Acer TravelMate Spin B3 review: Robust 2-in-1 laptop with pen input
With the TravelMate Spin B3, Acer offers a robust 2-in-1 laptop that is mainly targeted for usage in schools. The 11.6-inch device is run by a Pentium Silver N5030 processor. The competitors include devices such as the Lenovo Flex 3 Chrome, the Acer Chromebook Spin 511 R752T, and the Asus BR1100FKA.
Possible Competitors in Comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 81 % v7 (old) | 01 / 2022 | Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK Pentium N5030, UHD Graphics 605 | 1.5 kg | 20.95 mm | 11.60" | 1920x1080 | |
| 79.9 % v7 (old) | 12 / 2021 | Lenovo Flex 3 Chrome 11M836 MT8183, Mali-G72 MP3 | 1.2 kg | 17.5 mm | 11.60" | 1366x768 | |
| 80.3 % v7 (old) | 11 / 2021 | Acer Chromebook Spin 511 R752T-C26N Celeron N4120, UHD Graphics 600 | 1.2 kg | 20 mm | 11.60" | 1366x768 | |
| 74.9 % v7 (old) | 07 / 2021 | Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA Celeron N4500, UHD Graphics (Jasper Lake 16 EU) | 1.4 kg | 19.9 mm | 11.60" | 1366x768 |
Case and Equipment - The TravelMate B3 supports Power Delivery
The robust, black plastic case has a rough surface that offers a good grip to the fingers and is not prone to fingerprints. The short edges of the B3 are protected from bumps by rubber slats. The computer does not show any faulty workmanship. Even though the base unit and lid can be warped slightly, this remains within limits. The battery is built-in. After the bottom has been removed, the insides are easily accessible.
There are three USB connections (2x Type-A, 1x Type-C) that support the USB 3.2 Gen1 standard. The USB-C port supports Power Delivery and DisplayPort via USB-C. So together with the HDMI connection, the Spin B3 has two video output ports. Something that is found rarely in devices such as the TravelMate is the Gigabit Ethernet port. The microSD storage card reader is a slower representative of its kind (measured using our AV PRO SD 128 GB V60 reference storage card).
The 2-in-1 device has two cameras: a webcam (0.9 MP) for video conferencing and a camera (5 MP, HDR, max. 2560 x 1920 pixels) for photos. The latter is located above the keyboard and can be used in tablet mode. While the webcam only offers standard fare, the 5-MP camera produces fairly decent results.
The WLAN transfer rates that we measured under optimal conditions (with no other WLAN devices in close proximity and a short distance between the laptop and the server PC) are basically okay, but they remain behind the capabilities of the WLAN chip used here (Intel Wireless-AC 9560).
| SD Card Reader | |
| average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
| Average of class Convertible (22.4 - 209, n=27, last 2 years) | |
| Acer Chromebook Spin 511 R752T-C26N (AV Pro SD microSD 128 GB V60) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK (AV Pro SD microSD 128 GB V60) | |
| Lenovo Flex 3 Chrome 11M836 (AV Pro SD microSD 128 GB V60) | |
| maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB) | |
| Average of class Convertible (25.2 - 253, n=26, last 2 years) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK (AV Pro SD microSD 128 GB V60) | |
Input Devices - The Acer Spin doesn't offer a keyboard illumination
The slightly concave and roughened keys of the unlit chicklet keyboard offer a short stroke and clear pressure point. The key resistance is okay. While typing, the keyboard has a minimal give, but this did not turn out to be any hindrance. Overall, Acer delivers a keyboard here that is suitable for everyday tasks.
The smooth surface of the multi-touch capable ClickPad (~10.5 x 6 cm; ~4.1 x 2.4 in) makes sliding your fingers easy. It also responds to inputs in the corners. The pad has a short stroke and clear pressure point.
