ARTICLE – School Chromebooks don’t fail gracefully. They fail in a cart. That’s the difference, and it shows up fast.
Price: $499.99 to $579.99
Where to buy: ACER
Lids get slammed, keycaps disappear, and charger cables get yanked sideways at the worst angle. If you’ve ever watched a cart turn into a pile of repair tickets, you know specs only matter when they prevent the next break. Acer’s latest education Chromebooks lean into that reality, which is a smart, unglamorous pitch.
So the real question is: do these details actually make school rollouts less painful.
What Acer Announced
Acer’s announcing two 11.6 inch education Chromebooks built around MediaTek’s Kompanio 540 platform.
The Chromebook 311 is the clamshell, listed as C725 and C725T. The Chromebook Spin 311 is the convertible, listed as R725T, with a 360 degree hinge for tent and tablet style use.
The display spec stays consistent across the pair. Both models use an 11.6 inch LED backlit HD 1366 x 768 IPS panel, which is a familiar education pick because it’s practical and replaceable. Wide viewing angles still matter when students aren’t sitting perfectly centered.
Why Kompanio 540 Sits At The Center
Kompanio 540 is framed as the antidote to the classic ChromeOS slowdown moment. Tabs stack up. A video call starts. Then everything feels a beat late.
Instead of chasing benchmarks, Acer points to heavier classroom loads like STEM programs and Minecraft Education Edition. That’s a smart callout because it mirrors how students actually use school laptops, with web apps, media, and constant task switching.
Heat and power management is the quiet part of this story. Lower heat can reduce throttling, and lower power draw can stretch runtime, which keeps carts from turning into a scramble for outlets.
Battery life is listed at up to 15 hours, and fast charging is included as well. In school terms, that’s about getting through a full schedule and still having margin when devices rotate between classes. Fanless design is also part of the spec list, which keeps noise down and removes a failure point over time.
Durability And Repair Details
The durability headline is MIL STD 810H, with drop resistance listed up to 122 cm. That reads like a backpack slip scenario, not a gentle desk tap, which is exactly the kind of real damage schools care about.
Acer also lists an impact resistant exterior, shock absorbent bumpers, and an internal honeycomb design. Extra reinforcement is called out around the LCD panel and the I O ports, which tend to be the first places a cart life gets ugly.
Spill handling is part of the pitch too. The keyboard has a drainage system, and protection is rated up to 330 ml.
Repairability is treated like a speed issue, not a luxury. Acer says the keyboard can be removed by taking out two screws, and mechanically anchored keys are designed to be harder for students to pull off.
Ports, Cameras, And Wireless
Ports are straightforward, which is exactly what schools need. Acer lists two USB C ports with charging and DisplayPort support, two USB A ports, and a headphone speaker jack.
A dedicated Quick Insert key is also included for one touch access to tools, menus, and apps. That kind of shortcut can save real time in a room full of students, even if it sounds small on paper.
Camera specs are listed at a 1080p full HD front facing webcam with dual microphones, plus an optional world facing camera.
Wireless tops out at Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.3 is included. In a crowded classroom, stable connectivity can be the difference between a smooth lesson and a room full of waiting.
Pricing And Availability
Acer lists March 2026 availability across regions for both models. The Chromebook 311 starts at USD 499.99 in North America and EUR 329 in EMEA, with Australia also listed from March 2026.
For the Chromebook Spin 311, pricing starts at USD 579.99 in North America and EUR 379 in EMEA, with Australia again listed for March 2026.
Price: $499.99 to $579.99
Where to buy: ACER
Those numbers push schools toward a workflow decision more than a spec comparison. The clamshell fits shared carts and simpler use. The convertible makes more sense when tablet mode is actually part of the plan.
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$40.98 (as of January 22, 2026 17:24 GMT -06:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
