Acer ChromeBook Spin 11
Acer was one of the first PC makers to really move away from only making Windows-based machines, and really embraced Chrome OS. In fact, Acer offers more Chromebook models than any other PC manufacturer right now. And there’s a good reason for that. That’s because they sell well, and schools are buying plenty of them for classrooms. Acer’s Chromebook Spin 11 is a rugged Chromebook that will work well in the classroom, but it is also available to consumers to pick up, starting at $349. It’s one of Acer’s smaller Chromebooks in its lineup, and still performs rather well.
However, what’s surprising is how natural this updated Chrome OS feels, excelling on tablet form factors and convertible laptops, like the Acer Chromebook Spin 11. At this rate, buyers are not just getting a fast and secure laptop, but also a great tablet-esque experience with their Chromebook.
The entire housing is made of a durable plastic, with rubber bumpers around the edges. According to Acer, the Spin 11 is US MIL-STD 810G military spec certified for rough environments and abuse. Surrounding the display is a thick, black bezel with a 720p webcam centered along the top. Another camera, intended to be used when the laptop is in tablet mode to snap photos or video from the rear of the device, is centered just above the keyboard.
On the left side of the housing is where you’ll find the headphone jack, a microSD card reader, a USB 3.0 port, a USB-C port and the power button. On the opposite side is another USB-C port, USB 3.0 port and a volume toggle.
Both the power button and the volume toggle are covered in rubber and don’t have much of a tactile feel to them. Each button is even with the exterior, making either one hard to find just by running your finger along either edge. The touchpad is smooth and provides a reassuring click when pressed. There are no issues with palm rejection – even with our hands resting directly on the touchpad during the majority of our typing. The keyboard's keys are recessed as a means to further protect the keys. The adjustment of typing from above on the keyboard was minor, if at all, and we found the keyboard to be rather pleasant to use.
The Spin 11 doesn’t look like a nearly $400 laptop, due to its ruggedized materials. It looks like a less expensive Chromebook mixed with a toy laptop from Mattel. Granted, it’s not designed to look impressive for kids at school to show off with.
There's a modern look to the screen too. The 11.6-inch screen uses a decent IPS LCD panel. Sure, it's low resolution, but colour is satisfying, albeit a little undersaturated, and the display layer doesn't appear recessed. Contrast is very good, and in the context of a cheap laptop the image doesn't seem too pixelated.
There is no keyboard backlight, but that's no surprise at the price.
Similarly, the Acer Chromebook 11 has a plastic trackpad rather than a glass one, but it feels pretty good anyway. The clicker is heavier than some, but only slightly. There's none of the strange trackpad behaviour you get with some lower-cost Windows laptops either.
The version Acer sent us has a US keyboard, but with any luck you'll get a UK one if you buy it from a reliable UK retailer.
These days laptops tend to either side with the past, with full-size USBs, or go with the future and use USB Type-C. The Acer Chromebook 11 has both: with two USB 3.0 ports and two USB-Cs, it's flexible for the here and now and the future. This is the perfect array for a Chromebook, particularly when you tend to only get two main connectors anyway.
There's also a microSD slot, to add to the 32GB of on-board storage. If you just want to use Word-like apps then that storage will be ok, but it'll get eaten up if you start storing handfuls or movies or install all of Android's most popular games. Fortiunately microSD cards aren't too expensive.
My standard configuration of a dozen tabs and two or so Android apps running in the background never really caused this machine to slow down. Chromebooks simply just age well with the baseline of specs that power them.
With my heavy writing and browsing workload, an eight-hour day is easily met, though Android app usage is more minimal. I do not foresee needing to bring around a charger, with a top-up in the morning adequate for a day’s work.
Almost all the apps and games we tried worked well, although there are clear signs you're not running them on a native system. Like any new feature, Google Play support is a bit buggy. Many apps don't run full-screen to start, making it look as though you're running them through phone emulator software. They need to restart to "go full-screen" and if you do this as you first run the app it can mess it up completely, requiring a re-install.
Similarly, some games will only work with the touchscreen, and others require manual mapping of the keyboard to use it as a controller. It's a bit of a tinkerer's paradise, though. The ePSXe PlayStation emulator works perfectly, for example.
High-end games like Asphalt 8 - which works as standard with the keyboard - aren't lag-free, but stutteriness is most obvious in the menus rather than as you play. No game we've tried runs slow enough on the Chromebook 11 to spoil the fun. And this is a mere Chromebook, so that's impressive.
