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Acer Chromebook Spin 312: Two-minute overview
The Acer Chromebook Spin 312 is the smallest machine within the model’s line of 2-in-1 Chromebooks, measuring simply 12.2 inches. Despite this, it’s not the sleekest Chromebook round, with its sharp angles and juts spoiling the in any other case elegant design, which is aided by the standard of the supplies utilized in its development.
It’s fairly thick and heavy for its measurement, so it’s maybe not ideally suited for utilizing as a pill, regardless of its convertible nature. But because of that strong hinge for the lid, it may be propped the wrong way up and used solely in touchscreen mode with ease.
It’s not simply the hinge mechanism that’s nicely made – all points of the Spin 312 really feel as strong and durable as any of the best Chromebooks, together with the keys and trackpad, which really feel premium to the contact as nicely.
Port choice is affordable, too, though I’d’ve favored to have seen greater than only one USB-C port, and the shortage of an SD card slot is perhaps detrimental for some. Thankfully, there are two USB-A ports to enhance connectivity choices, and the HDMI port and audio jack are additional additions I welcome.
The overview unit I had got here outfitted with an Intel N100 processor and 4GB of RAM. Despite these underwhelming specs, the Chromebook Spin 312 carried out admirably, dealing with many typical Chromebook workloads fairly nicely. However, slowdowns can happen when pushed a bit of too far.
Such instances embody gaming, the place the Chromebook Spin 312 struggled to run even pretty modest cell video games on excessive settings throughout my testing. However, decreasing these did enhance issues to the purpose the place video games comparable to Asphalt Legends Unite had been playable to an fulfilling extent.
More pleasing on the efficiency entrance is the show. The decision seems to be particularly sharp on the 12-inch display screen, though colours aren’t rendered as vibrantly as they’re on some rival Chromebooks. The bezels additionally encroach fairly significantly on the allotted actual property for the display screen, and the show could be fairly reflective underneath sure situations. In most instances, although, it makes for a nice viewing expertise.
The contact inputs are additionally fairly responsive, monitoring nicely with swipes to make drawing and handwriting a practical choice, though it may be a bit of grabby at instances. You’ll additionally want to supply your personal stylus if you wish to take advantage of your inventive time with the Chromebook Spin 312.
I discovered the touchpad disappointingly inaccurate by comparability, because it failed to trace with what I used to be anticipating from my actions, resulting in a lagging and stuttering, which in flip made it imprecise.
Thankfully, I had a greater time typing on the Chromebook Spin 312, because of the beneficiant spacing of the keys and their satisfying dampening. Their lack of indentations and grip, nevertheless, can result in slipping and mispresses every now and then.
Its battery life is spectacular, lasting simply over 11 hours in our take a look at. This locations it close to the upper finish of the Chromebook spectrum – the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook performs considerably higher on this entrance, though admittedly that is considerably of an outlier.
The Chromebook Spin 312 sits someplace in the course of the convertible Chromebook market. Some rivals are higher performers, whereas others have a sleeker design. But, total, in case you received’t be demanding an excessive amount of from it by way of efficiency, the Chromebook Spin 312 is an efficient 2-in-1 Chromebook for individuals who prize portability and a pointy picture.
Acer Chromebook Spin 312 overview: Price and availability
- Starts from £329.99 (about $450 / AU$690)
- Various CPU, RAM, and storage choices
- Middle of the market
The Chromebook Spin 312 begins from £329.99 (about $450 / AU$690). It could be configured with 64GB or 128GB of storage, 4GB or 8GB of RAM, and an Intel Core i3 or Intel N100 CPU.
This locations the Chromebook Spin 312 someplace in the course of the market contemplating its spec. It’s significantly cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360, which it bests by way of efficiency, though its show isn’t fairly as sharp or as vibrant, and lacks its premium design (though it isn’t too far behind on this regard).
However, the Chromebook Spin 312 is costlier than the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook, which is without doubt one of the best budget Chromebooks in our view. This lacks the compactness of the Chromebook Spin 312 and the efficiency isn’t precisely spectacular both, nevertheless it makes up for these deficiencies with its nice construct high quality and enduring battery life.
