Slideshows

Acer Cranks Out $199 C7 Chromebook

The affordable laptop is available now through Google Play and Best Buy. By Rachel Cericola

November 21, 2012

Remember when laptops used to be super-pricey? Neither do we. Samsung recently broke the mold, releasing the Chromebook for $249. Still too rich for your blood? Say hello to the Acer C7 Chromebook, available now for a mere $199.

This laptop isn’t designed for uber storage. Instead, the C7 is more for those of you who like to work in the cloud. It packs in the power of Google’s Chrome operating system to deliver the Web, Gmail, social networking, and much more.

It isn’t some old-school, dinosaur computer, though. Weighing in at just 3.05 pounds with a chassis that’s 1-inch thin, the Acer C7 has an 11.6-inch HD widescreen CineCrystal LED-backlit LCD and can boot up in less than 18 seconds. It also promises instant access to all of your favorite apps with a single click. That’s assuming you can nail down a few favorites from the thousands offered through Chrome and the Chrome Web Store.

It also has an Intel Celeron 847 processor, 2GB of memory, a 320GB hard drive, and an integrated 1.3-megapixel webcam and microphone for photos and videoconferencing. Other highlights on the C7 include built-in security features, integrated 802.11b/g/n WiFi, a full-size keyboard and a fully clickable touchpad. The C7 even plays nice with other devices, thanks to an HDMI port, three USB 2.0 ports, and a card reader that supports SD and MMC formats.

“Today’s computer users are doing more online heightening the need for enhanced security, quicker online access, and an easy-to-use interface,” says Jim Wong, Acer’s corporate president. “The Acer C7 Chromebook provides all this at an affordable price, making it the right choice for families and students on a budget, as well as anyone who wants a new or second mobile PC for Web-based computing.”

Acer is selling the C7 now, via the Google Play store and Best Buy. That $199 MSRP includes 100GB of free Google Drive storage for the first two years. It also comes with a standard 1-year parts and parts and labor warranty, which can be extended to three with the optional Acer Advantage service.