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Acer Chromebook R 11 (N3160, eMMC, HD) Convertible Review

Better thanks to the Play Store. Acer’s 11.6-inch Chromebook convertible offers a touch-enabled IPS display and silent operation. Thanks to the inclusion of the Google Play Store, users can install countless Android apps on Acer’s Chromebook.
Chromebook Convertible / 2-in-1 Touchscreen

All Chromebooks are similar in one way: Open the lid, log in and go browsing. Users do not have to fiddle with software when it comes to Chromebooks. However, this is not 100% true this time around, because now you can install a whole slew of Android apps from the Google Play Store. 

Acer’s Chromebook R 11 comes with a Braswell-based quad-core CPU from Intel. This is not a new or powerful CPU. However, it should be capable of running Chrome OS. The competing devices include: The Dell Chromebook 11 3181 2-in-1, the Trekstor Yourbook C11B, the Medion Akoya E2228T, the Asus Vivobook Flip 12 TP203NAH and the Lenovo Yoga 330-11IGM.

Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB (Chromebook 11 Series)
Processor
Intel Celeron N3160 4 x 1.6 - 2.2 GHz, Braswell
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Core: 640 MHz
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR3L
Display
11.60 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel 135 PPI, capacitive, 10-finger multitouch, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combined microphone/headphone jack, Card Reader: SD, Sensors: motion sensor
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 19.2 x 294 x 204 ( = 0.76 x 11.57 x 8.03 in)
Battery
39 Wh, 3315 mAh Lithium-Ion, 11.55 V, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 10 h
Operating System
Google Chrome OS
Camera
Webcam: HD
Primary Camera: 0.9 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: chiclet-style, Keyboard Light: no, 24 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
1.25 kg ( = 44.09 oz / 2.76 pounds), Power Supply: 268 g ( = 9.45 oz / 0.59 pounds)
Price
399 Euro
Links
Acer homepage
Acer notebook section
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case and Connectivity - The Chromebook R 11 supports Android apps

The case of the Chromebook is made mostly of plastic. Only the back of the display lid consists of metal. The chassis of the device is snowy-white. The display lid and the bottom cover are adorned with a diamond texture. The build quality is okay. The device does not exhibit a lot of flex. However, in our opinion, the chassis could have been somewhat more rigid. The battery is soldered-in.

The case is easy to open. Once you remove all the screws on the underside, the bottom cover can be easily removed. However, you will have to be cautious here, because an I/O board is located on the bottom cover. This board is connected to the motherboard via a ribbon cable.

The selection of ports is okay. There are no surprises here. The Chromebook features two USB Type-A ports (one USB 3.1 Gen 1 port, one USB 2.0 port). An HDMI output is also provided. The Wi-Fi module comes from Intel (Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265). Besides Wi-Fi standards 802.11 a/b/g/h/n, it also supports the fast Wireless-AC standard.

The built-in SD card reader “swallows” SD cards whole and locks them in place. The SD card reader belongs to the faster specimens of its kind. The transfer of 250 JPG image files (each approximately 5 MB in size) was completed with a speed of 64.8 MB/s. We test the SD card reader with the help of a reference SD card (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II).

Thanks to the inclusion of the Google Play Store, users can now install countless Android apps. This works pretty well on the Chromebook. The apps we checked out such as the ARD Mediathek app and the DB Navigator app function well in full-screen mode. We did not encounter any video playback issues in the Mediathek app. 

Size Comparison

❌
303.8 mm / 12 inch 207.9 mm / 8.19 inch 20.75 mm / 0.817 inch 1.4 kg3.15 lbs293.4 mm / 11.6 inch 198 mm / 7.8 inch 21.35 mm / 0.841 inch 1.3 kg2.87 lbs294 mm / 11.6 inch 204 mm / 8.03 inch 19.2 mm / 0.756 inch 1.3 kg2.76 lbs294 mm / 11.6 inch 204 mm / 8.03 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 1.3 kg2.76 lbs278 mm / 10.9 inch 199 mm / 7.83 inch 18.3 mm / 0.72 inch 1.1 kg2.51 lbs280 mm / 11 inch 190 mm / 7.48 inch 15 mm / 0.591 inch 1.2 kg2.56 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Left side: DC power socket, HDMI-out, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-A), SD card reader (SDXC)
Left side: DC power socket, HDMI-out, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-A), SD card reader (SDXC)
Right side: power button, headphone jack, USB 2.0 (Type-A), Kensington lock
Right side: power button, headphone jack, USB 2.0 (Type-A), Kensington lock
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Average of class Convertible
  (17.7 - 177.7, n=50, last 2 years)
67.8 MB/s ∼100% +25%
Lenovo Yoga 330-11IGM
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
59.5 MB/s ∼88% +10%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
 
