We’ve been waiting a while for it to appear, but I’m glad to report that the new Acer Chromebook Spin 513 and its Snapdragon 7c processor are ready to order from today – at least for some. The Acer Spin 513, launched by the as yet unproven Qualcomm ARM processor, is now available to our friends in the UK with a delivery time of 1-4 days. This is not a pre-order or booking: it’s full retail availability.
For now, there’s no indication of when it’s going to trickle down to other regions like the US, but if we look at previous releases where Chromebooks first appeared in the UK, it’s not long after that. Since Chromebooks have their largest market here in the United States, it usually does not take long for devices to be released here after arriving elsewhere.
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For now, though, we have some details we need to point out – with a view to Kevin Tofel on About Chromebooks – with this particular Chromebook. First, the price of £ 399.99 probably suggests that this particular configuration will eventually be $ 399 if it hits the US. Second, the configured configuration is definitely the lowest entry-level decoration with only 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage. I would expect at least a $ 100 price increase to get the 8GB / 128GB version we had practical time with by the end of 2020. Finally, this model also comes without LTE because it is saved for the cheaper models.
From our practical model with a very pre-production model, I can at least attest to the solid screen, the smooth trackpad, the good keyboard and the thin / light build, which are all highlights with this Chromebook. The way the Snapdragon 7c will perform is still a bit of a mystery we want to comment on until we have a production-ready model in the office. On paper, the Snapdragon 7c should play a good role, but metrics and numbers only tell half the story. Using the real world is the real test, and we do not know much at the moment.
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I’m hoping that this Chromebook will soon see the rest of Acer’s stores and other stores, and even more hope that the 8GB / 128GB models with LTE will also be part of the conversation. With excellent battery life and an extremely light / thin body, the Acer Spin 513 could be a fantastic device if Google and Acer could work out any twists in the Qualcomm Snapdragon formula for Chrome OS. Chromebooks need a win in the ARM chip section, and I’m hope devices like this and the upcoming ‘Coachz’ will deliver.
