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Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM Notebook Review

Typewriter with stamina. Acer's 14-incher only brings a weak processor but offers very long battery runtimes. The price of about 280 Euros (~$310) and the included one-year license for Office 365 Personal might make the notebook attractive for many users.

For the original German review, see here.

The success of the Chromebooks led to several manufacturers offering Windows-based alternatives. These do not have the limitations of Chromebooks (cannot be used without Internet connection; no desktop applications). The Cloudbook 14 is such an alternative. Computers like the HP Stream 13, the HP Chromebook 14, and the Toshiba CB30-B-104 belong to its competitors.

Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
Processor
Intel Celeron N3050 2 x 1.6 - 2.2 GHz, Braswell
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics (Braswell), Core: 600 MHz, Single-Channel, 10.18.4248
Memory
2048 MB 
, DDR3L, single-channel, soldered
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel 112 PPI, Chi Mei N140BGE-EA3, TN LED, glossy: no
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
, 14.6 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC235 @ Intel Cherry Trail / Braswell SoC - HD Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: audio combo, Card Reader: SD, TPM 2.0
Networking
Atheros Communications AR9565 Wireless Network Adapter (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 17.9 x 339.4 x 234.9 ( = 0.7 x 13.36 x 9.25 in)
Battery
55 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: SD webcam
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, McAfee LiveSafe Internet Security (trial version), MS Office 365 Personal (one-year license), 24 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
1.6 kg ( = 56.44 oz / 3.53 pounds), Power Supply: 267 g ( = 9.42 oz / 0.59 pounds)
Price
299 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case & Connectivity

Design, material, and color of the Cloudbook 14 are identical to its 11.6-inch sibling's. Apart from the black display frame, Acer uses a slim, gray plastic case. The lid and the underside are textured. The top side of the base unit is roughened. The build quality is flawless. However, the stability should be improved - the base unit twists too easily. Thus, the front left foot of the laptop lifts up when pressure is applied right beside the keyboard.

Moreover, the Cloudbook 14 and the Cloudbook 11 share the same connectivity. One of two USB ports supports the USB 3.0 standard. The ports sit on both sides towards the rear. As a result, the space beside the palm rests remains free of cables. The memory-card reader works slowly. It transfers 250 JPG image files (about 5 MB each) at only 18.6 MB/s. We always test memory-card readers with our reference card (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II).

Left: power-in, HDMI, USB 3.0, audio combo, memory-card reader
Left: power-in, HDMI, USB 3.0, audio combo, memory-card reader
Right: USB 2.0
Right: USB 2.0

Input Devices

The Cloudbook comes with a chiclet keyboard without light. The flat, slightly roughened keys feature a short travel and a clear pressure point. The keyboard slightly springs when typing, but this was not disturbing. Since it is a 14-inch device, keys and key gaps are bigger than in comparable, yet smaller devices like, for example, the Acer Cloudbook 11. As a result, the typing experience is much more comfortable. If you are thinking about buying an 11.6-inch notebook, you should reflect on buying a 14-inch computer like the Cloudbook 14 instead. The multi-touch capable ClickPad of the Cloudbook takes up 10.1 x 6.1 cm. So, it offers a lot of space for gesture control. Fingers glide easily on the smooth surface. The touchpad features a short travel and a clear pressure point.

Input devices
Input devices

Display

Pixel grid
Pixel grid

Acer has equipped the Cloudbook with a matte 14-inch display with a native resolution of 1366x768 pixels. The brightness (213.1 cd/m²) is too low for a mobile device meant to be used in all kinds of places. In view of the price point, the contrast (491:1) is okay. The display shows PWM flickering @ 200 Hz at a brightness level of 90% and lower. This might cause eye problems and/or headaches in sensitive people.

