Acer - Spin 11 2-in-1 11.6" Touch-Screen Chromebook - Intel Celeron - 4GB Memory - 32GB eMMC Flash Memory - Sparkly Silver

Unboxing Upon first opening the Acer Chromebook Spin 11, I was impressed by what was included in the box. Acer provides not only the Chromebook Spin 11 itself, but a nice stylish grey sleeve and a Wacom EMR pen (stylus). They also of course included a charger. Included Carrying Sleeve All of the accessories fit nicely into the provided carrying sleeve. The chromebook itself fits in the large center area while the charger and Wacom pen fit into the smaller front pouch. All are protected by a soft felt lining. Build Quality Overall this laptop has a rugged build and feel. It is made of mostly plastic, though a rubberized button makes it grippy and hold tight to the surface you sit it on. It also seems to help with scratches and also protecting wooden tables. The screen itself is made of Corning Gorilla Glass so it is capable of handling drops and is fairly scratch resistant. The keyboard is rather cheap feeling. The keys feel small and I often found myself disappointed with any lengthy typing session. I feel that Acer meant for this to be used by a child. Small form factor, rugged, and fairly bullet proof. For such a small laptop, this also feels fairly heavy at 3.09 lbs Display The display shows sharp and colors show accurate on this IPS 1366 x 768 screen. The 11” screen size paired with the very low resolution of 1366 x 768 make this less than ideal for anything other than light web browsing or basic note taking. Though ChromeOS allows you to force a higher resolution of 1536 x 864, since this is not native to the display, the image becomes much blurrier. The display is also a glossy mirror finish so using this in light or sunny areas results in terrible glare. In dark rooms this is a lot less noticeable. There is a thick black bezel around the display. This is terrible in laptop mode but becomes useful in tablet mode as it give your hands a place to hold and not interfere with the display. Tablet Mode Tablet mode is my least favorite mode. ChromeOS is weird to use and having the keyboard behind the display is awkward. I much prefer in laptop mode, or, tented for youtube, netflix, etc… video viewing. The stylus is a must use when in tablet mode as it helps press the close X or click on smaller icons fingers are just too big for. Battery Life Acer claims 10 hours of use. I’ve been able to get about 6-8 depending on usage. More than enough for a days work or taking notes in a classroom. Charging the laptop only takes limited time to get a useful burst of power though. In my case, about an hour fully charged from completely deal. Charging The Acer Chromebook Spin 11 battery was initially depleted so I had to charge it. This is done via one of the 2 included USB C ports on either side. This is nice since I can choose which side to charge from depending on my changing needs depending on where the laptop is at the time. Charging was quick. In about an hour it was fully charged. Powering on/boot up This thing boots up very fast. Hit the power button and you are presented with a logon screen within a couple seconds. Performance With a standard Intel processor and 4 GB of RAM ChromeOS runs fairly well. Windows open pretty snappy and general web browsing and app use is acceptable. If you’re planning to run some heavier Android apps or doing some photo editing, I found the performance to be lacking. I also found when connecting to an external display and pushing more pixels (connected to a 1920x1080 monitor) the machine struggled to even open apps and overall felt very sluggish. Connecting to External Display I connected to a pair of 1920 x 1080 monitors using USB-C to HDMI cables. I plugged one of each into each of the 2 USB-C ports and was able to view both screens. As mentioned above, performance was less than ideal. I also had a strange issue where Android apps only displayed a black screen and were unusable. This was not an issue when using the laptop by itself. Ports Acer provides a ton of connectivity ports on this machine. 2 USB 3.1, 2 USB-C, headphone jack, a security port for locking. This provides the ability to use any number of USB 3.1 or USB C adaptors to connect all sorts of things. Wacom Pen I found the pen to be a great tool for note taking and generally navigating ChromeOS. The stylus requires no batteries and when detected by touching the screen, ChromeOS shows a pen icon on the taskbar that allows you to quickly take screenshots, or notes. I found this super useful. Since the touch pad is a little clunky and cheap feeling, I prefer the pen over the touch pad. When taking notes, turning the pen over offers the ability to erase just like a pencil. When taking notes, the pen felt natural and the chromebook kept up with my writing speed and it felt as though I was actually writing on the screen itself. Webcam The camera quality is ok. This is more useful for quick Google hangouts, skype, or DUO calls. Don’t expect current mobile phone camera standard here. It was perfectly adequate for its purpose but slightly grainy and fuzzy videos should be expected Overall this is a decent device. I would suggest use cases be either for a younger child who is no ready for a more expensive computer, or, anyone looking for an inexpensive device to browse the web, and who is already in, or planning to be in, an all Google environment.