Toshiba unveils a refreshed Chromebook 2

Toshiba has announced a upgraded version of of its popular Chromebook 2 laptop. The original Toshiba Chromebook 2 used an entry-level Intel Celeron N2840 SoC which didn't give it much performance.

The new Chromebook will feature either a 5th generation Intel Core i3 or Celeron processor- both geared towards performance. The other hardware will remain the same.

It sports 13.3-inch 1080p IPS display with wide viewing angles and gets a new LED-backlit keyboard. The Chromebook can be configured with up to 4GB RAM and houses 16GB storage.

Other features include WiFi 802.11ac, USB 3.0 & USB 2.0 ports, HDMI output, security lock slot and SD card reader. There are stereo front facing speakers tuned by Skullcandy, dual-array microphones and HD webcam. It boasts 8 hours of battery life on a single charge.

The new Toshiba Chromebook 2 is priced at $329.99 for the model with an Intel Celeron processor, or $429.99 for the Intel Core i3 variant. It will be available for purchase in October 2015 at participating retailers, as well as Toshiba's US website.