Samsung’s next Chromebook has broken cover, courtesy of pro device leaker @evleaks, and the Chrome OS-powered notebook has a familiar design trait that’s becoming a Samsung trademark: faux leather. Like the back of its new NotePRO and TabPRO Android tablets, the back of the lid of this new Chromebook appears to sport the leather look, with stitching around the edge (evleaks also uploaded a closer shot earlier on the contrast stitching detail).
This is also a style that Samsung has applied to its Note and Galaxy S5 smartphones, and appears to be gaining popularity with the Korean company. Depending on who you ask, that’s either a solid or a questionable decision – the look definitely has somewhat of a throwback vibe, and not necessarily to a better time. On the other hand, it could theoretically lend a luxe appeal to an otherwise fairly drab design, and at least it sets Samsung devices apart from the hardware of other OEMs.
There’s not much else to glean from this photo, save that it’ll have at least one USB port and one 3.5mm stereo jack, presumably for audio out. The Samsung Chromebook that exists currently (the Series 3 model) has an all-plastic case and was released in October 2012. At $249.99 it promised to be a supremely affordable computer with longish battery life and decent specs, but more recent releases from competitors outclass the aging notebook in almost every regard. It’s definitely due for an upgrade, and it looks like we won’t have long to wait for one to arrive.