Acer's new TravelMate Spin B1 is a rugged convertible for the classroom

Acer has unveiled the TravelMate Spin B1, a rugged convertible laptop built with the education market in mind. Built to sustain the potential rigors of classroom use, the TravelMate Spin B1 packs a pressure-resistant screen and a spill-resistant keyboard. The laptop can also withstand a bump or two thanks to its rubber bumper.

Aside from its durability clout, the TravelMate Spin is intended to be fairly portable (despite its bulk) with an 11.6-inch display. The screen can also rotate 360-degrees, allowing students and teachers to set the laptop up in tent, tablet or stand modes. There's also stylus support on board, meaning students can dive in and start taking notes or drawing by hand.

On the inside, the laptop is a fairly understated affair with Intel Pentium processors and integrated graphics. Battery life, however, is pretty impressive, at an estimated 13 hours. The rest of the specs are a bit of a mystery at the moment, with Acer only stating that they "will vary by region."

The Acer TravelMate Spin B1 is set to go on sale for education and commercial customers in the U.S. and Canada in Q2 2017 at an undisclosed price.

Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl