CTL Chromebook NL7T-360

Updated on June 5, 2026

CTL has ended new-unit production and now supplies the NL7T-360 only as refurbished units from its renewed product line. The Chrome OS Auto Update Expiration for this device is June 2027 per Google’s official Chrome Enterprise auto-update policy page, so a working unit keeps receiving Chrome OS security updates until that date.

The CTL Chromebook NL7T-360 launched in 2018 as part of CTL’s education-fleet NL7 series, built for K-12 classroom durability. The 11.6-inch IPS touchscreen sits behind Corning Gorilla Glass, the 360-degree hinge supports laptop / tent / stand / tablet modes, and CTL drop-tested the chassis from 70 cm. Sales ran almost exclusively through education and government channels (TD SYNNEX, Ingram Micro, direct district purchasing), and consumer retail availability was always limited.

One configuration sold, three sibling SKUs

CTL listed a single configuration: model number CTLNL7T, 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC, $249.99 list at launch. A chassis revision partway through the production run added a “stronger rear cover” that ran thicker and heavier; CTL’s own education spec sheet puts that later version at 2.8 lbs and 0.84 inches thick with a $355.95 institutional price. The dimensions listed above are the original 2018 launch figures, 2.49 lbs and 0.78 inches.

The broader NL7 line covered three sibling SKUs that all shared the same general chassis and Apollo Lake silicon:

All three SKUs sit on Google’s Chrome OS auto-update policy at the same June 2027 expiration date. CTL also sold an LTE-capable NL7 follow-on (the NL71 series, AUE June 2029) and later NL72 / NL73 generations with newer silicon and longer AUE windows.

Two charge-capable USB-C ports and no upgrade path

The Intel Celeron N3350 is the entry-level Apollo Lake dual-core part: 2 cores / 2 threads, 1.10 GHz base clock, 2.40 GHz Intel Burst boost, 6W TDP, with Intel HD Graphics 500 on the same die. It is a 2016-era SoC that aimed at low-power, fanless K-12 Chromebooks rather than performance. In practice it handles Chrome OS web workloads (Google Workspace for Education, classroom web apps, modest Android apps) at the 2-3 tab range with light slowdowns past five or six tabs, especially as web applications have grown more complex through the device’s support lifetime.

Memory is 4GB of soldered LPDDR4 in a single-rank configuration; the 32GB eMMC is also soldered. Neither is user-upgradable. The sealed chassis routes serviceable parts such as the battery and keyboard through CTL’s own warranty program instead of field upgrades.

The 2018 port selection leans on USB-C and leaves out video-out and wired networking:

• 2x USB Type-C (both charge-capable): unusual at this price point in 2018 and useful because schools could deploy a single USB-C charging cart and not worry about cable orientation
• 2x USB Type-A 3.0: standard education-class peripheral ports
• microSD card slot: the primary storage expansion path past the 32GB eMMC
• Combo 3.5mm headphone / microphone jack
• No HDMI: display output runs through USB-C with DisplayPort Alt Mode
• No Ethernet jack: schools wanting wired networking attach a USB Ethernet adapter to one of the USB-A or USB-C ports

Wireless is an Intel Dual Band 3265 module: 2x2 802.11ac on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz with Bluetooth 4.0. That is a reasonable 2018 spec; the lack of Wi-Fi 6 was expected at the price point.

The chassis has a water-resistant keyboard, reinforced ports, reinforced hinges, and a reinforced power plug. CTL rated the unit with a drop-test rating from 70 cm (a typical school-desk fall) and Corning Gorilla Glass over the touchscreen. Two HD cameras sit on the device, a 1MP front-facing camera for video conferencing and a 5MP rear camera for hands-on science and inquiry activities, which is how CTL pitched it to science classes. The newer-revision chassis adds a retractable carrying handle on the rear edge for students moving between classes.

The fanless design makes the unit silent. The 6W N3350 does not need active cooling, and the closed chassis without a fan vent reduces dust ingress in long-term classroom deployment.

CTL rated the device for up to 12 hours of battery life under their own test profile. Real-world battery on a well-aged unit in 2026 will land lower depending on the specific cells in the SKU and how often the device has been charged.

Press reviews are scarce because CTL sells to districts

CTL is a Beaverton, Oregon-based education-channel OEM rather than a retail consumer brand. It sells into K-12 and higher-ed IT procurement: dedicated account managers, custom warranty and accidental-damage programs, two-way RMA shipping, in-house US-based support, and bulk-deploy / repair-credit programs (CTL even runs a student Chromebook repair training program that uses real units as teaching hardware). Professional consumer-press reviews of CTL devices are essentially nonexistent as a result, because the addressable buyer is a school district IT director, not a TechRadar reader.

New-unit production ended; Chrome OS updates still run through June 2027, and CTL’s catalog now pairs the Certified Renewed NL7T-360 with the more recent NL71, NL72, and NL73 generations.

Chrome OS updates stop in June 2027

Google extended the NL7T-360 / NL7TW-360 date past the original 2024 estimate to June 2027 as part of the broader 2023 Chrome OS extended-support expansion.

