Ultra-portable PCs upgrade to larger screens

It's a funny thing about computers. For years, the goal has been to make them smaller. Now tablets and Chromebooks—initially built to be super-portable—are getting larger.

One trend-setter was Toshiba, with its 15.6-inch Satellite Radius P55W-B5220 convertible laptop/tablet.

Lenovo is following suit at CES 2015. Its new Flex 3 convertible laptop comes in a typical 11-inch model, but there are also 14- and even 15-inch versions. All the Flex 3 models have a 360-degree hinge that allows you to twist them from laptop to tablet, and they feature Intel's latest Pentium and core processors. They'll be available in May, starting at $399 for the 11-inch, and $549 and $579 for the 14- and 15-inch models. No word yet on what they weigh.

Lenovo also launched a 14-inch Yoga 3 convertible laptop. Lenovo keeps the size down a bit, however, by enclosing it in a 13-inch chassis while increasing the screen real estate. (There's also an 11-inch version.) It'll be available in March starting at $979, and in a variety of colors including orange, silver, white, and black.

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Also trending larger are Chromebooks. The big idea behind Chromebooks was portability, and most have been in the 11.6- to 13-inch range, although HP has a 14-inch offering.

But Acer beats them all with its announcement of the first 15-inch Chromebook. It will use fifth-generation Intel processors. It keeps within the typical price range for Chromebooks, with a starting price of $249. But while its claimed battery life of eight hours is decent, other Chromebooks we've tested lasted longer—including another Acer model that ran for 17 hours.

—Donna Tapellini

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