Review Acer C720-2800 Chromebook

In stark contrast to the Chromebook 11 (and much more similar to that of past Chromebooks), the Acer C720’s case makes no attempts to hide the machine’s inexpensive nature. Unlike the sleek, Macbook-like white glossy plastic that surrounds the Chromebook 11’s magnesium core, the C720 shrugs its shoulders with an undistinguished outfit of matte grey and black plastic. The only gloss to be found anywhere on the unit is the shiny plastic display bezel, and like most shiny black plastic parts, it loves to hang onto fingerprints.

There is also a notable amount of flex detectable on the base unit while it’s resting on a hard surface (the Chromebook 11 felt comparably solid with very little give). It’s just a slight bit heavier than the HP, at 1.198 kg (versus 1.044 kg), and quite a bit thicker at 24 mm. Fortunately, the hinges holding the display do a good job of preventing wobble during typing and feel sturdy enough, so although the machine lacks the solidity of the Chromebook 11, at least the basics are covered.

Emphasizing the utilitarian approach of the C720 are thirteen screws on the bottom of the notebook which can be removed, along with the bottom panel, to provide access to the internal components (battery, m.2 SSD, wireless card, and heatsink/fan among them). The RAM is unsurprisingly soldered to the mainboard, precluding any possibility of upgrades. Unfortunately, while this disassembly process is easy enough, one of the aforementioned screws rests beneath a “Warranty void if seal is broken” sticker, so keep that in mind if you plan on servicing yourself. Nevertheless, this is all in contrast to the Chromebook 11’s nightmarishly prohibitive plastic clip (“no screws are visible”) construction, something which certainly looks nicer, but which also makes maintenance a real trial.

The Acer C720 features a dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n WLAN adapter capable of up to 300 Mbps—identical in functionality to that of the Chromebook 11. Bluetooth 4.0 + HS is also included for short-range connectivity. We had no trouble connecting to our networks and found signal strength to be adequate in all scenarios throughout our time with the machine. As is to be expected for its size and class, the C720 omits a physical Ethernet port.

Users who are into video conferencing will be pleased to hear that the C720 Chromebook’s webcam does a much better job than that of the HP Chromebook 11. The frame rate is smooth (and appears to be twice as fast), the color isn’t bad (as compared to the Chromebook 11’s overblown contrast), and the clarity is far superior. Recorded audio is still only monaural, but for a tiny notebook, it’s just fine.

Accessories and Warranty

The only accessories you’ll receive with the C720 are the rather small AC adapter (weighing in a 300 g) and a 32-page Quick Guide to help get you better acquainted with the machine (and Chrome OS). In addition to that, you’ll find a standard 1-year limited warranty (with 90 days software support) covering the unit.

Unlike our experience with the HP Chromebook 11, the Acer C720 never seemed sluggish throughout our time with the system. On the contrary, during general operation, things zipped to and fro and applications loaded quickly.

Our benchmarks reinforce these impressions. In the SunSpider 1.0 JavaScript Benchmark, the C720 manages an impressive 345.1 ms (lower is better)—less than half that of the Chromebook 11 (704.4 ms) and even better than the Pavilion 14 Chromebook (551.8 ms), though still a bit behind the Chromebook Pixel (225.2 ms).

In Futuremark Peacekeeper, which assesses browser rendering and video playback performance, we recorded an equally good score of 2871, which is once again far better than the Chromebook 11 (1069) and the Pavilion 14 Chromebook (1474), but still below the Chromebook Pixel’s 3613.

Finally, we tested JavaScript performance using Octane v1. Here, we received a score of 10661, which is over double that of the Chromebook 11 (5323) and far better than both the Pavilion 14 Chromebook (5444) and the Microsoft Surface Pro first generation (5124). The Chromebook Pixel once again comes out on top with a score of 13171.

The single fan on the right side of the C720’s rear expels all of its heat, and it does a reasonable job of keeping the machine cool with the exception of the rear center (of the bottom) while under load—which we measured at 47 degrees C. This is in spite of the average temperatures reaching just 29.6 degrees C and 31 degrees C on the top and bottom, respectively—which are good values for load measurements. The machine does get undeniably warm under these conditions—with temperatures under the left side reaching anywhere from 9 to 11 degrees C higher than those under the right—but it’s still within tolerable levels. Idle measurements, meanwhile, aren’t even a remote concern, with averages of 26 and 27 degrees C across the top and bottom of the machine, and the hottest point (again, the rear center of the bottom) reaching just 32 degrees C.

If anything about the HP Chromebook 11 impressed us, it was the under-keyboard speakers, which blasted out clear and loud audio with surprisingly accurate balance. The Acer C720’s, on the other hand, are thoroughly mediocre, managing to get the job done in terms of volume, but not much else. The speakers are bottom-mounted and down-firing as is often the case with ultraportable models; their sound is fairly well projected when resting on a hard surface, but the low frequency reproduction is as unremarkable as ever, and the shape of the sound in general can’t approach the fullness of the Chromebook 11’s design.

Coming back again to the topic of practical basics, however, we find yet another utilitarian area where the Acer C720 dominates. Our battery life measurements place the C720 at the front of the Chromebook pack, far ahead of the HP Chromebook 11 even better than many high-priced Ultrabooks.

Though conventional battery life measurements are made impossible by Chrome OS’ inability to run tools such as Battery Eater Pro, we are able to approximate these conditions using an assortment of manual approaches. During all battery tests, we disabled all screen dimming, timeouts, ambient light sensors, and sleep.

First, during the full load test (minimum runtime), we looped two 1080p YouTube videos side-by-side in separate windows and measured the time until the system shut off due to low battery. This resulted in a runtime of 3 hours and 19 minutes, which is quite good. Next, for our more realistic Surfing with Wi-Fi test, we adjusted screen brightness to as close to 150 cd/m² as possible (setting 13/16) and executed the Notebookcheck web browsing simulation script. Here, the C720 managed a whopping 9 hours and 4 minutes before finally giving up. That’s one of the best results we’ve seen for any Chromebook to date, and it even trumps that of many far pricier Ultrabooks.

Devoid of the flashy exterior and attractive screen of the HP Chromebook 11, the Acer C720-2800 Chromebook might look just like every other Chromebook that’s come our way to date. In some regards, it is: the case quality is lower tier (and slightly flimsy in certain spots), the screen is uninspiring but capable enough, and the keyboard is hardly even mentionable in the same breath, with clattery operation and a thoroughly budget feel. Other minor complaints also apply, such as the quality of the audio in comparison to the HP.

But beyond first impressions, the C720 Chromebook gets it right. Spend a little time with it and you’ll begin to appreciate the all-day battery life, snappy general performance and smooth video playback capabilities, and easy maintenance. It’s also quiet in spite of its active cooling design, and it does a reasonably good job of managing temperatures under most conditions. In other words, forgiving the build quality, disappointing keyboard, and unremarkable screen, the C720 begins to look pretty enticing indeed.

There is still the question of purpose, however, and if the C720 is meant to replace another machine, users might find it difficult depending on Chrome OS for all of their needs. Despite great strides made to reach this point in its development, the operating system is still purely in its infancy, and certain aspects of it are incredibly bare in comparison to Windows and Mac OS counterparts.

Perhaps, then, it would be better off viewing the Acer C720-2800 Chromebook as an alternative to a tablet or netbook than a replacement for a full-blown computer. Approached from this perspective, it serves as a logical candidate for someone who is in need of a basic web browsing and word processing device, but who prefers the luxury of a physical keyboard and touchpad to the popular modern alternative of touch input. Judging by those requirements, it makes a lot of sense for just $249.