Acer C7 Chromebook Reviews

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acer c7 chromebook
The magnoliopsid genus C7 Chromebook may be a low cost portable computer at simply £199.99/US$199.99 (around AU$191). the explanation for this is often that it is a Google Chromebook, a factor that runs Google's Chrome OS - basically commutation the whole notion of Associate in Nursing OS with an online browser.

And whereas the Chromebooks that we've reviewed before, like its forerunner, the Samsung Series three, and also the Samsung Series five, ar designed otherwise and feel completely different to ancient laptops, this new C7 Chromebook from magnoliopsid genus appears to own been designed, consciously or not, to seem and to feel as historically laptop-like as potential.

It's been simply over a month since Google unveiled its beautiful and cheap $249 Samsung Chromebook solely to surprise United States days later with a fair cheaper system, the $199 magnoliopsid genus C7 Chromebook. initially look, these 2 laptops ar terribly similar, each in purpose (cloud-based computing on a budget) and in specs (11.6-inch show, dual-core CPU, 2GB of RAM), however there ar vital variations underneath the hood. Samsung's providing achieves its svelte kind issue, 6.5-hour battery life and enticing worth via a completely integrated and fanless ARM-based style whereas magnoliopsid genus takes a a lot of conservative approach -- cramming normal ready-made parts sort of a a pair of.5-inch disk drive, small-outline memory module, mini-PCIe WLAN card, and Intel Celeron processor into a conventional netbook-like chassis. will being $50 cheaper form up for the C7's lack of desirability and short 4-hour battery life? What alternative compromises in performance and build quality (if any) were created to attain this lower cost? most significantly, that budget Chromebook is true for you? determine when the break.


Chrome OS is completely different to the in operation systems that almost all people ar at home with, like Windows eight or macintosh OS X ten.8 painter. you cannot simply install apps you've got and you recognize, like Microsoft workplace or Adobe Photoshop Elements; everything's done through the Chrome applications programme.

That might strike you as limiting, and in a very manner it's, however if you're thinking that regarding what you truly use a laptop for, there is a sensible likelihood that you simply either basically do everything through an online browser currently anyway - Gmail, Facebook, iPlayer then on - or that those jobs that you simply presently use regular programs for may simply be switched to net apps.



Google Chromebooks: what you would like to grasp
It's value basic cognitive process that Google's own suite of net apps - notably its applications programme and computer programme apps - are literally terribly capable, and in any case add collaboration tools that mean it is easy for groups to figure along.
It feels like you would like to be connected to the net in any respect times, therefore, to really use a Chromebook, however that is not continually the case. net apps will truly be programmed to figure offline victimization native storage.

Google documents and spreadsheets will try this, merrily switch between on-line and offline mode (once it's enabled), and in spite of however arduous we have a tendency to tried, we have a tendency to could not get wise to lose a scrap of labor.

Chromebook
That said, the very fact that the magnoliopsid genus C7 Chromebook does not presently even have the choice of a model with a SIM slot for mobile broadband - 3G or the likes of - is difficult .
Sure, your home, work, campus, favorite eating place then on most likely have free, fast Wi-Fi, and also the strong offline mode of some net apps means although you do not have an online affiliation, your Chromebook is not a useless lump of plastic. however not even to supply 3G as Associate in Nursing choice appears dotty.

Compared to the Samsung ARM Series three Chromebook that preceded it by simply a couple of weeks, it looks like you get a lot of of virtually everything on the magnoliopsid genus C7 Chromebook. there is a lot of storage (a 320GB disk instead of 16GB), a lot of property (a VGA port yet as HDMI, and LAN yet as Wi-Fi), a higher (if still not excellent) screen, and you even get a caps lock key (more thereon later).

But a lot of isn't continually higher. you furthermore may get a lot of weight - one.4kg/3lbs compared to the featherlight Samsung's one.1kg/2.43lbs - that, whereas it should not sound sort of a massive distinction, is extremely noticeable.

And whereas the additional grunt its one.1GHz dual-core Intel Celeron 847 processor provides means that it's happier, say, taking part in HD video than the Exynos five twin ARM-powered Samsung, it brings compromises.

