Acer 133 R 13 64gb Multi-touch Chromebook Reviews

A chromebook makes a good alternative to an inexpensive Windows laptop for basic needs like discussion processing, online video watching, and Web surfing. While pricier than more basic chromebooks we've seen in the past, the $399.99 Acer Chromebook R thirteen (CB5-312T-K5X4) brings to the table more memory, more storage (with expandability), a full Hd screen, and generous bombardment life. And its convertible 2-in-1 functionality makes it more than flexible than a elementary clamshell laptop or tablet when watching movies or playing Web-based games.

Pattern and Features

The Chromebook R 13($340.00 at Amazon) looks similar a premium laptop, with a matte silver body that'south mostly aluminum and glass. It measures 0.61 by 12.83 past viii.93 inches (HWD) and weighs 3.25 pounds, making it smaller and lighter than the Acer Chromebook xiv($340.00 at Amazon), our latest top selection. Information technology has the usual multicolored Chrome logo on the lid, and it uses a single wide swivel rather than the dual hinges found on smaller convertible-hybrid laptops like the Acer Chromebook R 11($340.00 at Amazon) or the Lenovo Yoga 710 (11")($340.00 at Amazon).

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Thanks to that hinge, the screen tin can swing around into four modes. In addition to the familiar Laptop mode, at that place are three modes that give yous better admission to the touch screen: Brandish mode (with the keyboard facing down and the screen pointing outward), Tent style (the laptop standing upright on its edges), and Pad fashion (with the keyboard folded all the fashion back behind the display for use as a tablet). Brandish mode is especially good for watching online videos while eating a snack, or while you're in bed with the laptop perched on your chest.

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The chiclet-mode, non-backlit keyboard is a little stiff, simply easy to type on later a short familiarization period. Information technology retains the usual Chrome Os keys, such as Search instead of Caps Lock and the top row of role keys giving you Web navigation, brightness, and volume controls. The right Shift key is full size, something that's becoming rare on convertible laptops.

The 13.iii-inch screen has full Hard disk (i,920-by-1,080) resolution, so it can brandish 1080p videos natively, and the bottom-mounted speakers produce sound that's clear and loud enough to fill a small room. You can use the headset jack if yous need a more immersive sound environment. The headset jack is on the right side of the laptop, next to the volume controls, the power button, and a security lock port. The screen is a scrap glossy, and so its reflections could be distracting in bright environments; the brandish on the Acer Chromebook 14 has a matte cease.

Yous get 32GB of local flash storage, enough to go on a few documents handy when yous're offline, but that'southward nonetheless a bit tight when downloading more a couple of videos. To assist out, Google offers two years of 100GB Google Drive storage for gratis (information technology's usually $19.99 per year). There's also a microSD carte du jour slot on the left side of the chassis for additional local storage. An HDMI port, a USB 3.0 port, and a USB-C port all occupy the left side equally well. The USB-C port is notable because it doubles as the ability jack for the included Ac adapter. That could exist inconvenient, since you won't be able to utilise a USB-C hard drive while charging the laptop. The HP Chromebook 13 G1($340.00 at Amazon) includes two USB-C ports, for example. Wireless communications are via 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. Acer covers the Chromebook R 13 with a ane-year warranty.

Performance and Conclusions

The MediaTek MT8173C powering the Chromebook R thirteen is an ARM processor made for tablets and consumer electronics devices similar the latest Amazon Fire TV Stick($340.00 at Amazon). It is fanless, and will be positioned well when Android app back up for Chrome Bone officially launches on chromebooks later this year. I was able to stream up to four 1080p Hd videos simultaneously before the screen started stuttering. I could see signs of missed frames when the chromebook was decoding a single 4K video stream (displayed at 1080p), but in general video was smoothen. Thanks to the 4GB of RAM, the system was able to proceed another four to six browser tabs open simultaneously on top of the video streams, though across that refreshing open tabs and clicking on new links started to slow everything down.

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Battery life is stiff. The Chromebook R thirteen lasted 11 hours, 44 minutes, on our battery rundown examination. That's certainly longer than the HP Chromebook 13 G1 (8:xvi), the Lenovo N22-20 Touch Chromebook($340.00 at Amazon) (9:09), and the Acer Chromebook R eleven (ten:30). The Acer Chromebook 14 lasted 11:50, just eking out a win overall. In any case, both the xiii- and 14-inch Acer Chromebooks use their additional battery cells to overcome the actress free energy drain from the total HD screens.

The Acer Chromebook R 13 (CB5-312T-K5X4) is a expert option for sampling the benefits and drawbacks of both Chrome Bone and the convertible-hybrid laptop form factor. It has class-leading battery life, a full HD screen, extra RAM and storage, and is reasonably priced compared with many Windows laptops. For example, the 11-inch version of the Lenovo Yoga 710($340.00 at Amazon) comes with Windows 10 and the same corporeality of RAM, but with a much smaller screen, and it'southward $150 more than expensive. Meanwhile, the Acer Chromebook 14's larger screen size and lower price help go along it our Editors' Option for consumer chromebooks.

Acer Chromebook R thirteen (CB5-312T-K5X4)

Cons

The Lesser Line

It may cost more than other chromebooks, but the Acer Chromebook R thirteen (CB5-312T-K5X4) has a total HD screen, a convertible two-in-1 course factor, and other features to help justify its price.

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Source: https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/acer-chromebook-r-13-cb5-312t-k5x4

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