Samsung on Monday announced that its second generation Chromebooks would hit markets this April.
A release from the electronics major said that two versions of the new Chrome OS-based laptop, one with a 720 p 11.3 inch display and another with a 1080 p 13-inch screen would be released. The devices are expected to cost $319.99 and $399.99 respectively.
CNET did a quick hands-on of both the devices and reported that Samsung has given its new line of Chromebooks an exterior with faux leather finish and soft-touch feel.
On the inside, both the laptop variants sport Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa processors but the 13-inch model features a slightly faster CPU clocked at 2.1 ghz, Wired reported. Both the devices feature 4 gb ram. The storage, however, has been capped at 16 gb. The complete technical specifications were mentioned by Samsung on its website.
Wired quoted Samsung saying that the Exynos 5 Octa CPU used in Chromebook 2 improves battery life by using low-voltage cores for non-intensive tasks while high-voltage cores are pressed into service only when the demand for processing power increases. The 13-inch laptop is rated at 8.5 hours, according to Wired while the 11-inch variant is expected to last 8-hours on full charge.
LA Times spelt out the physical dimensions, a major consideration for Chromebook buyers. The 13-inch variant weighs 3.09 pounds and would be available only in grey while the 11-inch device which measures 2.43 pounds, is expected to be available in white and black colors.
Samsung said that its second generation chromebooks are ideal for educators and adminstrators as it facilitates one-to-one learning programmes by featuring a centralized management system.
Mike Abary, Samsung's senior vice president of consumer IT product marketing at Samsung Electronics America said in a news release, "Since we introduced our first Chromebook in 2011, Samsung has been committed to continually developing our designs and features to meet our users' ever-changing needs, while staying true to the core Chromebook attributes of simplicity, speed and security."