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 11 brings a smattering of options from more expensive laptops and tablets to a 2-in-1 package that represents excellent value at an attractive price point. Though lower-spec internal hardware detracts some from its premium feel and assortment of features, Chrome OS proves itself as a good match for what has amounted to a great travel machine for both work and entertainment. This machine bridges the gap between budget Chromebooks and top-end offerings twice to three times more expensive, and comes highly recommended as a result. - Build Quality The first thing that surprised me about this device is how hefty it is; at 2 lbs 10.6 oz (1.2 kg) this is one of the heaviest 11-inch laptops I’ve held, which was unexpected given the plastic exterior. I find the weight gives the device a high perceived build quality as a laptop, but it makes longer sessions in tablet mode a bit cumbersome after a short period. The textured plastic lid has a premium feel to it, complementing the Gorilla Glass screen (another welcome addition, as most laptops at this price point use a plastic or plexi-glass layer to protect the screen). As with any 2-in-1, the quality of the hinge will ultimately determine how well the device holds up after several years of use, but at least from initial impressions Acer’s dual-hinge design holds strongly and appears well-shielded against debris and dust build up. I was surprised to find a laptop that includes its own sleeve at any price point, and with a dedicated pocket for the included stylus I was very pleased with Acer’s inclusion. Of course, a few things will have to be sacrificed to hit a $349 MSRP, and it appears that the keyboard and trackpad are shared designs from other value Acer laptops. They are by no means bad, but the premium feel of the device is weakened once you begin typing. Key presses are short and light, and the chiclet style keys are preferable to the alternative, but a typical amount of keyboard flex and a lack of backlighting belie the higher-end feel brought on by the screen half of the device. Similarly, the touchpad is precise but pressing-to-click bows the edges of the touchpad significantly. These minor annoyances are forgivable here as Acer’s touchscreen makes up the difference. - Screen & Sound Despite a typical 1366x768 resolution, the IPS display is a bright, vivid panel that is clear and easy to read in all but direct sunlight conditions. I was very impressed watching movies and TV shows in several varied lighting conditions, though brightness does need to be adjusted manually via dedicated keyboard keys. Viewing angles are good but brightness tends to dim at lesser angles than some other IPS screens I’ve used (though admittedly this may be from the digitizer or Gorilla Glass rather than the panel itself). The standout feature of the screen is its Wacom digitizer. In no uncertain terms, this combination multi-finger touch and stylus-compatible screen gives this Chromebook one of the most engaging tablet experiences I’ve had with any device. The stylus works in any orientation (whether laptop, tablet, “tent,” or tabletop) and does appear to be pressure-sensitive when used with select apps. I found myself switching between stylus and finger control with fluidity and ease, and any stylus detection (whether on the screen or as much as ¾” from stylus tip to screen) overrides touch, making drawing a breeze. The included “eraser” end of the stylus seemed gimmicky at first but works exactly as intended. All the typical gestures work well and I never had an issue performing precise button presses on games and apps with small inputs. The built-in speakers are fairly good. They are downward-firing, which makes them a bit muted when played on soft surfaces like a bed or sofa, but the speakers get decently loud and don’t distort much at higher volumes. - Operating System The last time I had used a Chromebook with regularity was several years ago, and at the time these devices could do little more than run a limited port of Google’s Chrome web browser. The last several years of development have done wonders for the Chrome OS, as Google has invested heavily into making this Linux derivative a fully-featured environment entirely suitable for casual users and professionals alike. The desktop-like interface works equally well in both laptop and tablet modes, feeling more like a desktop OS that was tailored to be ready for tablet use on demand rather than the other way around. The