Acer Chromebook R13 Series

Processor: Mediatek MT8173, Mediatek MT8173C
Graphics Adapter: Imagination PowerVR GX6250
Display: 13.30 inch
Weight: 1.49kg, 1.5kg
Price: 399, 400 euro
performance: 43%, features: 44%, display: 85%, mobility: 82%, workmanship: 75%, ergonomy: 79%, emissions: 99%

 

Acer Chromebook R13 CB5-312T-K0YK

The Acer Chromebook 13 series returns with many options and longest lasting Chromebook yet, while old Chromebooks typically had a poor multitasking performance. Compared to laptops, Chromebooks are made for web-based tasks and excel in it in term of productivity. This new Chromebook is simple and the stylish exterior makes it look stunning in terms of its design and it can easily fit in backpacks. The simplicity of the Acer Chromebook R13 CB5-312T-K0YK enables its user to not worry about its configurations as it can be easily set up without needing much of a technical know-how. This particular Chromebook uses a Mediatek MT8173C processor, 4096 MB of RAM and 32 GB eMMC flash memory. The R13 CB5-312T-K0YK comes with a 13.3-inch display with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, a pixel density of 157 PPI, an aspect ratio of 16:9. It supports 10-point input and an active stylus. The Chromebook uses the PowerVR GX6250 graphics with a core clock of 700 MHz for handling all your daily needs while browsing the web. The Acer Chromebook R13 CB5-312T-K0YK is a good Chromebook with sharp screen, absolutely killer battery lifetime, and a comfy keyboard. With sharp screen display and impressive wide viewing angles, users can see clearly at any angle it is titled. The Acer Chromebook R13 CB5-312T-K0YK is also flexible enough to be used as a tablet with touchscreen feature because it is easy to twist. The hinge makes the Chromebook sturdy in stationary position and does not wobble. At 1.5 kg (3.31 lb) and 32.77 x 22.86 x 1.8 cm (12.9 x 9 x 0.71 inch), the Acer Chromebook 13 is a good choice for a lightweight laptop that can last all day without recharging. Compared to typical Chromebooks, the battery life is longest. The battery runtime is the best feature offered by this particular Chromebook. The casing is made from metal and matte white plastic and is refreshingly minimalist. The aluminum use on the Chromebook does not affect the robustness. The Acer and Google Chrome logos are located on the left side of the lid. The tapered bottom contributes to a sleek look. The base unit can be dented. Even when pressure is applied to the lid, it is not easy to break. Towards the front, on the left and right of the of the computer the speaker’s ports are located. There is USB 3.0 port together with the SD card reader on the left side of the notebook, while the headphone or microphone is one the right. On the back of the laptop, there are an additional USB 3.0 port and an HDMI port. By far, the Acer Chromebook R13 CB5-312T-K0YK packed a lot of improvements from the previous versions and is undoubtedly the best Chromebook by Acer yet. Hands-on article by Jagadisa Rajarathnam

Specifications

Notebook: Acer Chromebook R13 CB5-312T-K0YK
Processor: Mediatek MT8173C
Graphics Adapter: Imagination PowerVR GX6250
Display: 13.30 inch, 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixels
Weight: 1.49kg
Price: 399 euro
Links: Acer homepage
 Acer notebook section

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Reviews

Foreign Reviews

 

Acer Chromebook R13 CB5-312T-K5X4

The Acer Chromebook R13 CB5-312T-K5X4 is a convertible laptop with four modes to choose from – notebook, pad, display or tent thanks to its agile 360° hinge. It can deliver just about all the right features required from a basic laptop, plus extras like a USB-C port, a sturdy design and almost 12 hours of battery life. The Chromebook R13 measures 1.55 x 32.59 x 22.81 cm (0.61 x 12.83 x 8.98 inch) and weighs 1.5 kg (3.3 pounds), which is average for a 13.3-inch laptop. As for design, the Chromebook R13 features a sparkly silver lid and keyboard deck. It is light enough to carry one-handed and thin enough to fit easily into most backpacks. A fan-less design keeps the device silent and dust-free at home and at work. The R 13 goes to the extern by including an expansive 13.3-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) screen, that’s easy on the eyes and likely to appeal to a wider audience. This is a major step from the usual 1,366 x 768 resolution that is common among smaller Chromebooks like the Acer Chromebook R11 and CTL J5 Chromebook. It gives some extra space that will be valuable to work on a large spreadsheet or text document. The sharp screen lets you stream YouTube videos and stream media at greater levels of detail. As for hardware specification, the Acer Chromebook R13 features a MediaTek MT8173C Core Pilot Quad-Core ARM processor with integrated Imagination PowerVR GX6250 Graphics and 4 GB of RAM. The processor and RAM are quite good for multitasking, especially in situations like copying and pasting text from a website, text processing, or live streaming videos. The Chromebook R13 is certainly capable enough for the home/office user who needs an affordable entertainment solution and for the school user too. The Chromebook R13 is operated by Chrome OS which is designed by Google and based on the Linux kernel It uses the Google Chrome web browser as its principal user interface. The keyboard itself is chiclet style and, as on most Chromebooks, the Caps Lock key has been replaced with a Search key. The one-piece touchpad is wide enough for everyday use and responds quickly to multi-touch inputs – almost as good as the one on macbooks. Connectivity is good, including a USB 3.1 (Type C) port with DisplayPort over USB-C support, one USB 3.0 port, an HDMI port, a Kensington lock port, a headset jack and a microSD port. The Chromebook has dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 for wireless connections. As for battery life, the Chromebook features a 3 cell Lithium Polymer battery with a capacity of 4670 mAh, which is capable of delivering a maximum runtime of 12 hours. The Acer Chromebook R13 CB5-312T-K5X4 might not be everyone’s cup of tea, especially for those who well invested in the whole Apple or Windows ecosystem, but for those who can do just fine with only an Android device, this is the perfect laptop. Hands-on article by Jagadisa Rajarathnam