54.2 MB/s ∼80%
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
21.8 MB/s ∼32% -60%
Dell Chromebook 11 3181 2-in-1
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
20.12 MB/s ∼30% -63%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Average of class Convertible
  (22.6 - 257, n=45, last 2 years)
87.5 MB/s ∼100%
Lenovo Yoga 330-11IGM
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
67.5 MB/s ∼77%
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
30.2 MB/s ∼35%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
25.8 MB/s ∼29%

Input Devices - There is no keyboard backlight

The Chromebook has a chiclet-style keyboard without a backlight. The slightly rough keys have a short travel distance and a clear actuation point. In our opinion, the keys feel too mushy. During typing, the keyboard exhibits some flex. However, this does not prove to be annoying. All in all, Acer delivers an “okay” keyboard that is suited for regular typing. 

The Chromebook R 11 uses a ClickPad as a replacement for the mouse. The ClickPad occupies an area of 10.5 x 6 cm (4.1 x 2.5 in). Therefore, there is enough space for the use of gesture controls. The smooth surface of the pad makes finger-gliding easy. The pad has a short travel distance and a clear actuation point.

The touchscreen features 10-finger touch support. It reacts promptly to inputs and works without any problems. 

Input Devices
Input devices

Display - Chromebook with an IPS screen

Pixel arrangement
Pixel arrangement

The 11.6-inch display has a native resolution of 1366x768. The brightness (228.7 cd/m2) is too low, but it is sufficient for use indoors. Most competitors deliver similar results. The Akoya E2228T has the brightest display among similarly priced devices. Positive: The display of the Chromebook does not exhibit PWM flickering.

237
cd/m²		220
cd/m²		219
cd/m²
235
cd/m²		241
cd/m²		225
cd/m²
230
cd/m²		225
cd/m²		226
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 241 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 228.7 cd/m² Minimum: 1.5 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 237 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Greyscale 2.68 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
Gamma: 2.58
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
IPS, 1366x768, 11.60		Trekstor Yourbook C11B
IPS, 1920x1080, 11.60		Lenovo Yoga 330-11IGM
TN LED, 1366x768, 11.60		Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
IPS, 1920x1080, 11.60		Dell Chromebook 11 3181 2-in-1
IPS, 1366x768, 11.60		Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
IPS, 1366x768, 11.60
Display
Display P3 Coverage
64.4
40.42
59.3
44.23
sRGB Coverage
92.5
60.8
77.3
66.3
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
65.7
41.76
56.5
45.73
Response Times
-6%
15%
26%
-14%
10%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
41 ?(20, 21)
42 ?(21, 21)
-2%
50 ?(30, 20)
-22%
30 ?(15, 15)
27%
52.8 ?(39.2, 13.6)
-29%
39 ?(18, 21)
5%
Response Time Black / White *
29 ?(16, 13)
32 ?(18, 14)
-10%
14 ?(9, 5)
52%
22 ?(12, 10)
24%
28.8 ?(16.4, 12.4)
1%
25 ?(13, 12)
14%
PWM Frequency
200 ?(20)
200 ?(90)
200 ?(90)
Screen
-46%
-107%
65%
-3%
2%
Brightness middle
241
304
26%
224
-7%
504
109%
213
-12%
253
5%
Brightness
229
267
17%
213
-7%
497
117%
218
-5%
245
7%
Brightness Distribution
91
77
-15%
80
-12%
86
-5%
94
3%
65
-29%
Black Level *
0.28
0.52
0.52
0.21
0.17
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.68
8.34
-211%
13.4
-400%
1.63
39%
2.6
3%
2
25%
Gamma
2.58 85%
2.33 94%
2.57 86%
2.41 91%
2.283 96%
2.43 91%
CCT
6164 105%
9038 72%
15186 43%
6715 97%
6861 95%
6850 95%
Contrast
1086
431
969
1014
1488
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
7.28
11.64
4.48
3.52
3.17
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
12.65
20.8
9.38
18.36
8.13
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.89
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
60
38
51
42
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
92
61
77
66
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-26% / -33%
-46% / -66%
46% / 52%
-9% / -7%
6% / 5%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
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 not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18925 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Straight out of the box, the Chromebook offers good color reproduction. In addition, the grayscale is also pretty balanced. The Chromebook does not suffer from a bluish cast.

CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - saturation
CalMAN - saturation

Display Response Times

ℹ
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
29 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16 ms rise
↘ 13 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 72 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (22.3 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
41 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20 ms rise
↘ 21 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 57 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (35.1 ms).

The Chromebook has an IPS screen with very good viewing angles. Consequently, the display is legible from every position. Outdoors, the display is not readable. This can be attributed to the low display brightness and the reflective screen surface.

The Chromebook outdoors (shot on a cloudy day)
The Chromebook outdoors (shot on a cloudy day)

Performance - Fast enough for office and Internet

With the Chromebook R 11, Acer has an 11.6-inch Chromebook convertible in its product range. Currently, our review device can be had for 330 to 360 Euros (~$373-407). At the time of writing, no other hardware configurations are available. 

Processor

The Chromebook comes with the Celeron N3160. It is a quad-core Braswell-based CPU. The processor is passively cooled, thanks to its low TDP of 6 watts. The CPU has a base clock rate of 1.6 GHz. Thanks to Intel’s Turbo Boost technology, the clock rate can be boosted up to 2.24 GHz.

JetStream 1.1 | Sunspider | Mozilla Kraken 1.1 | Octane V2 | WebXPRT 2015 | Geekbench 4.1 - 4.4
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Convertible
  (51.9 - 443, n=15, last 2 years)
244 Points ∼45% +480%
Lenovo Yoga 330-11IGM
Intel Pentium Silver N5000 (Edge 42)
109.8 Points ∼20% +161%
Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
Intel Pentium N4200 (Edge 40)
91.5 Points ∼17% +117%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel Celeron N3350 (Edge 42)
67.1 Points ∼12% +59%
Average Intel Celeron N3160
 
42.1 Points ∼8% 0%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel Celeron N3160 (Chrome OS 70.0.3538.76)
42.09 Points ∼8%
Dell Chromebook 11 3181 2-in-1
Intel Celeron N3060 (Version 69.0.3497.100)
40.36 Points ∼7% -4%
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
Intel Atom x5-Z8350 (Edge 41)
40.31 Points ∼7% -4%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel Celeron N3160 (Chrome OS 70.0.3538.76)
991 ms * ∼11%
Average Intel Celeron N3160
 
991 ms * ∼11% -0%
Dell Chromebook 11 3181 2-in-1
Intel Celeron N3060 (Version 69.0.3497.100)
976 ms * ∼11% +2%
Average of class Convertible
  (112.9 - 408, n=9, last 2 years)
232 ms * ∼3% +77%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total Score
Dell Chromebook 11 3181 2-in-1
Intel Celeron N3060 (Version 69.0.3497.100)
4901 ms * ∼6% -14%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel Celeron N3160 (Chrome OS 70.0.3538.76)
4300 ms * ∼5%
Average Intel Celeron N3160
 
4300 ms * ∼5% -0%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel Celeron N3350 (Edge 42)
4230 ms * ∼5% +2%
Average of class Convertible
  (469 - 3989, n=89, last 2 years)
910 ms * ∼1% +79%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Convertible
  (9822 - 92146, n=33, last 2 years)
57712 Points ∼55% +620%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel Celeron N3350 (Edge 42)
8790 Points ∼8% +10%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel Celeron N3160 (Chrome OS 70.0.3538.76)
8018 Points ∼8%
Average Intel Celeron N3160
 
8018 Points ∼8% 0%
Dell Chromebook 11 3181 2-in-1
Intel Celeron N3060 (Version 69.0.3497.100)
7341 Points ∼7% -8%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall Score
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel Celeron N3160 (Chrome OS 70.0.3538.76)
166 Points ∼21%
Average Intel Celeron N3160
 