There are two similar models listed on the Acer website, both of which are available for purchase. One (the R751TN-C5P3) is listed at $399 (about £303, AU$522) and has identical specifications, save for the lack of an IPS Pro panel, and comes in black. A slightly less expensive $349 variant also has the same specs, but forgoes any sort of webcam.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 11 just inspires rugged confidence with its hardware. It feels and is technically solid, with a good display that the majority of people will appreciate. Chrome OS is getting better every month, with optimizing touch being a particular focus of Google going forward.
If you are a teacher or administrator looking to switch from Windows or macOS to a Chrome OS system, the Chromebook Spin 11 is a good choice, especially for younger kids, as it can take a beating or a spill or two. But for those that spend all day on a computer and need to be able to get things done quickly, you may want to look elsewhere. This isn’t a bad Chromebook, there are just better options out there if you need or want something that’s more powerful. In fact, there are better options out there from Acer themselves.
However, there are far too many trade-offs with the Spin 11 between performance and protection, especially considering the final price point. With that in mind, we do recommend the Acer Chromebook Spin 11 as a capable device for those who prioritize a ruggedized housing and a spill-proof keyboard.
Great ChromeBook for Kids and Adult
Acer has created a Chromebook that not only gets the job done but can also take some bumps and bruises.
Acer was one of the first PC makers to really move away from only making Windows-based machines, and really embraced Chrome OS. In fact, Acer offers more Chromebook models than any other PC manufacturer right now. And there’s a good reason for that. That’s because they sell well, and schools are buying plenty of them for classrooms. Acer’s Chromebook Spin 11 is a rugged Chromebook that will work well in the classroom, but it is also available to consumers to pick up, starting at $349. It’s one of Acer’s smaller Chromebooks in its lineup, and still performs rather well.
However, what’s surprising is how natural this updated Chrome OS feels, excelling on tablet form factors and convertible laptops, like the Acer Chromebook Spin 11. At this rate, buyers are not just getting a fast and secure laptop, but also a great tablet-esque experience with their Chromebook.
Acer ChromeBook Spin 11 Design
With an 11.6-inch HD display, the overall size of the Spin 11 is very easy to tote around or throw into a backpack. At just 3.09 pounds (1.40 kg), it is a tad heavy for a device with dimensions of 11.65 x 8.11 x 0.82 inches (29.6 x 20.6 x 2.08 cm; W x D x H), but it’s nothing to get upset about.
The entire housing is made of a durable plastic, with rubber bumpers around the edges. According to Acer, the Spin 11 is US MIL-STD 810G military spec certified for rough environments and abuse. Surrounding the display is a thick, black bezel with a 720p webcam centered along the top. Another camera, intended to be used when the laptop is in tablet mode to snap photos or video from the rear of the device, is centered just above the keyboard.
On the left side of the housing is where you’ll find the headphone jack, a microSD card reader, a USB 3.0 port, a USB-C port and the power button. On the opposite side is another USB-C port, USB 3.0 port and a volume toggle.
The Spin 11 doesn’t look like a nearly $400 laptop, due to its ruggedized materials. It looks like a less expensive Chromebook mixed with a toy laptop from Mattel. Granted, it’s not designed to look impressive for kids at school to show off with.
Acer ChromeBook Spin 11 Display
It's a touchscreen, too, and like previous R11-series Chromebooks is also a hybrid. The hinge flips 360 degrees to make it act more like an all-in-one touchscreen PC or a big home-bound tablet. Fold over the screen beyond 180 degrees and the keyboard automatically disables.
There is quite a lot of competition here, though. For a little more money you can get a 14-inch Acer Chromebook with a 1080p screen, although the Chromebook 11's resolution is the standard for this 11-inch size. Forget about the resolution and the Chromebook 11 otherwise seems almost bizarrely comparable to that of a £600-800 Windows laptop.
There is quite a lot of competition here, though. For a little more money you can get a 14-inch Acer Chromebook with a 1080p screen, although the Chromebook 11's resolution is the standard for this 11-inch size. Forget about the resolution and the Chromebook 11 otherwise seems almost bizarrely comparable to that of a £600-800 Windows laptop.
