I've mostly given up on using high-powered mobile hardware at this point, given the ease of use that browser-based RDPs like Chrome Remote Desktop offer (and my penchant for high-end desktop hardware), so I typically find myself looking to buy a new Chromebook every 1-2 years. This offering from Acer really knocked it out of the park for me, especially given the price point for a refurbished model (I was able to pick one up for $160, with zero signs of prior use).
Battery life is excellent, clocking in at 8+ hours in almost every usage scenario. With light use, I've gotten up to 12 on this thing. The display panel is not the nicest I've used, but does its job admirably, with a pleasant contrast ratio and overall good color accuracy. Touch functionality is a nice additional feature on this model, and I haven't had any issues with it so far. The primary draw to this model in my case was the backlit keyboard, as it is difficult to find this feature on a sub-$300 Chromebook, especially in tandem with several of the other features this model offers. The keyboard/backlighting is overall nothing to write home about (average Acer Chromebook island chiclet keys), but the system manages the backlight automatically (shutting it off after a short period of no input), and adjusting brightness is very easy. The backlighting is not as clean as what you'll find on a Macbook or other high-end mobile hardware, but is perfectly functional and a very welcome addition in my case. The processor is better than what you'll find in the majority of sub-$300 Chromebooks, and this in tandem with 4GB of RAM makes for a very capable web-based machine. The USB-C combination charge/display output ports are another feature I enjoy - I think most would be surprised at just how convenient something as overlooked as charge ports on both sides of a laptop can be.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that Google has begun to implement a Linux VM feature into Chrome OS, and while performance there is not quite what I'd hope, it is still nice to have the option to use applications like Atom and Steam locally.
Acer has generally been competent when I've had quality issues with their hardware in the past, and I expect that this will continue to be the case if I encounter any problems here. I'd wholeheartedly recommend this machine to anyone looking for this combination of features at a reasonable price point.
| Standing screen display size | 15.6 Inches |
|---|---|
| Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
| Max Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Pixels |
| Processor | 2.5 GHz pentium_n4200 |
| RAM | 4 GB LPDDR4 |
| Memory Speed | 2.5 GHz |
| Hard Drive | 32 GB SSD |
| Graphics Coprocessor | Intel HD Graphics |
| Chipset Brand | Intel |
| Card Description | Integrated |
| Wireless Type | 802.11ac |
| Number of USB 3.0 Ports | 4 |
| Average Battery Life (in hours) | 12 Hours |
