Acer Chromebook 15 (2017) Review: A Solid, Large-Screened Laptop

Acer has built several laptops over the years, but their latest, the 2017 iteration of the Acer Chromebook 15, is one worth considering if you’re on a budget.

ACER CHROMEBOOK 15 (2017) REVIEW

This Chromebook enjoys one immediately visible differentiation: it has a larger-than-usual screen. Whereas most Chromebooks hover around 14 inches, this model spans 15.6 inches and 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. However, the display’s quality was disappointing in CNET’s experience; its color saturation was muddy, well below competing laptops. On a more positive note, CNET found the screen’s viewing angles to be decent, aided in part thanks to the 15’s 180-degree hinge. Acer’s latest Chromebook is a pleasant machine aesthetically, with its black, backlit keyboard providing a nice contrast with its body.

Regarding its specs, the Chrombook 15 is serviceable. It offers 4GB of RAM, 32GB of internal memory, and it’s powered with Intel’s HD Graphics 505 card and Pentium N4200 CPU. Moreover, Acer claims this Chromebook has a battery life lasting up to 12 hours. An SD card reader affixes the laptop, along with two USB ports (2.0 and 3.0) and an HDMI input.

Chrome OS is the go-to operating system, which loans itself well to work. You can swiftly check your Gmail account or your documents, for example, and you can augment your Chromebook’s catalog by downloading other apps from the Google Play Store. However, CNET found the 15 didn’t multitask too well, with lag setting in if too many apps or browser tabs were open simultaneously.