Display - IPS onboard
The brightness (266.8 cd/m²) and contrast (907:1) of the reflective 11.6-inch touchscreen display (1920 x 1080 pixels) turn out too low. In battery operation, the maximum brightness drops to 238 cd/m². We consider values larger than 300 cd/m² and 1.000:1 as good. We did not notice any PWM flickering.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 238 cd/m²
Contrast: 907:1 (Black: 0.3 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.1 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.83
ΔE Greyscale 4.03 | 0.09-98 Ø5.1
51.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
72.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
49.6% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.23
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK AU Optronics B116HAN05.2, IPS, 1920x1080, 11.6" | Lenovo Flex 3 Chrome 11M836 IPS, 1366x768, 11.6" | Acer Chromebook Spin 511 R752T-C26N IPS-Grade, 1366x768, 11.6" | Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA IPS, 1366x768, 11.6" | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | -7% | |||
| Display P3 Coverage | 49.6 | 46 -7% | ||
| sRGB Coverage | 72.9 | 68 -7% | ||
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 51.3 | 47 -8% | ||
| Response Times | 24% | -13% | -10% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 34 ? | 26 ? 24% | 33 ? 3% | 34 ? -0% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 21 ? | 16 ? 24% | 27 ? -29% | 25 ? -19% |
| PWM Frequency | 1000 ? | 2500 | ||
| Screen | -12% | -0% | 0% | |
| Brightness middle | 272 | 302.1 11% | 291 7% | 242 -11% |
| Brightness | 267 | 290 9% | 271 1% | 230 -14% |
| Brightness Distribution | 87 | 86 -1% | 85 -2% | 87 0% |
| Black Level * | 0.3 | 0.26 13% | 0.11 63% | 0.195 35% |
| Contrast | 907 | 1162 28% | 2645 192% | 1241 37% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 4.1 | 6.66 -62% | 8.14 -99% | 5.35 -30% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 9.08 | 17.01 -87% | 19.9 -119% | 8.74 4% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 4.03 | 4.2 -4% | 5.84 -45% | 4.79 -19% |
| Gamma | 2.23 99% | 1.92 115% | 2.5 88% | 2.22 99% |
| CCT | 6557 99% | 6122 106% | 6761 96% | 6148 106% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 43 | |||
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 68 | |||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | 6% /
-5% | -7% /
-3% | -6% /
-3% |
* ... smaller is better
In the state of delivery, the display offers a decent color reproduction, but the colors deviate slightly from the target. However, this isn't really noticeable. The display is unable to reproduce the AdobeRGB (51%), sRGB (73%), and DCI-P3 (50%) color spaces.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 21 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 11 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 10 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. » 44 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (20.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 34 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 16 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 18 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 44 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (32.1 ms). | ||
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| 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 8356 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
The IPS panel offers stable viewing angles and can be read from any position. However, you can hardly - and sometimes not at all - read the display outdoors, since the low display brightness and reflective display surfaces make that very difficult.
Performance - Acer uses Gemini Lake in the 2-in-1 laptop
With the TravelMate Spin 3, Acer offers a 2-in-1 device that can handle simple applications from the Internet and office areas.
Test Conditions
The TravelMate does not offer any manufacturer specific power profiles. We use the "Highest Performance" Windows profile for the benchmarks and "Balanced" for the Akkutest battery test.
Processor
A TDP of 6 watts allows passive cooling of the Pentium Silver N5030 CPU (Gemini Lake) used here, which runs at a basic clock speed of 1.1 GHz. Via Turbo, the speed can be increased up to 2.6 GHz (4 cores) and 3.2 GHz (single core).
While it briefly runs through the multi-thread test of the Cinebench R15 benchmark at 2.6 to 2.7 GHz, the clock speed then drops to 1.8 - 1.9 GHz. The single-thread test runs at 2.8 GHz. The speed is the same in mains and battery operation.
We evaluate whether the CPU Turbo is also used constantly by running the multi-thread test of Cinebench R15 in a constant loop for at least 30 minutes. The Turbo speed can only be kept at a high level for a few seconds. After that, it drops to values below 2 GHz.
