Acer Chromebook 11 N7 Review: Well-Armored But Under-Powered

Google introduced Chrome Os every bit an alternative to Windows and macOS, and while the visitor didn't succeed in its ambitions the style it did with Android, information technology succeeded in creating a niche of computing machines targeted at users securely invested in Google's ecosystem of apps and services, and also gained popularity among students.

At the moment, near all major PC makers have released Chromebooks with dissimilar hardware targeted at a different audience, but in general, Chromebooks are oftentimes marketed as a more affordable alternative to conventional PCs, so their hardware is 'just sufficient' in most cases.

Acer has released multiple Chromebooks so far, and today, we have the Acer Chromebook eleven N7 (Model No. C731T-C03W) for review, which features a rugged build and packs an Intel Celeron processor coupled with a modest 16GB of internal storage and 2 gigs of RAM. The device likewise comes in a version with 4GB of RAM which costs $248, so the one we have for review should cost lower than that.

Specifications

At present, before we delve into an in-depth review of the Acer Chromebook 11 N7, let's take a look at the device'southward hardware:

Dimensions	297.60 mm x 210 mm x 22 mm
Brandish	11.half dozen-inch IPS LED (1366 ten 768)
Processor	Intel Celeron N3060
RAM	2GB
Storage	16GB
Ports	2x USB iii.0, HDMI, SDXC Card Reader,
Battery	3-cell 3980 mAh Li-Polymer
OS	Chrome Bone

Pattern and Build Quality

The moment you agree the device in your hands, two ideas will instantly come to your mind- immovability and portability. The Acer Chromebook 11 N7 features a rugged build and a reinforced polymer trunk which is compliant with the MIL-STD 810G US Armed services durability standard, which basically ways the device is built similar a tank.

Acer claims that the device tin survive up to 60kg of downward force on the top cover and tin can too withstand a drop from a height of up to 48 inches (one.21m/4ft), all thanks to the rubberized bumper surrounding the keyboard base. The matte gray top has a crude surface while the base has an anti-slip pattern which provides an fantabulous grip and gives an assurance that the device won't sideslip out of your hand.

Moreover, the device has a spill-resistant keyboard which provides protection against a puddle of up to 330ml of liquid, all of which is drained out past two holes at the base of the device, preventing the liquid from frying up the internal circuits, thanks to the aforesaid liquid gutter organisation.

The Acer Chromebook 11 has a sturdy hinge mechanism which allows the display to be folded open just a little beyond 180, which means the device tin lie flat on a table, however, we don't understand how that tin can prove useful in a classroom. It is abundantly clear that the Acer Chromebook is targeted primarily at students who are oftentimes clumsy with their gadgets, and Acer has succeeded in a building a Chromebook that is sturdy enough and can withstand its fair share of mechanical abuse.

Ports and Connectivity

The Acer Chromebook eleven N7 is targeted at a particular audition which does non use information technology for exhaustive part presentations or graphics intensive designing tasks, so the port option has been kept at the bare minimum. On right left side, you'll notice astandard 3.5mm sound jack, an SDXC card slot, a USB 3.0 port, an HDMI port and the charging port.

On the correct edge, there's anotherUSB three.0 port and a Kensington lock slot above it. A USB port would have been a overnice improver, just considering the toll betoken of the device and the frugal amount of internal storage available on the device, there is a minimal chance that frequent data transfer with some other device will take place for which a Type-C port would be required.

Display

The Acer Chromebook xi N7 features a touch-sensitive 11.six-inch IPS LED-backlit display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 with Acer'southward Cinecrystal engineering science and support for multi-finger gestures. All the same, variants with a non-touch sensitive display are also available. The resolution might appear to be quite low for a calculating machine, simply thank you to the modest size of the brandish, images and videos don't announced to be grainy.

Viewing angles are surprisingly good for an entry-level device, and there is minimal color fading when the display angle was changed. Colour accuracy is proficient too, but but don't await deep blacks and all shades to pop out like an AMOLED console.

My only qualm with the brandish was the low peak effulgence level. If you are using the device in a night environs or places with a moderate level of artificial lighting, the display would serve you well, merely if you plan to apply it outdoors or in well-lit surroundings, you'll have some difficulties reading the text on the screen and gauging the shades.

Keyboard & Touchpad

As mentioned before, the device has a spill-resistant keyboard which can take a liquid spill of up to 330ml and drain it out via ii vents at the base of the device. The keyboard has a recessed design and the keys accept 1.4 millimeters of central travel, providing a comfortable typing experience.

The keys take a prissy springy feedback and are ideal for typing assignments, withal, they are non backlit. Despite its small size, the keyboard does non feel cramped, and in my time reviewing the device, I felt minimal discomfort and within an 60 minutes, I was dorsum to the normal WPM count I clock on my Lenovo Thinkpad, which features one of the best keyboards on any laptop out in that location.

The only problem you'll face, if you are switching from a Windows laptop to the Acer Chromebook xi, are the function keys at the top of the keyboard that will take some fourth dimension getting used to. (You lot tin can read our article titled '22 Chromebook Shortcuts To Apply Chrome Bone Like a Pro' to learn some corking tricks nigh using a Chromebook)

The touchpad is a little disappointing compared to how good the keyboard is, and even though it supports 2-finger and 3 finger-gestures, accuracy is not equally adept as you'd find on a laptop with Windows Precision Drivers technology. But and then, expecting a glass-layered keyboard with butter-smooth gesture execution would be a pipedream on a device which costs less than $250.

Audio

The device features two speaker grilles at the base which tin can get surprisingly loud, however, equally you crank up the volume, the clarity takes a hitting and the overall quality simply nosedives. In that location is minimal to no bass output, and listening to metal songs at loftier volume renders a tinny sound. Moreover, the audio gets muffled if the Chromebook is resting on your lap. So, if y'all plan on attending an online lecture serial or binge sentinel a TV show, you better plug in your headphones if you don't want to miss the details.