Chrome OS

Battery life on the magnoliopsid genus C7 Chromebook is poor - somewhere between 3 and 4 hours, or maybe generally less, reckoning on what you are doing with it - and it runs hotter. tho' it is not terrible, it feels, next to Associate in Nursing ARM-based pill or maybe the Samsung Series three, completely old school to listen to fans spin up Associate in Nursingd feel heat spat out of an exhaust vent.
Besides, whereas a number of the additions here ar welcome - that LAN jack can create IT managers happy - some appear less relevant.
What good, as an example, may be a 320GB disk once Chrome OS is intended to be a skinny shopper to cloud services? All it serves to try to to is to cut back the responsiveness of the pc, and to slow boot times.

And having a VGA port yet as HDMI might prove helpful in bound situations (giving displays, say, since several projector systems still impose VGA), however presently, Chrome OS will solely mirror its show - and not continually that faithfully in our testing.
As we have a tendency to write, though, the developer unleash of Chrome OS adds extended desktop mode, therefore it'll create its thanks to the overall unleash eventually.
The magnoliopsid genus C7 Chromebook's integral eleven.6-inch, 1366 x 768 resolution screen is utterly serviceable, if not spectacular.



How the computer of the long run is nearer than you're thinking that
It's possible that its comparative richness - next thereto Samsung Chromebook, say - is simply right down to the very fact that it is a shiny instead of a matt screen, however that is OK, and also the reflections ar less distracting than we have seen on laptops that price fourfold the maximum amount, like Apple's MacBook professional with membrane show.

You get Associate in Nursing Mount Rushmore State card slot, and a frankly-excessive-for-a-Chromebook 3 USB a pair of.0 ports. No, no USB 3.0, however on a Chromebook, there is very little you'll use it for anyway.
Having lots of USB ports is not a foul factor in itself, however Chrome OS isn't designed to attach to something however the best of peripherals. Even printing is completed over the network, either to a Google Cloud Print-enabled printer, or via a middle-man laptop running the Cloud Print daemon. therefore it's possible that you'd find yourself victimization these ports a lot of as charging points for USB gizmos than the rest.

Acer Laptop

performance

Overall performance of the magnoliopsid genus C7 Chromebook is sweet. The Intel processor makes computationally intensive stuff like taking part in HD video iPlayer streams or (and affirmative, this qualifies as 'computationally intensive' as way as a Chromebook is concerned) taking part in the Chrome-optimised version of Angry Birds pretty swish. however the very fact that it's a tough drive instead of Associate in Nursing SSD means that the complete factor feels a lot of sluggish than it got to.
So, though performance is suitable once you compromise right down to doing one thing, whether or not that is writing in Google Docs, observation Netflix, or taking part in a straightforward game of beady, there ar stutters and delays in going to those tasks.
It's not one thing you cannot stand, however having enjoyed the responsiveness of alternative Chromebooks, it is a shame to ascertain the magnoliopsid genus C7 Chromebook lumbered with old school portable computer issues.

You feel it in startup too. The Samsung Series three boots from cold in underneath eleven seconds, whereas the magnoliopsid genus C7 Chromebook barely scrapes in underneath twenty. Again, it is not unwarrantable, however it's positively not fascinating.
Naturally, since it's designed primarily as a tool to access net services, quick|how briskly} it feels is additionally tormented by the speed of your net affiliation and the way fast Chrome will render pages and run net apps.

As to the latter, Chrome is actually speedy, and unless you are operating with Brobdingnagian documents,  unlikely to desire the net apps are slow or entering into your manner rather more than you'd with traditional, locally-running programs.


And on the previous, well, it ne'er felt just like the 8Mbps broadband affiliation we have a tendency to used most frequently throughout testing, nor the considerably slower Wi-Fi in a very few occasional outlets, slowed United States down abundant either. And, of course, even a souped-up Core i7 monster would have constant bottlenecks if you were victimization constant suite of on-line services.

