acer Chromebook Spin 311 CP311-3H Convertible Laptop - MTK MT8183, 4GB, 64GB eMMC, Integrated Graphics, 11.6" HD Touchscreen, Google Chrome OS, Silver

Having had an Apple iPad for a while, I decided to change to a Chromebook instead. I had done some extensive research into which was the best one out there for the budget I had at the time. This one came in just under £200 which was ideal. The Acer Chromebook is very easy to set up, the instructions were clear and concise as soon as your turned it on. The screen is sharp and videos watched on YouTube look good. The sound is probably the only let down because it sounds very tinny. But, if you put a good set of headphones in then that should sort that issue out. It is incredibly lightweight as well. Laptops of old used to leave your legs feeling dead after using them they were that heavy. The battery life is amazing! I only use it in the evenings and It still has plenty of battery charge left after 3 or 4 days. Charging doesn't take long either, roughly 90 minutes until it's at 100%. Less if you're charging with higher battery life left. When doing your research look at when the automatic updates finish. Thankfully, I will continue to receive updates up until 2026. Which is more than enough for me. I can highly recommend this Chromebook if you're on a tight budget. If money is no object then are some really good ones out there to.

Light weight, easy to use (once your Google account is linked) & a really good battery life. With one USB C port for screen casting / sharing & charging as well as one regular USB port I at first thought this would be an issue but it isn't at all. The battery life is around 14 hours & therefore works spot on. A really handy little device that intergates well not only with all the usual Google stuff (Google docs, Google home (for say a mini nest smart speaker), YouTube music, etc.) but also enabling Linux gives you access to a Linux (Debian) virtual machine along with SSH. I would recomand this to anyone wanting a Chromebook I will also point out that this machine will receive updates until June 2028. Also any Linux file interactions over a Samba connection are sandboxed & therefore files can only open as read only.

Since the demise of my last Windows laptop, I've done all my computer based tasks on my tablet. But, suddenly needing to write several months worth of documents, the virtual keyboard has shown it's limitations. Using a Bluetooth keyboard also wasn't ideal with the small screen, so I decided to jump ship and get my first Chromebook. There are a few adjustments to make after so many years with Microsoft, but they are easily made and for such a comparatively low price I'm very impressed. Google Drive means my files are available on all my Android tablet, start up takes almost no time, it's light weight, quiet, with a long battery life. You'll notice the screen could be better when streaming videos etc, with the contrast being a little low, but it's perfectly watchable and sharp & clear when dealing with text. A Chromebook might not fit all your needs (eg gaming, bespoke software etc) but as a workhorse, it's ideal.

I bought this to replace an android tablet that I had been using for a year, but then the touch screen went wrong with it. Amazon stepped in and refunded the cost of the tablet when it was returned and I had initially intended to go and buy an ipad instead. However, the cost of those is eyewatering and I then thought about the Chromebook spin. It can act like a tablet when folded back or a small laptop when in conventional mode. I found this 64GB version as a second hand deal with over £100 off the new price (which was already a special price deal, so in fact this second hand one was something like £150 off the regular new price). It has a few tiny marks on the case and did not come with the manual or in the original box, but the manual can be downloaded as a PDF and the marks are hardly noticeable, so I am more than happy to live with them for the savings. The chromebook has great battery life and for what I use it for, it is ideal. With the Chrome OS that is basically android OS, I managed to install a range of apps that I had used on the android tablet that went wrong. Oddly a couple of apps said they were not compatible, which I don't understand, since they did not need any particular hardware like GPS. I found alternative apps that worked though, so no biggie. Been using it several weeks now and I am very happy. The screen resolution is perhaps a little bit of a negative point since it is now particularly high. However, for what I need it is fine. At the price I paid, I don't really think I could have got something better. It certainly feels like a quality product and from a very well known maker. I have had Acer products before and was very happy with them.