Acer - 15.6" Chromebook - Intel Celeron - 4GB Memory - 16GB eMMC Flash Memory - Granite Gray

I received this Acer Chromebook and thought I'd check it out. I wanted to give it a solid 5+ days or so of use, so I can judge it properly from a performance aspect. I've always been an avid PS4 and PC gamer and I also own an iPhone X and iPad Pro 10.5". So, I've never really needed anything more as far as web browsers or anything else goes. Setup out of the box was incredibly simple. I want to say up-front that I am overall, VERY impressed with this little machine. The box only includes the Chromebook, power supply cable and the power-brick/cable. That's it, aside from a few small booklets (warranty, quick set-up, etc). Plugged it up to power, turned it on and went through a few quick settings. The first thing it asked me for was the WiFi password, Got that entered and logged into my Google account, answered a few other quick questions and I was immediate on the desktop. Wow. This couldn't have been simpler. I've never desired to have a laptop, as like I said above, it's kind of redundant to what I already use. So, needless to say, having a Chromebook was a very different experience for me. I didn't really know what to expect. I obviously didn't expect to be able to play games on it. This is basically a super beefed-up Chrome Web Browser, built into a basic hardware laptop, just powerful enough for some productivity and really good web use. Really, this is all I could ask for! I didn't know if this was a Windows 10 machine or what. Come to find out, it uses a dedicated Chrome OS (Operating System). So, it took me a bit to learn. Now, one thing for me is on my PC, I use Firefox. Always have, always will. Yeah, I do have Chrome installed as I tried it at one point when I was having issues with Firefox. But once Firefox got updated to Firefox Quantum, I immediately went back to it and have not had any other issues. So, my Chrome bookmarks were out of date. I need to find an easy way to where I can keep my bookmarks synced between Firefox and Chrome. As I was playing around on the Chromebook, experimenting and trying to figure things out, it automatically updated itself. The first time was just a basic update, requiring a restart. But the second time - WOW. I was totally not expecting this! It updated and I restarted and I had access to the Google Play store and all the apps there! Woohoo!!! Now, I'm excited. The first thing I did was go in and download the Twitch app. I do a lot of Twitch TV watching and also plan to get back to streaming soon. So, my primary use of this Chromebook is to use it for my Twitch Chat screen. I'm a little disappointed in the Twitch app though, as I can't figure out if it's an issue with the Chromebook itself not having the resources to run the app properly, or just a compatability issue with the app. But when I start up a Broadcaster stream, the video stalls out immediately, but I still get the audio. However, when I use twitch from the Chrome browser, it works perfectly. So, I just linked the website to the toolbar and had it set to open in a non-web browser screen, it so looks almost like the app from the Google Play store, but much better. Can't even tell it's the web version! Also, I tested the Prodigy Chrome App extension, as our 8 year old got a free account from school. When I went to the Prodigy Game website, it immediately told me there was a plug-in that made it easier to use. Installed that and she was glued to it! The overall build quality of the Chromebook is awesome. The top of it (back of the screen) is a brushed-looking aluminum and super-sleek. The keys are nice and tactile and have had no issues with the keyboard. I am a videophile, so the first thing I do when I get any type of new "screen", be it a monitor, a TV, laptop, WHATEVER...I immediately start checking for defects. Dead Pixels, banding, clouding and any other screen issues you can think of. I've not found ANY defects on the screen of this Chromebook. I helped my mother-in-law set up an $1,100.00 laptop late last year and she had to have it replaced once due to white streak marks across the screen. The replacement had it as well, but in a different spot, so it wasn't so bad. She decided to keep it. So, it shocked my that the screen on this little Chromebook was so flawless! The ONLY issue I've seen is the side-angle viewing. But this is normal for most laptops due to the panels they are made with (TN or VA, I believe. I'm pretty sure this is a standard TN panel). I'm giving this little sucker a flat 5/5 rating. I've not had any issues at all with it, performs like a champ, the screen is perfect, as is the keyboard part of it. If you need something for minor productivity and fast web-browsing, but don't want to clean out your wallet/pocketbook, get this. It does all the basic stuff EXTREMELY well. I also found the battery does last about on par as advertised (12 hours). I find I can get about 10-ish, but I keep the screen brightness up a bit, so that takes some extra juice. The only negative I can say, really, is the Google Play store; While a nice and unexpected feature (after an update), you may have some issues with certain apps. Again, I'm not sure if it's a hardware-load issue or the app just needs to be updated later for compatibility. HIGHLY recommended for the price. GET IT. Especially if you already use Google Chrome as your primary web browser.