Acer ChromeBook Spin 11 Wacom Stylus Pen
Having a stylus included with the Chromebook Spin 11 is actually a really good idea. It’s a fairly inexpensive accessory for Acer to include, and it really changes the experience. However, there’s no dedicated place to keep the stylus on the Chromebook Spin 11. For example, with the Samsung Chromebook Pro and Plus, there is a silo that the S Pen slides into. The Microsoft Surface uses magnets to keep the Surface Pen attached to the side of the tablet. None of that is available on the Chromebook Spin 11. And to be honest, I lost the Wacom Pen quite a few times, which is not good, especially when talking about using this particular machine in classrooms.
Actually using the stylus on the Chromebook Spin 11 was a dream, however. With Android apps being a part of the experience now, being able to use this pen really changed the experience here. I used it quite a bit in tent and tablet mode, since I didn’t have access to the trackpad in those modes. It was great for swiping across the virtual keyboard, also scrolling through webpages and my Twitter feed. It’s also very useful in note-taking apps, as well as drawing apps. In the settings, you are able to choose which app is your default note-taking app, and using the stylus tools in the lower right-hand corner, you can start a handwritten note. However, you cannot just open a new note in say Google Keep or Evernote and start writing with the Wacom Pen, nor does it translate handwriting to actual text. So it appears that this feature is half-baked right now. Hopefully, it’s something that Google can work on in the future.
Acer ChromeBook Spin 11 Keyboard and TrackPad
This model's keyboard isn't quite as well-defined and stiff as the chunky Acer Chromebook N7 11, but it's still similar to that of a decent Ultrabook. The keys aren't spongy or cramped, and we've typed thousands of words on it for hours at a time without wishing we could switch back to our normal work laptop, an old-gen MacBook Pro.
There is no keyboard backlight, but that's no surprise at the price.
The version Acer sent us has a US keyboard, but with any luck you'll get a UK one if you buy it from a reliable UK retailer.
Acer ChromeBook Spin 11 Cameras
We believe this is a first for Chromebooks as well. But, from the looks of it dual cameras will become new standard, at least for convertible devices in the classroom. A keyboard-mounted, 5MP gives the students the ability to use their Chromebook display as somewhat of a viewfinder when in tablet mode. Applications could include use as a microscope, real-time mapping, 360° photography and who knows what else. This feature appears to be a standard feature on the ASUS C213 and a number of other Chromebooks released this week at BETT in London.
Acer ChromeBook Spin 11 Ports
These days laptops tend to either side with the past, with full-size USBs, or go with the future and use USB Type-C. The Acer Chromebook 11 has both: with two USB 3.0 ports and two USB-Cs, it's flexible for the here and now and the future. This is the perfect array for a Chromebook, particularly when you tend to only get two main connectors anyway.
Acer ChromeBook Spin 11 Performance
A dual-core Intel Celeron N3350 chip that runs at 1.1GHz, with up to 2.4GHz burst, powers this Chromebook. However, the most important spec with Chrome is of course the amount of RAM. 4GB, like on this unit, is an absolute baseline now, though always opt for more if you can.
My standard configuration of a dozen tabs and two or so Android apps running in the background never really caused this machine to slow down. Chromebooks simply just age well with the baseline of specs that power them.
With my heavy writing and browsing workload, an eight-hour day is easily met, though Android app usage is more minimal. I do not foresee needing to bring around a charger, with a top-up in the morning adequate for a day’s work.
Acer ChromeBook Spin 11 Software
Google Play support opens-up the abilities of a Chromebook like the Acer Chromebook 11 hugely, making it a real alternative to a Windows laptop or more expensive hybrid. You can zoom around Google Play just as you would on a tablet - it feels just the same.
Almost all the apps and games we tried worked well, although there are clear signs you're not running them on a native system. Like any new feature, Google Play support is a bit buggy. Many apps don't run full-screen to start, making it look as though you're running them through phone emulator software. They need to restart to "go full-screen" and if you do this as you first run the app it can mess it up completely, requiring a re-install.
High-end games like Asphalt 8 - which works as standard with the keyboard - aren't lag-free, but stutteriness is most obvious in the menus rather than as you play. No game we've tried runs slow enough on the Chromebook 11 to spoil the fun. And this is a mere Chromebook, so that's impressive.
Acer ChromeBook Spin 11 Price
Verdict
If you are a teacher or administrator looking to switch from Windows or macOS to a Chrome OS system, the Chromebook Spin 11 is a good choice, especially for younger kids, as it can take a beating or a spill or two. But for those that spend all day on a computer and need to be able to get things done quickly, you may want to look elsewhere. This isn’t a bad Chromebook, there are just better options out there if you need or want something that’s more powerful. In fact, there are better options out there from Acer themselves.
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