biggest leap forward for Chrome OS is the inclusion of the Google Play store, opening up a library of hundreds of thousands of Android apps alongside many Chromebook-optimized apps. At minimum, expect nearly all of your favorite Android apps to function as they do on your smartphone or tablet (running in a window), and at best, optimized apps will run almost identically to their counterparts on traditional PCs. Road warriors will be pleased to find that Chromebook-optimized Microsoft Office apps are indeed available from the Google Play Store, fully usable with any active Office365 subscription, and feature nearly perfect copies of their PC-side interfaces. - Performance & Battery Life As mentioned earlier, certain concessions were made to hit the $349 MSRP, and the processor is among them. The Chromebook Spin 11 uses an Intel Celeron N3350 dual-core CPU, which is a fairly weak chip by modern standards. However, Chrome OS does put what little power it does have to good use, and the system hardly ever feels sluggish or stalled when performing everyday activities like browsing the web or streaming video. Intense tasks such as video editing or high-detail 3D gaming are unfortunately beyond the capabilities of this chip, but seeing as the device isn’t intended for these uses, the processor is adequate for its target use cases. Fortunately, the CPU shortcomings are eased by the inclusion of 4GB of RAM. Most entry-level Chromebooks are equipped with half that, and quickly run into issues as the Chrome web browser is infamously RAM-hungry. Here, the 4GB memory allows for a much smoother web surfing and productivity experience, and having multiple apps and tabs open doesn’t slow the system down like it does on its lesser-equipped competitors. While I couldn’t verify whether the memory is upgradable, the SSD (eMMC type, here) is plenty quick enough to supplement the RAM when called upon. 32GB storage seems small for a traditional PC, but Chrome OS was only using about 2GB once fully updated, and it would be difficult to fill the disk so long as media files and documents are stored either on an external drive or on cloud services. I did find that the relative lack of power meant that battery life was good. I averaged about 7 hours battery life between charges with the screen at 80% brightness, which included a mix of video streaming, gaming, web surfing, and drawing. Unfortunately this falls short of the 10 hours listed in the specifications, but this is to be expected. - Connectivity Another banner feature of this device is that it charges via USB-C. Indeed, the Spin 11 abandons any DC jack altogether, thus rendering the included AC adapter redundant if you have a high-power USB-C charger already. I was able to take the Chromebook and all my other devices on vacation with a single AC adapter and power pack, saving quite a bit of room in my bag and ensuring all my devices could recharge on the go without juggling a rat’s nest of assorted cables. In addition to the two USB-C ports (both of which can accept a charge), Acer included a pair of standard USB 3.0 ports which ensures compatibility with all your existing devices. I had no trouble using my mouse, keyboard, USB microphone, and webcam through a USB hub on one port, and an external HDD on the other. A standard 3.5mm jack with microphone input allows most headsets to work seamlessly with the device. The microSD slot is also a welcome feature that allowed me to load up all my music and movies on a 200GB microSDXC card to take with me, though I would have appreciated a full-size SD card slot as my cameras use them and adapters are plenty cheap. A Kensington lock slot rounds out the connectivity, which is an interesting if unnecessary inclusion. All said, the port selection is good, but the lack of an HDMI or DisplayPort jack is disappointing. Video is supported via one of the USB-C ports, but this now means a pricey USB adapter is all but a must to connect to external monitors, projectors, or TVs. Chromebooks can, however, mirror their screens to any Chromecast or compatible wireless display adapter. Wireless connectivity is very good. A typical WiFi a/b/g/n adapter with Bluetooth 4.0 means modern connectivity is not a problem. WiFi signal strength is on par with other laptops I've used, with speeds and throughput remaining strong throughout. I had no performance issues screen-mirroring to my Chromecast while simultaneously updating my apps from the Play Store. - Bottom Line Acer has produced one of the few Chromebooks I would recommend without caveats to friends and family seeking a 2-in-1 for work or play. None of the shortcomings mentioned above are deal breakers, because in the end this is a capable device that I at times forgot even was a Chromebook as I did not run into any issues I associated and prepared for with past devices. It may be pricier than other 11-inch options but the returns on the additional cost make this a great all-rounder. Recommended!

