In my opinion, a good laptop is worth more than the sum of its parts. You don’t have to have the fastest processor or the best graphics card in the world to be one of the best Chromebooks. Sometimes all it takes is the right combination of materials to create a wonderful piece.
Recently, I tried out the Acer Chromebook Spin 714, a 2-in-1 convertible laptop that’s one of the most durable mid-size laptops I’ve ever used. It is difficult to find faults without being picky. It’s the epitome of versatility.
Of all the laptops I’ve tried this year, this has the best battery life, by far. Remember the rabbit in the Energizer commercial? He just kept moving forward and forward and forward. In my testing, I played a continuous stream of YouTube at 1080p resolution at 50% brightness and this laptop lasted 11 hours straight without issue. I really didn’t expect it to last this long.
Special attention to manufacturing
I eventually had to turn off the computer myself because I had to go to bed… In my experience, computer manufacturers like to say that their laptops can run all day, but they don’t last only six hours maximum. This is the first time I’ve seen a Chromebook run all day. I am impressed!
I noticed that Acer paid special attention to the manufacturing of the Chromebook. Normally, I don’t really pay much attention to my handling of a laptop. I’m usually more interested in its performance, but this time I couldn’t ignore some features. First of all, it is both sturdy and lightweight. This balance is due to the choice of an aluminum chassis. Additionally, since it is a 2-in-1 laptop, it is possible to rotate the screen as much as possible, which turns the device into a tablet. The hinges are fully covered, so you don’t have to worry about them being damaged.
The ends of the screen have rounded corners which make the grip very comfortable. I really appreciate this extra comfort, which prevents me from having a sharp corner.
Strikes are deep, with a soft bounce
Regarding comfort, the keyboard has a good response range. The shots are deep, with a soft bounce. You can type for hours without feeling any finger discomfort. Overall, working with this computer has been enjoyable. The keys are backlit, which is a nice feature when you’re having a sleepless night. The trackpad is rather small, as the keyboard takes up a lot of space, but the click when pressed is satisfying.
Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET
The laptop has a 14-inch screen displaying a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels with a refresh rate of 60 Hz. This screen size is perfect for carrying around. If it had been larger, this Chromebook Spin 714 would have been too difficult to carry. Additionally, the screen is made from Corning Gorilla Glass for added durability. And it has an antimicrobial coating. This feature is not very common on laptops, but it is useful if you plan to share the Chromebook with others or if you have to work with a lot of people.
Performance-wise, the Chromebook Spin 714 is pretty good. Under the hood, the test version of this Chromebook Spin 714 had an Intel Core i7-1355U (13th generation), associated with an Iris Xe graphics card. I had 8 GB of memory and 256 GB of storage space in the SSD. It’s not a powerful workhorse, but this computer still offers good performance. I have never noticed any slowdown or difficulty launching programs.
A sturdy laptop that you can’t fault much for
Overall, this is a beefy laptop that can’t be faulted for much. But if I had to nitpick, I’d say its speakers aren’t great. The sound is decent during a video call with the 1080p webcam, but the quality becomes poor when listening to music or watching a movie. There is no bass, which results in a shallow sound.
ZDNET’s purchasing advice for the Acer Spin 714
If you look for Chromebook reviews online, many people on forums will point you to the Acer one, and for good reason. This is without a doubt one of the best Chromebooks I’ve ever used.
You can purchase the review unit I got from Acer’s website for $999.99. This device is equipped with an Intel i7 processor. If you prefer a cheaper option, there is another model equipped with an Intel i5 processor for $699.99. The performance won’t be as good, but the device is still quite fast. Also note that the cheapest model has a slightly less efficient screen, with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. Other than this difference, everything is the same.
We found various prices for this Acer Spin 714. From €871 for an Intel i3 processor to €1590 for a Qualcomm Kryo 495 octacore processor.
Source: “ZDNet.com”