Acer Chromebook R 13 Convertible, 13.3-inch Full HD Touch, MediaTek MT8173C, 4GB LPDDR3, 32GB, Chrome, CB5-312T-K5X4

I've had or tried out more Chromebooks than I can count (along with a few high-end laptops). Ultrabooks must come to an end). From the entry-level Samsung Series 3 to the high-end Samsung Series 5, there's something for everyone. Pixel LS (my personal favorite) comes to a close. to the machine) I needed a convertible with a bigger screen to replace my Chromebook Flip, so I decided to try out the new Acer R13. There are some things that are good and some that aren't so good about this device, and there are a few things that shoppers should be aware of before purchasing it. 4 Stars means "I like it," and I gave it that rating because of how I'll be using it (not as a tablet). It was released on Stable Channel Version 52, and it has since been updated to Stable Channel Version 54. If you want to run Android apps, you can switch to the Developer Channel (currently 55), but Developer is unstable, and you might run into problems. If Google sticks to its normal schedule, Android apps could be on Stable in 6 weeks (but don't hold your breath). Please do not hesitate to ask any specific questions in the comments section if you have any after reading this review. I will respond as quickly as I am able. br>br>TWO THINGS TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE BUYING: This computer is LARGE and HEAVY for a 13" convertible. With a 13-inch display, it's practically a 14-inch laptop. I forgot to order a 13" laptop sleeve when I placed my order, but I already had an Amazon Basics 14" laptop sleeve from an Acer Chromebook 14 that I had tried out a few months ago (and which my parents now use). The 13" Amazon sleeves fit all of my other 13" laptops perfectly, but they were too small for the Acer R13 (unless I stretched it out and risked scratching it with the zipper). I understand that a convertible needs some bezel beyond the display so that it can be held as a tablet without accidentally touching things on the screen, but not to the point where a 13" laptop becomes a 14" laptop. Although the width isn't bad, the depth could use a half-inch reduction. The R13 is also a substantial machine. When used as a tablet (especially in portrait mode), it weighs over 3 pounds and feels unwieldy. In tablet mode, I can manage my 10" Asus Chromebook Flip for long periods of time, but unless you rest the R13 against your legs and hold it in landscape mode, it quickly becomes uncomfortable. If you plan to use the R13 primarily as a laptop, tent, or stand/display device, or as a tablet in landscape mode resting on something, the size and weight shouldn't be a problem. If you plan to use it primarily as a tablet, however, the size and weight are important factors to consider. DISPLAY: br>br>SIZE: br>br>SIZE: br>br Brightness, sharpness, and color are all excellent for a budget 1920x1080 panel, and there were no dead pixels. In a brightly lit room, the display is easy to see, and when dimmed in a dark environment, it looks great. The panel has a warmer color temperature than the Chromebook 14 panel, which I prefer. Also, when streaming video, it looks fantastic. I like to use 1536x864 as the resolution on my 13" 1080p Chromebooks. Only a little sharpness is lost, but everything is a lot easier to read. Holding "ctrl" and "shift" down while tapping the " " (zooms in and lowers resolution) or "-" (zooms out and raises resolution) on any Chromebook is the simplest way to change the resolution. " (enhances resolution by zooming out). You'll see a notification in the lower right corner when the resolution changes. Running at a lower resolution has no effect on full-screen 1080 video playback. Although the display is protected by a metal lid, it is not particularly rigid. When opening, closing, or flipping the lid, I recommend that you use caution. In addition, the touchscreen functions admirably. Although it is not as responsive as my Pixel, it appears to be a step up from the one on my Asus Flip. Touching, scrolling, panning, swiping, and pinching are just a few of the ways you can interact with your device. All of the functions work well, but when you tap the screen in laptop mode, the lid bounces quite a bit (at least seven times). PERFORMANCE: br>br> The R13 isn't going to scream out loud right away. It'll be a little shaky while it updates itself, syncs your account data, and installs your apps/extensions (especially if you've previously used another Chromebook). As you build up your cache, it will take a little longer for pages to load once you start browsing. So far, I've been pleased with the performance. The R13 is faster than my flip, but not nearly as fast as my Pixel LS. It appears to run faster than the Acer Chromebook 14 I bought for my parents, and the Octane score indicates that it should. I watched Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime videos, as well as some YouTube videos in 1080p 60fps; All of them functioned well and played without a hitch. Facebook is quick to load and scrolls smoothly (unlike the Flip). Loading pages while listening to music or watching a video didn't appear to be a problem. I'm not a tab monster, so I didn't really push the machine in that direction, but I'll test it out and report back. My Wi- Although the Wi-Fi connection has been stable, I have yet to test the R13 with any Bluetooth devices. UPDATE: I've had a couple of crashes (system crashed and restarted) in the last few days, both of which occurred while watching YouTube videos, but I don't think this is a major issue at this time. I've been an early adopter of several Chromebooks, and this behavior can happen with new models (and