Overall, the benchmark results are a bit disappointing. The performance of the N5030 remains below its capabilities, as the comparison with the Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05, which is also cooled passively, shows.
Cinebench R15 Multi Constant Load Test
| CPU Performance Rating - Percent | |
| Average of class Convertible -2! | |
| Acer Chromebook Spin 511 R752T-C26N -13! | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05 -7! | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA -5! | |
| Lenovo Flex 3 Chrome 11M836 -13! | |
| HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 - 4k Preset | |
| Average of class Convertible (3.43 - 36.2, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (n=1) | |
| Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (n=1) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (110.3 - 117.6, n=2) | |
| Acer Chromebook Spin 511 R752T-C26N | |
| Lenovo Flex 3 Chrome 11M836 | |
* ... smaller is better
AIDA64: FP32 Ray-Trace | FPU Julia | CPU SHA3 | CPU Queen | FPU SinJulia | FPU Mandel | CPU AES | CPU ZLib | FP64 Ray-Trace | CPU PhotoWorxx
| Performance Rating | |
| Average of class Convertible | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11ADA05 | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| AIDA64 / FP32 Ray-Trace | |
| Average of class Convertible (1480 - 64158, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11ADA05 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05 | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (609 - 1025, n=2) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| AIDA64 / FPU Julia | |
| Average of class Convertible (11392 - 183760, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11ADA05 | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (3917 - 6476, n=2) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| AIDA64 / CPU SHA3 | |
| Average of class Convertible (797 - 8151, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05 | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (245 - 418, n=2) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11ADA05 | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| AIDA64 / CPU Queen | |
| Average of class Convertible (22413 - 145339, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05 | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (20893 - 21644, n=2) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11ADA05 | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| AIDA64 / FPU SinJulia | |
| Average of class Convertible (1120 - 29155, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11ADA05 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05 | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (742 - 1251, n=2) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| AIDA64 / FPU Mandel | |
| Average of class Convertible (4929 - 97193, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11ADA05 | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (2158 - 3517, n=2) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| AIDA64 / CPU AES | |
| Average of class Convertible (21774 - 139734, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11ADA05 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05 | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (6215 - 10585, n=2) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| AIDA64 / CPU ZLib | |
| Average of class Convertible (218 - 2001, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11ADA05 | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (81.4 - 135, n=2) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| AIDA64 / FP64 Ray-Trace | |
| Average of class Convertible (1169 - 34297, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11ADA05 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05 | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (327 - 567, n=2) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| AIDA64 / CPU PhotoWorxx | |
| Average of class Convertible (16583 - 81626, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11ADA05 | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (5209 - 6268, n=2) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
System Performance
The combination of a Pentium Silver and 4 GB of working memory is able to handle simple applications from the office and Internet areas. While the system usually runs smoothly, you should only expect to run few applications and browser windows concurrently, since otherwise things become more sluggish. A part of the computing performance remains unused, because the working memory (DDR4-2400, onboard) only runs in single-channel mode. It is not possible to activate dual-channel mode at a later point. The PCMark results range at the expected level.
