks.
Management capabilities for businesses and schools
ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 comes with management capabilities with the Chrome Enterprise Upgrade or Chrome Education Upgrade packages, adding even more features to empower ambitious businesses and modern learning paradigms.
Chrome Enterprise Upgrade unlocks the built-in business capabilities of ChromeOS devices, with zero-touch enrollment enabling devices to be drop shipped straight to employees in an easy three-step process. This option also adds advanced security controls that add the ability to disable or remotely wipe devices, force re-enrollment and enable sign-in restrictions to ensure data stays in the right hand. It also includes managed updates, insightful reports and crash reports.
Chrome Education Upgrade offers ChromeOS education device management and 24/7 Google support and guidance at no additional cost. IT teams are equipped with more powerful controls to supercharge deployment and onboarding, set device usage and access settings, and streamline ongoing management — empowering teachers and students to create effective learning environments to help each individual succeed. And with access to advanced security settings, they can ensure that school and students remain safe, whether devices are used at school, at home, or anywhere in between.
ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 for education: A powerful, affordable device designed to meet the needs of both teachers and IT staff. The ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 has the best-in-class security and simple management that IT leaders love from their student fleet. Coupled with the power, speed, memory, and storage teachers need, ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 help create a cohesive classroom for teaching and learning.
Acer today launched the company’s first Chromebook Plus laptops, the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 and Acer Chromebook Plus 514, debuting with Google’s Chromebook Plus initiative that offers a new tier of Chromebook performance, emphasizing better hardware designs with upgraded displays and cameras, and paired with new productivity, creativity, and multimedia capabilities.
The Acer Chromebook Plus 515 and Acer Chromebook Plus 514 both have the hardware and technology features customers need to stay productive, entertained and connected. These new models are powered by modern high-performance processors, and high-resolution IPS displays and 1080p crystal clear cameras flanked by narrow bezels to keep the focus on the vibrant visuals.[2]
“Creativity, productivity and connectivity are the hallmarks of our customers’ dynamic lifestyles – and the capabilities in the new Acer Chromebook Plus laptops sure help our customers do more of what they love,” said James Lin, General Manager, Notebooks, Acer Inc. “Acer Chromebooks have been trailblazers since the market’s inception – and now we’re excited to deliver a new tier of devices possessing the quality, performance and features that customers value most.”
Acer Chromebook Plus Laptops Help Customers Do More
The new Acer Chromebook Plus 515 and Acer Chromebook Plus 514 empower users with advanced capabilities to maximize their productivity and express their creativity with ease. With Adobe Photoshop[3] and Adobe Express, editing photos and creating standout graphics was never easier on a Chromebook. Acer Chromebook Plus users can also get Photoshop on the web and Adobe Express Premium plan for three months at no additional cost. With Firefly-powered generative AI features and the precision of Photoshop together with Adobe Express’s all-in-one app, users have everything they need to create images and designs to their heart’s content[4].
Built-in editing capabilities also enable quicker and easier photo and video enhancements. For example, the AI-powered Magic Eraser feature in the built-in Google Photos app easily removes unwanted distractions, while a few easy clicks of the movie creation tools provide advanced video edits. When Acer Chromebook Plus users are away from an internet connection, they can now take advantage of File Sync, which ensures Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are always accessible via Chromebook Plus File Manager, whether online or offline[5].
Feature-Rich Platform for Creating and Connecting
The new Acer Chromebook Plus laptops have the memory and storage users need to do and create more. Each has between 8 GB to 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM, combined with responsive SSD local storage options of up to 256 GB for the 14-inch Acer Chromebook Plus and up to 512 GB for the 15-inch version.[6] In addition, both new models stay connected with fast and reliable Wi-Fi 6E as well as Bluetooth 5.1[6] and also include an array of ports for charging, data transfer and display extension including dual USB Type-C ports and HDMI.
Both models ensure excellent conferencing via their 1080p webcams with Temporal Noise Reduction (TNR) and Blue Glass lens, plus AI-powered tools that automatically enhance clarity and lighting, cancel noise, and blur backgrounds so customers will always look and sound their best, no matter what conferencing app is used. Also, a physical webcam shutter is added and can be closed to protect privacy during meetings, classes, and conferences while users can also mute the mic and turn off the camera with one click for added convenience. Plus, the first-rate visuals are complemented by dual upward-firing speakers with DTS® Audio.