I ‘ve had the Acer Chromebook for a short time now, and it seemed like a good fit since I standardized on the Chrome browser a number of years back. I wasn’t sure if the Chromebook would meet my needs, but so far I’m really upbeat about this unit. It seems like a really solid, quality product. This unit comes with 4gb of memory and 32gb of solid state storage. Some of the 32gb is dedicated to the operating system, and as expected, every app you install deducts from the available space. A quick review of storage shows that I’m down to 24gb of space. Considering that I’ve installed about 4gb of apps, that suggests that about 4gb of the original 32gb is dedicated to the operating system. Of all the apps I've installed from the Google Play Store, thus far I haven’t found any app compatibility problems. Color me really impressed! I've always used Microsoft’s Word and Excel products for work and personal use. Fortunately, the Google Play Store has versions compatible with the Acer Chromebook. With Word and Excel now installed, as well as Google’s own Docs and Sheets apps and a long list of apps, I am now fully productive. Performance on this unit is top-notch. I haven’t seen any lag at all, which was one of my initial concerns. It’s true that I haven’t tried running any CPU or disk intensive apps, but I never intended to do so. The keyboard is very responsive, although I would have preferred one that was back-lit for when I’m working in low-light environments. The hinges connecting the screen to the keyboard allow you to fold the Acer backwards so that back-side of the display and keyboard are touching allowing the Acer to work like a screen-only tablet. Or leave a gap between the two back-sides - which permits the display to stand upright like it has a back-stand. While in tablet mode, it offers a display-based virtual keyboard. You can use the Pen or your finger to type using a hunt-and-peck approach, or you can use the Swype approach. Swype is my favorite way of entering text on virtual keyboards. If you're unfamiliar with this method, let’s assume you’re typing the word HELP. With Swype, touch the ‘H’ letter on the virtual keyboard, and without lifting your finger (or Pen) off the screen, slide your finger or Pen to the ‘E’, then the ‘L’, and finally the ‘P’. Then lift your finger or Pen from the screen. It should have typed out the word “HELP.” [Thought I’d share!] Most of my efforts have been spent getting used to the Pen. While it works fine, I’m not accustomed to using one. It definitely adds flexibility to selecting items and entering/changing text. I’ve been using it extensively with the virtual keyboard as Swype, the Pen and virtual keyboard get along real well together. I’m using Google Drive cloud storage for most of my storage needs, although I did plug a USB flash drive into one of the USB ports to test that out. Worked like a charm! The 32gb that comes with the unit is a good starter amount, although that space will quickly disappear if music, photos, or other space-consuming items are stored locally. So using Cloud storage for greater storage capacity is essential. Or you can use other solutions, like a USB flash drive or an external USB disk drive for additional storage. Syncing the Acer wirelessly to my home network was a breeze. A few clicks here and there, plus logging into my Google account, and I was browsing the internet in no time. I wanted to see if it would work with Wi-Fi turned off, so I used USB 3.0 Gigabit Ethernet Connector plugged into one of the USB ports. It too worked seamlessly. That’s all I have for now. All in all, I’m very happy with the unit.

