acer Chromebook 14, Aluminum, 14-inch Full HD, Intel Celeron N3160, 4GB LPDDR3, 32GB, Chrome, CB3-431-C5FM

A month or so ago, the screen on my Toshiba Chrome 2 was broken (no fault of the computer, just someone slamming it shut in anger), necessitating its replacement. This Acer is the third computer that I bought in replacement, so I feel I'm in a pretty good position to judge where it stands relative to what else it out there right now. I'm a Chrome OS early adopter, having bought one of the early Chromebox's that were given out at the Google I/O off of eBay, and having bought my Toshiba Chromebook a couple of years ago. I'm somewhat sold on Chrome, the feature I like best about them is that the continuous updating and cleaning up of the OS. My Chromebox is about four years old and it works better now than when I bought it, and that's with zero attention paid to updating/upgrading/virus protection/etc. ever. It "just works" and it doesn't stop just working. So my first choice was the SUS C300SA-DS02 Chromebook 13.3" HD, which sells for about $225 on Amazon. It wasn't a horrible computer, but it looks and feels very cheap and underpowered. So I sent it back and instead ordered an ASUS ZenBook UX305UA 13.3-inch. It was of course much nicer, and I was looking forward to putting Windows Office on it so that I could get some more work functionality out of it. But I was amazed to learn that ASUS Windows laptops, apparently all of them, lock the function keys in such a way that you have to simultaneously press the function key in order to perform their non-function functions (i.e. if you press "F12" by itself you get the developer's code window rather than volume up), and it cannot be changed. It's hardwired into the computer, not even opening the BIOS can change it. That was a plain non-starter for me, I'm constantly fiddling with volume and brightness controls on my laptops, so having that as a two-hand operation . . . no way. So . . . reconsidering also the extremely marginal functionality of native Windows Office as opposed to Google Docs/Office Online, I decided to go back to another Chromebook, but this time the Acer Chromebook 14. Boy am I glad I did! This computer looks and feels like a $1000 laptop. It's a beautiful, solid all-metal device, with a nice, wide great looking screen. The trackpad works well, and the internals seem to be very quick, I haven't noticed any stuttering on anything as of yet. My only quibble might be with the keyboard, which is a bit shallow for my tastes, but it's decent enough. At $300 even, you'd be crazy to settle for one of the $200+ Chromebook when a vastly better machine can be had for just a little bit more. If you're looking for a computer in the range of this size and price and functionality, I would recommend this one.

I received this device on Friday, as promised. I fully charged during first use and despite the fact I've been running it on and off to write, to watch videos, to surf the internet, and to check my email, it's Sunday evening and I have over 71% battery life remaining. So confident in the product, I brought it out with me without bringing the power cord. I love this Chromebook. The screen is wonderful and though I believed the brightness might be an issue, I was able to write outside without any trouble. It was a bright, sunny day here today. I opened a doc and wrote for about twenty minutes and I didn't even have to bump up the brightness, which is set at about 55-60%. Since I was outside and away from a wireless signal, I turned off the wi-fi at this time. I've been leaving the wireless on and haven't plugged in the Chromebook since it reach a full charge on Friday. I never had a MacBook Air and I'm not in IT (though I had majored in Information Systems for a few semesters before changing over to Organizational Management.) That being said, I've seen a few reviews on here from people who have had MacBooks. I understand this is a Chromebook and only costs $299 but I feel this is a tremendous value. I can't see how it actually compares to the MacBook but since it costs considerably less, I don't have any expectations that this is a superior device. I have had no complaints, I've seen no imperfections in my device, no creaking or flexing anywhere, it has a solid aluminum construction, it runs silent as it is fanless (which means I can type in bed while my wife sleeps), and I find it has an excellent keyboard. Would I have liked a back-lit keyboard? Yes. Do I regret my decision? Not a chance and I don't think that omission warrants a star deduction, not even a half star. I knew what I was getting when I ordered it and I'm pleased to say, it's even better than expected. It runs quickly without experiencing lag (I've had up to 8 tabs open, with Netflix playing in one of the tabs and Google+ open in another.) I don't typically have that many tabs open at one time so if it can handle that, I'm confident it will work great for my use. I'm ready to start removing the stickers from the unit and will throw away the box it came in when I get back home, as I don't plan on returning it. I plan on using this Chromebook daily and give my enthusiastic recommendation! Oh, by the way, I thought I'd miss the SD card slot but really I hardly ever used it and since it has two USB 3.0 ports, if I need to transfer data to my Chromebook, I can always use a flash (thumb) drive, an external hard drive, or share data through Google Drive from another computer. Guess not having that slot doesn't impact me as much as I thought. If you need this slot, or prefer a backlit keyboard, I would suggest you buy something else. For everyone else, I honestly think you'll love it as much as I do.