Stability is sweet. We've had problems with occasional spontaneous reboots of Chromebooks within the past - that proved to not be as unhealthy as they sound, since apps like Google Docs do a terrific job of saving your work as you go - however the magnoliopsid genus C7 Chromebook simply unbroken stoically soldiering on.

The keyboard, though, is extremely abundant a miscellany. It feels dead and unresponsive; we have a tendency to tried to re-train our LTM to use lighter touches to compensate, however it ne'er felt something aside from lacklustre.

And whereas it feels churlish to kvetch regarding this type of factor in such an inexpensive portable computer, we have a tendency to unbroken obtaining slightly distracted by the very fact that, on our keyboard, the letters were written alittle off-centre.
There ar compensations, mind you. in contrast to with previous Chromebooks wherever the caps lock key's replaced with a pursuit button - that proves handy if you'll force yourself to use it, tho' you'll continually depute it to caps lock in Settings - here, you not solely get your caps lock key back in its usual place, you furthermore may get a pursuit key on either facet of the key.


verdict

As costs have tumbled, we've come back to love Chrome OS and also the laptops it runs on, and to assume that it is a viable, acceptable choice, not as a result of it's significantly developed since it absolutely was introduced in 2009, however as a result of the manner we have a tendency to use computers has.
For many people, Wi-Fi is as-good-as omnipresent, and that we do a lot of and a lot of through net apps while not extremely realising it.
Don't get United States wrong; if you are a video editor, creative person, serious man of science or maybe simply somebody UN agency likes to require photos with a DSLR and tweak the results, you would be something from pissed off to outright unable to try to to any work if you selected a Chromebook as your primary machine.
For the remainder people, though, UN agency pay our days in Facebook, iPlayer, Twitter, webmail, (achem) TechRadar then on, the notion of a portable computer whose sole job is to run an online browser does not appear ridiculous.



The magnoliopsid genus C7 Chromebook is a reasonable portable computer that may be terribly usable for several people, and boasts robust specs. on-line apps cater for several of our net wants, in order that although you are victimization Word and surpass currently, the transition to victimization Google's on-line equivalents is probably going to be pretty painless.
Besides, the Chromebook thought is with reason marketed as easy, relatively secure (although it's value basic cognitive process what proportion of your identity you are giving to Google as before long as you sign into a Chromebook along with your Google ID), and a system that keeps itself perpetually updated.

Whereas Samsung's $249 Chromebook is purpose-made and inherits most of the finer style attributes of its larger, quicker and dearer full cousin, the Series five 550, Acer's $199 Chromebook appearance and looks like an inexpensive netbook. In fact, aside from the Chrome emblem and OS-specific key labels, you would be troubled to inform the C7 aside from its twin, the company's eleven.6-inch aim V5. Build quality and materials ar on par with alternative low-end magnoliopsid genus systems we've come upon -- low cost formed plastics abound, creating this portable computer durable however not significantly elegant. If Samsung's Chromebook evokes the 11-inch MacBook Air, the C7 is totally generic and strictly utilitarian. on the far side the plain aesthetic variations, Acer's Chromebook is additionally thicker (one in. vs. 0.7 inch) and heavier (three pounds vs. 2.4).

The screen lid and keyboard deck ar painted "iron gray" whereas the lowest shell is formed of unsmooth black plastic and also the show edge is finished in shiny black. Strangely, every of those disparate surfaces manages to draw in fingerprints to numerous degrees. Acer's whole is stenciled below the shiny eleven.6-inch screen and within the middle of the lid. The Chrome emblem is adorned within the top-left corner of the lid -- it's truly a sticker that started scraping inside minutes people unboxing the C7. you will find a digital camera Associate in Nursingd electro-acoustic transducer on top of the show and also the power button with an embedded blue semiconductor diode on top of the keyboard to the left.

Speaking of that, the keyboard uses black island keys however differs in layout from alternative Chromebooks, that is problematic (more on this later). The left facet is home to a 10/100 LAN jack, VGA and HDMI outputs, and a USB a pair of.0 port, whereas the correct facet options a Kensington lock, the ability instrumentality, 2 a lot of USB a pair of.0 sockets and a regular three.5mm phone jack. In front, there is Associate in Nursing Mount Rushmore State card slot on the left and a combine of blue / orange standing LEDs (sleep and charge) on the correct. The removable four-cell Li-ion battery slips into the rear of the system and is secured via a slippery lock mechanism accessible from the lowest.