229
cd/m²
210
cd/m²
209
cd/m²
220
cd/m²
231
cd/m²
202
cd/m²
216
cd/m²
200
cd/m²
201
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei N140BGE-EA3 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 231 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 213.1 cd/m² Minimum: 18 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 231 cd/m²
Contrast: 491:1 (Black: 0.47 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 9.1 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 9.55 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
60.59% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38.84% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
42.08% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
60.6% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.68% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.47

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 200 Hz ≤ 90 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 200 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 90 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 200 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The DeltaE 2000 shift is about 9.1 out-of-the-box - which is normal in the low-price segment. A value smaller than 3 is desired. Moreover, the display is bluish. Calibration significantly improves the display. The color shift falls to 3.55, which is only slightly higher than the target range. In addition, the blue tint disappears.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscales
CalMAN - Grayscales
CalMAN - Color saturation
CalMAN - Color saturation
CalMAN - ColorChecker (after calibration)
CalMAN - ColorChecker (after calibration)
CalMAN - Grayscales (after calibration)
CalMAN - Grayscales (after calibration)
CalMAN - Color saturation (after calibration)
CalMAN - Color saturation (after calibration)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
21.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16.4 ms rise
↘ 5.2 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 41 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
49.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 23.6 ms rise
↘ 26 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 83 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The Cloudbook features a TN panel with narrow viewing angles. Thus, it is not possible to read from the screen from all positions. Moreover, the computer is not really apt for outdoor use. Outdoor use is only possible when the sky is overcast or in the shade. Otherwise, the display is too dark.

The Cloudbook outdoors (overcast sky)
The Cloudbook outdoors (overcast sky)

Performance

With the Cloudbook 14, Acer offers a 14-inch notebook for simple office and Internet applications. In addition, it can play videos. Our test model costs about 280 Euros (~$310). We have not found other variants.

Processor

With Intel's Celeron N3050 (Braswell) dual-core processor, a weak CPU works inside the Acer computer. Its performance is sufficient for simple office and Internet applications. Those who want to run more demanding applications should buy a different computer. The Celeron works at up to 2.16 GHz in mains operation as well as on battery.

Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
1114
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
2142
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
2291
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
34 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
63 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
12.6 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
209 Points +232%
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
118 Points +87%
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
65 Points +3%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
63 Points
HP Stream 13-c102ng
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
62 Points -2%
Acer Aspire ES1-420-377F
Radeon HD 8240, E1-2500, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVT
44 Points -30%
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
83 Points +144%
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
34 Points 0%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
34 Points
HP Stream 13-c102ng
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
33 Points -3%
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
32 Points -6%
Acer Aspire ES1-420-377F
Radeon HD 8240, E1-2500, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVT
27 Points -21%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
7048 Points +229%
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
3624 Points +69%
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
2150 Points 0%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2142 Points
HP Stream 13-c102ng
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1272 Points -41%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
3144 Points +182%
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1134 Points +2%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1114 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1085 Points -3%
HP Stream 13-c102ng
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1025 Points -8%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
868 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
850 Points -2%
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
829 Points -4%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
2824 Points +78%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1589 Points
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1167 Points -27%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score
Acer Aspire ES1-420-377F
Radeon HD 8240, E1-2500, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVT
835 ms * -101%
Toshiba CB30-B-104
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840
552 ms * -33%
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
444.5 ms * -7%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
414.6 ms *
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
412.3 ms * +1%
HP Stream 13-c102ng
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
407.5 ms * +2%
HP Chromebook 14 G1
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2955U
347.4 ms * +16%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
106.9 Points +109%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
51.2 Points
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
36.67 Points -28%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
7863 ms * -60%
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
5790 ms * -18%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
4926 ms *
Toshiba CB30-B-104
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840
3893 ms * +21%
HP Chromebook 14 G1
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2955U
2564 ms * +48%
Octane V2 - Total Score
HP Chromebook 14 G1
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2955U
12008 Points +63%
Toshiba CB30-B-104
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840
8442 Points +15%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
7355 Points
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
5606 Points -24%
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
3963 Points -46%
Peacekeeper - ---
HP Chromebook 14 G1
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2955U
3029 Points +336%
Toshiba CB30-B-104
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840
1579 Points +128%
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
724 Points +4%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
694 Points
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
587 Points -15%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

The system runs smoothly and we did not observe problems in our test. The results of the PCMark benchmarks correspond to the performance of the used SoC. Alike all Braswell notebooks, the Cloudbook 14 also performs better than comparable Bay Trail devices (Braswell predecessor). This is thanks to the significantly faster Braswell GPUs, while the CPU performance of Bay Trail and Braswell are almost the same. It is not possible to improve the system performance of the Cloudbook.

PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
1630 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
1626 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
1327 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2782 Points +71%
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1640 Points +1%
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1634 Points 0%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1630 Points
HP Stream 13-c102ng
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1568 Points -4%

Storage Device

The Cloudbook comes with an eMMC storage module with a capacity of 32 GB. Just under 15 GB of the total capacity is free out-of-the-box. The transfer rates are on a normal level for this kind of memory. It is not handy to expand the storage capacity with an SD card. SD cards stick out of the card reader by about 5 mm and are not locked in the card reader. Nevertheless, users will have enough storage space available: The buyer of the computer gets 1 TB storage space from Microsoft's Cloud service OneDrive (free of charge for one year).

32 GB eMMC Flash
Sequential Read: 173.5 MB/s
Sequential Write: 77.9 MB/s
512K Read: 154.8 MB/s
512K Write: 64.1 MB/s
4K Read: 15.88 MB/s
4K Write: 8.583 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 25.73 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 8.656 MB/s

Graphics card

Graphics are done by Intel's HD Graphics (Braswell) GPU. It supports DirectX 12 and works at up to 600 MHz. The Braswell graphics core is significantly faster than its Bay Trail predecessor. As a result, it performs significantly better in the 3DMark benchmarks - albeit on a low level.

Even though the Cloudbook only brings a weak processor, it can be used for video playback. This is thanks to the decoder integrated into the GPU, which takes load from the processor when playing videos. It supports all usual formats including H.265 (successor of the H.264 format, which is wide-spread today), which allows smaller files at the same image quality. The CPU load was below 20% when we played our test video (4k, H.265, 60 fps).

3DMark 11 Performance
433 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
18186 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
1542 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
241 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
978 Points +126%
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
462 Points +7%
Acer Aspire ES1-420-377F
Radeon HD 8240, E1-2500, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVT
453 Points +5%
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
442 Points +2%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
433 Points
HP Stream 13-c102ng
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
310 Points -28%
3DMark
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
21443 Points +18%
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
18186 Points 0%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
18186 Points
Acer Aspire ES1-420-377F
Radeon HD 8240, E1-2500, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVT
15693 Points -14%
HP Stream 13-c102ng
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
15693 Points -14%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1879 Points +22%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1542 Points
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1529 Points -1%
HP Stream 13-c102ng
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1404 Points -9%
1280x720 Sky Diver Score
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1058 Points +5%
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1032 Points +3%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1003 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score
Acer Aspire ES1-420-377F
Radeon HD 8240, E1-2500, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVT
259 Points +7%
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
241 Points
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
236 Points -2%
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
219 Points -9%

Gaming Performance

Games suitable for the Cloudbook can be found in the casual games section in the Windows Store. The hardware is much too weak for modern games like Hitman. Even games like FIFA 16 with only moderate hardware requirements, do not achieve smooth frame rates. In addition, the Cloudbook does not offer enough storage capacity for most games.

low med. high ultra
Trackmania Nations Forever (2008) 106 25.8

Emissions & Energy

Temperature

The Cloudbook in the stress test
The Cloudbook in the stress test

In our stress test, the Cloudbook behaves the same way in mains operation and on battery. CPU and GPU work at full speed during the first minute and are slowed down afterwards. The processor works at 1.2 GHz and the graphics core at 320 MHz. The computer does not get especially warm. It only exceeds 40 °C in a single measurement segment.

