Notebook review : Acer C7 Chromebook (C710-2847)
The netbook isn't dull, it scarcely got Chrome'd. With the Acer C7 Chromebook (C710-2847) , Google has after all slash down the penalty of the Chromebook to an undeniably reasonable $200, using a netbook-esque design, but infusing it with the web-centric Chrome operating arrangement. The consequence isn't in the role of sly in the role of the Samsung Chromebook progression 3 (XE303C12) , but it does offer a wider selection of ports, a superior 320GB remorseless drive, and a piano so as to won't require in the role of much adjustment, and does it all in favor of $50 take away.
Design
The Acer C7 Chromebook doesn't allow the same slim build of the Samsung progression 3. As a substitute of resembling the current crop of ultrabooks, the Acer C7 is a dull ringer in favor of the Acer Aspire V5-171, a different 11-inch arrangement announced this quarter. With a tubby vent grille, a bulging battery, and a clunky design, the Acer C7 looks new like keep up year's plan netbooks than this year's sly ultrabooks.
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The hulk is all plastic, with a dull black underside and dark grey clanging plastic on the lid and palmrest. Measuring 1.0 by 11.2 by 7.95 inches (HWD), the C7 Chromebook is thicker than the Samsung progression 3 (0.69 inch) in the field of order to accommodate both a remorseless drive and cooling fan. Anywhere the Samsung progression 3 sealed the battery into its slim hulk, the Acer C7 has a detachable battery so as to bulges shown the back. It's heavier, in the role of well, weighing in the field of by the side of three pounds, while the Samsung progression 3 weighs 2.5 pounds.
The 11.6-inch screen is surrounded by a glossy black bezel, and offers the same 1,366-by-768 decree seen on both the Apple MacBook Air 11-inch (Mid 2012) and the Microsoft outward with Windows RT . The decree is area of high pressure adequate to have the benefit of Netflix and Hulu in the field of 720p, but not adequate in favor of comfortable side-by-side multitasking. While the show is decent, the built-in stereo speakers are not. The volume has to come about bowed up scarcely to come about heard, which is problematic since the speakers allow a pronounced drone by the side of in the least audible volume. Even devoid of the drone, the sound is wishy-washy with almost nix visible low. You'll unquestionably yearn for headphones.
The C7 Chromebook is based on the Acer Aspire V5-171, and it looks in the role of though Acer simply relabeled a little of the keys as a substitute of using the Chrome-specific plan seen on other Chromebooks. The piano, while still tweaked in favor of Chrome, long for take a minute take away getting used to. In favor of instance, it boasts both Caps Lock and Delete keys. Too, anywhere a Windows tone would normally reside, you'll recover a fanatical Google Search tone. The arrow keys are trivial, but are attached by Pg Up and Pg Dn keys, saving the need to become skilled at so as to noteworthy shortcut. The barely other quirk in the field of the piano is the Enter tone, which joins the Backslash (\) tone.
Acer C7 Chromebook
The F1-F12 allow been replaced with Chrome-specific function/hotkeys (Across from gone to proper: Running away, Back, redirect, Reload, gorged Screen, after that Window, Brightness Down/Up, Volume Mute/Down/Up, Power). These are attached along the top row by keys in favor of home-based, come to an end, put in, and Delete, which weren't seen on the Samsung progression 3, but be supposed to reach transitioning to the Chromebook a fragment easier.
The trackpad on the C7 Chromebook is a clickpad, with support in favor of one- and two-finger rhythm as a substitute of the usual right- and left-click buttons. Google has too tweaked it in favor of closer navigation in the field of Chrome, with unpretentious two-finger scrolling, and an comfortable click-and-drag function.
Skin texture
The significant bring forward of the Chromebook progression 3 is not its hardware, its penalty tag, before even its unique piano; it's Chrome OS. Google's Web-centric operating arrangement is minute new than the Chrome Web-browser, with net apps built-in, and a little added offline functionality.
Fanatical icons in the field of the inferior gone corner of the screen tear up Gmail, Google Search, Google Drive, and YouTube. A selection of apps offers even new Chrome Apps, like Chrome net stockpile, Google Calendar, Google+, a calculator, camera (which uses the C7 Chromebook's 1.3-megapixel webcam), and Chrome Remote Desktop, which lets you access other PCs a little through the browser. It's a workable (albeit slow) solution to Chrome users who yearn for to either access their primary laptop and software, before who need to make a little remote troubleshooting in favor of a qualified. In the field of an effort to spread out the usefulness of these apps, Google has too added offline capability to Google Drive and Gmail, hire you access by the side of smallest amount a little of your stuff whilst Wi-Fi isn't existing. Promote apps and extensions can come about found in the field of the Chrome net stockpile, with thousands of offerings, many in favor of gratis.