Flipping Acer's Chromebook over reveals a couple of vents and grilles for the cooling fan and also the speakers. what is a lot of attention-grabbing is that the lowest shell is basically lined by a plastic door that is fixed with one screw placed underneath the pledge seal. gap this door provides access to a 7mm-thin a pair of.5-inch SATA disk drive (320GB / 5400rpm) created by Seagate, 2 DDR3-1066 / 1333 SoDIMM slots (one of them inhabited with 2GB of RAM) Associate in Nursingd an Atheros half-height mini-PCIe 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN card (but no Bluetooth). This, combined with the LAN jack, VGA output and extra USB a pair of.0 port makes the C7 lots a lot of tinker-friendly than Samsung's Chromebook. In fact, capable hackers ar already dual-booting Chrome OS and Ubuntu twelve.04 on this portable computer -- we're certain Windows eight isn't too way behind.


specification

Compared with the Samsung Series three Chromebook, the magnoliopsid genus C7 Chromebook has a lot of storage, a lot of property, a higher screen, a meatier processor that is able to play HD video streams and a lot of, build quality that feels nice and chunky and, maybe most significantly of all, a smaller tag - £199/US$199 (around AU$191) next to the Samsung's £229/US$249 (around AU$238).


We've been spoiled by the standard of the keyboard and trackpad on Samsung's $249 Chromebook, that appear to be upraised right from the pricier Series five 550. The C7 falls short as compared -- the keyboard and trackpad ar tight, however we won't see ourselves writing this whole review on Acer's $199 Chromebook.

First, the keyboard deviates from the quality Chromebook layout by losing the ability button (it's separate) and together with caps-lock (instead of the search key). Second, it's littered with rudimentary keys (such as Home, End, Ins, Del) that ar too little to be helpful and in some cases (like Pg Up / Dn) interfere with the indicator keys, one thing that quickly makes piece of writing documents extraordinarily frustrating. Third, the Ctrl and EL keys ar too little and ar separated by alternative keys on the left facet, whereas the EL key's missing on the correct (replaced with EL Gr). Once you are past these niggles, it is a serviceable if somewhat mushy chiclet keyboard.

Acer's trackpad nearly matches Samsung's. Single-finger pursuit and two-finger scrolling work of course however pressing to click needs a lot of force, that becomes wearying when victimization the C7 for a short time. in fact sound to click is offered within the settings, however we have a tendency to like the tactile feedback of a properly graduated switch.

DISPLAY AND SOUND


There's one major distinction between the eleven.6-inch, 1,366 x 768-pixel LED-backlit screens on these 2 budget Chromebooks -- Acer's is shiny and Samsung's is matte. In fact, this is often the second Chromebook ever with a shiny show (the 1st being Acer's AC700). colours ar slightly cooler on the C7, however brightness, distinction and viewing angles ar similar on each screens -- neither is as bright because the Series five 550, and you may most likely need to regulate the lid for the most effective viewing angle once you are in a very comfy position. whereas Samsung's matte show is less complicated on the eyes (especially once operating outdoors), Acer's screen opens nearly flat, that may be a nice bit.

Neither Chromebook goes to interrupt any records in terms of audio quality once victimization the integral speakers. These sound tinny and ar straightforward to hinder, being placed within the bottom shell close to the front fringe of the keyboard deck on each systems. Samsung beats magnoliopsid genus on loudness here, however the C7's volume continues to be adequate in a very quiet space.


