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Acer's tougher Chromebook 11 is built to take a beating

A low price and a tougher shell could make this laptop ideal for students -- or klutzes. Acer also unveiled the Chromebase 24, a Chome-powered all-in-one desktop PC.

Nate Ralph Associate Editor

Associate Editor Nate Ralph is an aspiring wordsmith, covering mobile software and hardware for CNET Reviews. His hobbies include dismantling gadgets, waxing poetic about obscure ASCII games, and wandering through airports.

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Nate Ralph

Jan. 4, 2016 5:00 a.m. PT

2 min read

Acer's latest Chromebook 11 doesn't look like much, but the combination of a low price and a reinforced chassis could make it a good fit for the young, or the accident prone. Unveiled at CES in Las Vegas, it runs Google's Chrome OS, and Acer claims it can take a fall of up to 2 feet (60cm) without breaking a sweat. The Chromebook 11 will be available in February in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, starting at $180 (which converts to about £120 or AU$250).

If you're just looking to keep tabs on the your favorite websites, check your mail and do a bit of writing, Chrome OS is a simple way to stay connected. But don't expect too much at that bargain-bin price. The 11.6-inch display tops out at a 1,366x768-pixel resolution, and the Intel Celeron processor isn't going to impress.

Shop for Acer Chromebook 11 (2016)

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$110 at Walmart

$150 at Amazon

11.6-inch display, with a 1366x768-pixel resolution
0.73 inches thick (18.6mm), 2.42 pounds (1.1kg)
Intel Celeron processor
Starting at 2GB of RAM, up to 4GB
Starting at 16GB of eMMC storage, up to 32GB
SD card reader
Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and HDMI ports
2x2 MIMO 802.11ac Wi-Fi

Acer Chromebase 24

And if you just can't get enough of Google's Chrome operating system, the Acer Chromebase 24 might be the all-in-one desktop for you. Its 24-inch display has a full-HD 1080p resolution, and the machine is powered by Intel Core processors. Acer claims it's the biggest display you'll find on a Chrome OS device, and VESA mount support means you can plant it just about anywhere. Ten-finger multi-touch means you can use it just about anywhere too. The rest of the details are scant, however, and prices and availability have yet to be announced.

23.8-inch IPS display, with a 1,920x1080-pixel resolution
Intel Core processors
Up to 8GB of RAM
802.11ac Wi-Fi, or Gigabit Ethernet

See all of our coverage of CES 2016 here.