Display and sound
There is a big difference between LED
backlighting 11.6inch screen, 1,366x769 pixels on both cheap Chromebook -
Acer's screen is glossy when Samsung's is matte. In fact, this is the second
Chromebook with a bright display (first is Acer's AC700). Colors are a bit cold
on the C7, but the brightness, contrast and viewing angle are similar on both
screens - neither is as bright as Series 5550, and surely you will want to
adjust the lid to get a good viewing angle once you are in a comfortable
position. While the Samsung's matte screen is easier for the eyes (especially
when working outdoors), Acer's screen opens almost flat, which is a good thing.
Acer
C7 Chromebook Review screen
Neither Chromebook will break the record of
sound quality when using their built-in speakers. Their sound are tinny and
easily blocked, because they are placed in the bottom shell near the front edge
of the keyboard tray on both systems. Samsung beat Acer on loudness here, but
the C7's volume is still quite good in a quiet room.
Performance and battery life
$199 Acer's Chromebook has Intel Celeron
847 1.1GHz and 320GB hard drive. $249 Samsung's Chromebook is built with Exynos
5 Dual 1.7GHz (5250) SoC based on the company's A15 with 16GB of flash
storage. Either has dual-core CPU and 2GB of RAM, so it really is the fight
between x86 vs. ARM and hard drive vs. SSD. On Chromebook, processor speed
usually affects things like page display and scrolling, amount of RAM affects
how many tabs you can open at the same time, and storage performance often
affects start-up time and page caching.
In our experience, Samsung's Exynos-packing
system slot somewhere between the Chromebook equipped with Atom and
Celeron-based models such as the Series 5550. Of course, they are all equipped
with SSDs. C7 is anomaly - it's a little bit faster than its low-end brother,
both in subjective and in influenced by results web rendering SunSpider test
(528ms vs. 677ms), but it takes twice as long to boot (18 seconds vs. 9). We
do not remember facing any malfunction or hang - so, it is a completely
competitive Chromebook provides average performance.
Battery life is another matter. Samsung's
Chromebook is leading by equally specifications which can reach 6 hours 33
minutes in battery tests normal (including playing a repeated video from local
repository with open Wi-Fi). Acer's Chromebook, which is rated four hours of
operation, can only last 3 hours 16 minutes in the same test. Even though C7 features
a smaller 2500mAh battery (vs. 4080mAh), it is also burdened with less-effective
components such as 2.5-inch hard drive, Intel Celeron CPU and integrated
cooling fan. Speaking of which, the fan is always spinning, even though it has
different speeds, it is loud enough to be noticed. While it's somewhat
annoying, it keeps the laptop cool even when the vents were covered a bit by
the structure.
Software
For many, the Chrome OS is an essential
spice - you really have to live with it a few days to learn it. Although it's
not for everyone, it is an attractive option once you understand the idea.
Certain simplicity with cloud-based computing becomes clear once you start
using a system designed to do just one good thing - what most people do: surf
the Web. Do not worry much about the application management or software updates
or lending your laptop - you can focus on increasing productivity. We have few
fans among us at Engadget, and these dual low-end Chromebook are creating more
interest than ever between colleagues, friends and family.
Acer's
Chromebook runs Chrome OS version 23
$199 Acer's Chromebook runs Chrome OS
version 23. We evaluated the version 19 earlier this year, which created one
important change to the operating system - UI develops from almost a full
screen instance of Chrome to a more similar with desktop experience provision,
including wallpaper, task bar and start menu. It also introduced additional
functional with an image editor, wider media compatibility, offline documents
including Google Books, Hangout support, along with the tab-syncing with other
versions of Chrome (mobile and desktop). That operating system version also
comes with a Chrome Remote Desktop to access the system remotely and share your
screen. Version 23, which is also present on the $249 Samsung's Chromebook, has
a fixed login screen, additional background, calculator application, camera
application (with modern filters) and deep integration Google Drive - along
with 100GB of free storage for 2 years.
Conclusion
Whether you like the cloud-based computing
low-end, or just curious about Chrome OS, there was never a cheaper Chromebook
option. The $199 Acer's system surely wins on price, but it looked cheap. It
provides fast processor with Ethernet connections and VGA, but at the cost of
the glossy screen, poor keyboard layout and bad battery life. We've mentioned
it as a bunch of cheap plastic, haven't we?
However, it's hard to ignore how C7 is tinker-friendly.
The 2GB additional of RAM (by installing a second SODIMM) and replacing hard
drive with SSD are a common way to reach the performance level of the Series
5550 with less money than buying a Google's top laptop - meanwhile, this
Chromebook has been hacked to run other operating systems. Besides that, 4-cell
Li-ion battery removable gives chance for larger capacity replacement battery.
After all, we think it is worth spending a
little more for the $249 Samsung's model. It's elegant, well-built, thinner and
lighter. Together with the matte screen, keyboard, Bluetooth and quite good
battery life bring more subtle Chromebook experience. After all, if you plan to
live in the clouds, you can choose cloud nine, right?
Info
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Product’s name: Acer C7 Chromebook
·
Price: $199
Advantage
·
The cheapest chromebook so far
·
Fair performance
·
Hacker-friendly
Disadvantage
·
Cheap build quality and materials
·
Poor keyboard layout
·
Short battery life
Verdict
·
The $199 Acer system definitely wins on price,
but it felt extremely cheap.
·
It provides fast processor in the exchange of
the poor keyboard layout and short battery life.
It
provides fast processor in the exchange of the poor keyboard layout and short
battery life.
|
Acer C7
Chromebook specifications
·
Type: netbook, ultrabook
·
Processor Name: Intel Celeron 847
·
Processor Speed: 1.1 GHz
·
Operating System: Google Chrome OS
·
Ram: 2 GB
·
Weight: 3.05 lb
·
Screen Size: 11.6 inches
·
Screen Type: Widescreen
·
Native Resolution: 1366x768p
·
Touchscreen: No
·
Graphics Card: Intel HD Graphics
·
Graphics Memory: 128 MB
·
Storage Capacity (As tested): 320 GB
·
Wireless Display Capability: No
·
WWAN (Mobile BroadBand): None
·
Battery Type: 37 Whr (Watt hour)
·
Tech Support: 1-year warranty
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