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Acer Chromebook 15 C910 (Review)
Acer Chromebook 15 C910-54M1
Acer
$499.99 Retail
Being a Chromebook owner and dedicated convert doesn’t hurt when reviewing a beautiful piece of hardware like the Acer Chromebook 15 C910. In fact, it helps. It also makes me a little jealous of those who have the $500 to buy one. The Acer Chromebook 15 C910 (C910) is a large format, very fast, delicious version of a Chromebook. It also doesn’t hurt that I love Acer products. I own several–all of various ages and platforms, but all still run and are used on an almost daily basis. While I don’t own the C910, I’m only reviewing it, it is certainly another worthy hunk of awesome from a superb personal computer company.
The C910 is a large laptop computer that sports a 15.6″ full HD screen, although as I stated in the review video, “It reads more like a 17”. What I mean is that it is a laptop with a wall-to-wall video screen. It has less of a frame around it than my iPad 4 does, which makes its screen feel like something much larger than a 15-inch by comparison.
Acer Chromebook 15 Review Video
Acer Chromebook 15 Extra Video created with the Chromebook 15
Acer Chromebook 15 Extra Video 2 created with the Chromebook C720.
The C910 is a business grade laptop computer that’s suitable for any application or situation. You can connect an external monitor–not that you’d need to. You can connect an external mouse and keyboard and any other peripheral that you might have or want. It has a built-in webcam and microphone. It also has two huge speakers in the unit’s base. It is a multi-media aficionado’s dream machine.
Features at a Glance:
- Chrome OS™
- Intel Core i5-5200U Dual-core 2.20 GHz
- 15.6″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) 16:9
- Intel HD 5500 with Shared Memory
- 4 GB, DDR3L SDRAM
- 32 GB SSD
A few Words about Chrome OS
For those of you who believe that you need a Windows system to run “standard” applications, you don’t. The Sixth Flag is a great solution for that complaint, but that’s another story. There are web-based applications for just about everything you use. Even Microsoft has created Office365 to promote the use of web-based applications for any platform or device.
The only Chromebook shortcoming that I’ve found so far is Skype, which doesn’t work on Chrome OS. Supposedly there’s a workaround so that you can use Skype, and perhaps The Sixth Flag web-based Windows desktop is also the answer to that problem, but I haven’t tried it. It is unfortunate that Skype doesn’t/won’t work because I use it so much. It is the one shortfall that prevents me from using a Chromebook 24x7x365. Solve that one issue and it’s a done deal.
Chrome OS is the most secure operating system that a computer can run. As I explain in the video, there’s just nothing for a hacker to latch onto over the network. And even if someone were to steal your Chromebook, your data isn’t saved on it, so there’s nothing to steal except the hardware. The only way your data is vulnerable on a Chromebook is for you to be logged on and either someone looks over your shoulder while you’re working or if they steal it while you’re actually using the device.
More features of the Chromebook 15 C910:
- 1 HDMI port
- Non-skid, non-slip coating
- 2 USB ports (1 USB 2.0 & 1 USB 3.0)
- Audio out port (3.5mm jack)
- Built-in webcam (720p)
- Built-in microphone
- Bluetooth 4.0
- Wi-Fi networking (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac)
- 4-cell, Li-ion battery that lasts 8 hours or more
- 4.8 lbs.
Acer Chromebook C720 (Review)
Acer Chromebook C720
Acer, Inc.
Price varies from $179 to $379 depending on hardware and features.
$199 for the C720-2800 Reviewed model
My Acer Chromebook C720 is just cool. I know that’s not a very good review, but it is in fact, cool. I love it. If there’s one computer that I always grab for writing, Internet browsing, buying stuff online, watching YouTube videos, or connecting to remote server systems to do some heavy work, it’s my trusty, little C720 Chromebook. If you’ve ever read anything I’ve written on ZDNet in my Consumerization column, you know that I sort of have a love affair with Acer. Yes, I’m afraid that it’s a one-sided affair, but it’s one that I’ve carried on for years.
I’ve purchased many Acer products and have recommended them (successfully) to my in-laws and others. Someday I’ll provide a full list of the still living models, although I can tell you that I have one, a Linux system living in my personal data center (garage) that has to be ten years old. I digress. But you see my point? I love Acer products. And the C720 hasn’t changed my mind.
The C720 is what Chromebooks aspire (Watch that pun, Acer has a line of Aspire systems) to be. They’re lightweight, powerful, stable, durable, high quality, full of features, and competitively priced. What more can you ask for? Great support, probably. Well, Acer has that. Although I’ve never had any serious problems with any of my Acer products, the two or three times I’ve used Customer Support, the agent has helped me until the issue was resolved. I’ve never disconnected from one of the online chat sessions with anything but satisfaction in my head and a smile on my face.
My Acer C720 surpassed my Acer One Netbook as my favorite computer about a week after I got it. The C720 is so fast and responsive that rivals even the most souped-up computer that I’ve ever used. There’s never any hesitation, freezing, or “Not responding” messages. And I really don’t have the patience for “Not responding” messages.
And say what you will about Google, but the Chrome browser and the Chrome OS are the best things to happen to computers since Linus released Linux back in the mid-1990s. Google aced it, in my humble opinion, with Chrome and Chrome OS.
The C720 comes in a variety of models from the most basic to the very elaborate with a touch screen, super fast CPU(s), 4GB RAM, and a larger (32GB) internal SSD. The touch screen is the big bonus feature for the Chromebook. Chrome OS isn’t Windows 8, but the operating system and computing environment is still enhanced by touch screen technology for those of us who have become accustomed to tapping and swiping our phones and tablets. Alas, my C720 doesn’t have a touchscreen, but the trackpad is very good. Sometimes, if I’m working at a desk instead of on my lap, I plug in an external mouse and I’m fine.
- 11.6’’ (1366×768) display, 16:9 aspect ratio
- 0.75 inches thin – 2.76 lbs/ 1.25kg
- Up to 8.5 hours of active use 1
- New Intel® Celeron™ processor
- 100 GB Google Drive Cloud Storage2 with 16GB Solid State Drive
- 30-day free trial with Google Play Music All Access
- Built-in dual band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
- VGA Camera
- 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0
- Full size HDMI Port
- Bluetooth®4.0 Compatible
One thing to note about your Chromebook is that its operating system, Chrome OS, has been deemed the “most secure operating system” by Kevin Mitnick, the famous hacker turned security expert. He’s correct. I’ve performed multiple security scans over the network against the Chromebook and I can’t break into it. There’s just no available attack vector. In other words, you can feel safe using your Chromebook out in public because no one can scan your system, break into it, and grab your data.
Why it’s Frugal: The C720 is frugal for many reasons, but the most important one is features per dollar. You get a full, powerful computer for $200 that won’t require you to spend on hardware upgrades because of a newer operating system version every two years. There’s no spinning hard drive to fail on you. There’s very little heat generated from it. It requires very little electricity. It really requires no additional accessories to make it useful. And it’s an Acer product, which means that it will last for years. That’s frugal.
While your C720 doesn’t come with an Ethernet connection, you can purchase a USB-to-Ethernet network interface for under $20. There are no drivers to install or any issues. Plug it in and it works.
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The Frugal Networker 
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