Samsung has announced the first laptop to run Google’s Chrome OS, but Acer is hot on its heels
Samsung and Acer have both announced they’ll be launching Chromebooks this summer – laptops running the Google Chrome operating system (OS).
Rather than store information locally on the laptop’s hard drive, the Google Chrome OS is cloud-based so software and documents are stored online.
Google Chrome OS
Find out more about Chrome OS in our Chrome OS preview
Samsung claims that this cloud-based form of operating system is safer, as only the Chromebook itself is lost when it is stolen or damaged rather than any sensitive documents.
Acer will also launch a 3G and wi-fi and a wi-fi only Chromebook this summer, but exact UK pricing is yet to be confimred
Samsung also claims that it improves the start up time of the devices, boasting that the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook can boot up in less than ten seconds.
Read our lab-based laptop reviews to see how Samsung and Acer laptops perform
Pricing and availability
The Samsung Series 5 Chromebook will be available in the UK on June 24. The 3G and wi-fi model will sell for around £400, while the wi-fi only version will sell for around £350.
There’s not yet any word on UK pricing or availability of the Acer Chromebooks.
Samsung and Acer Chromebook specification compared
| Samsung Series 5 Chromebook vs Acer Chromebook | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spec | Samsung Series 5 Chromebook | Acer Chromebook |
| Screen size | 12.1-inch | 11.6-inch |
| Screen resolution | 1280 x 800 | 1366 x 768 |
| Storage | 16GB SSD | 16GB SSD |
| Processor | Intel Atom 1.66Ghz Dual-Core | Intel Atom 1.66Ghz Dual-Core |
| Memory | 2GB | 2GB |
| Claimed battey life | 8.5 hours | 6 hours |
| Weight | 1.50kg | 1.35Kg |
| Web | 3G or 3G and wi-fi | 3G or 3G and wi-fi |
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