Acer Chromebook R13 was unveiled in September as one of the first 64-bit ARM Chromebook. Based on Mediatek MT8173C quad core Cortex A72/A53 processor with 4GB RAM, the “Chromebook” now ships in three variants running either Chrome OS as expected, but also Windows 10 Home.
All three models share the same specifications, except for storage and operating system options:
- SoC – Mediatek M8173C quad core processor with 2x ARM Cortex A72 cores @ up to 2.1 GHz, 2x ARM Cortex A53 cores, and a PowerVR GX6250 GPU
- System Memory – 4GB LPDDR3 RAM
- Storage
- CB5-312T-K8Z9 / K6TF – 32 GB eMMC flash + micro SD slot
- CB5-312T-K0YQ- 64GB eMMC flash + micro SD slot
- Display – 13.3″ touchscreen IPS LED display; 1920×1080 resolution; 10-point touch; 360-degree hinge design
- Audio – Integrated microphone, dual built-in speakers, microphone and headphone jacks
- Video Output – HDMI
- Camera – HD webcam (1280×720 resolution) with HDR and 720p HD audio/video recording
- Wireless Connectivity – 2×2 MIMO 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0
- USB – 1x USB 3.0 port, 1x USB 3.1 type C port for data, video, and power
- User Input – Touchpad and keyboard
- Battery – 4670 mAh LiPo battery good for up to 12 hours
- Power Supply – 45W max
- Dimensions – 326 x 228 x 15.5 mm
- Weight – 1.49kg
The official prices listed on Acer website for the three models above are respectively $399.99, $429.99 (64GB storage), and $399.99 (Windows 10 Home), but CB5-312T-K8Z9 (32GB + Chrome OS) model is now on sale on BestBuy for $349, while the 64GB model is sold for $439.99 on TigerDirect, and CB5-312T-K6TF Windows 10 “ChromeBook” goes for $407.99 on TigerDirect.
Thanks to Martin for the tip.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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how can Windows 10 home run on ARM???
@natsu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_GlGglbu1U
Windows 10 on an ARM CPU?! I know that that is (rumored to be) in the works for 2017, but now already hardware?!
Cool it’s already there!
@Sander
I thought it might be an error too, but if you go to acer website and compare CB5-312T-K8Z9 with / CB5-312T-K6TF, the hardware specifications are exactly the same. The only difference is the OS.
That video talks about Windows 10 on “Qualcomm Snapdragon”. The Acer Chromebook is a “MediaTek M8173C”, which apparently can run Windows 10 too (assuming the Acer site is not a typo).
Very interesting!
am I the only one who automatically recoils when I see or hear “mediatek”?
Regarding Windows on Arm, I’ve told you that “they” were not sleeping. 😉
But considering you can get a Intel one with similar specs for about 200€ (without touchscreen?), this is quite expensive, no?
So, the big question, is this Mediatek so much good than the Intel chips, that justifies this price?
No, Meditek makes me cringe
but it won’t run x86 software or drivers, even Office…
@Paul M
mediatek seems fine in a Amazon Fire TV
Quote ” More processing power is needed for 4K video, so Amazon has upgraded the processor to a 64-bit Mediatek quad-core chip which it says is 75 percent faster than the Qualcomm Snapdragon in the previous model. It also has more powerful graphics, although the PowerVR GX6250 chip is no match for the graphics chip in the iPad Air 2, to give you some context. ” source http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/review/set-top-boxes-on-demand-tv/amazon-fire-tv-review-4k-alexa-update-3586697/
Not a chromebook but why look down on mediatek?
@JotaMG
The 200 euro chromebooks host the lowest of the lowest Atoms – this A72 should outclass them in all categories. Now, the CeleronU chromebooks – those are serious. But hey, at least people have choice now! I, for one, am considering this Acer as my next linux notebook (my old Acer has its retirement pending). As re Mediatek – they are among the two early adopters of Arm Holdings designs (along with Huawei) – I’m currently using a BQ M10 ubuntu tablet, and the MT SoC there appears to have a better RAM controller than Rockchip’s equivalent: https://github.com/blu/gemm#results
@TC
It contains emulation code and 32 bit x86 apps are supposed to execute. Nothing new, other hardware vendors did the same, just check what Apple did 11 years ago (visiting the wikipedia page for ‘QuickTransit’ should give the idea).
No it’s slower than any atom at least as far back as the z3xxx, especially when running existing apps/games… not to mention current gen atoms, err sorry they’re called celeron N3350 & pentium N4200 these days…
but while the intel soc’s are far better, they are far more expensive (at least current gen ones)…
does that powervr gpu on the mediatek even do full directx/opengl?
@JotaMG
(My other comment seems to be gone, so here’s another try):
Yes, very expensive indeed.
I’m typing this on my 219 Euro (incl VAT) HP Stream 13 with Celeron N2840. So I don’t understand why one should spend 399 USD on an ARM Chromebook/Win10-laptop.
@TC
“but it won’t run x86 software or drivers, even Office…”
I does run x86 software via an emulator. And I guess that if MIcrosoft releases an Windows10 for ARMv8, that they will also release an Office for ARMv8.
Drivers are more interesting: the laptop will have the drivers it needs for its own hardware, but what happens when you connect a random external device (like a mouse or printer) to the ARM laptop …
(what’s with comments not showing up?)
@Sander
An A72 core @ 2.5GHz outclasses an N2840 core (2.58GHz) in every possible way:
https://browser.primatelabs.com/v4/cpu/compare/1461289?baseline=1450241
Mouse / USB-HID is pretty generic, it could just use the Lumia’s WinMobile drivers
but i’m kinda sure it would not like the bit old printer i have or the dvb-c tuner 😉
I’d buy one if it came Windows-free. Is there going to be a Linux version?
Windows 10 mobile like hp x3
Snapdragon…
windows 10 on raspberry pi will probably follow this year
@blu
Of course it is faster but it is not a Mediatek, it’s a 8-core HiSilicon Kirin 955 (4×2.5 GHz Cortex-A72 & 4×1.8 GHz Cortex-A53).
It’s like comparing wine to champagne.
@JotaMG
I brought it up for as a single-core comparison (which I thought I had made clear, apologies if that wasn’t the case). That comparison is clearly not in favor of the Silvermont. The Mediatek in this chromebook has two A72 (stock Arm Holdings design) @ 2.1 GHz and a pair of A53s. You can scale the single-core Kirin score by 21 / 25 -ths to see how the Silvermont continues to underwhelm.
@bob
Waiting for Windowz 10 on a Arduino uno r3. However Microsoft are struggling to impliment the blue screen of death, since Arduino uno r3 has no display.
@theguyuk
Brealing news! It seems Microsoft may kill the blue screen of death, and replace it with the green screen of death instead.
http://betanews.com/2016/12/29/gsod-windows-10-green-screen-of-death/
@Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)
🙂 🙂 🙂