Acer has upped the ante with its Chromebook offerings, this time coming up with a version built around a fourth gen Intel Core i3 chip. This applies to the C720 Chromebook from Acer. The Taiwanese manufacturer is claiming this to be the first Chromebook to feature a Core i3 chip. This would mark a big upgrade for the C720 Chromebook that earlier came powered by an Intel Celeron processor.

The rest of the spec sheet reads 2 GB and 4 GB RAM for the two C720 versions - C720 -3871 and C720-3404 respectively. That apart, both comes with 32 GB of memory along with integrated Wi-Fi, a HD webcam and a microphone. Further, a 11.6-inch HD display having a resolution of 1,366 x 768 pixels is common to both the versions. Acer is also claiming 8.5 hours of battery life, which it must be said is good enough, as revealed in PC Mag.

The existing C720 featuring an Intel Celeron processor has been found to deliver about 6.5 hours of usage time.

Both the models have been listed at Amazon with the C720 -3871 being the cheaper, priced as it is at $349.99. Similarly, the higher end C720-3404 offering twice the memory comes for $379.99. However, Acer has limited the availability of both the Chromebook versions in Canada and USA right now, as mentioned in PC World. Acer is yet to reveal when the Chromebooks will be made available across the world, reports PC World

Google has launched Chromebooks as a low cost computing platform for everyday use. These run the Chrome OS, a relatively light weight web based operating system that run apps online. This negates the need to have high end devices that boasts of superior operating power. Traditional PC manufacturers jumped on the Chromebook bandwagon churning out relatively low power devices that are also high on affordability. Dell too has said they are in the process of coming up with a Chromebook powered by an Intel Core i3 chip, according to PC World.

However, the crème de la crème of the Chromebook offering happens to be the Chromebook Pixel from Google, as per ZDNet. The device powered by a Core i5 CPU boasts of class leading performance but costs a staggering $1,299.