Acer recently unveiled its first Intel Core i3 powered Chromebook devices: the C720 series. We’re excited about them since they come at very attractive prices with specs rivaling those of established laptops.
Review
The Acer C720-3871 is a small form device with a screen measuring only 11.6 inches across, therefore making it a great option to consider when buying a notebook intended to assist you in your travels, whether it’s a short walk to a cafe or a long trip across the country. Furthermore, it weighs a measly 2.7 pounds and can hold a charge for up to eight and a half hours, although many users have reported their devices lasting up to ten hours when using the Acer’s resources sparingly.
As you’d expect from a small Chromebook, performance isn’t really a key element in its design. However, the little Acer C720-3871 will surprise even the most exigent of users. It comes equipped with a dual core, 4th generation Intel Core i3-4005U, which scored 2442 points in benchmark tests and can be considered a “more-than-enough” CPU for this Chromebook.
Also, it has 2 gigabytes of system memory installed and a 32 gigabytes built-in solid state drive. Should the storage space become insufficient, Google also provides each Acer C720 Series Chromebook with 100 GB of cloud storage, free of charge. I think about 95% of the users won’t ever need more storage space, since the Chromebook also comes with the whole range of chrome apps, further diluting the need of storing data in a single location.
Check the price and learn more Amazon
The screen is nothing to rave about, just a standard 11.6″ LED backlit HD display with good viewing angles. Webpage elements won’t be crystal clear like on other, more advanced displays, but it should be enough for most users to enjoy writing a blog, reading an online newspaper or watching YouTube tutorials for instance. Other interesting features include a versatile Wi-Fi card with MIMO support and a keyboard that’s a real pleasure typing on.
Technical Specifications
[table width =”100%” style =”table-simple table-hover” responsive =”true” class=”customtable”]
[table_head]
[th_column]Product[/th_column]
[th_column]Acer C720-3871[/th_column]
[/table_head]
[table_body]
[table_row]
[row_column]Details[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]PROCESSOR[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]CPU Name[/row_column]
[row_column]Intel Core i3-4005U[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]CPU Type[/row_column]
[row_column]Dual Core[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]CPU Frequency[/row_column]
[row_column]1.7 GHz[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]CPU Cache[/row_column]
[row_column]3 MB[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]SYSTEM MEMORY[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Installed Memory[/row_column]
[row_column]2 GB[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Maximum Memory[/row_column]
[row_column]2 GB[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Memory Type[/row_column]
[row_column]DDR3L SDRAM[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Total Memory Slots[/row_column]
[row_column]1 slot[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]STORAGE[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Storage Capacity[/row_column]
[row_column]32 GB[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Storage Type[/row_column]
[row_column]SSD[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Storage Technology[/row_column]
[row_column]-[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]DISPLAY[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Screen Size[/row_column]
[row_column]11.6″[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Screen Type[/row_column]
[row_column]LCD[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Screen Technology[/row_column]
[row_column]CineCrystal LED Backlit[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Screen Resolution[/row_column]
[row_column]1366 x 768[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Aspect Ratio[/row_column]
[row_column]16:9[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Touchscreen[/row_column]
[row_column]No[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]GRAPHICS[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Graphics Processing Unit[/row_column]
[row_column]Intel HD Graphics 4400[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Graphic Card Type[/row_column]
[row_column]Integrated[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Graphics Memory[/row_column]
[row_column]Shared[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]AUDIO & VIDEO[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Audio Technology[/row_column]
[row_column]HD Audio[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Speakers[/row_column]
[row_column]2 speakers[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Webcam[/row_column]
[row_column]Yes, 720p[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]NETWORK AND COMMUNICATION[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Wireless LAN[/row_column]
[row_column]802.11a/b/g/n (MIMO Dual-Band)[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Bluetooth[/row_column]
[row_column]Bluetooth 4.0[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Ethernet[/row_column]
[row_column]No[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]INTERFACE[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]USB Ports[/row_column]
[row_column]1 x USB 3.0
1 x USB 2.0[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]HDMI[/row_column]
[row_column]Yes[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]VGA[/row_column]
[row_column]No[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Headphone/Mic[/row_column]
[row_column]Combo Jack[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Multi Card Slot[/row_column]
[row_column]Yes, SD support[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]LAN (RJ45)[/row_column]
[row_column]No[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]INPUT DEVICES[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Touch Pad / Track Pad[/row_column]
[row_column]Multi-Gesture Touchpad[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Keyboard[/row_column]
[row_column]Notebook Standard (Acer FineTip)[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Backlit Keyboard[/row_column]
[row_column]No[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]BATTERY[/row_column]
[row_column][/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Battery Type[/row_column]
[row_column]3-Cell Lithium Polymer[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Battery Capacity[/row_column]
[row_column]3950 mAh[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Maximum Battery Life[/row_column]
[row_column]Up to 8.5 hours[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Other Features[/row_column]
[row_column]None[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Operating System[/row_column]
[row_column]Chrome OS[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Dimensions (W x D x H)[/row_column]
[row_column]11.3″ x 8.0″ x 0.8″[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Weight[/row_column]
[row_column]2.76 lbs[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[/table_body]
[/table]
Scores, Pros and Cons
[row]
[column lg=”4″ md=”12″ sm=”12″ xs=”12″ ]
[progressbar value=”85″ bartype=”progress-bar-info” label=”Performance: 8.5/10″]
[/column]
[column lg=”4″ md=”12″ sm=”12″ xs=”12″ ]
[progressbar value=”95″ bartype=”progress-bar-success” label=”Functionality: 9.5/10″]
[/column]
[column lg=”4″ md=”12″ sm=”12″ xs=”12″ ]
[progressbar value=”95″ bartype=”progress-bar-success” label=”Price: 9.5/10″]
[/column]
[/row]
[row]
[column lg=”6″ md=”12″ sm=”12″ xs=”12″ ]
[list]
[li]Pros[/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-plus”]Portability and functionality[/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-plus”]Battery life[/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-plus”]Build quality[/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-plus”]Very good processor[/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-plus”]Great value for money[/li]
[/list]
[/column]
[column lg=”6″ md=”12″ sm=”12″ xs=”12″ ]
[list]
[li]Cons[/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-minus”]Screen resolution[/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-minus”]No backlit keyboard[/li]
[/list]
[/column]
[/row]
Final Thouhts
Find out more about the Acer on Amazon
All in all, the Acer C720 is an exceptional travel companion considering the price tag. It’s fairly hard to find another notebook with similar specifications (especially with a similar battery life, processor and user experience) for a price around $350 at the time of this review.