I was on the fence about switching from a MacBook Pro to a Chromebook & spent several days researching all of the option including PC laptops. I'm so happy I chose this Chromebook. It has everything I could possibly ever need. Most people don't realize how much they use the cloud & the internet to begin with. As for proprietary software, most of it can be found with online versions or there is online software available that is just as good, if not better (sometimes free). You just have to be in the right frame of mind to know what you are going to get when you purchase a Chromebook. This was the best purchase I have ever made. I absolutely recommend this Acer Chromebook. It truly was open the box & get online. I'm able to work with multiple tabs open & running without any issues.

The Acer Chromebook display is beyond great. It is like having a normal pc, but its a Chromebook. The display is clear and the overall Chromebook is easy to use and navigate. The speed is great and everything loads and downloads fairly quickly. Everything about this computer I really do enjoy. I use it every day for my college work and it keeps up with everything I have to do. The only thing it doesn't have is a cd disk drive. But I usually watch movies on Netflix and Prime anyway, so it's not a problem for me. But overall I do recommend this Chromebook for anyone in college. It's a good price and the pc is great.

I needed a basic, low priced laptop for school and this one is perfect.

This is a great value for someone with basic requirements, including students. The 15 in notebook is on a larger side at 15", which means a larger screen than the typical 13"laptops. It has suitable speakers, comes with a headphone jack, two USB 3.0 ports, SD card reader, a full size HDMI connector, Kensington lock slot, supports Bluetooth and has a solid Wi-Fi connection (AC standard, and works very well in the house, even picking up solid signals from neighbors). It also has a Webcam good for video chats. It has an Intel Celeron CPU, 4 GB RAM and 16 GB storage, which is fine for a Chromebook. The keyboard is island keys and recessed like most modern laptops, good for general typing. The trackpad is relatively large and pleasantly effective. The only and major drawback is the screen. The screen is mate, not reflective, which is good for work. The resolution is 1366 x 768, and while not the best for movies, it's OK for general purposes, but the real issue is that is that is that it's a bit washed out and after a while it can get tiring looking at it. Also keep in mind that it's not a touchscreen. The laptop is a bit heavy at around 4.5 pounds, on the bulky side but with a battery that can go all day (Rated up to 12 hours). It's a great student Chromebook, except for a mediocre screen. I still consider it a great value but the screen can be an issue for some. Chrome OS: While it's not for everyone, it's fine for basic uses. Chrome OS is basically a Google Chrome browser with not much else, so for someone that only needs a browser, including the plethora of Chrome extensions, this is fine. It has a bit of storage to save files locally, USB connections, etc., and can print, but only to Google connected printers. It's also ideal for classroom settings. Android applications: After installing the latest Chrome OS, it now opens up the Android Play Store, and can run many of the Android apps like a tablet. The android apps still feel a bit foreign, and it's not quite as integrated but works well for most tasks. It's not a touchscreen, so the android apps work through the keyboard and trackpad.