new to Chrome OS CPUs), but it usually goes away after a few Chrome OS updates. When I first got my Asus Flip, it had a lot of issues, but now it's a fantastic machine. If this continues to be an issue, I will be sure to update my review. UPDATE 2: After the third crash, I performed a "Hard Reset" on the R13. A hard reset disconnects the battery from all systems that are never truly turned off (such as the charging system or the orientation sensor), allowing them to reset. Simply hold the reload/refresh key (circular arrow on top row) and tap the power button for about 6 seconds to complete the process with no data or settings lost. In a matter of seconds, the machine will power down and then restart. I haven't had any crashes since performing the hard reset, and I've been using the R13 frequently (knock on wood). TOUCHPAD: BR>BR>TOUCHPAD: BR>TOUCHPAD: BR>TOUCHPAD: BR>TO Like most Chromebook touchpads, the touchpad is fairly smooth, solid, and pleasantly responsive. It sits snugly in the base, and my example is perfectly positioned against the single-click button. That button is located front and center under the pad and is easy enough to click as long as you stay in the front 75% of the pad as long as you stay within the If you try to click near the back of the pad, the base will flex excessively and you won't get a click. When I need to physically "click" the pad, I do so. Tap- The pad is approximately 4" wide by 2" deep, and it responds well to all of my 1, 2, and 3 finger inputs. 5" in height. I would have liked a half-inch more in height, but I'm not complaining. br>br>KEYBOARD: KEYBOARD: KEYBOARD: KEYBOARD: KEYBOARD I was pretty harsh on the keyboard in this R13 when I first wrote this review. After a few more days of banging on it, I've decided to make some changes to this section. I've never been a fan of the keyboards that Acer uses in their Chromebooks, but the one in this R13 is an improvement over previous Acer keyboards. I'll admit that I've been spoiled by some fantastic laptop keyboards, but I'd also add that the one in my little Asus Flip feels a little better. The R13's keyboard is a good size for me, and I've typed this review and other things on it. It'll suffice for casual to medium users, but it can become tiring after long periods of typing. Although the required pressure is acceptable, I would prefer a crisper break at the end of each keystroke. For my $400, I'd also like a backlit keyboard, but it's not necessary for me because I've been using Chrome OS keyboards for so long that the layout is second nature to me. The R13 keyboard should not be regarded as a must-have. I had higher hopes, but it wasn't a deal breaker (unless you plan to use it to write the next great American novel). UPDATE: Part of my dissatisfaction with this keyboard stems from the fact that there is enough flex in the laptop's body that when a key bottoms out, you often feel a little give. The deck will distort if you press between the spacebar and the touchpad, even lightly. br>br>OVERALL BUILD QUALITY: The R13 is a lovely laptop, and my unit has excellent fit and finish. I like the aesthetics of the metal construction, but I expected this machine to be more solid (especially given its weight). With its plastic body, this machine is no more rigid (possibly even less rigid) than my son's Toshiba Chromebook 2. I own a couple of 13-inch Ultrabooks that are significantly thinner and lighter than this R13. When held by a front corner, however, they feel much more rigid and have very little chassis flex. When you hold the R13 by the front corner, it twists like a pretzel (ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a little), and simply resting your hands on the base while typing causes it to flex. When closed or in tablet mode, it feels very solid, but I was expecting more, just as I was with the keyboard. I'd also suggest that you re-read Users should be careful when opening, closing, or flipping the lid because it can become quite bendy (resulting in a cracked screen). UPDATE: When I was trying to figure out why my R13 was so "bendy," I remembered the screws that hold the bottom together and decided to investigate. The four screws that run along the end closest to the hinge weren't coming out completely, but they were loose. I used a small phillips head to loosen all of the bottom screws, then placed the laptop lid on a nice flat surface and tightened all of the screws. When I hold it by one of the front corners, I notice that there is less chasis flex. This had no effect on the amount of flex in the main deck, as I had expected. BATTERY AND CHARGING: br>br>BATTERY AND CHARGING: br>br>BATTERY AND CHARGING: The R13 charges via USB Type C, and the included power adapter is divided into two sections with a total length of 12 feet and a 1"x 1" connector. In the middle is a 5"x 4" brick. I'll go into more detail about battery life after I've gone through a couple of cycles. The battery is at 90% at the time of this writing and with the display at about 25% brightness, and I have around 2011: 45 minutes of power remaining (Wow! UPDATE: The battery on the R13 has really impressed me. I only used it for two evenings at home before recharging it. When it was down to 7%, I turned off the power and plugged the computer back in (a good technique to use if you want to "reset" the battery meter). I returned in 1-hour. It was full in half an hour. I began surfing at 25% brightness with 2 tabs open in the browser and my mail open in a second window and the meter reported I had 2013 hours of battery life. 25% b Next time I recharge the machine, I'll pay closer attention to it. In addition, I'd like to perform a 15-minute charge test to determine how much on-board storage is available. That will save me time (the Pixel's battery lasts about 2 hours after 15 minutes of charging). UPDATE: I drained the battery to 8% of its capacity, turned off the machine, and plugged in the charger. It was 1 p. m. , and it was time to recharge. 