Acer Chromebook Spin 312 overview: Specs
These are the specs of the actual Acer Chromebook Spin 312 I reviewed:
|
Price |
Starting from £329.99 (about $450 / AU$690) |
|
CPU |
Intel N100 (4 threads, 3.4GHz) |
|
Graphics |
Integrated, Intel UHD Graphics |
|
RAM |
4GB LPDDR5 |
|
Screen |
12.2-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS LCD, 16:10, 60Hz touchscreen |
|
Storage |
64GB eMMC |
|
Ports |
2x USB-A, 1x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x 3.5mm audio |
|
Wireless |
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 |
|
Camera |
1280 x 720 |
|
Weight |
2.84lbs (1.29kg) |
|
Dimensions |
11.4 x 8.1 x 0.8in (29 x 20.5 x 2cm) |
Acer Chromebook Spin 312 overview: Design
- Bulky for the dimensions
- Solid lid hinge
- Only one USB-C port and no SD card slot
The Chromebook Spin 312 takes a considerably utilitarian strategy to design, with its sharp angles, giant vents and lid hinges showing fairly conspicuous. However, it is nonetheless a compact machine, and has sufficient flat sides to assist impart some sleekness.
This is additional aided by the steely gray colorway and look of the chassis supplies, which have a refined shine to them. What’s extra, the standard of those supplies appears excessive, feeling strong and pretty premium to the contact. This extends to the frivolously textured keycaps and silky easy touchpad.
The hinge mechanism can also be reassuringly strong. There’s no wobble at any angle, but it’s easy and simple to open and alter. This stability additionally helps when tenting the Chromebook Spin 312 to make use of it in touchscreen mode.
However, it could’t compete with the most effective tablets for usability. Despite its small 12-inch measurement, the Chromebook Spin 312 is a comparatively thick and heavy slab, which may make it awkward to carry within the hand when folded again all the way in which.
The display screen has a big bezel round it, which considerably compromises the already restricted actual property for the show. On a extra constructive be aware, it is created from Corning Gorilla Glass, so it ought to show immune to put on and tear when taking the Chromebook Spin 312 in your travels.
Port choice is affordable for a Chromebook this small, though it’s a minor disgrace there’s just one USB-C port and SD card slot, as you’ll discover two on many trendy Chromebooks. Still, you do no less than get two USB-A ports, and I additionally welcome the inclusion of a devoted HDMI port and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Acer Chromebook Spin 312 overview: Performance
- Capable of sunshine work
- Sharp however reflective show
- Struggles with intensive duties
Benchmarks
These are the outcomes of our benchmarking checks for the Acer Chromebook Spin 312:
TechSwitch Battery Life Test: 11 hours and 12 minutes
Jetstream2 Benchmark: 179.327
Kraken Benchmark: 1309.3ms
Speedometer 3.0: 9.52 (±0.52)
The Chromebook Spin 312 affords succesful sufficient efficiency for on a regular basis duties, assembly the calls for usually positioned upon Chromebooks. Apps load quick and lightweight productiveness and normal looking are dealt with nicely. Despite its considerably restricted 4GB of RAM, it’s even able to a point of multitasking, coping nicely with a number of browser tabs open, as an example.
However, it could come a bit of unstuck when these tabs are working extra advanced actions, or when a number of apps are in play. The Chromebook Spin 312 also can generate a good quantity of warmth beneath, which is bothersome when in your lap.
Gaming efficiency isn’t notably spectacular, both. It can deal with some cell titles, however you’ll seemingly need to play with modest graphics settings. When I performed Asphalt Legends Unite, as an example, excessive settings brought about stutters and appreciable gradual downs, rendering the sport virtually unplayable. However, it ran significantly better on decrease settings, if not fairly as easy or as quick as some rivals can handle – and positively the Chromebook Spin 312 isn’t a match for the best gaming laptops on this regard.
When it involves video playback, the Chromebook Spin 312 can deal with streaming content material in 4K, though it’s not all the time the smoothest expertise. The WUXGA show no less than offers a pointy picture: the 1920 x 1200 decision would possibly sound a bit of low in comparison with different laptops and a few Chromebooks available on the market right this moment, however as a consequence of its small display screen measurement, it seems to be sharper than you may think.
It’s additionally fairly vibrant when displaying lighter shades. However, whereas colours are rendered nicely sufficient, they don’t seem fairly as vibrant as these on the shows outfitted within the best laptops or best MacBooks, trying barely washed-out by comparability.
The display screen can also be fairly reflective, which, mixed with its considerably lackluster backlighting, makes darker scenes laborious to view at instances. However, the impact isn’t too troublesome, and in comparison with many different Chromebooks, the Chromebook Spin 312 continues to be nice for viewing content material.
The touchscreen functionality is spectacular, too. It responds nicely to all kinds of swipes and gestures, making for easy doodles and handwriting, even when it is a bit of grabby at instances. It’s additionally a disgrace no stylus is included to unleash the complete potential of its performance.
Unfortunately, the touchpad is much less responsive, and I skilled points with its monitoring: many instances it felt as if it was both dragging or leaping forward, missing the smoothness I used to be anticipating. As a outcome, I struggled to make use of it precisely, which may actually hamper productiveness.