This is a nice Chromebook. Don’t buy it thinking it is a “starter” or budget laptop or you will likely be disappointed. Chromebooks aren’t for everyone. Our household has a Win7 desktop, Mac, two Win10 touch screen laptops, iPads, iPhones, Kindles, Android tablet and phone. My son is 15 and uses Chromebooks at school so he wants nothing to do with this device. ;) There are tasks like writing this review I prefer not to do on a tablet or phone without a physical keyboard. Chrome OS is responsive and it boots up in seconds so I can pick up right were I left off. You use your Google account to login to the device, but you can optionally set a 6-digit PIN. It also supports Smart Lock so my Android phone can unlock the Chromebook. This is very handy. This device works great with Office / Office365. Seconds after opening the Chromebook I can be typing something in Word. Close the Chromebook and finish the document on another device. The OneDrive and Dropbox integration work great. Office works well with Google drive although it isn’t as seamlessly integrated -by design. Google drive really shines when using the Google apps like Docs, Sheets, Slides, Keep, Calendar, Photos, etc. This model qualified for 100GB google drive storage upgrade for two years. Nice! The touch screen can be quirky. The screen scrolls smoother with the stylus vs using your fingers. Scrolling through a list with my finger is often registered as a click and selects an item. This isn’t much of a problem on a webpage when you touch a text section of the page to scroll but extremely frustrating when I scroll through the list of updates in the Play Store and it keeps selecting the apps instead of scrolling the page. If I have the screen in laptop position I simply use the trackpad to scroll pages or use the stylus. Other notes: *This device charges through the USB-C port but it uses the traditional two-piece laptop power cord with a “brick” in the middle instead of a wall wart design with a USB-C port + USB-C cable. *Wi-Fi is fast. I get 180 Mbps download and 10.95 Mbps upload on Speedtest(dot)net with my 100Mbps/10Mbps Cox plan. *Bluetooth works well paired with my LG HBS750 ear buds and several Bluetooth speakers around the house, good range. *Includes case and stylus. The stylus works very well for scrolling screens and tapping some on-screen buttons. It works great with some of my games and drawing apps from the Google Play Store. The case is also very nice and has a side zipper pocket that has a little stylus sleeve sewn inside to store the stylus. *The hinge is stiff, necessary to keep the 360-hinge locked in the four usage modes, but this requires more effort to open. Not difficult, both hands help. I think this is good given most users will be young and the hinge needs to stay tight. Still, a small scooped finger recess to make it easier to open would have been nice. *The bezels are large but that isn’t a bad thing. I like the aspect ratio of the screen when playing games in portrait. The large bezels make it easier to hold vs my Android tablet. *Keyboard is soft but not mushy. NO back-light on keyboard. If you are in couch potato mode in the dark you probably have the keyboard flipped back in tablet mode anyhow.

This Acer Spin 11 is a good entry-level notebook without the usual entry-level notebook headaches. Web sites and apps load just as quickly as they do on my i7 Windows laptop that has much more powerful specs. The Chrome OS is very intuitive and easy to pick up if coming from other operating systems. The body is plastic but Acer did a good job of giving it an attractive faux brushed aluminum looking finish. The unit is lightweight and although not quite as thin as some of the competition, is still pretty thin and is easy to transport. There are four USB 3 ports, 2 type A and 2 type C. There is no ethernet port or card reader built in. The Gorilla Glass protected screen is sturdy and seems very well constructed. The display quality is decent and images have good saturation and color rendering. The display isn't HD but the 1366x768 resolution doesn’t look bad on the 11-inch screen. It actually looks pretty good. My only complaint is that the screen is a little warmer and darker than I typically prefer, even at max brightness. I have an older Acer C720 Chromebook with a noticeably cooler screen. It’s not a big deal indoors but reading can be difficult at times in bright sunlight, even at max brightness. Sound is about what I expected which means it’s passable. However, streaming content, particularly music videos, are actually a bit better than expected. For those who prefer more oomph, there is a 3.5mm audio jack for external headphones or speakers as well as Bluetooth capability. Battery life is awesome. I can use this notebook for hours without touching beyond 20% of the battery capacity. I typically go several days between recharges. That’s with light to moderate use. I like the convertible touchscreen being an option but I am not a fan of this particular implementation. I think it’s okay for occasional use but it doesn’t feel like a true convertible. I don’t like the feeling of the keyboard and trackpad against my hands while it’s folded in tablet mode. It makes it near impossible to use like a traditional tablet with any ease or comfort. The touchscreen itself is nice and responsive but the orientation sometimes gets a little goofy. Bundled extras for this package include an OEM sleeve with soft-lined interior and exterior pocket and a Wacom EMR tablet stylus. The Wacom stylus is very accurate and far more useful and precise than a generic tablet stylus. The Chrome OS also has a pen app for extra features like the laser pointer feature. The pen is great for art, signatures, digital handwriting and for making more precise selections in tablet mode. This Acer Spin has everything most people need in a home computer. It has snappy performance, provides access to the web, email and social media, allows users to create documents and spreadsheets right out of the box and can run Chrome OS games and apps. Unless there is a specific need for a certain operating system, this will pretty much handle most home user needs.

