San Jose, Calif. — Acer America introduced Thursday its new compact Chromebox CXI series targeting the education, small- to medium-business and budget-conscious user markets.
The line is said to continue on the foundation of the company’s popular C7 Chromebook series, while offering customers who don’t require a mobile platform but want to leverage the value and security of the Google Chrome ecosystem.
The Acer Chromebox CXI features a boot-up time of 8 seconds and nearly instant resumption of power from sleep mode.
It measures 6.51 inches by 5.12 inches by 1.3 inches, includes a built-in 16GB solid-state drive. The 0.6 liter chassis stands upright, is VESA mountable, and can be placed on the back of a monitor.
Acer said the compact design is one of the smallest available.
Acer is offering two Chromebox CXI models, both of which will be available in late September. The CXI-2GKM ($179 suggested retail) includes 2GB of memory and the CXI-4GKM ($219) includes 4GB.
Key features include a powerwash option that enables all local data to be cleared quickly and easily; dual display support via HDMI and DisplayPort; four USB 3.0 ports with two offering power-off charging for smartphones and tablets; and powerful security via built-in Google virus protection and Trusted Platform Module (TPM 1.2).
The Chromebox CXI models are powered by an Intel Celeron 2957U processor based on the Intel Haswell micro-architecture.
It also features support of up to 4GB of DDR3 1600Mhz memory and Intel HD graphics.
Wireless connectivity is supported via 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and Gigabit Ethernet.
Four USB 3.0 ports include two with power off charging for smartphones and tablets.
Other media and files can be accessed through the SD card reader that supports up to a 32GB SD card.
A combo audio jack is provided for microphone and headset connections, while a LAN port enables a wired network connection.
The systems are bundled with a VESA mount kit and a Google approved USB keyboard and mouse.
Both models are powered by a 65-watt AC adapter.
IT professionals are able to control a network of Chromeboxes via the web-based Google Management Console, which makes it possible to deploy an app from one to thousands of Chrome-based devices with a single click of a button.
The OS and all downloaded applications are automatically updated every six weeks.