There's too a vital record executive in the field of Chrome OS, but the tone word at this point is vital. Plug in the field of a USB display drive before SD certificate, and it long for pop up a make an inventory of the drive's contents, with an interface so as to looks much like Gmail before Google Drive. Credentials and PDF library are opened using Chrome's in-browser deed viewer, while photos are viewed and edited with Chrome's light image editor. Song and cartridge library are opened with Chrome's media player, but Google expects on the whole media to come about streamed concluded Wi-Fi (using apps like Google amuse yourself Music), and in favor of robust cloud-based expurgation tools (such in the role of Aviary and Creative Kit in the field of Google+) to come about used in favor of extensive media expurgation.
While the Acer C7 may possibly not come about the cream of the crop in the field of requisites of lustrous design, it certainly has a robust selection of skin texture. On the proper part of the hulk you'll recover two USB 2.0 ports, a combination earphone and microphone jack, and a holder lock slot. On the front sidle of the palmrest is an integrated certificate person who reads (SD/MMC). On the proper, a third USB 2.0 docks too offers power in favor of charging cell procedure, and an HDMI shown docks in favor of link up to a television before observe. You'll too recover both VGA output and an Ethernet docks, two options so as to essential fashion accessory dongles on the Samsung progression 3. In the field of addition to the Ethernet docks, the C7 Chromebook is equipped with 802.11 a/b/g/n WLAN. You won't recover Bluetooth, however, before the closer USB 3.0, and nearby is nix 3G before 4G LTE equipped configuration existing. The relatively expensive ($329) 3G version of the Samsung Chromebook progression 3 comes with a 3G broadcasting and 100MB for each month gratis service.
The C7 Chromebook is too outfitted with a 320GB, 5,400 rpm rotary remorseless drive, offering far new facility than the 16GB display remembrance of either the Samsung progression 3 before the Samsung progression 5 Chromebook 550 (XE550C22-H01) . In the role of a consequence, this is the Chromebook to wish if you yearn for to save a lot in life of data locally. It's too something of an anomaly, since record luggage compartment is projected to come about in the field of the cloud, primarily using Google Drive. To further this transition, further Chromebook owners are open a gratis 100GB upgrade to their Google Drive facility, helpful in favor of two years. Acer covers the Chromebook with a one-year warranty.
Performance
As a substitute of the Atom notebook used in the field of the Samsung progression 3, the C7 Chromebook is equipped with an 1.1GHz Intel Celeron 847 notebook, a dual-core CPU analogous to the single found in the field of the Samsung progression 5 Chromebook 550. The Celeron CPU is paired with 2GB of RAM, but unlike the other Chromebooks on the sell, this can come about extended, bumping up to 4GB absolute.
The notebook may possibly not come about particularly impressive, but it does provide adequate oomph in favor of Chrome OS to run smoothly. In the field of actuality, according to BrowserMark test results, the Acer C7 is faintly closer than the Samsung progression 3, and both outpace Microsoft's ARM-based outward RT tablet. It is, however, slower to gumboot, taking 21 seconds from cold start to password prompt—the Samsung progression 3 booted up in the field of 8 seconds, largely recognition to its trivial but zippy display remembrance.
The biggest disappointment of the C7 Chromebook is battery life. Whilst tested with an hours-long YouTube cartridge, streamed concluded Wi-Fi and running fullscreen—the same test used on the progression 3—the C7 Chromebook lasted scarcely 3 hours 2 minutes. By comparison, the Samsung progression 3 lasted 5:25. Unlike the Samsung progression 3, however, the C7 Chromebook has a swappable 6-cell 56Wh battery, so you possibly will rucksack along an bonus battery ($82 street) before two to bring you through the sunlight hours.
The Acer C7 Chromebook (C710-2847) is the on the whole reasonable of the three Chromebooks at present on the sell, and the opening to attack the $200 penalty thing so as to Google has been aiming in favor of since the model was announced in the field of 2011. In the field of requisites of miserly, consistent, and functional Internet access, the Acer C7 Chromebook is durable, with the chief remorseless drive of the bunch. Whether before not it has a better bring forward backdrop than the Samsung progression 3 Chromebook depends leading I beg your pardon? Skin texture you yearn for, preference up VGA and Ethernet connectivity, but dropping the USB 3.0, Bluetooth, and possible 3G open by the Samsung progression 3. With a thick and burdensome design and little battery life, the Acer C7 Chromebook isn't quite in the role of sly in the role of the Samsung progression 3, but the superior drive and cheaper penalty long for grab adequate of attention, and charm a lot in life of those to procure.
