Review: Acer Chromebook 11

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

As far as low-cost connected computers go, it’s hard to beat a Chromebook in terms of value for money as well as basic functionality. Acer’s Chromebook 11 takes a lot of the simplicity of Chrome OS but also gives us many of the features we expect from a dominant PC maker like Acer.

Chromebooks, which are cloud-connected devices that require constant Internet access, are notorious for low-end specs. This includes paltry processors and tiny storage space plus very little expansion capabilities.

The Acer Chromebook 11 makes things more interesting with an actual Intel Celeron processor (dual-core 2.16 GHz, with 2 GB of RAM as well as Intel HD graphics).

There’s also some surprising I/O. The Acer Chromebook 11 has Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and HDMI ports. The SD card reader enables a way to access and transfer files. All-in-all, a good set of features for a device that’s considered entry-level for CAD $249.00.

There’s also 12 free sessions of Gogo in-flight Internet Access for when you’re on a flight or airline that features this service.

It features 8.5 hours of battery life, which is quite remarkable for such an affordable device. You get 16GB of onboard storage, which isn’t much for onboard storage but since Google gives 100GB of Google Drive storage for two years.

Relative compact and light at 2.87 pounds, the Chromebook 11 is eminently portable and ideal for use at home, school or your favourite Starbucks.

My one complaint with Chromebooks was that each generation I tried felt poorly built and quite chintzy.  The earlier Samsung-made plastic Chromebooks always felt to me like you could snap them in two if you push the hinge too far back.

The Chromebook 11 has a good keyboard with decent feedback, the hinge and lid work well and seem to be able to endure the rigours of use in school or at work. The fit and finish is just as good as any consumer notebook that costs two or three times more.

Acer has defied the notion that cheap notebooks need to feel cheap.

For users who spend most of their time on the web, specifically on Chrome, the Chrome OS is suitable for their needs and unless they’re very invested in specific desktop-class apps, this should be more than enough.

I signed in using my Gmail account and was quickly in Chrome OS with all my settings, bookmarks and web applications. Performance was generally good, surfing websites and various cloud based services (Google Drive) was easy and efficient.

The Acer Chromebook 11 is a great deal if you know what you’re getting into. Chrome OS has its strengths and will serve nicely powering a secondary PC focused mostly on surfing, social media and living in Google’s ecosystem.

It is also a great recommendation for parents looking for a computer for younger children and anyone who is comfortable with having a notebook that requires a constant Internet connection.

Rating: 4 out of 5