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Acer’s new Chromebook 311 offers a military-grade build and easy repairs

With a military-grade build, fanless design, long battery life, and modular repairable parts, Acer's new Chromebook 311 models are built to survive classroom life.

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Acer Chromebook 311 featured image.
Acer

Acer has launched two new Chromebooks aimed primarily toward students: the Acer Chromebook 311 (C725) and the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 (R725T). These laptops are built for K-12 classrooms and institutional setups, where durability, low maintenance, and reliable performance matter more than flashy specifications.

Both models feature an 11.6-inch HD IPS display (with optional touch support) and TUV Rheinland-certified low-blue-light panels. Unlike the regular version, the Chromebook Spin 311 has a convertible screen that doubles as a tablet when required.

Rugged hardware made for K-12 realities

Under the hood, the panel is powered by the MediaTek Kompanio 540 octa-core processor, capable of handling everyday educational tasks and even more demanding apps like STEM tools and Minecraft Education Edition.

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The chipset is paired with up to 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB of eMMC storage. It also has a 1080p front-facing webcam with dual microphones, and an optional 5MP “world-facing” camera for capturing your notes or projects.

Out of the box, both notebooks run Google’s lightweight Chrome OS, which provides a familiar (Android-like) user interface and access to apps via the Google Play Store. Connectivity options on the Chromebooks include Wi-Fi 7 or Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth v5.3 or v5.2.

The Chromebooks also get serviceable I/O ports, including two USB-C ports (supports charging and DisplayPort), two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and a headphone/speaker jack. With a 45 Wh battery, the notebooks can last up to 15 hours between charges, though exact times may vary depending on usage.  

While these were the technical specifications, the Acer Chromebooks meet MIL-STD-810H testing standards. The company has used impact-resistant exterior, shock-absorbent bumpers, and an internal honeycomb structure to make the device drop-resistant (up to 1.2 meters).

There’s an additional bracket around the display panel and the I/O ports to withstand repeated plugging/unplugging, and a dedicated drainage system that channels liquid out of the device (it can handle spills of up to 330 ml).

Acer’s new Chromebooks should be available in North America by March 2026. While the Chromebook 311 will cost $499.99 for the baseline variant, the Chromebook Spin 311 could cost $579.99.

Shikhar Mehrotra
For more than five years, Shikhar has consistently simplified developments in the field of consumer tech and presented them…
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