Max. Load
 38.1 °C
101 F
31.2 °C
88 F
27.9 °C
82 F
 
 39.9 °C
104 F
30.8 °C
87 F
27.5 °C
82 F
 
 30 °C
86 F
28.5 °C
83 F
26.8 °C
80 F
 
Maximum: 39.9 °C = 104 F
Average: 31.2 °C = 88 F
28.6 °C
83 F
31.8 °C
89 F
36.9 °C
98 F
28.9 °C
84 F
33.8 °C
93 F
44.7 °C
112 F
28.6 °C
83 F
31.5 °C
89 F
35.1 °C
95 F
Maximum: 44.7 °C = 112 F
Average: 33.3 °C = 92 F
Power Supply (max.)  36.6 °C = 98 F | Room Temperature 22.9 °C = 73 F | Fluke 62 Max
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.2 °C / 88 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 39.9 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 44.7 °C / 112 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.9 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 30 °C / 86 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (-2.3 °C / -4.1 F).

Speakers

Speakers at half and full volume
Speakers at half and full volume

The stereo speakers of the Cloudbook sit on the front edge of the underside. They produce a thin sound without bass. You won't enjoy listening to them for long periods of time. External speakers or headphones are recommended for a better sound.

Power Consumption

The Cloudbook comes with a weak SoC. As a result, the power consumption is quite low - regardless of the load. When running idle, we measure a maximum of 7.3 Watt. During the stress test, the power consumption increases to 15.9 Watt - albeit, only in the first minute. Afterwards, the CPU and GPU throttle and the energy demand is about 11.5 Watt. The power adapter is rated at 45 Watt.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.3 / 0.45 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.2 / 6.3 / 7.3 Watt
Load midlight 12.5 / 15.9 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Life

In our real-world Wi-Fi test, we simulate web surfing. The profile "balanced" is active and the display brightness is set at about 150 cd/m². The Cloudbook achieves a very good battery life of 10:31 h. The battery with big capacity (55 Wh) pays off here.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 25.10586.0.0)
10h 31min
Battery Runtime
WiFi v1.3
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
631 min
Acer Aspire ES1-331-C5KL
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3150, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
395 min
HP Chromebook 14 G1
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2955U
427 min
HP Stream 13-c102ng
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, 32 GB eMMC Flash
370 min
Toshiba CB30-B-104
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2840
446 min
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC
HD Graphics (Braswell), N3050, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
340 min
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
254 min
WiFi
Acer Aspire ES1-420-377F
Radeon HD 8240, E1-2500, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVT
253 min

Pros

+ matte display
+ works silently
+ very good battery life
+ 2-years warranty
+ 1-year license for Office 365 Personal

Cons

- cannot be upgraded
- low storage capacity

Verdict

In review: Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM. Test model provided by Cyberport.de
In review: Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM. Test model provided by Cyberport.de

The 14-inch Cloudbook delivers sufficient performance for simple office and Internet applications. Thanks to the decoder integrated in the graphics core, the computer can also play videos. In contrast to its Chromebook competitors, the Cloudbook allows installing / using usual desktop software. However, the storage capacity is limited. About 15 GB is free out-of-the-box. The Cloudbook works silently and gets hardly warmer. The display will not win any prizes, but it is alright in view of the price point. It delivers an acceptable contrast and a matte surface. However, the brightness should be higher.

The Cloudbook 14 is meant to be a mobile typing and web surfing machine. The computer entirely meets this application profile. The battery life is sufficient for a day at school / university. It is supplemented by a decent keyboard. On top of that, a one-year license for MS Office 365 Personal is included. At a price of about 280 Euros (~$310), the bundle is affordable.

Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM - 05/23/2016 v5.1(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
71 / 98 → 73%
Keyboard
75%
Pointing Device
81%
Connectivity
38 / 80 → 48%
Weight
68 / 20-67 → 100%
Battery
93%
Display
76%
Games Performance
38 / 68 → 56%
Application Performance
42 / 92 → 46%
Temperature
91%
Noise
100%
Audio
41%
Camera
40 / 85 → 47%
Average
66%
79%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 AO1-431-C6QM Notebook Review
Sascha Mölck, 2016-05-29 (Update: 2018-05-15)