I bought a certified refurbished one at only $186, and it is almost perfect at this price. The two points that I am not satisfied with are that the refurbished one does not come with free 100G google drive and that this model uses eMMC, so you can not upgrade the storage by yourself.
This model support Google App store. However, in the current version of Chrome OS (v58, stable channel), you have to do some tricks to enable it. I believe the Google App store will be officially supported in the next version of Chrome OS. Also, this model comes with 1080p support, but by default, the resolution is set to 1536x864. You have to change the setting by yourself.
### Update after 6 months:
This Chromebook is still my favorite one. I use this Chromebook for web browsing, Netflix, making slides, and programming. I do the programming on remote Linux machines. And the native terminal of Chromebook is good enough, though I have to use crouton for a better shell and a better environment. Also, the battery can last over 10 hours (sometimes over 12 hours, depends). Finally, since last month, Google Play store has been officially supported. No trick required for enabling Google Play anymore.
The only drawback for me is this Chromebook doesn't have a powerful CPU and GPU. I tried to install Steam (Linux version) and play some 3D games. Steam worked well, but the games didn't. Even the beginning animations of those 3D games cannot be smoothly displayed. But this laptop only costs $186, so nothing to complain.
### Update after 2 years and 6 months:
Still my favorite laptop when traveling. But I ditched Chrome OS and the factory firmware a long time ago. I installed some third-party firmware and Arch Linux on this Chromebook. It's awesome. Good looking and an all-metal body. And it's only $180 (when I purchased it in 2017). However I'm now moving to a more high-end ultrabook, so I think I can make a conclusion of this laptop now.
Pros:
1. After replacing the factory Chrome OS with Linux, the hardware spec is good enough for programmers who mainly work on remote machines. This machine is a perfect thin client.
2. The battery lasts very long. Even now it's 2.5 years old, it can still last over 10 hours or even more.
3. I like the typing experience with the keyboard.
4. It has a good value-cost ratio. Now Acer is still selling this model, and the price for a brand new one is probably less than $200.
Cons:
1. 4GB memory is not enough for modern days. When opening many tabs in a browser, memory runs out very quickly. I think it's because modern-day webpages consume more memory.
2. Memory and storage are non-upgradable.
3. The thick bezel is outdated now in 2019.
4. The screen brightness is not enough. I can not see anything on the screen if I sit next to a window or outdoors on a bright sunny day. Not sure the brightness is low from the beginning or it degrades along with its age.
| Standing screen display size | 14 Inches |
|---|---|
| Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
| Processor | 1.6 GHz celeron_n |
| RAM | 4 GB LPDDR3 |
| Memory Speed | 1.6 GHz |
| Hard Drive | 32 GB SSD |
| Graphics Coprocessor | Intel HD Graphics 400 |
| Chipset Brand | Intel |
| Card Description | Integrated |
| Wireless Type | 802.11n, 802.11b, 802.11g |
| Average Battery Life (in hours) | 12 Hours |