Updated 3/24/2018 (four months later): Great laptop despite many product and service limitations of Google itself. I am currently chatting with an Acer rep for a warranty repair, as I have had issues with a flickering or outright black screen. This is 99% my fault, as I played hour-long meditation videos non-stop a LOT. I will update this review again with info on how my experience with Acer customer service was. Be sure to get another outside warranty just to be on the safe side. FIRST REVIEW: First day, first two/three hours with product: The hardware is very sleek and elegant for the price! The all-metal build feels sturdy, isn't prone to fingerprints (as far as I can tell. I watched one of my fingerprints actually disappear on the body before my eyes.), the keys have nice travel, the screen is great, and I can find no defects yet! I bought mine brand new so I would hope nothing is wrong with the hardware (or software)! Since it's metal, it's prone to grow very cold if you leave it be in a cold house/during the winter time. But it's metal, so it's to be expected and it's a lot better alternative to an overheating device! There's no fan so you won't have to worry about that anyway. As for Chrome OS, I had a Chromebook once before (from another manufacturer whose name also starts with an 'A') sometime in 2016 and the experience was less than pleasant, mostly due to the hardware rather than Chrome OS. But actually NOW I have noticed some things in the OS I don't like compared to the 2016 version I'd had! After an update or two your Acer CB14 WILL update to allow the Android-based apps Google Play Store to be installed on it....But it's faulty and has a long way to go before even the stock Google apps are optimized for Chromebooks! The Play Store app itself has more than a few design and functionality flaws that make it difficult for any consumers who is familiar with the Android Store to ignore or get used to. It's hard for me to explain and I do not want to make along first review, but they are there and hopefully will be updated in future update packs. I recently spoke with an online buddy who has the Acer CB15 who also noticed the lack of optimization Chrome OS's Play Store has... A lot of the stock shortcuts (for Chrome [Browser], GMail, Docs, YouTube, etc.) are still just hyperlink shortcuts (they take you to a website instead of opening an app) rather than the actual apps, and this is really disappointing, but once you update your CB you can just install the Android app versions, "unpin" the stock hyperlink shortcuts and go from there. I'll try to be a bit more lenient with this device in my future updates, because access to the Play Store on Chrome OS is still very new, but believe me when I say I am grateful I'm not one of the people shelling out over $300 (and up to about $1700) for a Chromebook because it is truly not worth it. They have a ways to go before those price tags are warranted in any way.

I have been incredibly satisfied with this purchase. It's everything I would like from a Chromebook. I love the thinness, the aluminum build, and the screen. The battery life is great, and I love the simplicity and reliability of Chrome OS. I had looked into getting the Toshiba Chromebook 2, but was put off by the quality issues and the lack of responsiveness from customer service others had experienced. I settled on this Chromebook because of the positive reviews, and the quality of the build and features. What some say have been cons vs my experience: -Some have said that the quality and brightness of the screen are not great, but I am very happy with the range of brightness and almost never use it at its max brightness. I use it inside but have natural light in the room. -Some dislike the lack of a back-lit keyboard, but I think the value was put into other areas of the computer. A back-lit keyboard would have bumped up the price. I don't find it necessary for the way I use it, as I have lights on in my home, and I can type without looking down as well. -Lack of SD card, I don't miss at the moment. If I need more storage I will use a USB stick or connect a hard drive. But I haven't needed it, and I don't think I will, as I store everything on the cloud. Whatever other hangups others have experienced, I can say have not affected me at all. If you can get over the cons others have mentioned, I highly recommend this machine! To me, it's all "pros," no "cons," and a really great value for what you are getting. Do look into Chrome OS first, to ensure it is a good fit for how you plan to use the computer. For the average computer user, it is all you need.

If you consider the 20 free GoGo Inflight Internet passes (worth $240 to $360), the 100GB of online storage for 3 years ($72), and the 90 days of free Google Play Music / Youtube Red ($30), you're pretty much being paid to buy this computer, so I consider this a free computer... Bought this for my mom to replace a 3 year old Chromebook that worked like a champ until recently. First, Chromebooks should be the only type of computer anyone should buy... especially if being used by your older parents or anyone who's sick and tired of computers that store everything locally, viruses, crashing computers, etc., etc. The build quality is amazing for the price, pretty close to a MacBook Air - not quite, but pretty close. The IPS display is amazing and it's non-reflective which is another great bonus. The speakers on this system are unbelievably good. While not as fast as the Chromebook Pixel (I have two of them, btw it's the best laptop out there with the highest resolution screen of any laptop on the market, including any MacBook out there, by far), it's a snappy computer. By changing the default download directory to your google drive 'downloads' directory, you'll never worry about losing files, losing your computer, or having something go wrong when the system crashes. Now that tethering is free from your phone, you can have internet anywhere you go. I have both a Project Fi Google Nexus 6P phone (the bill averages out to about $20/mo, no matter where I travel in the world), and a Verizon Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, so I just tether Chromebooks to my phone when not in range of Wi-Fi... even works great at 200mph on the Japanese bullet trains! I'm an early adopter, someone who buys pretty much anything and tests it out, and spend around $180K a year on Amazon alone... I could go and get the most expensive computers out there, but trust me, you'll be very happy with this computer, and like I said, it's like being paid to buy this thing so the risk is low. You'll love it, and once you go Chromebook you'll never go back. Google really is fantastic and knows what they doing here. Ah, and again, you'll never get malware, spyware, viruses, etc. on this thing. My suggestion as soon as you buy this, or any Chromebook, is to change your downloads directory to your Google Drive downloads folder... set up Google Photos (free unlimited storage of photos, great searching capabilities, and deletes photos from your phone with one click as soon as they're backed up in the cloud), and set up "Open these tabs automatically" under settings so that you have all your tabs open automatically as soon as you start your computer... for me, I autostart Google Keep, Google Calendar, Google Voice, MightyText, MixMax, Hangouts, Facebook, Google Inbox, Google News, QuickBooks Online, Feedly, Weather Channel 10 day forecast, Nest (for home thermostats and cameras and smoke/carbon monoxide), Rachio (my sprinkler control system that saved 80% on my water bill), and a few other tabs. Enjoy this computer... you'll be totally impressed. Ah, and the keyboard is one of the best in the market. Wouldn't change a thing except for having USB-C quick-charging.