Performance

The Acer Chromebook 11 N7 is powered by an aging dual-core Intel Celeron N3060 processor clocked at ii.0GHz which is paired with a paltry 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. As expected, the Chrome Bone-machine is not zippy plenty and lacks the multi-tasking oomph one would want their device to have.

While the Acer Chromebook 11 N7 was capable enough to handle up to 3 or four lightweight apps running in the background and a few chrome tabs, there is a noticeable stutter when yous multitask your manner through them. And when only a unmarried Chrome app was running and in that location were viii or nine tabs on which I was accessing my postal service, editing a Google Docs file and playing a music video, there was a noticeable lag while switching between the tabs.

The touch input is accurate, but at that place is a certain latency when you have a lot of apps running in the background and pushing the processor to its limits. Talking virtually apps, the Acer device has full Google Play support, which ways y'all tin can download all Android apps and collaborate with them just equally you lot would do on a smartphone, cheers to the touch-sensitive screen.

But downloading apps is ane thing and running them smoothly is an altogether unlike game. While Google's suite of productivity apps piece of work like a breeze and a few other Android apps and low-cal-weight games work fine, but as yous motility to more graphics or resource intensive apps, the performance takes a big hitting.

For example, I tried a few popular titles similar Angry Birds and Candy Crush, and they worked just fine, only as I moved to more graphics intensive games, the frequency of stutters and lags started to increase dramatically.

I then tested a few really demanding games similar PUBG Mobile, and unsurprisingly, the Acer Chromebook couldn't handle it, as the game was stuck on the load screen despite multiple attempts to run information technology after closing and re-launching it. There is only one reason behind this operation fiasco, and that is the wearisome Intel Pentium processor, and the paltry 2GB of RAM does not help either.

Equally far as productivity is concerned, at that place is no dearth of Android apps that you tin can download and hands handle your mean solar day-to-day tasks. But if y'all are running mobile versions of desktop apps such as Microsoft Part, you lot might face some limitations while they are running on your Chromebook, as they are mobile optimized versions, and hence, lack the full suite of features available on their desktop version.

Another issue is the amount of storage. Our review unit had just 16GB of internal storage and I quickly ran out of retention space later downloading a few apps, games, and transferring a few files. Then, if yous plan on buying the device, don't forget to store all your media files on your Google Drive, and of form, remain connected to the internet in order to access them, which is some other limitation if you are on the go.

Battery

Equally much as I was disappointed by the Acer Chromebook 11 N7's sluggish performance, I was more overwhelmed with its excellent battery life. Acer claims that the device has a bombardment life of effectually 12 hours and can easily last over a day of moderate usage, only in my experience, the device exceeded those expectations. I used it as my daily driver for a twenty-four hour period and by the time I was packing my bag, at that place was still around 40% battery left.

To exam it further, I charged the device to 100% and started streaming a cricket match, and after approximately v hours of streaming, the battery level had just dropped to 55%, which is merely amazing. All in all, if y'all buy the device and use information technology as your daily commuter, y'all won't have to run to the nearest charging indicate during your unabridged twenty-four hour period, which is not something many Windows ten-powered PCs tin brag about.

Acer Chromebook eleven N7 Review: Feature Packed Merely Underpowered

By at present, you certainly have an idea that the Acer Chromebook 11 N7 is targeted at students and people who want durability, affordability, and versatility bundled in a single package. With a cost tag which falls below the $250 mark, the Acer device offers a highly durable build quality, splendid bombardment life and a corking keyboard which is ideal for typing, all in a very portable bundle. And what'southward more, you also go access to all Android apps, which is a huge bonus.

Just an underpowered processor and a barebones retentivity configuration result in a sluggish operation and take a toll on the Acer Chromebook's multitasking abilities. However, if your twenty-four hour period-to-24-hour interval work does not comprise of heavy-duty graphics-intensive tasks and high-levels of multi-tasking, then the Acer Chromebook 11 N7 is definitely worth the money for what information technology brings to the table.

Pros:

• Sturdy build quality
• Portable
• Excellent battery life
• Spill-resistant, comfortable keyboard
• Affordable

Cons:

• A low-end, aging processor
• Low on RAM and internal storage
• Unreliable trackpad
• Slim port selection
• Inferior sound quality

SEE ALSO: Acer Predator Helios 500 Review: Core i9 Powered Heavyweight

Acer Chromebook 11 N7: Cons Outweigh its Pros

Well, as you must have noticed, the Acer Chrome 11 N7's cons far outweigh its cons. I actually like the design and the first-class battery life this Chromebook offers, but the average operation makes it hard for me to recommend it. Anyway, what do you recall? Will you buy the Acer Chromebook 11 N7? Tell us in the comments downwardly below.

Buy the 4GB RAM version of Acer Chromebook 11 N7: ($248)

REVIEW OVERVIEW
Design and Build Quality 8.5
Ports and Connectivity 8
Brandish 7
Keyboard and Touchpad eight
Sound 7
Performance 6
Bombardment 9
SUMMARY The Acer Chromebook 11 N7 is an excellent entry-level Chromebook, all cheers to a very sturdy build, nice keyboard, decent port selection and an outstanding bombardment life, which is enough to easily last through a day of usage. Nonetheless, a severely underpowered processor and just 2GB of RAM take a cost on the device'south performance, which is quite sluggish when information technology comes to multitasking and running heavy apps.	7.6 OVERALL SCORE

Source: https://beebom.com/acer-chromebook-11-n7-review/

Posted by: ransombearkmor.blogspot.com

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