Dell announced Thursday that it is launching a new 11-inch Chromebook that will be geared towards student use.

The affordable and durable machines come with improvements from prior Chromebooks.

9to5Google reports the new model will have an 11-inch screen displaying a 1366 x 768 resolution. While that resolution is not very impressive, it is the other features that make this laptop worthwhile.

The durability of the new Chromebook sets it apart from other devices. The keyboard and touchpad will both be protected from spills, and the hard plastic will be able to withstand drops in the classroom.

Starting at just $249 for the base model, students will get 16 GB of flash storage and 2 GB of RAM. For just $299, the computer can be upgraded to 4 GB of RAM. The final price point of $329 gives students a touchscreen.

The Chromebooks will be powered by an Intel Bay Trail-M Celeron processor running at 2.16 GHz. This processor will make the Chromebooks capable of running Chrome's operating system Chrome OS.

The hinge on the new Chromebook will also be an important feature. The hinge will be able to support up to 180 degrees of bend, meaning the laptop can be displayed flat on a desk or the floor so multiple students can see it.

A special "activity light" will display seven different colored LED lights that can be customized by the user. This could be a good way of dividing classmates into teams or when a student has a question they can signal the teacher with an LED light.

The quality of the speakers will be much better than in previous Chromebooks.

According to the press release, the new Chromebooks will also offer an HD video webcam that will allow for web chat between students.

Dell has recently seen its Chromebook business explode.

"In Chromebook sales, we shipped something like 3 times more than projected," the company said.

Related