| PCMark 10 Score | 1838 points | |
Help | ||
| PCMark 10 / Score | |
| Average of class Convertible (3229 - 9125, n=56, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030, Intel UHD Graphics 605 (1838 - 1900, n=2) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| PCMark 10 / Essentials | |
| Average of class Convertible (7233 - 12222, n=56, last 2 years) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030, Intel UHD Graphics 605 (4469 - 4614, n=2) | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| PCMark 10 / Productivity | |
| Average of class Convertible (5062 - 10591, n=56, last 2 years) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030, Intel UHD Graphics 605 (2994 - 3036, n=2) | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| PCMark 10 / Digital Content Creation | |
| Average of class Convertible (2496 - 16551, n=56, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030, Intel UHD Graphics 605 (1204 - 1391, n=2) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Copy | |
| Average of class Convertible (29473 - 158525, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11ADA05 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05 | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (11294 - 12743, n=2) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Read | |
| Average of class Convertible (28905 - 126725, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11ADA05 | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (n=1) | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Write | |
| Average of class Convertible (30591 - 216896, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11ADA05 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05 | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (10325 - 10482, n=2) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Latency | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| Average of class Convertible (6.9 - 173, n=58, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11ADA05 | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Average Intel Pentium Silver N5030 (71.3 - 72.5, n=2) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05 | |
* ... smaller is better
DPC Latencies
| DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 11ADA05 | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1-14IGL05 | |
* ... smaller is better
Storage Solution
An NVMe SSD (M.2-2280) from Kingston serves as the system drive. It offers 128 GB of storage and delivers good transfer rates.
| Drive Performance Rating - Percent | |
| Average of class Convertible | |
| Average Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
* ... smaller is better
Constant Performance Reading: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8
Graphics Card
Intel's UHD Graphics 605 GPU represents the lower end of the performance scale. The 3DMark results of the graphics core turn out below average and are some of the worst results that we have measured using this GPU until now. Gaming is not one of the qualities of the hardware used, but simple, casual games and browser games should still run. The integrated decoder takes some load off the processor when reproducing videos, so using streaming services should not present any problems.
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 655 points | |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 21430 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 2861 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 376 points | |
| 3DMark Time Spy Score | 129 points | |
Help | ||
| 3DMark Performance Rating - Percent | |
| Average of class Convertible | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| Average Intel UHD Graphics 605 | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| 3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU | |
| Average of class Convertible (1505 - 40732, n=58, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel UHD Graphics 605 (588 - 902, n=13) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| Dota 2 Reborn - 1280x720 min (0/3) fastest | |
| Average of class Convertible (66.1 - 223, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel UHD Graphics 605 (32.5 - 49.5, n=6) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| Final Fantasy XV Benchmark - 1280x720 Lite Quality | |
| Average of class Convertible (12.8 - 182.7, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel UHD Graphics 605 (3.4 - 7.46, n=5) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA | |
| X-Plane 11.11 - 1280x720 low (fps_test=1) | |
| Average of class Convertible (23 - 138.8, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel UHD Graphics 605 (5.01 - 9.1, n=5) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| GTA V - 1024x768 Lowest Settings possible | |
| Average of class Convertible (50.6 - 172, n=45, last 2 years) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Average Intel UHD Graphics 605 (9.5 - 11.7, n=3) | |
| Strange Brigade - 1280x720 lowest AF:1 | |
| Average of class Convertible (27.6 - 453, n=58, last 2 years) | |
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK | |
| Average Intel UHD Graphics 605 (n=1) | |
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTA V (2015) | 11.6 | |||
| The Witcher 3 (2015) | 1.2 | |||
| Dota 2 Reborn (2015) | 35 | 11.5 | 5.9 | 5.9 |
| Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) | 4.15 | |||
| X-Plane 11.11 (2018) | 5.01 | 3.46 | 3.09 | |
| Strange Brigade (2018) | 8.5 |
Emissions and Power Management - The Acer convertible stays silent and cool
Noise Emissions
Since the TravelMate has neither a fan nor a mechanical drive, it runs silently.
Temperatures
The B3 only heats up to a limited extent overall. Under heavy hardware load during the stress test, we measure higher temperatures in some spots, but in total, the device only gets hand warm. The CPU temperatures give no reason for concern.