Specifications

Notebook: Acer Chromebook R13 CB5-312T-K5X4
Processor: Mediatek MT8173C
Graphics Adapter: Imagination PowerVR GX6250
Display: 13.30 inch, 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixels
Weight: 1.5kg
Price: 400 euro
Links: Acer homepage
 Acer notebook section

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Average Score: 82.5% - good

 

Reviews

Foreign Reviews

 

Acer Chromebook R13 CB5-312T-K1TR

The Acer Chromebook R13 CB5-312T-K1TR is a convertible laptop with a touchscreen and a 360-degree hinge that allows it to be used as a tablet. It also has commendable long-lasting battery life, a stylish aluminum lid and plenty of ports for connecting peripherals. A user also gets streamlined access to Google Docs, Gmail and the Chrome web browser, alongside a handful of Android apps from Google Play, too. The Acer Chromebook R 13's aluminum chassis gives it an eye-catching look. Its 1080p display rotates to laptop, display, tent and tablet positions on a pair of hinges that offer enough tightness to keep it stable. The Chromebook R 13 weighs 1.45 kg (3.2 pound) and measures 1.52 cm (0.6 inches) thick. One of the biggest differences between the R 13 and other Chromebooks is that it's one of the few models, along with the Asus Chromebook Flip, that can run Android apps. The Chromebook R 13's 13.3-inch, 1080p panel shows crisp images but with unimpressive color and brightness. The Chromebook R 13's panel displays only 64 per cent of the sRGB spectrum. The Chromebook R 13's panel emits up to 254 nits (a measure of brightness), which is more than the average for thin-and-light notebooks (244 nits). Since it’s an IPS-type screen, viewing angles are decent, with only slight discoloration at the edges. Powering everything is a 2.1 GHz quad-core MediaTek M8173C CPU, with a 1 MB cache and 4 GB of RAM. The R13 is a Chrome OS laptop, and therefore a workhorse designed mainly around Google’s free office suite, Google Docs, Gmail, and the Chrome web browser. For the kind of work, a user will be doing on the Chromebook R13, this will provide more than enough power. Overall performance feels smooth and stable. On paper, a user gets 64 GB of storage, but from fresh that’s actually closer to 45 GB. Since the majority of work will likely be stored on Google Drive, this won’t be an issue. However, users will want to sync files with Google Drive at some point, and here overall performance will be dictated by the quality of internet connection. Acer placed the R 13's USB Type-C port, HDMI port, USB 3.0 port and microSD card reader on the Chromebook's left side and the headphone jack and lock slot on its right side. That Type-C port is used mainly for charging, but it also supports USB 3.1 data transfer and DisplayPort monitors. The Acer Chromebook R 13 is a very good piece of hardware for the price, and the combination of Android emulation and a long-lasting battery makes this convertible a seriously compelling option. Productivity users or heavy multitaskers should consider a Chromebook with a more powerful processor, such as the Lenovo ThinkPad 13 Chromebook or the Dell Chromebook 13. However, if a user wants a convertible Chromebook for a great price, the Chromebook R 13 is their best choice. Hands-on article by Jagadisa Rajarathnam

Specifications

Notebook: Acer Chromebook R13 CB5-312T-K1TR
Processor: Mediatek MT8173
Graphics Adapter: Imagination PowerVR GX6250
Display: 13.30 inch, 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixels
Weight: 1.49kg
Price: 400 euro
Links: Acer homepage
 Acer notebook section

Pricecompare

Average Score: 70% - average

 

Reviews

 

Acer Chromebook R13 CB5-312T-K7SP

Specifications

Notebook: Acer Chromebook R13 CB5-312T-K7SP
Processor: Mediatek MT8173C
Graphics Adapter: Imagination PowerVR GX6250 4096 MB
Display: 13.30 inch, 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixels
Weight: 1.5kg
Links: Acer homepage
 Acer notebook section

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Average Score: 80% - good

 

Reviews

Foreign Reviews

 

Comment

Acer: In 1976, the company was founded in Taiwan under the name Multitech and was renamed Acer or Acer Group in 1987. The product range includes, for example, laptops, tablets, smartphones, desktops, monitors, TVs and computer peripherals. Since 2007, the group has merged with Gateway Inc. and Packard Bell, which also market their own laptop product lines.

Acer computers are designed for a variety of purposes, including ultrabooks for mobile use, gaming laptops for gamers, affordable options for everyday tasks, and 2-in-1 convertible laptops for versatility. Acer's product portfolio also includes tablets that offer portable computing and multimedia capabilities.

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Only some 3D games with very low demands are playable with these cards.

Imagination PowerVR GX6250: 2 cluster graphics chip integrated in ARM SoC (e.g. used in the MediaTek MT8173)

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.

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Mediatek:

MT8173C: ARM-based quad-core SoC that integrates a performance cluster of two Cortex-A72 cores clocked at 2.1 GHz (max.) and a power saving cluster with two Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.7 GHz (max.).

MT8173: ARM based quad-core SoC (2x Cortex-A72, 2x Cortex-A53) for tablets

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.

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» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.

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No weight comment found (one expected)!

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79.4%: This rating is not earth-shattering. This rating must actually be seen as average, since there are about as many devices with worse ratings as better ones. A purchase recommendation can only be seen with a lot of goodwill, unless it is about websites that generally rate strictly.

» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.

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