The new 11.6-incher features the same modest 1,366 x 768 resolution display and the same stitched faux leather lid, albeit in silver this time (an odd color choice if you’re going for the leather look). Much of the chassis has been reinforced with metal for added durability but the real changes are visible when you take a look under the hood.
Samsung has replaced its own Exynos 5 Octa processor with Intel’s Celeron N2840, a dual-core fanless chip with a base clock of 2.16GHz that can run at up to 2.58GHz. This energy-efficient chip allows users to squeeze an extra hour of battery life out of the machine for a total of nine hours per charge.
The Korean tech giant has also made the decision to cut back on the amount of RAM, from 4GB in the previous model to just 2GB now. It’s unclear if Sammy felt 4GB was overkill or if they’re just trying to cut costs here but it’s certainly worth pointing out.
Everything else – the touchpad, keyboard, Intel HD graphics, 16GB of internal storage, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 – is pretty much par for the course at $250.
An added bonus is access to live tech support via Google Helpouts. A dedicated support team will be on hand during weekday business hours to assist with hardware and Chrome OS questions – something that’ll no doubt be an asset for those who aren’t exactly computer savvy.
The refreshed 11.6-inch Samsung Chromebook 2 is now available for pre-orderand will begin shipping next week.
