Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Review (2023)

Though it's a Chromebook instead of a Windows laptop, Acer's Chromebook Spin 713 wears the same "Engineered for Mobile Performance" sticker as other notebooks that meet Intel's state-of-the-art "Project Athena" standard for conveniences such as quick wake and long battery life. But beyond those important mandates, this Spin model has two other things going for it as an alternative to a Windows 2-in-1. First, at $629 at Best Buy, it's a bargain—in fact, it's cheaper than some rival convertible Chromebooks. (The HP Chromebook x360 14 G1 and Asus Chromebook Flip C436 cost about $800 as tested.) Second, like the recently reviewed Acer Swift 3, its 13.5-inch display has a squarer 3:2 rather than the more familiar 16:9 aspect ratio, giving you a taller view for text and web scrolling. Getting a 3:2 ratio in a touch-screen convertible is rare and makes the Spin 713 an appealing choice—in fact, our new Editors' Choice among premium Chromebooks, most of which cost more.

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No Entry-Level Chromebook Here

As affordable as it is, the 713 is no stripped-down economy model. Clad in aluminum instead of plastic with an antimicrobial Gorilla Glass screen and touchpad, it's passed MIL-STD 810G tests against hazards such as a four-foot drop. It teams its Core i5-10210U processor and 8GB of RAM with a 128GB NVMe solid-state drive instead of the lesser-capacity, slower eMMC flash storage common in Chromebooks. Happily, it has an HDMI port when nearly all Chromebooks oblige users of external monitors to fuss with a USB-C-to-DisplayPort or USB-C-to-HDMI dongle.

Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Review (2)

The tall screen makes the Spin a little deeper than competitors, at 0.66 by 11.8 by 9.3 inches versus, for example, the 0.54 by 12.6 by 8.1 inches of the competing Asus Chromebook Flip C436. Weighing 3.02 pounds, it's not ponderous (though the Flip is half a pound lighter), but a bit heavy to hold in your hands instead of leaving in your lap in tablet mode. Visually, it's a silver-gray square with chrome accents. Black Chromebook and chrome Acer logos decorate the lid.

On the left edge are a USB Type-C 3.2 port, a USB Type-A port, an audio jack, and a microSD card slot. Another USB-C port and the HDMI port are on the right, placed between the power button and a volume rocker. The AC adapter plugs into either USB-C port. Wireless communications include Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth.

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Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Review (7)Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Review (8)

The Project Athena standards indeed are borne out in the Spin 713's wakeup behavior and battery life. (We'll discuss the latter toward the end of this review.) With a press of the power button when switched off, the Acer brings you to Chrome OS's sign-in screen in just five or six seconds; resuming from sleep (opening the closed lid) is almost instantaneous, though the Wi-Fi takes a few seconds to reconnect.

Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Review (9)

Sunny and Snappy: A Look at 'VertiView'

What Acer calls a "VertiView" display is so sharp it stays readable even with the tiny text and icons of its native 2,256-by-1,504-pixel resolution. As with most Chromebooks, you can choose among nine "looks like" or faux resolutions in the Settings panel (the default is 1,410 by 940 pixels) to resize screen elements. Brightness is adequate, not dazzling, but white backgrounds are nicely white, and contrast is good. Viewing angles are broad, and colors are rich and well saturated. Touch-screen operations are responsive and sure.

There's no stylus, but the flip-and-fold 360-degree hinge makes it easy to switch among laptop, easel, tent, and tablet modes; there's little wobble when you tap the screen in laptop mode. The 720p webcam in the top screen bezel captures slightly dark but crisp and colorful shots. Sound from the bottom-mounted speakers is slightly hollow. (There's not much bass, but you can distinguish overlapping tracks.) Volume drops off quickly from maximum, but it is sufficient to fill a small room.

Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Review (10)

The backlit keyboard follows the usual Chromebook layout, with a search/launch key in place of Caps Lock and browser and system controls along the top row. The cursor-arrow keys are in the proper inverted T instead of a row, though they're small. The keyboard has a pleasantly snappy typing feel, with a modest amount of noise and good tactile feedback as keys strike home. A large, square, buttonless touchpad taps and glides smoothly.

Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Review (11)

Chrome OS Convertibles on the Test Bench

I compared the Spin 713's performance to that of four other convertible Chromebooks. The Intel Celeron-based HP Chromebook x360 12b shares its 3:2 screen aspect ratio, while the 14-inch Asus Chromebook Flip C436 and HP Chromebook x360 14 G1 rely on Core i3 and Core i5 power respectively. The Google Pixelbook Go fits in between with a 13.3-inch screen; it uses a low-power variant of the Core i5. (See how we test laptops.)