• Until June 2027, the device continues to receive Chrome OS security updates and feature releases on the standard Chrome OS update channel.
• After June 2027 the device stops receiving updates. The hardware still boots and Chrome still loads, but the frozen Chrome version no longer ships patches for newly disclosed vulnerabilities, and an increasing list of web platform features falls out of support.

A school district that bought these in 2018 / 2019 can refresh before June 2027 or coast on the existing fleet until support expires. Both paths are reasonable, and CTL’s own product roadmap (NL71, NL72, NL73) gives a direct in-channel upgrade path.

An individual owner who picked one up after a district refresh cycle has the same two options as with any AUE Apollo Lake Chromebook: keep the device on a constrained, trusted-network workload such as a kids’ first browser or a guest-network kiosk, or reflash it. The Apollo Lake CORAL / CANDY firmware family is supported by the MrChromebox firmware utility; a school IT department or a hobbyist owner can flash a UEFI / coreboot firmware and install a current Linux distribution after removing the write-protect screw. The 32GB eMMC is tight for a desktop Linux install, so an SD card or USB drive is effectively required for working storage.

Strengths and weaknesses

CTL Chromebook NL7T-360 Comparison Chart

	CTL Chromebook NL7T-360
Price	List Price: $249.99 Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon
Model number	CTLNL7T
Performance Rating	2.8
Chromebook Plus	No
Processor	Dual-core 1.10 Ghz (max 2.40 Ghz) Intel Celeron N3350
RAM	4 GB
Internal Storage	32 GB eMMC
Screen Size	11.6"
Screen Resolution	1366x768
Screen Type	IPS
Touch Screen	Yes
Stylus / Pen	No Stylus Support
Dimensions width x length x thickness	12.13 x 8.27 x 0.78 inches (308.1 x 210.06 x 19.81 mm)
Weight	2.49 lbs (1.13 kg)
Backlit Keyboard	No
Webcam	HD
WiFi	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2x2)
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 4.0
Ethernet	No
Cellular Modem	No
HDMI	No HDMI
USB Ports	2 USB 3, 2 USB-C
Thunderbolt Ports	No
Card Reader	microSD Card Reader
Battery	unknown
Battery Life	12.0 hours
Fanless	Yes
Auto Update Expiration Date	June, 2027

If you are weighing options across the current Chromebook lineup, the Chromebook Comparison Chart lets you sort and filter specs side by side.

Frequently asked questions

Q: When does the CTL Chromebook NL7T-360 reach end of life?

A: Google’s Chrome Enterprise & Education auto-update policy lists the Chromebook NL7T-360 / NL7TW-360 at June 2027 (extended from the original Apollo Lake date). Until then the device continues to receive Chrome OS security updates and feature releases.

Q: Is the CTL Chromebook NL7T-360 still sold new?

A: No. CTL has retired the SKU from new-unit production. CTL still sells it as a Certified Renewed product through their refurbished line. Schools or buyers looking for a current CTL Chromebook should look at the NL71, NL72, or NL73 generations with longer AUE windows.

Q: What processor does the CTL Chromebook NL7T-360 have?

A: The CTL Chromebook NL7T-360 uses the Intel Celeron N3350, an Apollo Lake dual-core SoC with a 1.10 GHz base clock, a 2.40 GHz Intel Burst boost, and Intel HD Graphics 500 on-die. The chip is fanless at its 6 W TDP.

Q: Is the CTL Chromebook NL7T-360 a touchscreen?

A: Yes. The 11.6-inch IPS panel is a 10-point multi-touch touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass. Combined with the 360-degree hinge, the device can be used in laptop, tent, stand, and tablet modes.

Q: What is the battery life of the CTL Chromebook NL7T-360?

A: CTL rated the NL7T-360 for up to 12 hours on their test profile. Real-world battery on an aged classroom unit in 2026 lands lower depending on screen brightness, workload, and battery cycle count. The battery is field-serviceable through CTL’s standard repair program.

Q: Can you expand storage on the CTL Chromebook NL7T-360?

A: The 32GB internal eMMC is soldered and not upgradeable. The microSD card slot is the primary expansion path; an SD card can be mounted as the Linux home directory under the Linux container or as bulk storage for downloaded files.

Q: What is the difference between the CTL NL7T-360 and NL7TW-360?

A: Both are 360-degree convertible touchscreens on the same Apollo Lake platform. The NL7T-360 has the entry-level Intel Celeron N3350; the NL7TW-360 ships with the slightly faster Intel Celeron N3450 (4 cores instead of 2) and adds Wacom EMR stylus support for drawing and digital note-taking. Both share the same June 2027 Google AUE.

Q: Can I install Linux on a CTL Chromebook NL7T-360?

A: Yes, but with caveats. The Apollo Lake platform on the N3350 is in the CORAL / CANDY firmware-target family supported by the MrChromebox firmware utility, which means an owner can flash a UEFI or coreboot firmware after removing the write-protect screw and install a current Linux distribution. The 32GB eMMC is small for a full desktop Linux install, so an SD card or external USB drive for working storage is effectively required. None of this is officially supported by CTL or Google.