I never owned a Chromebook before, but am heavily invested in the Android/Google ecosystem. So it's an easy jump for me. I primarily use a 15 inch Acer Aspire R laptop for work, which runs Windows 10. I have always been intrigued by Chromebooks, I like the idea of having all day battery life (although my Aspire R has pretty good battery life itself) and having a cheap device to surf the web, stream to my Chromecasts, and watch videos on the go. I've also previously owned a Surface Pro, and while they are fascinating and cool, I just need a bigger screen. So my Acer Aspire R is 15 inches and one of the reasons I chose the Acer Chromebook was the 15 inch size. To me the larger size matters, I would rather sacrifice portability for a bigger screen. This Acer Chromebook looks good and has a nice build quality, but it's too big. It's too thick and there's a lot of wasted space due to the bezels surrounding the screen. This is even more apparent when you look at the keyboard, which is centered in the computer with a lot of open space to the left and right. In my aforementioned Acer Aspire, there's enough room for a 9 digit number pad to the right. And when you take into account the features this Chromebook lacks, the poor use of space is even more confounding. The biggest drawbacks in my mind, are the lack of an HD screen (no HD on a bigger than 11 inch screen is noticeable, if this were a smaller screen, you could get away without HD), no backlit keyboard (a shame) and no touch screen. This omissions surely allowed to meet the pricepoint, but to me, it seems like too much given up. 'm so used to touch screens, it's actually weird not having one. And as I said, with a screen this big, and given that Chromebooks are primarily consumption devices, the no HD is a big loss. The size of the Chromebook also makes it less portable. It's not heavy per se, but it's just bulky. My 15 inch Acer Aspire R is a bit smaller and it hits the upper limits in portability. Carrying this Chromebook around is no easy task. The specs for this Chromebook are also on the bottom edge. But that is no issue. Chromebooks are not meant for resource intensive tasks, so if you plan on doing so, you should find a different operating system/machine. The big issue is 16 GB of HDD space, but that's not an issue to me, my photos and music are through Google Music and Photos, so I don't need HDD space. I'm also not managing documents. And if I needed more space, I would use an SD card. This Chromebook as a full size card slot for SD cards, and the best thing is that if you put one in, the entire card fits inside the computer so it's "hidden." Onto Chrome OS. I haven't spent a ton of time with it, but I like it so far. I use the Chromebook to surf the web, watch YouTube, stream Netflix and email. Logging in with your Google Account and having instant access to all of Google's services is great. But I must say, you can get a lot of the same functionality on a Mac or Windows machine if you utilize Chrome Web Browser. So far, I can't find value in Chrome OS that I can't get using Chrome Browser on Windows. I'm not saying the value and difference isn't there, but for what I do, I can accomplish the same tasks on Chromebook as I can Chrome on Windows. I have this Chromebook because I wanted a dedicated machine to use at home to act as a hub for my Chromecasts, Google Home speakers, etc. For what I use it for it's great. This is a good Chromebook, but it's average. If you want a big screen, this could be an option. But if you can spring a few more bucks, I'd look for a model with a better screen that has touch input. And one that has a bit more portability (without sacrificing too much in screen real estate). Assuming you don't have to lug this baby around everyday and it mostly stays in the home, the size and portability shouldn't matter. I do want to caution those who are just looking for a cheap laptop... If you aren't invested in the Google Ecosystem (i.e. don't have Gmail or don't subscribe to their services) and you are just wanting a cheap laptop, I would make sure you do your homework. A Chromebook might not fit your needs.

This Acer 15 Chromebook is my first of these types of devices. I love the form factor, it has an decent screen but is not super heavy to carry around. There are a few things I dislike, but let's talk first about what I like. I love the fact that it has a 3950 mAh battery, that specs out at around the 12 hour mark. I did get 11 on my first run down of the system. That is pretty impressive for a 15 inch device. I really appreciate the keyboard's chiclet layout, and the touchpad positioning. I also enjoy the stereo speakers that fire upwards beside the keyboard, they are not of superior quality, but they are great when you are watching Netflix or YouTube. I noticed that it does have an expansion slot for an sd card to provide additional storage if needed down the road. The fact that this unit has the same proprietary chargers as the three of my other Acer devices is convenient. I noticed also that Acer decided to embed a dual band, robust 802.11 AC Wifi radio. Now onto the things I feel could be better, the screen is a little washed out, the processor is not a power house, but delivers for most daily tasks, the charger port as I mentioned above is the same as my other three devices, convenient, but really small and feels very fragile. The sd card slot as noted, is a nice feature, but don't plan on leaving the card in there during transportation, when plugged in, it does not sit flush with the side of the chromebook, it stands out about an inch, just waiting to be damaged. It is missing a USB type C port, with more and more equipment removing ports, but including the type c port, I have slowly been acquiring type C adapters that will not work with this device. With all of those downsides, I do have to remember that with the price of this unit those are things I can live with. This Acer 15 Chromebook is a great unit to get everyday tasks done at an affordable price. I would recommend this unit to family and friends, searching for a budget minded computing solution.

Would not download DROPBOX app or save browser tabs