The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is not to be taken lightly. Despite the fact that it was introduced in 2020, it is one of the top Chromebooks for 2022. That’s allowing for its simple usage, which is aided by its excellent touch screen, beautiful design, and exceptional versatility – not to mention its improved specifications for 2022.
The Chromebook Spin 311 is very basic in terms of design, with a matte black finish that’s only broken up by a diamond-shaped pattern on the notebook’s top. It would be excellent for taking notes in class or utilizing them in a business meeting because of its understated appearance.
Because the touchpad and keyboard are so pleasant to use, it’s also ideal for working on. With that said, the keyboard seems a little cramped, which is likely due to the fact that it’s the same size as those seen on other Acer laptops but housed in a smaller chassis. It took some getting used to, but the gratifying clicks and actuation eventually won us over.
It’s a bit of a mixed blessing, this show. Its touchscreen capabilities are both simple to operate and quite sturdy – after all, it is covered by Gorilla glass – but it is also too dark and narrow for comfort.
It’s also encircled by extremely thick bezels, which feels like a waste of space. The thick bezels were probably necessary to accommodate the toughened glass touchscreen and overall durable construction, but it feels like a lot of potential screen real estate was sacrificed.
Overall, the Acer Chromebook Spin 311’s design may make it seem a little tiny for certain people – this isn’t a laptop replacement – but if you want something cheap that can take a beating, this Chromebook is definitely one to consider.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 always manages anything that is thrown at it, despite having a modest component set under the hood. Having far too many Chrome tabs open, running, and listening to YouTube – or Spotify – at the same time, and communicating on applications all at the same time never exposes any stuttering or problem that the AMD-based hardware, supplemented by 4GB of RAM, can’t handle. It’s a reliable little workhorse of a Chromebook that’s underrated and unassuming in performance.
As a consequence, the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is a fantastic machine: it’s affordable, entertaining, and adaptable, and it can do everything that other, more powerful Chromebooks do. This is the Chromebook for you if you like the size and want a reliable touchscreen Chromebook.
The screen is decent, but it’s a bit of a two-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s a clear, easy-to-use touchscreen that’s also durable, thanks to Gorilla glass protection; on the other hand, it’s a little too tiny and dull.
It’s also encircled by extremely thick bezels, which feels like a waste of space. The thick bezels were probably necessary to accommodate the toughened glass touchscreen and overall durable construction, but it feels like a lot of potential screen real estate was sacrificed.
Overall, the Acer Chromebook Spin 311’s design may make it seem a little tiny for certain people – this isn’t a laptop replacement – but if you want something cheap that can take a beating, this Chromebook is definitely one to consider.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 always manages anything that is thrown at it, despite having a modest component set under the hood. Having far too many Chrome tabs open, running, and listening to YouTube – or Spotify – at the same time, and communicating on applications all at the same time never exposes any stuttering or problem that the AMD-based hardware, supplemented by 4GB of RAM, can’t handle. It’s a reliable little workhorse of a Chromebook that’s underrated and unassuming in performance.
As a consequence, the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is a fantastic machine: it’s affordable, entertaining, and adaptable, and it can do everything that other, more powerful Chromebooks do. This is the Chromebook for you if you like the size and want a reliable touchscreen Chromebook.
Price and Availability
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311’s pricing of $330 (£280; around AU$490) raises some eyebrows when compared to the Acer Chromebook 314, which was introduced around the same time.
A smaller model with lower battery life and performance, but at a higher price? At first, it doesn’t stack up. Its variations in design, construction, use, and what it truly gives, on the other hand, possibly justify it.
And this is a respectable pricing zone for a flexible 2-in-1 Chromebook at the lower-mid end of the price range – this is not a pricey Google Pixelbook. When you add a sale, it’s almost tempting to buy.
It’ll be easily accessible from the normal shops, but the to-customer pricing in Australia appears to be far more than the conversion of US or UK costs. For example, one pricing on Amazon AU is well above $700. Hopefully, availability in Australia will improve much more, and costs will begin to fall.
Design
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is a little laptop with a design, quality, and aesthetic that perfectly suits its size. To begin with, it’s a black symphony: black on the back, on the keyboard, and all around the screen. However, for a little Chromebook, this brings the entire design together and makes it appealing.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311’s primary body is matte black, while the ‘top’ or rear of the screen is covered with a stylish diamond-print surface. This appears to be for increased durability to protect the screen, but it also works well visually, giving texture and a pleasant quirk to the design.
The casing, on the other hand, feels substantial and solid, which is encouraging for anyone searching for a long-lasting Chromebook. The sole exception is a small amount of obvious give in the keyboard panel, which is especially noticeable if you’re a heavy typer.
