Chromebooks, Chrome OS and Google Chrome browser news
Now there are three. Three different 2022 Chromebooks all with the newest, similar 12th-gen Intel Core processors. The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 is now available for ordering at Best Buy with delivery as early as a few days. What isn’t similar to the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook and Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Chromebook, however, is the price. The Spin 714 starts at $729.
Because of that expected lower price, which is several hundred dollars below the HP and Lenovo, I said the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 would be my next device. Right now I still stand by that decision, although I’m not pressing the buy button just yet.
Why not? A few reasons.
One is that I’m still reviewing the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook. Yes, it’s a nice benefit of being a Chromebook blogger: You often get to try before you buy. And I’m very impressed with what I’ve tried on the HP so far. Couple that with a $160 discount on the HP and it becomes a more attractive option.
Second, I haven’t tried the $1,049 Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Chromebook yet. Hopefully, I get the chance to, and not just for my own benefit but for yours as well.
And third, the 2022 Acer Chromebook Spin 714 model available for $729 lacks two things from an anticipated configuration.
Best Buy is selling the model with a slightly lower resolution display and without a fingerprint sensor. Adding those will only cost $20 more. Frankly, I also want more than 8 GB of memory in this device.
Still, for most typical Chromebook users, this Spin 714 configuration is more than capable for the price.
Here’s what you get for your money:
There’s a corner cut here and there on the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 compared to the other 12th-gen Chromebooks, but they’re not major. And you get an included, garaged stylus; something that neither HP nor Lenovo is offering.
The Intel CPU is one level down from what HP and Lenovo are using in their 2022 Chromebooks. I don’t think that will have a noticeable impact on performance though. You’re still getting 10 cores (2 for performance and 8 for efficiency) with this Core i5.
There’s plenty of speedy local storage and the right ports although you only get one USB Type-A. I doubt that’s a dealbreaker for many.
I’m personally going to wait a little bit before ordering my next Chromebook. Right now, on paper, the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 is still the top dog. That’s mainly due to the value it offers when looking at what you get for the price.
In my book, a garaged stylus is a big deal and should be standard for any device designed to enable routine handwritten input. Though no buying decision should turn on having a built-in USB Type-A port.
The Core i7 option does goes up to 16GB/512GB. Author is limiting those specs because that’s all he received to check out, failing to mention higher options.
“Frankly, I also want more than 8 GB of memory in this device.”
That’s the really big one for me. Please keep us posted when the model you’re holding out for shows up! For me, that will almost certainly be a “buy now”
“Frankly, I also want more than 8 GB of memory in this device.”
The Acer Spin 714 goes up to Core i7 option with 16GB/512GB. The author failed to mention about the upgrade options only basing his report on the unit he received to check out.
I’m aware of upgraded configuration options as I’ve previously reported on them. My point was that this particular configuration isn’t for me. 😉
I too would wait for 16gb and a fingerprint reader.
But I don’t know if I can buy this at all given “Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass” right on the screen like that; it’s appalling. Does anyone think it can be removed?
I’m skeptical that it could be removed. Might be possible but I’m thinking not.
A DYMO® label would fit nicely there.
I am *unhappy* to report that it is silver paint and not a label. It cannot be removed only covered up. It just came to my door, so I’m just getting it started up.
That’s a bummer. Let us know what you think of the device after setup and some play time! 🤓
The Spin 714 is *fast*. Between 75 and 79K on Octane 2.0.
The screen — though 16×10 — is basically the same height as the 713 (maybe 1-2mm shy), so you’re getting ‘the same’ vertical real estate with more horizontal. The display is a “good” panel; I’d say it is identical to the Pixelbook Go (in terms of overall palette), but it’s not as bright nor as vibrant as the Spin 713 or the Yoga C13 (the white’s not as white, and the color saturation is lower). It’s still better in brightness and vibrancy than a Flex 5 in this regard. Given the screen resolution the 714’s less sharp than the 713 too. I don’t own a machine with a better screen than the 713 (C13 is REAL close). This machine does *not* seem to have the weird, infrequent screen flicker that the 10th gen 713 had.
The very small chin on the display is noticeably VERY nice, as is the camera cover slider.
The keyboard is legitimately excellent, which is nice to be able to say. I’ve found recent Acer keyboards “tolerable,” but not “very good,” as they’ve been a bit too loose and clacky. The keys on the 714 are not jiggly at all, and they push back on the spring up just that little bit more, making for a tight and firm and responsive typing experience. Second to the processor speed, I’m enjoying that the most. I’d compare the quality of the keyboard to a good HP or, very nearly, the PBG.
My trackpad has a *tiny* bit of looseness. >:( I don’t like this at all. Otherwise it has the same tactile feel as the 713, but it is smaller and more rectangular than the 713’s.
The upward firing 714 speakers would seem to be the same model as the bottom-firing ones on the 713. Upward firing is better; it just mechanically makes them less muffled (esp. on your lap, obvi). They are a bit louder than the 713, but not “room-filling.” There’s no other improved EQ advantage that I can discern. There’s some distortion above 85%. They’re just a bit boxy-sounding. And there is a very slight but noticeable speaker pop when I first engage a YouTube video — I hope that’ll be fixed in an update. There is not quite as much stereo separation as on, say, a Lenovo Flex 5.
The only way to hear the fans is to PRESS your ear against the bottom of the device. Inaudible to me otherwise. There’s None of the random/sudden fan noise as on the 713!
The *713* has never been particularly comfortable on the lap, especially if you’re wearing shorts. The screen edges and those tiny rubber feet next to the hinges dig into your lap. The 714 does that even *more*. :-/
The “Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass” label is applied in precisely the same manner and silver paint as the Acer logo at the bottom of the screen. When the screen is on, they both disappear from my notice, though. I’m very likely to put electrical tape over both at some point, though, as I’ve done on my 713’s logo.
Having a built-in stylus is a great addition. It’s a bit thicker (and therefore more comfortable) than the Yoga C13’s. Still noticeably thinner than your standard BIC pen, though. My other USI 1.0 pens work seamlessly on the 714.
It feels sturdy and well-built.
If you can’t tell, I’m a bit underwhelmed. It’ll be a while before I have any notions about battery life. I immediately put it on Beta channel, as I really like the 103/104 OS updates. I don’t do anything with Linux containers. Sorry. I occasionally use Android apps — mine are loaded obviously at this point, but I haven’t gamed or anything yet.
Thanks for the first impressions! Yeah, I think many will be impressed by the 12th-gen Intel chipsets in terms of performance. I know I am so far. In terms of the display, the different aspect ratio and slightly larger screen are stretching those pixels a little more so clarity compared to the 713 might be a little lower. There should be higher resolution configuration options. Good to hear the keyboard is solid and I wonder if the trackpad looseness is a one-off issue. Speaker crackle might be fixable via software; TBH, I’d file a feedback/bug report so Google knows as they’ll be the ones to address it if it is a software thing. Cheers!
Having used the Spin 714 now at lower levels and in quieter settings, I’m getting a LOT of speaker crackle. I hope they can fix this in an update.
A power-wash and a return to Alpha Channel this morning seems to have fixed the speaker crackle problem, but it was getting precipitously worse throughout the day yesterday. Hopefully it was a software quirk. Fingers crossed. 🙂
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