The first objective benchmarks we use are Principled Technologies' venerable CrXPRT (a suite of simulated Chrome OS productivity apps) and more recent WebXPRT 3 (a browser-based test of HTML and JavaScript throughput).

Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Review (12)Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Review (13)

The 14- and 12-inch HP laptops finished in first and last place respectively, with the Acer taking the silver medal in both events.

JetStream 2 is another web-centric performance test. It combines 64 JavaScript and WebAssembly benchmarks to measure a browser's (in this case, the default Chrome's) suitability for advanced web applications.

Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Review (14)

This time, the Spin 713 edged its HP rival, with the 10th Generation Core i5 prevailing over the 8th Generation one. The Pixelbook Go's battery-sipping, dual-core CPU was less competitive.

We've recently added UL's PCMark for Android Work 2.0 test to our Chromebook regimen. This test suite runs in a small smartphone-style window and mimics productivity operations ranging from text and image editing to data charting and video playback.

Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Review (15)

Another win for the Acer, though the Asus Flip managed a spirited second place. The HP x360 12b chugged along with its humble Celeron CPU.

(Video) Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Review: The Affordable Flagship

Finally, to test a Chromebook's battery life, we loop a locally stored video with screen brightness set at 50 percent, audio volume at 100 percent, and Wi-Fi disabled until the system quits.

Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Review (16)

The Pixelbook Go's 5-watt processor helped it outlast the competition, though the Spin 713 posted an excellent runtime as well. A full day's work or school plus an evening of Netflix entertainment won't require the AC adapter.

Offbeat Shape, Winning Style

Whether you're working on a Google Docs report or just poking around the Google Play Store, the Acer Spin 713 is one of the nicest Chromebooks you can buy—a well-built, well-designed system whose screen makes it stand out from the convertible crowd. If it came with a stylus pen it would be just about perfect, but its value makes it an easy Editors' Choice anyway.

Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Review (17)

Acer Chromebook Spin 713

4.5

Editors' Choice

(Opens in a new window)

See It$795.41 at Amazon(Opens in a new window)

Base Configuration Price $629.00

Pros

  • Sleek and sturdy

  • Appealing 3:2 aspect ratio display

  • HDMI port

    (Video) Acer Chromebook Spin 713 (2021) Review: Iteration Towards Excellence

  • SSD instead of eMMC storage

View More

Cons

  • A few ounces overweight

  • No stylus

The Bottom Line

A touch screen with a squarish 3:2 aspect ratio makes Acer's Chromebook Spin 713 stand out as a well-equipped, affordable "Project Athena" 2-in-1.

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(Video) Acer Chromebook Spin 713 (2021) review: Exceptional 2-in-1!

FAQs

Is Acer spin 713 the best Chromebook? ›

TechRadar Verdict. The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is absolutely one of the best Chromebooks out there right now with a combination of performance, design quality, and battery life, but the lack of an included stylus is downright strange for a 2-in-1 and the design takes few aesthetic risks.

Are Acer Chromebooks any good? ›

With a hefty Intel processor and Thunderbolt 4 support, Acer's Chromebook Spin 714 is one of the most powerful Chromebooks you can buy. It's lightning fast, generating little noise and heat even under fairly intense professional workloads. The keyboard is excellent with a comfortable, quiet feel, and nice backlighting.

Is HP or Acer better for Chromebook? ›

Our Verdict. The Acer Chromebook 315 (2020) and the HP Chromebook 14 (2021) are both Chromebooks with power-efficient Intel Celeron CPUs. However, the Acer is better for productivity tasks and multimedia viewing because it has a larger, much more color-accurate 15 inch display that gives more room to multitask.

How many years can an Acer Chromebook last? ›

Acer Chromebooks can last up to seven years from the date of release. The Acer Chromebook 314 may be a great choice for a school Chromebook, especially at its price point.

Are Chromebooks only good for 5 years? ›

Older Chromebooks have older hardware parts, and these parts eventually lose the ability to get the latest updates. If your Chromebook is more than 5 years old, you might see this message: "This device will no longer receive software updates. You can continue using your computer but should consider upgrading."

Do Chromebooks get slower over time? ›

Although a Chromebook with good specs should stay in good working order, there will come a time when it may slow down. The good news is that you can do some simple things to speed up your Chromebook that don't require a technician.

Will a Chromebook last longer than a laptop? ›

Overall, they're simple and user-friendly, making them a great choice for anyone new to computers or just looking for something hassle-free. A significant benefit of Chromebooks is that they typically have longer battery life than most laptops.

