CTL Chromebook NL7TW-360

Updated on February 4, 2026

The CTL Chromebook NL7TW-360 was designed with a singular purpose: surviving the demanding environment of K-12 classrooms while providing students with a capable learning tool. Released in 2018, this 11.6-inch convertible Chromebook combined the Intel Celeron N3450 processor with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of eMMC storage, delivering the essentials for Google Classroom, web-based learning, and educational apps. What set the NL7TW-360 apart from other budget education Chromebooks was its Wacom EMR stylus support, allowing students to write and draw directly on the IPS touchscreen without an active stylus battery. The 360-degree hinge enabled tablet, tent, and stand modes for different classroom activities, while the fanless design ensured completely silent operation during tests and quiet study periods. Though Chrome OS support ended in November 2023, the NL7TW-360 served many schools well during its supported lifespan and helped establish CTL as a credible player in the education Chromebook market.

CTL Chromebook NL7TW-360 Comparison Chart

	CTL Chromebook NL7TW-360
Price	List Price: $379.00 Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon
Model number	NL7TW-360
Perfomance Rating	2.7
Chromebook Plus	No
Processor	Quad-core 1.10 Ghz (max 2.20 Ghz) Intel Celeron Processor N3450
RAM	4 GB
Internal Storage	32 GB eMMC
Screen Size	11.6"
Screen Resolution	1366x768
Screen Type	IPS
Touch Screen	Yes
Stylus / Pen	Supported
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	2.8 lbs (1.27 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	1 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	November, 2023

A Look Back at the CTL Chromebook NL7TW-360

CTL, a company that has long focused on providing technology solutions for schools, positioned the NL7TW-360 as a premium option in the education Chromebook market. The device’s standout feature was its Wacom EMR (Electro-Magnetic Resonance) digitizer, which allowed students to use a passive stylus for writing and drawing directly on screen. Unlike active styluses that require batteries or charging, EMR pens draw power from the display itself, making them effectively maintenance-free. This technology proved particularly valuable for elementary students learning to write, math students showing their work, and science students diagramming experiments. The included stylus slot in the chassis meant students were less likely to lose their pens, addressing a common frustration in 1:1 device programs.

Under the hood, the Intel Celeron N3450 provided four cores running at a base clock of 1.1GHz with burst speeds up to 2.2GHz. This Apollo Lake processor delivered adequate performance for the target use case of web browsing, Google Docs, educational apps, and video playback. The 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM paired reasonably with Chrome OS’s efficient memory management, though teachers and IT administrators noted that heavy multitasking with many tabs could slow the device noticeably. The 32GB eMMC storage matched typical education Chromebook configurations, with the microSD card slot offering expandable storage for students who needed to store offline files. The fanless thermal design meant no moving parts to fail and silent operation that teachers appreciated during testing periods.

The 11.6-inch IPS touchscreen represented an upgrade over the TN panels found in many competing education Chromebooks at the time. The 1366x768 resolution wasn’t exceptional, but the IPS technology provided significantly better viewing angles, important when students huddled around a single device for group work or when teachers looked at screens from various angles during classroom rounds. The 360-degree hinge enabled the device to fold completely flat into tablet mode, prop up in tent mode for watching educational videos, or stand in presentation mode for sharing work. Build quality emphasized durability over aesthetics, with reinforced corners, a spill-resistant keyboard design, and a sturdy plastic chassis that could handle drops and bumps typical of student use.

Connectivity options covered the essentials without excess. Two USB-C ports supported charging, data transfer, and DisplayPort output for connecting to classroom projectors or monitors. A single USB 3.0 Type-A port accommodated legacy peripherals like mice and flash drives. The 802.11ac WiFi with 2x2 MIMO provided reliable wireless connectivity, while Bluetooth 4.0 handled wireless peripherals, though wired networking required a USB Ethernet adapter. The HD webcam and integrated microphone enabled video conferencing for remote learning sessions that became unexpectedly critical during the years following the device’s release. Battery life claims of 12 hours proved optimistic but not unrealistic, with real-world education use typically yielding 8-10 hours depending on screen brightness and workload.

What Reviewers Said About the CTL Chromebook NL7TW-360

The Android Police review, titled “A decent Chromebook for clumsy students,” captured the essence of the NL7TW-360’s value proposition. Reviewer Corbin Davenport noted that while the device wasn’t going to win any performance awards, it delivered exactly what schools needed: a durable, functional Chromebook with useful features like stylus support. The EMR digitizer received particular praise for enabling natural handwriting without the complexity of active stylus management. The review acknowledged the trade-offs inherent in education-focused devices: the display was adequate rather than impressive, the processor handled basic tasks well but struggled under load, and the build prioritized durability over sleekness.

The limited review coverage reflected CTL’s business model rather than product quality. Unlike consumer-focused manufacturers like Acer, HP, or Lenovo who court tech reviewers, CTL sells primarily through education channels directly to schools and districts. This B2B focus meant fewer traditional tech reviews but more word-of-mouth reputation building among IT administrators and teachers. Those who encountered the NL7TW-360 in professional education contexts generally found it a reliable workhorse that justified its price point through durability and the unique EMR stylus capability that few competitors offered at the time.

The CTL Chromebook NL7TW-360’s Place in Education History

The NL7TW-360 represented an interesting moment in the evolution of education Chromebooks. Released in 2018, it predated both the explosion of remote learning during the pandemic and the introduction of the Chromebook Plus certification that would later raise baseline expectations for Chrome OS devices. CTL positioned the device as a premium education option with features like EMR stylus support that larger manufacturers hadn’t yet standardized. The success of devices like the NL7TW-360 demonstrated that schools would pay for meaningful differentiators, paving the way for stylus support becoming more common across the education Chromebook market.

Chrome OS support for the NL7TW-360 ended in November 2023, following Google’s standard Auto Update Expiration policy that provided roughly 6.5 years of updates from release. Schools that deployed these devices got substantial use from their investment, though the end of support means remaining units should no longer be used for activities requiring current security updates. For institutions that still have NL7TW-360 units, options include repurposing them for offline-only tasks, converting them to Linux machines via developer mode, or responsibly recycling them. The device’s legacy lives on in the higher expectations schools now have for education Chromebooks, with stylus support and convertible designs becoming increasingly standard features in the category CTL helped pioneer.

Frequently Asked Questions