This contrasts with the shell’s general rigidity and toughness. While the keyboard is the same size as the bigger Acer Chromebook 314, the smaller frame makes everything seem cramped, making it less comfortable than larger Chromebooks.
It’s still fun to use the keyboard and trackpad and click-clack your way around. The only drawback is that there is some flex in the keyboard, which will show up if you type a lot.
While the screen is technically 11 inches from corner to corner, the tremendously large bezels detract from this. This is likely to aid in protection, especially insulin mode,’ by allowing the thick Gorilla glass to be securely installed.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 also lacks a fingerprint reader, which would ordinarily be a letdown for a laptop costing about $300 / £300, but given the Acer Chromebook Spin 311’s other design peculiarities, it’s not really a fair critique.
Given its size, the onboard port situation is good. Two USB-Cs (one of which may be used to charge), two USB-As, a microSD card, and an audio jack are included. These are split approximately in half and are well spaced out on each side, with the power button on one side and the volume slider and Kensington lock dock/hole on the other. You won’t have an Ethernet port, so it’ll be a totally wireless Chromebook. Given its size, that’s a reasonable tradeoff.
Performance
When you sit down to use the Acer Chromebook Spin 311, the first thing you’ll notice is the delightful click and clack of the keyboard, and it’s amazing how enjoyable typing can be on such a little laptop.
It’s especially good that the touchpad is of the same caliber: simple, responsive, and enjoyable to use. However, the content on the screen does not match our pleasure, as we had to adjust the brightness quite a bit to view the photos well. This has to come at the expense of battery life.
The screen became brighter when the brightness was increased, but just in the sense of being lighter and whiter; colors and contrasts, for example, did not follow suit, making it a little difficult on the eyes.
Using the Acer Chromebook Spin 311’s spin mechanism to transform it from a laptop to a tablet is not only entertaining but also practical, especially when combined with the touch screen.
You can smoothly transition from using it as a regular screenshot on a laptop or notebook to a completely browse and touch a tablet-like computer on the couch, and back again, with minimum effort.
One fun but critical note: the keyboard is deactivated when the screen is rotated all the way around to use as a touchscreen, so you don’t accidentally type and smear keys into bizarre internet searches as you go.
You may also utilize the spin mechanism to enjoy having your tablet with you wherever you go, such as putting it in a tent posture to watch Netflix.
The 12-second boot time from off to log in screen is amazing, as it allows you to close the screen to sleep and then quickly wake up by bringing the screen back up.
There is a teeny-tiny bit of stuttering while it resyncs and fills up a Google account, docs, emails, and so on, but this is minor and by no means a deal-breaker.
Meanwhile, the benchmarks we conducted show that it is dependable and fluid, but not very fast. When you compare them to the larger and beefier Acer Chromebook 314, the contrast in data and figures is evident. Though, to its credit, it doesn’t feel much slower in everyday use while doing things like opening hundreds of Chrome tabs, listening to music, and conversing on Slack. It makes excellent use of its basic and average hardware to run Chrome OS and applications.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 has since been upgraded with newer components. Our review model, for example, now includes an AMD A6-9220C processor and AMD Radeon R5 graphics, rather as the previous A4-9120C and Radeon R4. We haven’t attempted or tested this new setting, though.
Battery Life of Acer Chromebook Spin 311
The Acer Chromebook 311 has a decent battery life, but it’s not particularly impressive for a Chromebook.
Don’t get us wrong: more than 8 hours in our movie test is impressive, and it demonstrates that it can easily last you a working day away from the office.
The USB-C charging is really fast. The Acer Chromebook 311 may be completely charged in two hours from zero. When you combine the Acer Chromebook Spin 311’s good battery life with everything else it has to offer, it’s a really appealing package.
The larger Acer Chromebook 314, on the other hand, would be a better alternative if you need a bigger tank.
You can Buy it If
You’re looking for a Chromebook that’s tiny and portable.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311’s modest size makes it an appropriate smaller device for individuals searching for something they can operate one-handed.
You’re looking for a Chromebook with a lot of power.
The reinforced glass and sturdy casing give you peace of mind that the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 will withstand knocks and bumps.
Your Chromebooks must – or should – be adaptable.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311’s touch screen and rotating capabilities make it a very flexible (literally) and adaptable laptop that can be used for a variety of tasks.
Don’t Buy it If
You are in the new marketplace for laptops.
It’s far too little to be a genuine laptop replacement; avoid it if you want anything more substantial.
A large, bright screen is required.
The display of the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is tiny and durable, but it compromises a lot of space and brightness.
More than a day’s worth of battery is required.
The battery life of the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is decent, but it won’t last you a day. So if you’re looking for a Chromebook that will carry you through a second working day, this isn’t it.