Acer Chromebook Spin 13 CP713-1WN-53NF 2-in-1 Convertible, 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U, 13.5" 2K Resolution Touchscreen, 8GB LPDDR3, 128GB eMMC, Backlit Keyboard, Aluminum Chassis

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I got this laptop during the Cyber Monday sale as my first ever computer that doesnt have Windows on it. My desktop at home has Windows 10 on it but I havent turned it on yet since this Chromebook arrived last week since I wanted to give the Acer a fair chance and see how much I really miss Windows 10. So far, there hasnt been anything that has made me wish I was using Windows 10! The only times where I have felt a little bit inconvenienced is when I need to use Microsoft Office products. I say that I was only slightly inconvenienced because I am still able to use all of the Office programs (in multiple ways actually, now that there is Google Play Store support), they are just a different layout than I am used to and may not have some of the more extensive features that the Windows version has. For the vast majority of users, however, there will be a small adjustment period and then itll be fine after that. To give you an idea of how much I use my laptop, I am a medical student and was worried that I wouldnt be able to use the programs that I needed for school (Uworld questions, Anki flashcards, etc) but this is where the Google Play Store really comes in handy. As an android phone user, I am very familiar with the Google Play Store and was happy to see that I could download most of the apps I have on my phone and most of them sync seamlessly (like lecture notes using Squid and the other apps that I mentioned earlier). Having the ability to use it as a tablet with the stylus and palm rejection makes taking notes in lecture significantly easier and they immediately sync to my phone so I can study anywhere. Also, the 3:2 aspect ratio makes using PDF textbooks way easier to read compared to most laptops. Overall, I am very happy with my purchase and impressed with how far ChromeOS has come in such a short period of time. Highly recommend!! Pros: + Light OS makes boot times <5 seconds and efficient use of space, as well as great battery life. + Screen looks great and gets plenty bright, I usually dont go higher than 70%. + Keyboard is easy to type on and comfortable, also has a backlight which comes in handy. + Aluminum chassis makes it feel as high quality as it performs, similar look/feel to a MacBook Pro. + The touchpad is smooth and very easy to use, especially with the added gestures unique to ChromeOS. + Google Play Store adds a ton of uses/features and allows you to sync apps from your phone easily. + The foldable touchscreen expands its usability for personal, school, or gaming use. + Love being able to play my mobile games on the larger display. + Note taking with the stylus is great, there are plenty of apps in the store to try and it is made by Wacom so it has great pressure sensitivity and palm rejection. Cons: - ChromeOS takes some getting used to when switching from Windows. - The keyboard also has an adjustment period since it has some variations from the classic Windows keyboard, such as: ~ Caps Lock is replaced with a search key that searches google in a tab (and also your computer for apps, files, etc). ~ There is no delete key, use Alt + Backspace instead. It was replaced by a lock key to instantly lock the laptop. ~ The top row of function keys are replaced with browser keys like forward, back, refresh, task switcher (equivalent to Windows + Tab on the windows keyboards), etc. ~ Task manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc on windows) is now accessible using Search + Esc. - A lot of functionality needs an internet connection so it is somewhat limited when there isnt wifi. I use the hotspot on my phone for when I am in a place without Wifi and it works fine so not much of an issue overall. - There is the occasional issue when trying to use apps from Linux or Google Play Store that arent yet optimized for Chromebooks that can cause the app to crash.

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I actually purchased the Pixelbook during Black Friday and thought I got great deal. Then Cyber Monday came and Spin 13 was on sale for the same price ($699), so I bought one thinking Ill check it out and decide on either it of the Pixelbook. Well, I did my comparison and I really dig the Acer. The Pixelbook is high-quality construction no doubt, slimmer, a little lighter, and "prettier". The Spin 13 is a TANK...it feels solid in the hands and doesnt make you feel like your holding a piece of delicate jewelry, like with the Pixelbook. I am sending my Pixelbook back to Bestbuy and staying with the Spin 13. The only thing the Pixelbook seems to have better than it is size and the display can get brighter. But to be honest the brightness of the display didnt really matter because I never rock out with the display on the highest setting anyway. So at a normal setting for me, about 50%, the screen is just fine. Putting on max brightness is too much on either laptop. Also, yes the Pixelbook is lighter. But its not that much lighter surprisingly. I was thinking it would really be much lighter and its really not that big of a trade off. I really hope that Dbrand comes out with some skins for it, that will set the Spin 13 over the top.