166 Points ∼21% 0%
Dell Chromebook 11 3181 2-in-1
Intel Celeron N3060 (Version 69.0.3497.100)
163 Points ∼20% -2%
Geekbench 4.1 - 4.4
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Average of class Convertible
  (3462 - 30452, n=16, last 2 years)
20437 Points ∼23% +518%
Lenovo Yoga 330-11IGM
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
5705 Points ∼6% +73%
Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
Intel Pentium N4200
4729 Points ∼5% +43%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel Celeron N3160
3305 Points ∼4%
Average Intel Celeron N3160
 
3305 Points ∼4% 0%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel Celeron N3350
2646 Points ∼3% -20%
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
2296 Points ∼3% -31%
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Average of class Convertible
  (1989 - 6801, n=16, last 2 years)
4955 Points ∼51% +354%
Lenovo Yoga 330-11IGM
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
2021 Points ∼21% +85%
Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
Intel Pentium N4200
1616 Points ∼17% +48%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel Celeron N3350
1477 Points ∼15% +35%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel Celeron N3160
1091 Points ∼11%
Average Intel Celeron N3160
 
1091 Points ∼11% 0%
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
880 Points ∼9% -19%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

The system feels very responsive. We did not encounter any problems. The OS starts up fast and applications launch relatively quickly.

PCMark for Android
Work performance score
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), N3160, 32 GB eMMC Flash
7580 Points ∼38%
Average Intel Celeron N3160, Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
 
7580 Points ∼38% 0%
Work 2.0 performance score
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), N3160, 32 GB eMMC Flash
5399 Points ∼35%
Average Intel Celeron N3160, Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
 
5399 Points ∼35% 0%
Storage score
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), N3160, 32 GB eMMC Flash
7992 Points ∼17%
Average Intel Celeron N3160, Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
 
7992 Points ∼17% 0%
Computer Vision score
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), N3160, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3380 Points ∼18%
Average Intel Celeron N3160, Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
 
3380 Points ∼18% 0%

Storage Devices

An eMMC module serves as the system drive. It has a storage capacity of 32 GB. The storage space can be expanded with the help of an SD card. The SD card reader “swallows” SD cards whole and locks them in place.

Graphics Card

Intel’s HD Graphics (Braswell) GPU is responsible for image-rendering. It has a maximum core clock of 640 MHz. The integrated hardware decoder allows smooth playback of current video formats such as H.264 and HEVC/H.265 at up to 4096x2160.

3DMark | Geekbench 4.1 - 4.4 | GFXBench | GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 | GFXBench 3.0 | GFXBench 3.1
3DMark - 1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score
Average of class Convertible
  (33758 - 241349, n=12, last 2 years)
142091 Points ∼100% +513%
Lenovo Yoga 330-11IGM
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
45868 Points ∼32% +98%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel HD Graphics 500, Intel Celeron N3350
27957 Points ∼20% +21%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Celeron N3160
23161 Points ∼16%
Average Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
  (17968 - 23161, n=6)
20459 Points ∼14% -12%
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Atom x5-Z8350
17968 Points ∼13% -22%
Geekbench 4.1 - 4.4
Compute OpenCL Score
Average of class Convertible
  (6117 - 97190, n=15, last 2 years)
56378 Points ∼100%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel HD Graphics 500, Intel Celeron N3350
13158 Points ∼23%
Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
Intel HD Graphics 505, Intel Pentium N4200
11801 Points ∼21%
Lenovo Yoga 330-11IGM
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
10262 Points ∼18%
Average Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
  (3997 - 6535, n=4)
5357 Points ∼10%
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Atom x5-Z8350
5287 Points ∼9%
Compute RenderScript Score
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Celeron N3160
1409 Points ∼100%
Average Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
 
1409 Points ∼100% 0%
GFXBench
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen
Average of class Convertible
  (8.6 - 60, n=4, last 2 years)
23.4 fps ∼100% +113%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Celeron N3160
11 fps ∼47%
Average Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
 
11 fps ∼47% 0%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
Average of class Convertible
  (2.7 - 35, n=4, last 2 years)
12.2 fps ∼100% +270%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Celeron N3160
3.3 fps ∼27%
Average Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
 
