On trial: Acer Spin 311 Chromebook

Can’t decide between a laptop and a tablet? Unsure whether you need Windows to get those all-important projects done? Then the Acer Spin 311 Chromebook might just be the do-it-all device you need in your life.

As a journalist with 20 years of experience testing dozens of models, I put Google's affordable yet versatile offering through its paces to see if the reality matched the hype.

With the proliferation of iPads and other assorted tablets, it sometimes feels like the humble laptop is a relic of the past — a quaint reminder of the days we used mechanical keys instead of touchscreens to interact with the digital world. However, if you’ve ever burnt the midnight oil for a hideously overdue work report or university assignment, you’ll know all too well how the humble keyboard soundly trumps a slick touchscreen for up-against-it, deadline-fuelled productivity. 

The Acer Spin 311 Chromebook is the ideal 2-in-1 solution. It's lightweight and portable like a tablet, perfect for carrying between classes or on the bus. But when it's time to focus, the Spin 311 transforms into a fully functional laptop with a comfortable keyboard, making those school assignments much less daunting. Plus, with its long battery life, your child can power through their school day without worrying about finding a plug. So, is it a Chromebook or a laptop? The Acer Spin 311 is both, giving your child the best of both worlds!

When someone says ‘laptop’, most people think of either a premium MacBook, running Apple’s software, or a portable PC running Windows.

Chromebooks are slightly different, running Google's own operating system, ChromeOS (you just need a Google account to get you up and running). And due to a Google account being used, some great features are available; like linking your Android phone to access your files via Google drive while on the move – you can even access your Android phone apps while using a Chromebook via the Phone hub. Impressive.

Most apps run in the Cloud, like Microsoft® 365* or Google Docs, Sheets and Slides. But Chromebooks can still be used offline, so you don't have to rely on having a wifi connection to use them. Chromebooks' key benefit is their focus on cloud computing. By leveraging the power of cloud-based applications, they offer a streamlined and affordable computing experience without compromising on functionality.

It’s a modern, practical approach to computing in our always-online world – and unless you have niche professional needs like video editing, in practice there’s little a Chromebook won’t be able to handle. In addition, ChromeOS has never had a virus. And with built-in protection and the Titan C2 security chip, they’re hard to beat.

Extremely so. Straightforward and intuitive, it has everything you need and nothing you don’t. The device itself is just as robustly designed, pared back to the essentials and enough to withstand the occasional accidental knock. Weighing in at just over 1KG and less than the length of an average ruler, the Spin 311 is also small and light enough to slip easily into even a compact shoulder bag or backpack. A pair of substantial (but not stiff) hinges join keyboard and screen, and bending it back to switch between Chromebook and tablet mode is the work of about a second — it’s also surprisingly fun!

Handily, the keyboard disables in tablet mode, so you don’t end up messaging lines of meaningless punctuation to your nearest and dearest, and it can even double up as a tent-like stand if you want to watch movies with it propped on a table. There are excellent parental controls too, if you’re buying it for your child’s school work. Google's Family Link allows you to understand how your child is spending time on their device, share location, manage privacy settings via an app on your phone, lending an extra layer of reassurance for worried parents.

Mini yet mighty, I found that even running far too many Chrome tabs simultaneously didn’t make it stutter, and the laptop takes common tasks like YouTube streams, Spotify and Google’s suite of cloud-based productivity apps easily in its stride. 

While the 11.6” screen is not a full HD screen, it's still vibrant and bright. You do lose a little screen real estate to the large bezels around the outside, but it’s a minor niggle. Connectivity-wise, you’re pretty much covered by one standard USB-A socket and one more modern USB-C socket, which is also used for charging. As you might expect, the Spin 311 comes with a built-in webcam for video calls and there’s even an old school audio jack for those yet to embrace the wire-free delights of Bluetooth headphones.