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While I cant say how good of a purchase this is at the full price, I bought this while it was on sale for $700 and I could not recommend this Chromebook more. Pros: -Powerful i5-8250U with 8GB of RAM leading to a zero slowdown experience -3:2 aspect ratio giving tons of screen space -Android App and Linux (Crostini) support so you can run practically any application you want -2 in 1 with a pen built in. Cons: -When doing intensive things such as Linux gaming, the fan becomes very loud very quickly and will jump around between different speeds. In-detail explanation: This laptop features an i5-8250U, a processor with 4 cores/8 threads, with maximum turbo boost to 3.4GHz. This gives the laptop metric tons of processing power, and leads to an experience where slowdowns simply do not occur. It uses a screen with a 3:2 aspect ratio. Although some may find this bad as it departs from the standard 16:9 aspect ratio, I personally prefer it as it gives additional screen space. It has Android App support and Linux program support so you can write code or run full Linux desktop applications while also using apps from the giant collection of apps in the Play Store. It also comes with a pen thats built in to the bottom right of the laptop and its a 2 in 1 so you can use the laptop as both a laptop and a tablet. However, under intense gaming conditions, the laptop fans become very loud and change volumes rapidly. It also weighs on the heavier side however I wouldnt consider that a major downside.

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Purchased this on Cyber Monday. I previously had an HP Chromebook 14 and wanted another Chromebook. The screen is really nice, but has pretty big bezels (this empty space is similarly noticeable above the keyboard). Overall, just a bit bigger/heavier than youd expect a 13.5in laptop to be. Speakers sound pretty good, but they are on the bottom so they get distorted sometimes. Battery is pretty good so far. Performance is quick, but the fan on the bottom can get kinda noisy sometimes when doing something that isnt just basic browsing. I was playing a game (Helix Jump) and it at times was laggy, but performance was largely solid. Keyboard is good, but the weird bright spots when the backlit keyboard lights are on are definitely noticeable---though I dont really mind them. Stylus is kinda neat, however can ONLY be removed from a specific angle (tablet mode-ish) so be careful when trying to remove it. The lip to actually lift the screen off of the keyboard is extremely small and definitely tricky at times to open. Hope this provides a more informed purchase.

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nice looking machine. slow. does not have access to google apps at this time. overall, not a good purchase. really nice paperweight. Update- Feb 15, 2019- taking off a star. TWO weeks after my return window closed the computer is "stuck" in tablet mode. The keyboard and mouse are unresponsive. The display intermittently goes off (just black). I spent an hour on the phone with customer support while a CSR walked through all of the troubleshooting and concluded its a hardware problem (duh). The CSR said Id get shipping paid both ways (since its still under warranty). No label yet. FWIW- additional troubleshooting points toward and overheating problem. It happens after the computer has been in use for 20-30 minutes with heavy CPU use. So, its great computer for anyone who only needs it for 10-15 minutes. Otherwise, buy something else.

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If you are willing to give up an hour or two of battery life for 2 to 5 times the CPU power, then you are trying to decide between the Lenovo C630 or the Acer Spin 13 (both models run rings around a Pixelbook or Pixel Slate). Both models max out at an Intel I5-8250U CPU, with which comes the whirring of a cooling fan at times. Both have the same RAM, storage, and an IPS screen (Lenovo has a 15.6" screen, the Acer a 13.5" screen). The Lenovo price on Amazon is usually $619, the Acer $749. Why is a smaller panel priced higher than a larger panel for the same CPU, RAM, and storage, you wonder. The answer is ... the 2256 x 1504 screen on the Acer is much better than the Lenovo FHD screen. The difference is not only resolution, but color accuracy and saturation. The whites on the C630 are yellow-white... very noticeble. The whites on the Spin 13 are "brilliant white". Ive had multiple Windows laptops from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc., Chromebooks from Asus, Acer, and Lenovo, and many tablets. My summary is: you live with the screen every second you attend to a computer, the keyboard less, and everything else far less (trackpad, CPU, etc.). For that reason, I cannot stand cheap Chromebooks... the screens are horrible. IMO, the Acer screen is more than halfway to a Samsung AMOLED, using the the Lenovo C630 screen as a base, and hits a sweet spot as priced on Amazon. A second factor is size&weight: portability. For me 15" is TOO big, and the 13.5" size of the Lenovo hits a sweet spot for portability. So, having been reluctant to click on $749, I kept using a Samsung Chromebook, even though I wanted a bigger display and MORE POWER. When the Spin 13 went on sale on Pi Day, clicking was immediate... patience rewarded. The Samsung has a new home, as do all the Chromebooks before it, and the occasional whirring of the Spin 13 goes unnoticed. The best pro review is on Android Central. Search on "The Acer Chromebook Spin 13 is the best Chromebook ever made: Should you buy it?"

