Earlier in the year, I had high hopes for the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook. I still do but I think it just got knocked out of the running for my next Chromebook. That’s because the new Acer Chromebook Spin 714 announced today offers everything I need for much less money.
The starting price of $749 gets a 12th-gen Intel Core i5 and 256 GB of storage. I’ll probably pay a little more to boost the 8 GB of memory but it will still cost me much less than the HP. That device starts at $1,149 and has a Core i3 inside.
Note: Acer announced the convertible Spin 714 early on Wednesday and I had the information in advance. Unfortunately, I’ve been dealing with a mild concussion since yesterday so I’m just now getting around to sharing the news on this impressive Chromebook.
The base Acer Chromebook Spin 714 is still high-end
As I mentioned, the base model starts with a Core i5 but you can also opt for a Core i7 chipset. All of the processor options include the better Intel Irix Xe GPUs. That means there’s hope for Steam gaming if Google certifies these devices for it. Memory tops out at 16 GB, which is what my current daily driver has. Up to 512 GB of PCIe Gen 4 NVMe local storage will also be available.
Yup, this means the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 is what I’d consider a premium or high-end Chromebook. You won’t find a Celeron or Pentium inside one of these. And yet the cost is still more in line with expectations for this hardware, if not even above expectations.
Acer didn’t skimp on other features either to keep the price down. You get a 14-inch, 16:10 aspect ratio touch display with the base option being a 1920 x 1200 resolution panel. An upgrade to a higher resolution 2560 x 1600 touch panel will be offered. Both screens work with any USI stylus and like my old Chromebook Spin 13, the new 714 includes a garaged stylus. And both panels have a much smaller bottom bezel than any other Acer Chromebook I’ve seen.
Input and output look solid
The keyboard is backlit and the trackpad is made from Gorilla Glass. It looks like the trackpad isn’t quite as large as you’d find on the current Chromebook Spin 713 but that’s because there’s less chassis depth to fit the keyboard and trackpad. I can live with that.
Acer includes a Full HD MIPI webcam with temporal noise reduction technology and a dual array microphone system so video calls should be crisp and clear. Privacy is available via a slider that covers the webcam. The top-firing speakers should resolve the mediocre (at best) sound I get from my old 2018 Acer Chromebook. And all of the ports I’d want to see are here, plus they’re in “the right spot.”
A pair of USB Type-C ports are on-board, one on each side. There’s also a Type-A port, full-sized HDMI output, and combination microphone/headphone jack. And as an added bonus, or what you’d really expect in a high-end Chrome OS laptop these days, there’s a fingerprint sensor as well. LTE connectivity isn’t present but WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 are just fine with me.
That’ll do me!
Overall, the new Acer Chromebook Spin 714 has the expected performance guts to handle my daily Chromebook needs. I code daily on my Chromebook, not to mention the typical use of 15 – 20 browser tabs and the occasional Android app.
No, there’s no haptic trackpad like HP is offering in its new high-end Chromebook. And while I prefer a 3:2 aspect ratio on my displays, 16:10 is a reasonable compromise to make.
With that $749 starting price, there’s no question in my mind that the Acer is the better choice for me. It’s a better value, at least on paper, and will still do everything I need to do with a Chromebook. But I’ll have to wait a bit: Acer says we won’t see availability until August.
19 Comments
Is there any mention of a fingerprint reader?
Yup, it’s mentioned in the post; there is a fingerprint sensor.
Duh, er, uh, careful there. You’re salivating heavily.
But WHAT is going on with their company webs site? All I ever see for sale there is old hardware I would expect to see in a Woot-Off, with major back level components and none of the long-since-announced desirable units….
Get well soon! And enjoy that new Chromebook when it arrives. Great news!
Weight??
Yes, it has weight. ? 3.09 pounds.
Hope your head is better.
Very nice. I think the thing outside US is that various models are more available than others. Availability is a big issue outside the US, so we can’t be so picky. Any top spec Chromebook I see for sale I will jump on because of this.
I tend to just go on price for hardware and not look at specs too much. I take a fit in approach to things, me moaning that it hasn’t got 4 USB ports will never change anything, better to just change myself and fit in, save time and money in the long run.
I’m starting to realise why the need for only 8 years support. I never believed the cheap / low spec Chromebooks stuff. In 5 years you’ll need i9, 32gb ram. My i5, 8gb feels the pressure these days already. More powerful web apps, Playstore, linux, gaming, more baseline Chrome OS features, very powerful machines will be needed.
hey do you know if there will be an updated 713 or does this new 714 replace it?
Pixelbook Go is a lot lighter, and also sports a 1080p front camera. Half price used ones show up frequently on ebay.
With 32GB of RAM, haptic touchpad, and 3:2 aspect ratio screen, HP Dragonfly is nearly a pound lighter. Price for specs and discounted pricing will ultimately be key.
Why I like the design of the Spins, their reliability has not been good. Anectodotal or not, in two units, the speakers basically failed after a year, the fan is not well calibrated leading to overheating issues, the usb A port failed, the screen cracked, keyboard is unusable due to butterfly hinges weakening. Mind you I am careless with my equipment, but my dell has lasted without issues for 6 years, same with my macbook, so it is not entirely poor handling.
That’s certainly not good and I’m sure you took care of the devices. Interestingly my Spin 13 from 2018 is still chugging along without a single hardware issue or problem. Hard to say why some models or units appear less reliable than others.
Having just read other comments…
* I’ve had a number of Acer Chromebook, but all less-than i-series, and they have been so amazing, it’s hard to imagine paying what is apparently a good price for this model. What surprises me is the quality –on their low enders– of the keyboard and trackpad, the latter with its glass-like feel.
* It seems like any upgrading, like with cars, comes in packages where maybe all we want is more RAM. For example: I never need more than entry level storage, hate paying for more just to get more RAM! And I wonder, what does one do with the higher res option on that small screen? Granted I’m not a gamer, and maybe it offers better response for that…
* Final point: if all one wants is more RAM, isn’t adding it yourself a better option? Unless ACER intentionally designs to discourage. I added RAM to my HP Chromebase, and, in the immortal words from the Friends TV series: “Could they have MADE that any harder?” 🙂
Based on past models, the RAM is soldered in and not upgradable. And, the past couple of years I haven’t seen the 16gb models they introduced ever offered for sale, and especially not right out of the gate.
I mostly see outdated remnants on the factory/brand website store. Pretty pitiful…
I have Acer’s Spin 713 with Thunderbolt 4. Backtracking to only USB-C support on a subsequent model, no thanks. I will be continuing with my Spin 713 Core i5 until something better comes out. (714, not)
The Spin 714 supports Thunderbolt 4 on both USB-C ports as well. The only thing the Spin 714 misses compared to the Spin 713 is the build in microSD card reader.
I could really use 32GB RAM. Guessing I’ll wait for a sale on the HP.
This looks like exactly the specs and form factor I need. But those awful gaudy labels! Including “Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass” right over the screen — oh my god, I could not buy this.
Does anyone know if it’s possible to remove labels like that? E.g. is it essentially paint that could be dissolved off, or is it hopeless?