When opening the clamshell, you'll be greeted with a glossy, plastic, black bezel that frames the display. There is still the question of purpose, however, and if the C720 is meant to replace another machine, users might find it difficult depending on Chrome OS for all of their needs. Similar to the original C720, when I turned the new C720 at a 90-degree angle to my face, the picture became a little dim. Previously, we experienced issues with such items as overscan and occasional problems with output resolution.

C720 screen stays black, blue light on but no fan — Acer C720 screen stays black, blue light on but no fan — Acer

Coming from that ultra-successful model Acer made just a handful of changes — the hinges are more sturdy, the corners are reinforced, there's extra support on the lid and the lid itself has a new sleek brushed metal pattern in a darker color. The updated C720's webcam is also very similar to the original: when shooting some self- portraits, my face was quite blurry--I wouldn't recommend taking too many selfies with the C720. In other words, forgiving the build quality, disappointing keyboard, and unremarkable screen, the C720 begins to look pretty enticing indeed.

However, we can’t know in advance what sort of holes might appear in Chrome, or whether they might be exploited in unpatched Chromebooks, though Chrome OS’s security record is very good indeed.

Review Acer C720-2800 Chromebook - NotebookCheck.net Reviews Review Acer C720-2800 Chromebook - NotebookCheck.net Reviews

But it’s also young, bare, and rough around the edges, still unable to compare with the likes of Windows and Mac OS in terms of anything but the most basic functionality. inch 1366x768 TFT display was on the lower-end of quality back at the end of 2013, and looks downright ancient now in 2015. Power, HDMI, USB and headphone/mic line the left side, with a lock slot, USB and SD card matching it on the right.When compared alongside the Chromebook 11, however, the C720P's music sounded shallow and compressed, whereas the Chromebook 11 blared tunes that were equalized more accurately. When turning the C720 at nearly a full right angle to our face, however, we noticed that the picture became dim. However, some Chrome apps, such as "Bejeweled," aren't compatible with touch-screen displays, which means you'll have to use the keyboard and mouse. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag.

Acer C720 Chromebook Review - Haswell Chromebook - LAPTOP

His background includes managing mobile, desktop and network infrastructure on both the Macintosh and Windows platforms. It sat slightly too small under my hands, and when I typed at a normal, quick pace, I would miss keys or hit the wrong keys frequently. Your standard benchmarks don't have much relevancy to the Chromebook user since these machines aren't designed to run traditional applications. The touchpad is a little too small, but it’s perfectly responsive and multitouch gestures such as two-finger scrolling worked beautifully. The C740 Chromebook is a basic upgrade over the best-selling C720, making just a few tweaks to the model released almost two years ago.

These packaged apps, which were introduced toward the end of 2013, make Chrome OS feel more like a traditional operating system. UEFI firmware is available for all Haswell chromebook (Acer C720, HP Chromebook 14, Dell Chromebook 11, Toshiba Chromebook 1). Sure it means there's a small fan system and vent in the hinge area, but it also means I can have absolutely zero worry about performance on this laptop.

I still use my Chromebook now it is no longer supported? Can I still use my Chromebook now it is no longer supported?

It’s not glass (it’s plastic) and doesn’t feel as luxurious as the Pixel’s or a MacBook’s, but it works and doesn’t get in your way, which could not be said about last year’s C7 or this year’s Chromebook 11. The C720 has a full-sized SD card slot so you should already be storing backups of your essential files on this easily removable form of storage. When she’s not reviewing gadgets, she’s usually browsing patent databases or interviewing experts to track down the hottest tech trends before they even happen.

Devoid of the flashy exterior and attractive screen of the HP Chromebook 11, the Acer C720-2800 Chromebook might look just like every other Chromebook that’s come our way to date. The screen clearly and vibrantly displays everything from graphic design art with rich, bold colors to high-resolution vacation photos with minute details. There is also a notable amount of flex detectable on the base unit while it’s resting on a hard surface (the Chromebook 11 felt comparably solid with very little give).