PERFORMANCE AND BATTERY LIFE


Acer's Chromebook, that is rated for four hours of operation, lasts solely 3 hours and sixteen minutes within the same take a look at.
Acer's $199 Chromebook options Intel's one.1GHz Celeron 847 processor and a 320GB disk drive. Samsung's $249 Chromebook is made round the company's A15-based one.7GHz Exynos five twin (5250) SoC with 16GB of flash storage. each laptops sport a dual-core CPU and 2GB of RAM, therefore it's extremely a battle of x86 vs. ARM and HDDs vs. SSDs. On Chromebooks, the processor speed typically affects things like page rendering and scrolling, the quantity of RAM impacts what number tabs you are able to open at constant time, and storage performance usually affects boot times and page caching

In our expertise, Samsung's Exynos-packing system slots somewhere between the Atom-equipped Chromebooks and also the Celeron-based models just like the Series five 550. Of course, those ar all equipped with solid-state drives. The C7, then, is Associate in Nursing anomaly -- it's marginally quicker than its budget Equus caballus, each subjectively and as mirrored by SunSpider net rendering results (528ms vs. 677ms), nevertheless it takes double as long besides (18 seconds vs. nine). we do not keep in mind noticing any hiccups or crashes -- per se, it is a utterly competent Chromebook that has middle-of-the-road performance.

Battery life is another matter. Samsung's Chromebook comes out ahead by matching its specs and rating six hours and thirty three minutes in our usual battery summary take a look at (which involves taking part in a video in a very loop from native storage with WLAN turned on). Acer's Chromebook, that is rated for four hours of operation, lasts solely 3 hours and sixteen minutes within the same take a look at. whereas the C7 options a smaller a pair of,500mAh battery (vs. 4,080mAh), it is also saddled with less-efficient parts, like that a pair of.5-inch disk drive, the Intel Celeron CPU and its associated cooling fan. Speaking of that, the fan is often spinning, and whereas the speed varies, it's usually loud enough to be noticed . whereas it's somewhat annoying, it keeps the portable computer cool even once the vents ar partly lined by material.


Reviews


SOFTWARE

There's a bound lovely simplicity to cloud-based computing.
For many, Chrome OS is Associate in Nursing penchant -- you actually need to stand it for a couple of days to understand it. whereas it is not for everybody, it is a compelling choice once you wrap your head round the plan. there is a bound lovely simplicity to cloud-based computing that becomes clear once you begin employing a system designed to try to to just one factor very well -- the one factor folks do the foremost -- surf the net. No a lot of worries regarding managing apps or change code or disposition your portable computer -- you are able to focus and be productive. we've got many fans in our thick here at Engadget, and this combine of budget Chromebooks is generating a lot of interest than ever among colleagues, friends and family.

Acer's $199 Chromebook runs version twenty three of Chrome OS. we have a tendency to reviewed build nineteen earlier this year, that marked a big modification for the OS -- the UI evolved from being just about a full-screen instance of Chrome to providing a a lot of desktop-like expertise, complete with wallpapers, a task bar and a launch menu. It additionally introduced extra practicality with a photograph editor, broader media compatibility, offline documents together with Google Books, support for Hangouts, and tab synchronization with alternative versions of Chrome (mobile and desktop). That build of the OS additionally comes with Chrome Remote Desktop to access remote systems and share your own screen. Version 23, that additionally ships on Samsung's $249 Chromebook, options a revised log-in screen, extra wallpapers, a calculator app, a camera app (with funky filters) and deep Google Drive integration -- complete with 100GB of free storage for 2 years.

WRAP-UP


Acer unveils C7 Chromebook

Whether you are inquisitive about cloud-based computing on a budget or you are simply inquisitive about Chrome OS, there is ne'er been a cheaper choice of Chromebooks. Acer's $199 system actually wins on worth, however it's and feels extraordinarily low cost. It offers a quick processor together with LAN and VGA property, however at the expense of a shiny screen, poor keyboard layout and lackluster battery life. Did we have a tendency to mention the ocean of low cost plastics?

Still, it's arduous to ignore the C7's tinker-friendly ways in which. Adding another 2GB of RAM (by putting in a second SoDIMM) and commutation the disk drive with atiny low SSD may be a trivial thanks to come through Series five 550 levels of performance for fewer cash than shopping for Google's flagship portable computer -- to not mention, this Chromebook's already been hacked to run alternative in operation systems. Plus, the removable four-cell Li-ion battery opens the door to larger-capacity replacement packs.