3.3 fps ∼27% 0%
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen
Average of class Convertible
  (12 - 60, n=5, last 2 years)
25 fps ∼100% +47%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Celeron N3160
17 fps ∼68%
Average Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
 
17 fps ∼68% 0%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen
Average of class Convertible
  (7.8 - 84, n=5, last 2 years)
26.8 fps ∼100% +188%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Celeron N3160
9.3 fps ∼35%
Average Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
 
9.3 fps ∼35% 0%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen
Average of class Convertible
  (last 2 years)
40 fps ∼100% +48%
Average Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
  (27 - 31, n=2)
29 fps ∼73% +7%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Celeron N3160
27 fps ∼68%
T-Rex Onscreen
Average of class Convertible
  (last 2 years)
39 fps ∼100% +8%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Celeron N3160
36 fps ∼92%
Average Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
  (31 - 36, n=2)
33.5 fps ∼86% -7%
GFXBench 3.0
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
Average of class Convertible
  (19 - 139, n=3, last 2 years)
59.3 fps ∼100% +229%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Celeron N3160
18 fps ∼30%
Average Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
  (14 - 18, n=2)
16 fps ∼27% -11%
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL
Average of class Convertible
  (19 - 59, n=3, last 2 years)
35 fps ∼100% +13%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Celeron N3160
31 fps ∼89%
Average Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
  (15 - 31, n=2)
23 fps ∼66% -26%
GFXBench 3.1
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
Average of class Convertible
  (13 - 118, n=3, last 2 years)
48.7 fps ∼100% +248%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Celeron N3160
14 fps ∼29%
Average Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
  (7.2 - 14, n=2)
10.6 fps ∼22% -24%
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen
Average of class Convertible
  (14 - 59, n=3, last 2 years)
32.3 fps ∼100% +20%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Intel Celeron N3160
27 fps ∼84%
Average Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
  (7 - 27, n=2)
17 fps ∼53% -37%
The Witcher 3
1024x768 The Witcher 3 low
Average of class Convertible
  (4 - 186.1, n=64, last 2 years)
75.3 fps ∼100%
Average Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
 
8.5 fps ∼11%
1366x768 The Witcher 3 medium
Average of class Convertible
  (10 - 109.3, n=60, last 2 years)
49.5 fps ∼100%
Average Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
 
5.6 fps ∼11%
1920x1080 The Witcher 3 high
Average of class Convertible
  (8.24 - 215, n=62, last 2 years)
29.6 fps ∼100%
1920x1080 The Witcher 3 ultra
Average of class Convertible
  (1.2 - 106.5, n=61, last 2 years)
15.4 fps ∼100%

Emissions and Energy Management - The Acer laptop operates silently

System Noise

The Chromebook features neither a fan nor a hard drive and therefore operates silently. 

Temperature

The Chromebook does not get hot. When idle, it does not become warmer than the user’s hands. Under load, the temperatures also stay pretty low. The 30- °C (86 °F) mark is only exceeded at a few measurement points. For our stress test, we run both Google’s Octane V2 benchmark and the Jetstream benchmark at the same time in a continuous loop.

Max. Load
 29.9 °C
86 F		32.7 °C
91 F		28.3 °C
83 F		 
 30.3 °C
87 F		32.3 °C
90 F		27.3 °C
81 F		 
 24.6 °C
76 F		25.6 °C
78 F		24.7 °C
76 F		 
Maximum: 32.7 °C = 91 F
Average: 28.4 °C = 83 F
26.4 °C
80 F		32.3 °C
90 F		30.8 °C
87 F
26.5 °C
80 F		29.9 °C
86 F		30.2 °C
86 F
24.7 °C
76 F		25.5 °C
78 F		25.9 °C
79 F
Maximum: 32.3 °C = 90 F
Average: 28 °C = 82 F
Power Supply (max.)  32.1 °C = 90 F | Room Temperature 23.4 °C = 74 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 28.4 °C / 83 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 32.7 °C / 91 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 32.3 °C / 90 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.4 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 25.6 °C / 78.1 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(+) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.2 °C / 82.8 F (+2.6 °C / 4.7 F).
Heat distribution under load (upper side)
Heat distribution under load (upper side)
Heat distribution under load (underside)
Heat distribution under load (underside)
Heat distribution at idle (upper side)
Heat distribution at idle (upper side)
Heat distribution at idle (underside)
Heat distribution at idle (underside)

