Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023) review

If you're ready to finally ditch Microsoft's OS, the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023) is a purchase worth considering, as it has the hardware and features you'd spend top dollar for in a Windows laptop. This new 2-in-1 from Acer is a bit more expensive than your typical Chromebook, so it's not your typical ChromeOS laptop either.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 starts at $699 / £699 for the entry-level Intel Core i3 model, but for an additional fee you can upgrade to a powerful 12th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU, a considerable amount of RAM, an attractive Full HD Gorilla Glass touchscreen and a rugged chassis.

Overall, I'd say the slightly more expensive Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023) is a great laptop, especially if you need a reliable workhorse to take to university. The cloud-based, browser-orientated design of the Google suite of apps is ideal for working on the go, and the design is great for streaming video, searching and surfing the web.

Having used a Chromebook as my personal laptop for about six years (full disclosure: I also use an iPad Pro), I'm not new to Chrome OS. There are a few things to keep in mind, for example, it doesn't run full software, only Google Play apps or browser-based software. On the bright side, ChromeOS is fast, secure and affordable; third-party virus protection is no longer needed. Today, the ChromeOS cloud-based approach poses fewer problems and is growing in popularity as Wi-Fi technology advances.

Design & Spec

Chromebooks can sometimes feel plastic, but not the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023), which features a sleek dark grey aluminium chassis. It guarantees this Chromebook is smooth to the touch and has a solid build, even if it's not overly heavy.

Opening the lid reveals a fairly standard keyboard layout built into the case. The keys are raised a little higher than you would find on, for example, an Apple MacBook Air, but respond smoothly when pressed. There is a speaker at the top of the keyboard.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714's display is remarkable; the slim 14-inch screen has narrow bezels and is smooth to the touch. In addition to this premium finish, this new Acer Chromebook features the same flip-up design as the older Spin. Two large chrome 360-degree hinges stabilise the screen and chassis, and it's effortless to 'rotate' the laptop into standing A-frame or tablet mode.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 folds into an almost A4-sized rectangle when in tablet mode and is about half an inch deep. Although its weight makes it difficult to use on the lap, its size is ideal for taking notes and drawing. In connection with this, the design allows the removal of a thin USi active pen hidden behind the keyboard. A really cool touch.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 is an excellent student laptop, as it is overall well-built and long-lasting. The Corning Gorilla glass of the display and simple touchpad feel both solid and soft to the touch. I can certainly trust Acer's claim that its new Chromebook is built with military-grade ruggedness; it feels solid and like it can withstand being jostled around in a college backpack.

Connections are what you'd expect from a high-end laptop and range from two USB-C ports for fast charging and peripherals, one legacy USB-A connector, an HDMI port and a headphone jack. I appreciate that Acer split the ports between the left and right sides of the laptop, so there's a USB-C connector on each side, making charging more convenient.

Performance

Acer Chromebook Spin 714 review For two weeks, I used it as my personal laptop to replace my old Google Pixelbook. A Chromebook is usually built for productivity; general work, streaming and video chats.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 stands out in this regard. With 8GB of RAM and a 12th Generation Intel Core i5 CPU, every task can be completed quickly. When I'm working, it's not unusual for me to have 30 tabs open at the same time for research, content management, planning, writing, or even video chats and broadcasts. The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 more than made up for it, which is more than can be said for my friends who quickly browsed through my clutter of open tabs and windows.

Chromebooks excel at this kind of productivity, and the new Acer Chromebook Spin 714 is one of the best I've tested. I really appreciate the vibrant 16:10 aspect ratio display, which gives me more space for writing and editing and improves web browsing. The screen is claimed to have 300 nits of brightness, which is undoubtedly true; visuals are crisp and Netflix streams look intense (helped by the screen's 1920 x 1200p resolution with 100% sRGB colour coverage).

In my opinion, the touch screen was very fast and easy to use. In laptop mode, I found that I could touch the screen and keyboard at the same time, which sped up my workday. The virtual keyboard, which is standard when used in tablet mode, is more enjoyable when used with the stylus.

Battery Life

To test battery life, I'm watching as many episodes of a Netflix series (in this case Black Mirror) as the laptop can handle.

With the brightness set to medium, the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 managed to last just over 11 hours (I watched the first episode of season 4). The Spin 714 lasted two days before I needed to charge it, but you're obviously not going to watch video for ten hours.

Chromebooks generally have outstanding battery life, but as you start using more powerful CPUs, this starts to diminish. That said, the Spin 174 is still really, really good. Even better, a 30-minute charge gave me just over four hours of battery life.

Price & Build

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 is available in two configurations; the less expensive Intel Core i3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD model costs around $699 / £599. The more expensive model, and the one I'd recommend, is the 12th Gen Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 512GB build for $999 / £1,099.99. Although this is expensive for a Chromebook, it will last a long time.

To put that into perspective, a comparable Windows 2-in-1 laptop will cost at least $500 or £500 more. Our top recommendation for the best 2-in-1 laptop is the Microsoft Laptop Studio, which costs $1,480 but has a faster i5 CPU and 16GB of RAM. These Windows 2-in-1s can handle more demanding activities, including video editing, and have dedicated graphics.

The Spin 714 is a league above other similar ChromeOS laptops in terms of Chromebooks due to its premium design, excellent display and modern Intel CPUs. Also note that although you can get Intel Core i3 Chromebooks for cheaper, they use slower, 11th-generation CPUs, so be sure to verify the serial number before you buy. (If price is a concern, the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 from last year is still a reliable ChromeOS 2-in-1 and costs around $300 / £300).

Both of the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 variants are great overall, but it's important to note that the model I tested has a 12th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, while the 13th-gen Intel Core i5 processor is available in the US and costs $699.