This may not seem like a monumental triumph but those OEMs that place only one of each port are shooting themselves in the foot. With HDMI quickly making its way to the graveyard, having the extra USB-C port for connectivity is a plus while keeping two USB-A ports is handy for the many peripherals found around the classroom. When you look at the I/O of the NL72, you’ll find standard fare for a Chromebook but CTL had the wherewithal to offer up two each of the USB-C and USB-A ports. The CTL does offer the ruggedness of a reinforced chassis but it’s sleek enough to carry about in one hand no differently than you would any other device. While I understand the need for a device that’s built like a tank in the classroom, that shouldn’t mean that wielding your laptop should feel as if you’re moving sheets of plywood. The NL72 seems to avoid both of those pitfalls. They are normally cheap and flimsy or as dense as a cinder block. My initial thought when I took the NL72 out of the box was “wow, this doesn’t feel like most EDU Chromebooks.” What I mean by that is, most EDU devices fall into one of two categories. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s dig into this device.

2 x USB-C Gen 1 with PD(power delivery).

First, let’s take a look at what the CTL Chromebook NL72 brings to the table. Instead, we’re going to take a look at what the new CTL Chromebook has to offer and what I think will be the pros and cons of buying this particular device. Pre-production models often lack the fit and finish of a retail unit and it wouldn’t be fair to place judgment based solely on a developmental product.

This won’t be a full review as the model I have is a pre-production unit and I want to make sure I give it a fair shake. Despite the ongoing hardware shortage, it appears that things are loosening up and we now have our hands on our first educational Chromebook powered by Intel’s latest Jasper Lake small core CPUs.ĬTL was kind enough to send over its latest rugged Chromebook and I’ve spent a little time with the 11.6″ clamshell so it’s time to take a closer look and see exactly what this drop-tested device has to offer. As quickly as many manufacturers could get new laptops imported, they were snatched up by schools and businesses that needed to bolster fleets for remote working and virtual learning. Even crazier, many institutions are still holding out for new Chromebooks after a massive supply shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s hard to believe but many schools are already planning their technology budgets for the next school year.

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