In the beginning of the stress test (with Prime95 and Furmark running for at least one hour), the CPU runs at higher speeds. Continuing the test, the speed drops to 1 GHz. The stress test represents an extreme scenario. We use this test to evaluate whether the system remains stable under full load.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 36.8 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 35.4 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 60 °C for the class Convertible.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 46 °C / 115 F, compared to the average of 36.8 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.7 °C / 76 F, compared to the device average of 30.3 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 26.2 °C / 79.2 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28 °C / 82.4 F (+1.8 °C / 3.2 F).
| Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK Intel Pentium Silver N5030, Intel UHD Graphics 605 | Lenovo Flex 3 Chrome 11M836 Mediatek MT8183, ARM Mali-G72 MP3 | Acer Chromebook Spin 511 R752T-C26N Intel Celeron N4120, Intel UHD Graphics 600 | Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA Intel Celeron N4500, Intel UHD Graphics (Jasper Lake 16 EU) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | 9% | 6% | -2% | |
| Maximum Upper Side * | 36.8 | 41.4 -13% | 42.6 -16% | 39.3 -7% |
| Maximum Bottom * | 46 | 41 11% | 43.2 6% | 42 9% |
| Idle Upper Side * | 27.8 | 21 24% | 23.3 16% | 28.4 -2% |
| Idle Bottom * | 28.8 | 25.4 12% | 23.9 17% | 30.4 -6% |
* ... smaller is better
Speakers
The stereo speakers produce a decent sound, but there is hardly any bass. The maximum volume turns out relatively low.
Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK audio analysis
(-) | not very loud speakers (63.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 30.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.2% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (10.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (30.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 89% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 9% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 20%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 88% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 9% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Asus BR1100FKA-BP0109RA audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 24% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 10.7% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 52% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 40% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 20%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 52% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 40% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Power Consumption
The maximum consumption of almost 24 watts is reached during the beginning of the stress test. Continuing the test, the power consumption drops considerably. In everyday operation, the power consumption ranges significantly lower than 15 watts. Rated at 45 watts, the power supply offers more than enough power.
| Off / Standby |   0.2 / 0.24 Watt |
| Idle |  2.8 / 4.8 / 5.5 Watt |
| Load |
11.8 / 23.5 Watt |
    
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
Power Consumption The Witcher 3 / Stress Test
Power Consumption Using an External Monitor
Battery Life
The 2-in-1 device lasts for 8:52 h in our realistic WLAN test, where the load when opening web sites is simulated via script.
Pros
Cons
Verdict - A solid 2-in-1 laptop for class work
With the TravelMate Spin B3, Acer offers a 2-in-1 device that is primarily targeted for usage in schools. The price level of barely 330 Euros (~$375), the included input pen, and the preinstalled Windows 10 Pro (an upgrade to Windows 11 is possible) should also create some interest in private buyers.
With the TravelMate Spin B3, Acer delivers a simple 2-in-1 device, whose highlight consists of the included input pen.
The Pentium Silver N5030 CPU, which isn't the newest anymore, satisfies the demands of simple office and Internet applications. While the amount of working memory (4 GB, onboard, single-channel mode) and storage space (128 GB SSD) are not very abundant, it should be sufficient for the targeted usage. The built-in NVMe SSD (M.2-2280) could be replaced with a larger-capacity model. The technology of the Spin is housed in a robust, black plastic case.
A battery charge will last for a WLAN runtime of almost 9 hours, so you should be able to get through a day without the included proprietary charger. You don't necessarily have to use the included charger, but you could also power the laptop via USB charger, since the available USB port also supports Power Delivery.
The brightness, contrast, and color space coverage of the reflective touchscreen display (FHD, IPS) turn our too low, but the color reproduction can be called very decent. The touchscreen can be operated with your fingers or the included input pen, which is housed in a slot in the base unit and also charged there.
Among our comparison devices, only the Lenovo Flex 3 Chrome can be considered an alternative to the Spin B3, since it offers a significantly better battery life. In other areas, none of the other three devices can surpass the Acer laptop.
Price and Availability
The Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31 is available in various configurations from Acer for $399 or Amazon for $259.
Acer TravelMate Spin B3 TMB311RN-31-P5KK
- 01/06/2022 v7 (old)
Sascha Mölck
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