We’ve been waiting quite some time for this to show up, but I’m happy to report that as of today, the new Acer Chromebook Spin 513 and it’s Snapdragon 7c processor are ready to order – at least for some. For now, the Acer Spin 513 that rocks the yet-unproved Qualcomm ARM processor is now available for our friends in the UK for purchase with a delivery time-frame of 1-4 days. This isn’t a pre-order or reservation: this is full retail availability.
For now, there’s no indication of when this will trickle down to other regions like the USA, but if we look at past releases where Chromebooks appear in the UK first, it isn’t long after that USA availability follows. With Chromebooks having their largest market here in the States, it usually doesn’t take long for devices to get released here after they show up elsewhere.
For now, however, we have a few details that – thanks to a keen eye by Kevin Tofel over at About Chromebooks – we need to point out with this particular Chromebook. First, the price of £399.99 likely indicates that this particular configuration will end up being $399 when this hits the USA. Second, the configuration listed is definitely the lower-end, entry-level trim with only 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. I’d expect at least a $100 price hike to get the 8GB/128GB version we had hands-on time with back at the end of 2020. Finally, this model also comes without LTE as that is saved for the higher-priced models.
From our hands-on with a very pre-production model, I can at least attest to the solid screen, smooth trackpad, good keyboard, and the thin/light build all being high points with this Chromebook. How the Snapdragon 7c will perform is still a bit of a mystery right now that we’ll reserve commenting on until we have a production-ready model in the office. On paper, the Snapdragon 7c should be a solid performer, but benchmarks and numbers only tell half the story. Real-world use is the actual test, and we just don’t know much at this time.
I’m hopeful that we’ll see this Chromebook hit the rest of Acer’s stores and other retail outlets soon and even more hopeful that the 8GB/128GB models with LTE become part of the conversation as well. With what should be stellar battery life and a supremely light/thin body, the Acer Spin 513 could be a fantastic device if Google and Acer can work out any kinks in the Qualcomm Snapdragon formula for Chrome OS. Chromebooks need a win in the ARM chip department and I’m hopeful that devices like this one and the upcoming ‘Coachz’ will deliver.
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