Which Acer Spin Chromebook is best? ›

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 is the best Chromebook for 2023 that we've tested. It's full-featured with a fast 12th-gen Intel Core i5 processor and built to last. This is a great choice if you're looking for a Chromebook as your only computing device.

What are the negatives about Chromebooks? ›

The 10 Cons of Chromebooks
  • Local Storage—Chromebooks typically have eMMC storage between 32GB and 64GB. ...
  • Display—Chromebooks typically don't have full HD (1920 x 1080) displays and mostly are either HD (1366×768) or HD+ (1600×900).
Aug 4, 2022

Can you install Windows on a Chromebook? ›

Parallels Desktop for Chromebook Enterprise is the first-timer virtualization software that allows Chromebooks to run Windows 10. The software allows high-powered Chromebooks to run Windows as a regular Windows laptop. This guide will help you to run Windows on your Chromebook.

What are Chromebooks good for? ›

You can use a Chromebook for the most diverse tasks, like using the internet and watching movies, but also to play games. Either you work directly from the Chrome internet browser, or you install Android applications from the Google Play Store.

Is Chromebook spin 713 touch screen? ›

A tall display and connections for more

The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 uses one of Acer's bright VertiView displays, a 13.5-inch, 2,256x1,504-pixel touchscreen with a 3:2 aspect ratio.

Do Chromebooks need antivirus? ›

Do Chromebooks need antivirus protection? Yes, Google Chromebooks need antivirus protection. While they come with some in-built antivirus features, the protection provided isn't foolproof. You can download a malicious app from the Google Play Store or fall victim to an online scam or phishing site.

Which is better Acer or Asus? ›

Asus is slightly costly than Acer but we also have to consider the fact that Asus provides more than what it offers at its price. In short, the price range of Acer is affordable and whatever it offers, it surely of high quality.

Are Chromebooks or Windows better? ›

Windows laptops have an edge in upgradability, however, especially in less expensive and larger models that allow easy access to the RAM and hard drive. Chromebooks support fewer RAM and hard drive upgrades.

Can a Chromebook last 10 years? ›

Google Supports Devices for a Maximum of Eight Years

This whole concept of an expiration date tied to your Chromebook may be annoying. But if you do your market research prior to purchasing a Chromebook, you could be enjoying auto-update support for as long as eight years.

Can a Chromebook run Microsoft Office? ›

You can access your Microsoft 365 apps from the web — including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive, and Outlook. The web apps allow you to: Create, edit, and collaborate on documents and files.

What's the difference between a Chromebook and a regular laptop? ›

A Chromebook is basically a budget laptop that does not run Mac OS, Linux, or Windows, and instead operates on a special Google-based operating system called Chrome OS. Chromebooks are especially popular with college students.

What happens when Chromebook is no longer supported? ›

What happens when a Chromebook reaches its AUE? Currently, once your AUE date arrives, the Chromebook will no longer receive software updates from Google. These include security updates, bug fixes and new features. And without those updates, things like apps and browser extensions might no longer function properly.

Is Google Chrome being discontinued? ›

In a new blog post, Google confirmed, “We're ending support for Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1. Chrome 110 (tentatively scheduled for release on February 7th, 2023) is the last version of Chrome that will work on these versions of Windows.

Will Chromebooks overheat? ›

Poor ventilation in the laptop is a significant cause of overheating. This can be caused by vents being blocked from pulling air in which causes only hot air to be circulated in the laptop. Dust can build up on both vents and internal components can contribute to overheating.

Does Acer Chromebook Spin 713 have touchscreen? ›

Specifically designed with the needs of business users in mind, this Chromebook comes with a bevy of functional features including Wi-Fi 6, Corning® Gorilla® Glass touchscreen and touchpad, a backlit keyboard, a built-in HDMI port, as well as dual USB Type-C ports to deal with everyday challenges.

When was the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 released? ›

The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 arrived in August 2020.

When did Acer 713 release? ›

Acer Chromebook Spin 713 Full Specifications
BrandAcer
ModelChromebook Spin 713
Release date27th May 2021
Model NumberCP713-3W
Model NameChromebook Spin 713
3 more rows

Which company is best for Chromebook? ›

The best Chromebooks are seamless to use with the Google ecosystem. You'll also be happy to know that they typically have a long battery life.
...
  1. Acer Chromebook Spin 713. ...
  2. Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3. ...
  3. Acer Chromebook 514. ...
  4. Samsung Chromebook 3. ...
  5. Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook. ...
  6. Acer Chromebook 715.
Jan 5, 2023

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