syn_anandtech: Acer Unveils TravelMate B3 Notebook & Convertible: 11.6-Inch LCD & Gemini Lake Refresh

Acer Unveils TravelMate B3 Notebook & Convertible: 11.6-Inch LCD & Gemini Lake Refresh

Alongside their new Chromebooks, Acer has also revealed a new set of inexpensive Windows laptops aimed at students. Powered by Intel’s Gemini Lake SoCs, Acer’s TravelMate B3 will be available in clamshell and convertible form-factors to satisfy different needs.

Acer’s TravelMate B3 machines use a rugged chassis made of plastic that is said to be impact resistant and therefore tough enough for educational environments. The mobile PCs are equipped with a 11.6-inch, 16:9 aspect ratio IPS display, with Acer offering either a 1366x768 or 1920x1080 resolution panel depending on SKU. Meanwhile, with a 20.95 mm z-height and at up to 1.49 kilograms weight the computers are clearly designed for longevity and durability over portability.

As noted above, the TravelMate B3 machines will be available in two form factors. The clamshell model will be sold as the TravelMate B3, while the convertible will be sold under Acer's Spin sub-brand as the TravelMate B3 Spin. Both portables are based on Intel’s low-power quad-core Gemini Lake Refresh SoC, and are accompanied by 4 GB or 8 GB of DDR4 memory as well as 64 GB, 128 GB, or 256 GB NAND flash storage.

As far as I/O features are concerned, the new Acer TravelMate B3 PCs feature Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5, GbE, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A and Type-C, HDMI, microSD, a 3.5-mm combo audio jack, a webcam, a microphone array, and speakers.

According to the manufacturer, the TravelMate B3s can work for up to 12 hours on one charge (based on MobileMark 2014 testing), which should be enough for one day in classes.

Acer’s TravelMate B3 & TravelMate Spin B3
		TravelMate B3 (B311-31)	TravelMate Spin B3 HD (B311R-31)	TravelMate Spin B3 Full-HD (B311RN-31)
Display	Diagonal	11.6" IPS	11.6" IPS with touch
	Resolution	1366×768		1920×1080
	Brightness	? cd/m²	? cd/m²	? cd/m²
CPU		Intel Celeron dual-core N4020 Intel Celeron quad-core N4120 Intel Pentium Silver quad-core N5030
Graphics		Intel UHD 600/605 Graphics
RAM		4 GB or 8 GB DDR4
Storage		64 GB eMMC 128 GB eMMC 128 GB NVMe SSD 256 GB NVMe SSD
Wi-Fi		Wi-Fi 5
Bluetooth		Bluetooth 5.0
WWAN		-	-	-
GbE		+	+	+
USB		2 × USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C 1 × USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
Camera		720p webcam
Other I/O		microSD, TRRS connector for audio, speakers, microphones
Battery		48 Wh
Dimensions	Thickness	20.95 mm \| 0.82 inches
	Width	295 mm \| 11.61 inches
	Depth	215 mm \| 8.46 inches	212 mm \| 8.35 inches
Weight		1.4 kilograms \| 3.08 pounds	1.49 kilograms\| 3.28 pounds
Battery Life		12 hours
Price (starting at)		$239	$329

Acer’s TravelMate B3 and TravelMate Spin B3 will be available this April starting at $239 and $329, respectively.