1/2 hours. I have 2 tabs opened and my Gmail in a separate window, my screen is 25% brightness and I am typing this update. The battery meter informs me that I am at 100% and have 11- Battery life ranges from 1/2 to 12 hours (depending on how I use it). Obviously, if I brightened the screen or started surfing around, this would change, but the battery life is still impressive considering the fact that the first laptop I ever bought only lasted about 45 minutes before it needed to be recharged! MISCELANEOUS: br>br> The side-mounted power and volume buttons, as well as all of the ports and plugs, work flawlessly. The speakers sound great, and I like how they fire from the sides and bottom. They aren't particularly loud, but they have a pleasant sound. The headphone jack is powerful enough to support some of my more difficult-to-drive headphones. I haven't had a chance to use the included webcam, and I haven't had the opportunity to make a video call yet. I have a 64GB micro SD card that worked fine, and I'm sure it could handle a 128GB card as well, but I'm not sure about a 256GB card. I did a quick remote desktop session with a Win 10 PC after the R13 connected to my cloud printer. When I plugged in my Schiit Bifrost DAC, the R13 immediately recognized it. It was compatible with a Logitech micro-controller. A receiver mouse is also included, as well as a Logitech USB webcam. You can connect your digital camera (nothing too old) and upload your photos directly to the machine or to your cloud drive. HDMI to my TV worked well as a mirror, extended display, and external display. I also tested it with an external optical drive and had no problems (it only reads files that are compatible). Burning or playing CDs/DVDs is not possible. br>br>HERE'S A HELPFUL TIP FOR SIMPLIFYING LOGIN: You can now use a pin to log into your Chromebook when it wakes up from sleep or when you switch users, thanks to the latest update to Chrome OS Version 54. If you're using the R13, look for the flashing amber light on the right side of the laptop to see if it's in sleep mode. If you actually shut down the machine (rather than just closing the lid) and restart it, you'll need to log in with your Google password. This feature isn't enabled by default, but it's simple to enable using the steps below. This is especially useful if you're not using a laptop (i. e. , you're using the on-screen keyboard). keyboard on a computer screen); especially if your password contains special characters. br>• Enable the Quick Unlock flag in Chrome: //quick-flags unlock- • Rebootbr>• Go into the new Material Design settings menu in Chrome: pin (type into browser)br>• Next, go into the new Material Design settings menu in Chrome: //md- settings/br>• Choose Configure Quick Unlock from the drop-down menu. br>• Choose the Quick Unlock setting you want to use, enter your PIN, and rebootbr>br>CONCLUSION (For Now): With a few minor changes, I believe this Chromebook could have been a lot better. The dimensions and weight are the most important considerations. This 13" Chromebook surprised me by being the same size as a 14" Chromebook. I wish Acer had put a little more effort into the keyboard, or at the very least included a backlight, especially since it is intended to be used as a tablet on occasion. I also wish the R13 was built more solidly and rigidly; there's a lot of flex in the lid, deck, and base for a metal body. The R13 is a good option if you want a stylish convertible with good performance that you can use "occasionally" as a tablet. If you want a massive tablet that runs Android apps (which should be available by the end of the year), you should be aware of how cumbersome it can be when used as a tablet. Bigger isn't always better in this case, in my opinion. This will be a good fit for me because I bought it primarily to watch videos while sitting up in bed. I was expecting a little more for the price of the R13, and if you don't need the 180-degree hinge, there are much nicer machines out there for not much more money (Dell Chromebook 13, HP Chromebook 13). br>br>WITH REGARD TO THE PHOTOS: A reader requested that I compare the R13's display to that of the Toshiba Chromebook 2. As another point of reference, I used my Pixel LS display. Due to the camera on my phone, the brightness appears to be similar in the photos, but the Toshiba is significantly brighter (probably 340 nits according to Laptopmag) than the R13 and comparable to the Pixel (which is also very bright). In terms of color temperature, the R13 and Toshiba are warmer, while the Pixel is slightly cooler. Color saturation is more neutral on the R13 and Pixel, while it is much higher (un-natural) on the CB2. Many people find this natural, but it appeals to them). Temperature and saturation did, in fact, appear to be fairly accurate. This confirms my wish for Google to include some basic user-adjustable color and saturation settings in Chrome OS. Even though it isn't the brightest or most colorful display available in a Chromebook, I am pleased with the color quality and brightness level of R13, as I stated earlier in my review. br>Imaginative+ paraphrase: On the left, the Toshiba CB 2: Picture 2: Acer R13 on the rightbr>Picture 3: Acer R13 on the leftbr>Picture 4: Acer R13 On the left, the Toshiba CB 2: Picture 3: Pixel LS on the rightbr>Picture 4: Pixel LS on the leftbr>Picture 5: Pixel LS on On the left, a pixel On the right, an Acer R13.