Edit 5/27/2016 to below... After writing this review, Acer contacted me and got me in touch with a real support contact. We briefly discussed the issue and they decided I definitely should send it in for repair (a battery replacement). They gave me a prepaid FedEx label and contacted me when the Chromebook arrived at their repair facility in Temple, TX. So far, I'm happier with the support experience. I'll add a star for this. After I get the computer back (and have the opportunity to actually use it), I'll update this to a product review vs. a service review. I won't knock the device because I think it's reasonable to expect *some* units to have manufacturing issues... it happens! ------------------ Well we had the thing 10 days and it's dead. Worked out of the box, charged it to full. Then, unplugged it for a day or so without really using it. Battery got down to 20% roughly so I just turned it off. 2 days later, I tried to plug it in.... dead. No charging indicator (it's supposed to light up blue near power port while charging), cannot turn the device on. Here's the worst part: contacted Acer support by phone. The first rep seemed to be somewhat helpful, and put me on hold to make notes. We got disconnected so I called back and got a different person named "Manuel"... who was NOT helpful. Essentially he told me to buy another AC adapter at a "computer store" or take it to a big box store and try to plug it in. I found this to be a ridiculous response. I pressed the issue and said it needs to be looked at and repaired/replaced.... it's 10 days old for crying out loud! He gave in and created a ticket and sent a return instruction email.... but I'm supposed to pay return shipping. This isn't my idea of how a warranty on a brand new product should work.

I've kept an eye on Chromebooks for the last couple of years as a possible option for a low-cost laptop. I'm a long time Windows user but started using Chrome as my browser of choice a few years back. I also have an Android phone that's tied to Google's services and appreciate how well the user experience transfers between the phone and desktop. After an honest evaluation of my laptop usage habits, I decided a Chromebook could meet my needs. I'm not a gamer and use my laptop primarily for email, web browsing, and light document work. I also have Linux and Windows workstations on my network and access them via SSH, VNC, and RDP. I'm been quite pleased at how well the Chromebook has worked for all these tasks. The free SSH client from the web store works to logon to my Linux machines and can even do public key authentication and port forwarding, enabling me to tunnel my VNC connections through SSH. The Chrome RDP app also works well, connecting to my Windows machines with good performance, and I can access files on my NAS using Network File Shares After using the Chromebook for the last couple of weeks, I'd confidently recommend one for everything but gaming and special purpose applications. The quality of this unit exceeds my expectations, and if feels solidly built while still very thin and light. The keyboard and track pad are both quite good, although I always use a real mouse. Battery life is excellent, and I can get several days use before needing to plug in. With a solid CPU and 4GB of memory I can run a dozen or more open tabs with good performance. I'm not sure just how many things I need to open to notice performance degrade because I haven't hit that point. Saving the best for last, the full HD screen is one of the primary reasons I chose this Chromebook, and it is wonderful. Scaling works nicely when needed using either Ctrl with mouse wheel to scale just the browser contents or using Ctrl, Shift, +/- to scale the resolution of the entire screen. I've shopped around for Windows laptops with higher resolution screens and they are all well beyond this price point. To me, this Chromebook is a great value.

I ordered 2 of these at the end of August 2016, for my 2 kids in middle school. Both were outstanding machines and worked great. Fast, easy to use, relatively inexpensive (especially compared to traditional laptops), and long battery life. I would give 5 stars... It is now less than 7 months later and both stopped working properly. On one, the left side of the keyboard works intermittently and one vertical column of keys not at all, the other machine will not turn on. The screen stays black. Yes it's fully charged, and we checked the contrast. No noise, no screen, no nothing. This happened within 2-3 weeks of each other, I am mailing these back this week for repair (they're still under warranty) and we will see what is done. I will update this review after seeing how it is handled. UPDATE: Shipping was free for both, but I had to pay @$20 for the boxing/packing at UPS. Received both machines back w/in 2 weeks. 1 needed a new motherboard, the other they replaced the whole upper half of the case. Both are working great again. These are excellent machines for the price. Will keep the rating at 3 stars due to both having a problem in such a short time period from purchase.