Google announces Acer C7 Chromebook, on sale Tuesday

Acer C7
Acer C7 Chromebook

Google unveiled a new, ultra-easy Chromebook Monday, the Acer C7.

"The core of Google's Chromebook vision is creating a better, more simple computing experience and making it available to everyone," said Sundar Pichai, senior vice president, Chrome and Apps at Google, in a press release.

"We're excited about the Acer C7 Chromebook, the newest addition to the Chromebook family.

"The Acer C7 delivers a hassle-free computing experience with the speed, security and simplicity that users expect of Chromebooks built in."

Seventh heaven

Featuring an "extra bright" 11.6-inch HD Widescreen CineCyrstal LED-backlit LCD screen (that's a mouthful) and more than 3.5 hours of battery life, the C7 has an Intel Core processor inside.

It boots up in 18 seconds, resumes instantly and offers a smooth, hi-def video viewing experience with 1080p on its 1366 x 768 resolution screen. Integrated 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi offers quick connect times, too.

The C7 is one-inch thin and weighs 3.05 pounds, though still manages to accommodate a full-sized keyboard and clickable touchpad.

An HD 1.3MP webcam with LED indicator and microphone, three USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI port and a card reader that supports a SD card and MMC are also part of the C7's package.

Storage is available through a 320GB hard drive, plus Google is gifting new owners with 100GB free storage on Google Drive.

Auto-updating is one of the C7's hallmarks, while built-in security features defend against malware and viruses.

Order of the day

The recently announced Samsung Series 3 Chromebook, by contrast, offered 16GB of internal storage and 6.5 hours of battery life with a single USB 3.0 port and a lone USB 2.0.

Other differences include an ARM-based Samsung Exynos 5250 processor and the claim the 2.5-pound, 0.8-inch thick machine can boot in 10 seconds flat.

Whereas Samsung's latest Chromebook came in at $249 (UK£229), Acer is upping the odds of the C7's success by lowering the price.

The Chromebook will be available in the U.S. starting Tuesday through Google Play, Best Buy and BestBuy.com for $199.

Update: In the UK, customers can pick it up via Google Play, Amazon UK, PC World and Currys, priced at £199.

More countries should see the C7 come soon.

TOPICS
Michelle Fitzsimmons

Michelle was previously a news editor at TechRadar, leading consumer tech news and reviews. Michelle is now a Content Strategist at Facebook.  A versatile, highly effective content writer and skilled editor with a keen eye for detail, Michelle is a collaborative problem solver and covered everything from smartwatches and microprocessors to VR and self-driving cars.

Latest in Pro
Epson EcoTank ET-4850 next to a TechRadar badge that reads Big Savings
I searched for the best printer deal you won't find in the Amazon Spring Sale
Microsoft Copiot Studio deep reasoning and agent flows
Microsoft reveals OpenAI-powered Copilot AI agents to bosot your work research and data analysis
Group of people meeting
Inflexible work policies are pushing tech workers to quit
Data leak
Top home hardware firm data leak could see millions of customers affected
Representational image depecting cybersecurity protection
Third-party security issues could be the biggest threat facing your business
An image of network security icons for a network encircling a digital blue earth.
Why multi-CDNs are going to shake up 2025
Latest in News
An image of Pro-Ject's Flatten it closed and opened
Pro-Ject’s new vinyl flattener will fix any warped LPs you inadvertently buy on Record Store Day
The iPhone 16 Pro on a grey background
iPhone 17 Pro tipped to get 8K video recording – but I want these 3 video features instead
EA Sports F1 25 promotional image featuring drivers Oscar Piastri, Carlos Sainz and Oliver Bearman.
F1 25 has been officially announced, with this year's entry marking a return for Braking Point and a 'significant overhaul' for My Team mode
Garmin clippd integration
Garmin's golf watches just got a big software integration upgrade to help you improve your game
Robert Downey Jr reveals himself as Doctor Doom to a delighted crowd at San Diego Comic-Con 2024
Marvel is currently revealing the full cast for Avengers: Doomsday, and I think it's going to be a long-winded announcement
Samsung QN90F on yellow background
Samsung announces US prices for its 2025 mini-LED TV lineup, and it’s good and bad news