What's in the box ----------------- Acer Chromebook Spin 11 CP311-1HN-C2DV Bundle 3-cell battery Power adapter, sleeve, Wacom EMR pen ports ----- 2x USB 3.0 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C microSd card reader Pros ---- 1. It spins 360 degree, so you can use it as a tablet, tablet with a stand or a laptop 2. Very good battery life, around 9 to 10 Hrs 3. Light weight and looks well built (It is not aluminium) 4. HD, although not full HD 5. Touchscreen and supports pen 6. Fast and Responsive. Cons ---- 1. I wish it was made of metal. 2. wish we had a smaller travel charger The Review ----------- Its a chromebook and not a windows laptop, so i had to keep it in mind when writing this review. This is my first of this kind and hence, my review will be comparing a windows laptop vs. a chromebook laptop and then stepping into how the computer is. Exterior - Looks ok, its not metal and i do not expect it to be that way. But i think acer has done a good job of making sure it looks like one. it is a plastic one but the color is aluminum. it has 2 USB 3.0 ports and 2 USB 3.1 Type c port and i think which is adequate to connect a printer or an external hardware. THere is a microSD slot to expand memory or look at pictures from your phone. the screen is HD but not full HD, but for the size of it, it looks bright and vibrant and its a gorilla glass. It is a touch screen and it can bend 360 degrees. SO it can be a tablet, tablet with a stand or a laptop. The laptop is very light weight at approx 3lbs. Another good thing is that it comes with a wacom pen and works great on this touchscreen and the apps supporting the pen is growing. Interior - Its snappy and part of the reason is because of the sofware. And since its the first time for me using chromebook, i miss my word. Although it has word in offline mode, it is a web based platform. One other thing that i noticed is that chromebook cannot run flash and that is not particularly an issue with this laptop but all chromebooks in general. The keyboard is nice and has a good feel to it. The laptop is very light weight and i think most folks may compare it with the Ipad because of its size. the battery life came out to be a decent 7 hrs which i think is not bad but not stellar either. More i use the laptop i can relate to it more because it's g ot a play store and can download all the apps that i have on the phone and it gives me a phone/tablet type of feeling rather than a laptop. I cant think of instances wherein i am working offline on a computer and it will most likely be on a phone. So i think chromebook is a good option since you are always online and it is snappy and does not come with potential virus threat or at the least not as much as windows. Now on the downside, it should have had an HDMI port for connecting to a TV, they should also come out with an all metal version, i am sure folks may be ready to pay some premium for the sturdyness

This is my first experience with a Chromebook. Overall, I'd say it's lived up to my expectations, which, I didn't expect a PC replacement. To me it functions as a hybrid between phone/tablet/laptop, with an emphasis on the first two. This seems like a well put together device. It's not too heavy, and feels nice in your hands. For the screen, it's a decent size but has a thick black bezel all the way around. I've gotten used to displays with a very thin bezel. However, in tablet mode, this is actually useful because you can hold the device by the edge and not accidentally press anything on the screen. Boot up is literally seconds from being completely powered down, even faster if it's "sleeping". Setup is very easy, just login to your Google account and it walks you through everything. The sound quality from the speakers is ok for casual use. If you're expecting home theater sound, you should lower your expectations. They do the job they're intended for, and if you need better sound quality, you can connect Bluetooth headphones or speakers. As far as browsing the web, using applications, etc, the performance is excellent. I've downloaded MS Office for Android and it works well. I recommend using cloud storage for most of your documents though because you will quickly exhaust the built in storage if you don't. One of the best things about this Chromebook is the Chrome-OS. It's really fast for internet browsing and not too long ago, Google opened up the Play store for downloading Android apps. Most (but not all) of the apps I regularly use are available and make the experience that much