New Chromebooks

Students are often hard on their computer hardware—jamming them into backpacks as they rush to class, or throwing their school bag in the corner when they get home. To help Chromebooks stand-up to the casual punishment that students can mete out, Acer is introducing two new Chromebooks for the education market in February.

The Chromebook C740 and C910 have a number of special hardware features the company says will help the devices withstand punishment. Both laptops have reinforced covers that can endure up to 132 pounds of force, and the laptops' corners can withstand a fall of around a foot and a half. The clamshell hinges are reinforced against twisting and stress. The smaller-sized C740 also has extended metal hinges, which Acer says makes the device more rigid.

Why this matters: Chromebooks are a big hit in the education market and now Acer wants to improve its share of that market with promises of longer-lasting devices. Improving its laptop designs specifically for the education market is significant since it shows how important the Chromebook has become. The days when Chromebooks were simply half-baked versions of existing Windows laptops are waning. Acer is also paying attention to the regular consumer world too with the fancy—and large—Chromebook 15 (pictured above) announced during CES.