Lucille Moyer

| Nov 24, 2021

Good for basic tasks, but the durability is questionable; I've had it for about 5 months and the back of the screen frame has begun to separate from the body (see photos). I take great care of this device, carrying it in my backpack on my daily commute and removing it when I arrive at work. br>br>Good:
1. The startup time is extremely quick (less than 5 seconds).
2. Overall, it's a cheap way to check your email and browse the web.
3. The screen is clear, and the keyboard is adequate.
4. In my typical use, the battery lasts 12 hours. br>br>Contrary to popular belief,
1. My screen is separating because the hinge appears to flex the back of the screen.
2. When compared to Windows or Mac OS, Chrome OS takes some time to get used to.
3. The Play Store's apps can be a little buggy at times.

Frankie Orr

| Aug 08, 2021

I am an unabashed supporter of Chromebooks. My interest in Chrome OS started with a low-cost, all-plastic laptop. 2012 will be the last year for Samsung Chromebooks. As a long-time Windows user and developer, I was quickly enamored of instant-on, no-fuss computing. The seemingly endless time-consuming updates and nerve-wracking malware scans were no longer necessary. Since then, I've added the Acer 270P, Asus Flip C100, and Asus Chromebox to my collection of portable computers. to a computer Our 27-inch iMac with 5K Retina display is rarely used, and I dread turning on our Windows PCs. br>br>I'm building all new websites with online themes like Divi, so I'm not using Artisteer or Mac-only anymore. RapidWeaver programs from Centric are used to create and maintain responsive websites. My trusty Acer 720P was losing battery life, and I yearned for a bigger screen. After much consideration, I decided on the Acer R13. The screen is lovely, the fit and finish of the case, the feel and function of the keyboard and trackpad are impressive, pages and files load quickly, and WiFi connections are solid with no apparent attenuation due to the metal case, as many have noted. So far, battery life appears to be in line with published estimates of 10 to 11 hours, though estimated remaining power is frequently recalculated, as it is with most Chrome laptops. The R13 pushes the concept of battery life updates to its logical conclusion. It shifts enough to limit it as a useful estimate of remaining run time. My astigmatism forces me to spend an inordinate amount of time as a useful estimate of remaining br>br>The R13 is often referred to as a heavy vehicle. It has a solid heft to it, but it isn't particularly heavy in my opinion. Some complain that screen brightness is limited, but as some one who often lights a room with the glow from his computer, I find the screen at max to be too bright to use,% The audio volume is a little lower than on my Acer 270P, but it's still loud enough to share music and videos with others in the room. My LG headset connects to Bluetooth quickly. The R13 is one of the Chromebooks Google has listed as being in line for Play Store Apps support, but at the time of writing, the only way to install apps is to switch to the Beta channel. The only app that interests me is Skype, and I'm willing to wait for stable channel support. br>br>The Acer R13 is a fantastic laptop computer that has quickly become my go-to device. Boy's favorite computer, which comes highly recommended! br>br> br> br> br> br> br> b The R13 has never disappointed in almost a week of daily use. Battery life is close to 10 ½ hours. Charge time from lows around 3% remaining life to 100% is a% I went into beta mode and downloaded the Power Director video editor for free. I've used the PC desktop program and was impressed by the Android app's features, responsiveness, and ease of use. I decided to reset the R13 to the stable channel rather than waiting for the promised stable channel release. For both work and entertainment, the R13 has become my go-to laptop. I spend a lot of time using the Divi theme and Divi Developer plugin to create and maintain websites. I'm sitting in a Lay-Z-Bed and using the R13. Boy's recliner with a fan It's appreciated if the case isn't as cool. br>br>NEW UPDATES: br>br>NEW UPDATES: br>br> 2017br>br>Version 60 was just installed on my Acer R13 Chromebook. 3112 (32-) 112 (Official Build) The stable channel was used to enable Play Store access. It's been a long wait, but none of the apps in the store appeal to me. 2017.

Sincere Bright

| Jul 03, 2021