better. Now, if you're expecting the same performance as you'd get from a high performance laptop, again, you need more realistic expectations. The battery life is decent, it'll last for hours on a charge. The charging cord a two piece and is pretty long and uses a USB-C connector. I discovered by accident that you can charge the device on either USB-C port (one per side). It has the latest WiFi connectivity and Bluetooth which allows you to connect to many different devices. It also has a micro-SD slot for expanding storage, etc. It comes with a stylus pen, but this one has a point like an actual pen/pencil, so it's great for taking notes in appropriate apps, etc. You can even flip the stylus over and use the other end as an eraser. It's actually pretty cool as it responds to different pressures and writing speed. I'll have to look for some apps that take advantage of those features. If there some features I would add, it would be an HDMI port and a back-lit keyboard to assist in low light usage (considering that a back-lit keyboard would reduce the battery life) The included carrying case is nice, has a special spot for the stylus so you don't lose it. It is not large enough to carry the charging cable, so make sure you've got a full charge before taking it with you somewhere.

First off, let me say that this Chromebook is great for what it is! For people that are unfamiliar with the term Chromebook, even though this looks like a laptop PC, it is not. Visually it is very similar but with some different button functions along the top of the keyboard. The touchpad is also not a typical laptop touchpad, as this offers no left and right click options like a mouse, because it is not supposed to be a mouse, it offers very accurate cursor features with tapping for selection/activation. The awesome thing is that the screen is a touch screen with built in Wacom Tablet functionality that includes a drawing/selection pen. One can easily use a finger or the included pen for additional selection options over the touchpad. Wacom drawing/editing tablets are usually very expensive, so to have this included in this device is a huge bonus. Wacom devices are typically used by professional photo editors and digital artists, because of the accuracy and different levels of pressure sensitivities creating realistic designs. Adobe Photoshop or Autodesk Sketchbook are great software options to take advantage of the Wacom features. As I mentioned earlier this is not a PC, it is more like a giant Android smart phone with additional features. It actually runs on the Android OS. So no PC or Mac software will work on this device but there are plenty of great Android software options out there for your needs, including Office, Outlook, Facebook, Instagram, Netflix, Hulu etc. .. one can simply search the app store for tons of options based on keywords, or actual software titles. I would also like to emphasize how well the battery is on this. With one full charge I was able to use this for a week straight before having to charge it again. I left it on all week, with moderate use. about an hour or two a day, me searching the web, and my kids drawing on the screen. The best thing is that this never heated up like a typical laptop would, even after a couple of hours of use, the unit remained room temperature. There are so many great features to this Chromebook, so I will try to summarize a few that I thought were best: - Wacom Touchscreen features - The screen folds back all the way, which when it does activates the automatic screen rotation. Great for drawing, or angling the screen for watching movies. - When the screen is folded back the keyboard turns off, as not to accidentally cause unwanted inputs while just using the touch screen - works great for games, business use, or casual internet browsing - webcam/camera - can be charged by the included charging cable or any other USB type-C connector - Fast at start up, and use - I experienced no lag or freeze ups in anything I have been doing. - Easy set up - It syncs up great with previous gmail/google accounts. I entered my gmail Id and password at start up, and all my chrome bookmarks, passwords and preferences were right there. - I also love the size of this device it is small enough to carry around with you, but big enough to still enjoy all the features - lightweight , yet sturdy and thick enough to hold - A soft lightly padded case is also included for travel At this point I can't really think of any cons, as I have just been happy with it's performance so far.