Speakers

The stereo speakers are located near the front of the chassis. They produce a very clear sound, which you can listen to for a very long time. Alternatively, you can use a pair of headphones or external speakers.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2042.539.442.52543.634.243.63143.631.243.64045.532.345.55046.433.146.46349.533.849.58047.228.847.210048.428.348.412550.125.450.116051.425.351.42005426.15425057.72457.731560.823.560.840062.421.862.450065.121.565.163071.820.471.880077.519.377.5100074.71974.7125072.218.572.2160066.21866.2200063.617.963.6250062.417.462.4315062.517.462.5400065.61765.6500059.917.359.9630061.417.361.4800058.417.358.41000059.217.259.21250066.41766.41600066.417.166.4SPL81.230.881.2N44.21.344.2median 62.4median 18.5median 62.4Delta3.42.73.435.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.62.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAcer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LBApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 8.7% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (5.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.8% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (12.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 14% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 84% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 20%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 12% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 86% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (9.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 4% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 95% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 50%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%

Energy Consumption

There are no abnormalities when it comes to energy consumption. When idle, the power draw peaks at 4.9 watts. Under load, the power consumption reaches 10.4 watts. The AC adapter has a rated output of 45 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.19 / 0.38 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.2 / 4.6 / 4.9 Watt
Load midlight 9 / 10.4 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 practically oriented Wi-Fi test, the Chromebook achieves a runtime of 7 h 01 m. This test simulates loads that are consistent with surfing the web. The display brightness is set to 150 cd/m² during the test.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Chrome OS 70.0.3538.76)
7h 01min
Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Dell Chromebook 11 3181 2-in-1
N3060, HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), 42 Wh
772 min ∼29% +83%
Lenovo Yoga 330-11IGM
Pentium N5000, UHD Graphics 605, 36 Wh
565 min ∼21% +34%
Average of class Convertible
  (335 - 876, n=78, last 2 years)
556 min ∼21% +32%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Celeron N3350, HD Graphics 500, 36.48 Wh
502 min ∼19% +19%
Medion Akoya E2228T-MD61250
Z8350, HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), 37 Wh
472 min ∼18% +12%
Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB
N3160, HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), 39 Wh
421 min ∼16%
Asus VivoBook Flip 12 TP203NAH-BP049T
Pentium N4200, HD Graphics 505, 42 Wh
365 min ∼14% -13%

Pros

+ IPS screen
+ silent operation
+ Android apps

Cons

- dim screen
- no USB Type-C

Verdict

The Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB, provided courtesy of: Acer Germany
The Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB, provided courtesy of: Acer Germany

Acer’s 11.6-inch Chromebook is powered by a quad-core Braswell-based processor. This CPU offers enough performance for simple office and Internet applications. Thanks to the passive-cooling solution, the SoC works silently. An integrated decoder is responsible for video playback. Therefore, streaming services can be used without any problems. Thanks to the integration of the Play Store, users can install all current Android streaming apps such as the Mediathek app on the Chromebook - this also applies to all other apps.

With the Chromebook R 11, Acer delivers an office notebook with functionality that is significantly expanded through the inclusion of the Google Play Store.

The touch-enabled IPS display has very wide viewing angles. However, it could have been a little bit brighter. The Chromebook has access to the Internet via its Wi-Fi module that supports the fast Wireless-AC standard. In addition, the keyboard and the battery life are also quite good.

Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C4LB - 11/12/2018 v6(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
75 / 98 → 77%
Keyboard
74%
Pointing Device
87%
Connectivity
39 / 80 → 48%
Weight
72 / 35-78 → 86%
Battery
89%
Display
80%
Games Performance
47 / 68 → 69%
Application Performance
57 / 87 → 65%
Temperature
96%
Noise
100%
Audio
58 / 91 → 63%
Camera
44 / 85 → 52%
Average
70%
81%
Convertible - Weighted Average

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> Notebook / Laptop Reviews and News > Reviews > Acer Chromebook R 11 (N3160, eMMC, HD) Convertible Review
Sascha Mölck, 2018-11-15 (Update: 2018-11-15)