Acer has unveiled two new rugged Chromebooks aimed at classrooms, with a focus on durability, long battery life and easy repairs rather than flashy specs.

The new models, the Acer Chromebook 311 and the convertible Chromebook Spin 311, are built for K–12 schools and education institutions, where devices need to survive daily knocks, spills and constant use.

Both feature an 11.6-inch HD IPS display with optional touch and low blue light certification, while the Spin model adds a 360-degree hinge so it can be used as a tablet for drawing, notes and presentations.

Under the hood, Acer is using MediaTek’s new Kompanio 540 octa-core processor, paired with up to 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 128GB of eMMC storage.

Acer says this is enough for everyday schoolwork as well as heavier apps used in STEM classes and tools like Minecraft Education Edition.

The Chromebooks are fanless for silent operation and run Chrome OS with access to Android apps via the Play Store.

Battery life is rated at up to 15 hours from a 45Wh battery. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.2 or 5.3. Ports include two USB-C ports (for charging and DisplayPort), two USB-A ports and a 3.5mm audio jack. There’s also a 1080p webcam with dual microphones, plus an optional 5MP “world-facing” camera.

Where these devices really differentiate is toughness.

Both meet MIL-STD-810H standards, with impact-resistant chassis, reinforced ports, spill-resistant keyboards with drainage (up to 330ml) and an internal structure designed to survive drops of up to 1.2 metres.

Importantly for school IT teams, key parts like keyboards and ports are designed to be easy to replace.

The new Chromebooks are due to launch in North America in March, starting at US$499.99 for the Chromebook 311 and US$579.99 for the Spin 311. Australian availability and pricing are yet to be confirmed.