Acer Chromebook Plus 515 Features Intel Processors, Large Display for Max Productivity
The Acer Chromebook Plus 515 was designed for users to take advantage of the new features available in ChromeOS. Powered by 13th Gen and 12th Gen Intel Core processors (up to a Core i7 model), the new Chromebook Plus laptops advance real-world computing with the performance needed for more challenging tasks as well as efficient multi-tasking and up to 10 hours of usage on the fast-charging battery.[7,8]
Making the most of this processing prowess, Acer Chromebook Plus customers can do more on the spacious 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 resolution) display with IPS technology and wide viewing angles. The Chromebook is available with a vibrant touch or non-touch display, both of which can be enjoyed in bright-light conditions thanks to its anti-glare display that provides sharp and legible text as well as vivid, clear videos and photos.
Portable Powerhouse with AMD Ryzen™ Processors, 14-inch Display on Acer Chromebook Plus 514
Combining up to four high-performance “Zen 2” CPU cores with cutting-edge AMD RDNA™ 2 integrated graphics, the AMD Ryzen™ 5 7520 C-Series processor[1,6] in the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 delivers the fast boot times and responsive performance for modern productivity and collaboration apps that business Chromebook users demand.
The Acer Chromebook Plus 514’s large 14-inch WUXGA display has a productivity-boosting 16:10 aspect ratio with an attention-grabbing (1920 x 1200 resolution). Collaborating and conferencing is smooth and easy since the display features an anti-glare coating that keeps images and text crisp and clear as well as IPS technology that results in wide viewing angles. Plus, the display is available with either a touch or non-touch screen option. It is ideal for professionals and students on the go, thanks to its compact form factor and long 12-hour[7] battery life that can be fast-charged.
Durable Design Supports Acer’s Earthion Mission
Independently verified as U.S. MIL-STD 810H[9] compliant, the new durable Chromebooks readily stand up to daily wear and tear. Both models include an OceanGlass™ touchpad and the option for a backlit keyboard.
In line with Acer's commitment to create a continuous positive impact on the environment, the new Acer Chromebook Plus 515 and Acer Chromebook Plus 514 support the company's Earthion mission, boasting several eco-friendly features and EPEAT registrations[10]. They contain recycled materials, sustainable packaging, and an energy-efficient design that meets Energy Star certification.
Seamless Device Management for Schools
Both Acer Chromebook Plus laptops are available with Chrome Education Upgrade for seamless device management in schools. Chrome Education Upgrade helps administrators manage devices at scale to meet the needs of teachers and students. Educators and students can access loads of teaching and collaboration tools, like Screencast, Adobe Express, and File Sync to enable offline productivity. Equipped with powerful controls, administrators can maximize productivity, streamline device usage, and easily deploy security configurations to ensure the students and school remain safe from threats. Administrators can also leverage Chrome Education Upgrade’s functional features such as zero-touch enrollment and 24/7 Google support.
Device Management for Businesses with Acer Chromebook Plus Enterprise 515 and Acer Chromebook Plus Enterprise 514
For business users, the Acer Chromebook Plus Enterprise 515 and Acer Chromebook Plus Enterprise 514 come with Chrome Enterprise Upgrade which unlocks the built-in business capabilities of ChromeOS. Workforces and IT departments can utilize streamlined device enrollment, infrastructure integration, and advanced security settings to ensure data and application protection. Managing updates, insight reports, and technical issues have also been made easier as it comes with ChromeOS troubleshooting assistance and 24/7 IT admin support.
Pricing and Availability
The Acer Chromebook Plus 515 (CB515-2H/T) will be available in North America in October, starting at USD 399.99 and in EMEA in October, starting at EUR 499.
The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (CB514-3H/T) will be available in North America in October, starting at USD 399.99 and in EMEA in October, starting at EUR 479.
Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region. To learn more about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office via www.acer.com.