By distinction, typing with the Chromebook Spin 312 is a largely nice expertise. The keys are satisfyingly damped and are unfold surprisingly large for a Chromebook this small. The keycaps additionally really feel good underneath the finger ideas because of their texture, though they lack grip, which is made worse by the shortage of indentation as nicely. This made the keyboard really feel much less safe in use, however total I nonetheless discovered it amenable for typing shortly on.
- Performance rating: 3.5 / 5
Acer Chromebook Spin 312 overview: Battery life
The battery lifetime of the Chromebook Spin 312 is kind of spectacular. During our checks, the place we ran a film on a steady loop, it managed to final over 11 hours. This makes it significantly better than the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360, which might solely handle six and a half hours. It additionally beats the Acer Chromebook Spin 314 (2023), the most effective Chromebooks round in our view, which managed over 10 hours.
However, it could’t outlive the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook, which, once we examined it, endured for a outstanding 16 hours and 20 minutes. However, that is moderately distinctive within the Chromebook world, and the Chromebook Spin 312 can nonetheless lay declare to having the most effective battery lives available in the market.
Should I purchase the Acer Chromebook Spin 312?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
|
Price |
The Chromebook Spin 312 sits someplace in the course of the market given its design and spec, being cheaper than some rivals however costlier than others. |
3.5 / 5 |
|
Design |
It’s solidly made and sufficiently small to make it transportable, though it’s a bit of cumbersome for tablet-style use. |
4 / 5 |
|
Performance |
The Chromebook Spin 312 can deal with primary tasking, whereas the show is pleasingly sharp, if not essentially the most vibrant and a tad too reflective. |
3.5 / 5 |
|
Battery life |
It might not have the easiest battery lifetime of a Chromebook, however its 11-hour efficiency nonetheless locations it within the higher echelons. |
4.5 / 5 |
|
Total Score |
If you’re searching for a Chromebook you should utilize with contact inputs and doesn’t take up a lot house, you shouldn’t be dissatisfied with the Chromebook Spin 312 – as long as you don’t demand an excessive amount of from it. |
4 / 5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t purchase it if…
Acer Chromebook Spin 312 overview: Also think about
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
Acer Chromebook Spin 312 |
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360 |
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Price |
Starting from £329.99 (about $450 / AU$690) |
$429.99 / £419 / AU$707 |
$339 / £299 / AU$499 |
|
CPU |
Intel N100 (4 threads, 3.4GHz) |
Intel Celeron N4500 1.10GHz (2 threads, 2.80GHz) |
1.1GHz Intel Celeron N4020 (dual-core, 4MB cache, as much as 2.8GHz Burst) |
|
Graphics |
Integrated, Intel UHD Graphics |
Integrated, Intel UHD Graphics |
Intel UHD Graphics 600 |
|
RAM |
4GB LPDDR5 |
4GB LPDDR4x |
4GB DDR4 |
|
Screen |
12.2-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS LCD, 16:10, 60Hz touchscreen |
12.4-inch WQXGA LED Display (2560 x 1600), touchscreen |
11-inch IPS touchscreen, 1,366 x 768 pixels |
|
Storage |
64GB eMMC |
64GB eMMC |
64GB eMMC |
|
Ports |
2x USB-A, 1x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x 3.5mm audio |
1x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x microSD, 1x 3.5mm audio |
2x USB-C with charging, 2x USB-A 3.1 Gen1, microSD |
|
Wireless |
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 |
Wi-Fi 6, LTE (Option), Bluetooth v5.1 |
802.11AC (2 x 2) WiFi, Bluetooth® 4.2 |
|
Camera |
1280 x 720 |
720p / 8MP |
720p |
|
Weight |
2.84lbs (1.29kg) |
2.82lbs (1.28kg) |
2.64lbs (1.2kg) |
|
Dimensions |
11.4 x 8.1 x 0.8in (29 x 20.5 x 2cm) |
11.3 x 8.1 x 0.7 inches (28.8 x 20.7 x 1.7cm) |
0.7 x 11.41 x 8.18 inches (17.8 x 290 x 207.8mm) |
Here are some options if the Acer Chromebook Spin 312 does not sound correct to your wants:
How I examined the Acer Chromebook Spin 312
- Tested for 2 days
- Used for work and for leisure
- Chromebook reviewing expertise
I examined the Chromebook Spin 312 for a few days, throughout which era I used it working, gaming, and normal looking.
I used phrase processing and spreadsheet functions, streamed 4K content material on YouTube, and performed video games comparable to Asphalt Legends Unite. I additionally linked varied peripherals by way of Bluetooth.
I’ve been utilizing Chromebooks for some time, and have reviewed a variety of them as nicely, ranging in worth, kind issue, and spec. I’ve additionally reviewed loads of Windows laptops.