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This is my daily driver, I use this CB(Chromebook) every day for 8-12 hours of work and even game on it. 8 GB ram is perfect for a CB. I have no slowdowns everything that I throw at it just works, need MS Office? You can use the Android or Web versions. I use Linux, so I have my office, cad, project planner all free 100% open source. I can access office docs exchange files back and forth with clients, coworkers this is not a problem. Im able to run some Windows programs using a beta emulator. Wow! Good things are coming to ChromeOS even MS is going to use the Chrome engine in the next version of their browser. To unlock the full power of this system please google how to install the Linux software store, then its just click and install.

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Ive been on the search for the perfect 2 in 1 for years. Ive typically gone the detachable route and have been living in the celeron footprint with windows 10 and its been... Not that great. Also windows 10, while its the best version of Windows still fights with touch and tablet use to the point of frustration. Ive had my eye on this beaut for a few months. Id never had a chromebook before but have had some mid range acers and was happy enough with the brand. What drew me in though was the fit and finish and the specs. I got this for $699 on cyber Monday, for the same cost of my last acers detachable windows 10 machine with an i3. Ill have to say that Im very happy with what this brings to the table. Chrome OS as it stands right now is very usable, lets you use Linux and Android apps and being browser based is actually really nice to use. I spend 90% of my non gaming time in a browser so this was not a turn off. I love the app availability so I have an actual alternative to my phone for the apps I use all day every day plus I can use it as a regular development machine by opting in to the Linux beta and doing some apt-gets. Its not a perfect machine. The Android app implementation can be spotty and WILL drain your battery twice as fast. The in app text scaling isnt where it needs to be unilaterally and the tablet mode is made to be held in only one orientation (hinge on top) instead of however you want to use it. That said this is the most complete blend of app and productivity Ive ever used and I can whole heartedly recommend it.

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Not the lightest but definitely high quality, beautiful, premium. Everything loads lightning fast and I can multi-task through multiple gigantic Sheets pivot tables, output to 2x external displays, while streaming video and running a game in the background. I thought the stylus would be a nice novelty but I find myself using it often. I like the native Stylus toolbar which you can use to laser point, magnify and screengrab on-demand. ChromeOS is starting to feel incredibly complete. My biggest challenges are debating whether to install a Play Store version of a given app or use the web app. There is no hard and fast rule, you have to take it case-by-case. The only thing I am missing is photoshop but thats a ChromeOS thing, not related to this device. I researched Chromebooks for a full year before committing to this device and Id do it again based on value and power and quality.

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Just as a disclaimer, i bought mine on cyber Monday for $699 which is the perfect price. I couldt bring myself to spend the $899 it was initially listed. This Chromebook really checks all the boxes. In my opinion this is the best Chromebook currently available, even better than the Pixelbook though i suppose that is subjective. I say this having thoroughly researched every new Chromebook released this year. If you can stomach the price, or find it on sale, you will not be disappointed. Pros: - Amazing display, very crisp and vibrant -Solid build, all aluminum, trackpad is excellent and made of gorilla glass -Stupid fast thanks to 8th gen core i5 and 8 GB RAM -Convertible and comes with a great stylus -Excellent backlit keyboard Cons: -Speakers are only okay, sound could be fuller, otherwise loud enough

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