Ultimately, we predict it's value disbursal alittle further for Samsung's $249 model. It's a lot of elegant, higher engineered, dilutant and lighter. This, along with the matte show, top-notch keyboard, Bluetooth and tight battery life makes for a a lot of polished Chromebook expertise. After all, if you are gonna board the cloud, may yet air seventh heaven, right?


In Depth

Which cloud services ar right for you?
What magnoliopsid genus has done here, it'd appear, is take atiny low portable computer - the magnoliopsid genus aim V5-171, by the appearance of things - tweaked it slightly and shoved Chrome OS onto it. and that is fine to this point because it goes, however it feels compromised.
It additionally falls down beside the Samsung Series three Chromebook, that beats the magnoliopsid genus C7 Chromebook's 3 hours and battery life and stays cool, wherever the magnoliopsid genus should spin up fans to cool down its Intel Celeron chip. The Samsung's keyboard is additionally abundant nicer to kind on, and its considerably slimmer and lighter kind issue create it rather more toteable.
The magnoliopsid genus additionally does not feel the maximum amount sort of a Chromebook because the Samsung will.
Final finding
.

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Ultimately, we're left unmoved by the magnoliopsid genus C7 Chromebook. It's weird; compare it to the sole slightly older Samsung Series three Chromebook and it's on paper like it's higher in nearly each manner.

Put them facet by facet, though, and we'd develop the Samsung when. it is not simply that its battery, cooling system, keyboard and dimensions ar higher. it is also that it simply feels a lot of sort of a Chromebook, and we've come back to love Chromebooks.
There ar directions on-line for a way to simply install Associate in Nursing Ubuntu variant on the magnoliopsid genus C7 Chromebook as a dual-boot choice, and that we will see the charm there. Once you put in a conventional OS onto this machine, its 3 USB ports, 320GB disk and Intel chip suddenly create a lot of sense.

As it is, it simply causes you to question the complete purpose of Chrome OS.
And that's one thing you would possibly still be doing anyway, particularly once tablets ar therefore low cost. Why get a Chromebook once Associate in Nursing iPad mini or Samsung Galaxy Tab price simply slightly a lot of, or a Google Nexus or Amazon Kindle fireplace prices even less?

Well, you would possibly simply like having a well-recognized portable computer expertise, complete with keyboard and trackpad, and if you are already living the Google life with Docs, Calendar, Gmail, Hangouts, Google+ and a lot of, you may right away feel reception as before long as you sign into a Chromebook. and that is fine. If that is you, we predict you ought to think about one.
Basically, then, we have a tendency to just like the plan of a Chromebook; we have a tendency to simply do not significantly like this Chromebook. At least, we do not significantly just like the magnoliopsid genus C7 Chromebook as a Chromebook.
As a cheap, capable very little Ubuntu machine, on the opposite hand, it's some charm.

Pros
*Price
*Upgradeable (SATA HDD, a pair of RAM slots
*User interchangeable battery (Samsung will not)
*Ethernet port (Samsung will not)
*3 USB 2.0 ports
*VGA and HDMI out
*SD card slot
*Gloss Screen (Samsung is matte)

Cons
*Battery life - however user interchangeable ;)
*Weight (heavier than the Samsung)
*Cooling fan (Samsung is fanless)

Summary

I originally bought the skinny Samsung Chromebook..but came back it a couple of days later. 16gb of native storage and a washed out matte show wasn't terribly exciting. I switched to the dicot genus C7 as a result of it offered additional usable options for daily use (Ethernet, VGA etc.).

I am conjointly not a "Weight-Weenie" and might handle transporting a three pound device while not a haul haha!

I place the $50 savings towards a 64GB SSD and a 8GB DDR RAM upgrade. This gave Maine 10GB of RAM total. I then put in Ubuntu twelve.04 Unity (dual booted). currently that Ubuntu is put in..it works sort of a traditional portable computer.

I conjointly found that saving movies domestically and attempting to play them mistreatment the Chrome OS was weak. It solely contend AVI files.

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