The Acer CB3-131-C3SZ is a bestselling 2014 Chromebook that received positive reviews for its near instant boot up and restart times as well as being incredibly light and portable, weighing in at only 2.4 pounds. Despite only having an entry level Intel Celeron CPU, Chrome OS manages to deliver a fast and responsive experience. Reviewers also praised the long battery life at around 8.5 hours. Reviewers were critical of the small screen size and the limitations of the Chrome OS in general. Overall the CB3-131-C3SZ is a good budget laptop for users who need access to word processing, emails, browsing and google services on the fly. It should be noted that more advanced users can install Linux on this machine removing most of the limitations imposed by Chrome OS.
Acer has started to make a name for itself in the Chromebook market as of late. With multiple additions to their chromebook lineup the CB3-131-C3SZ is one of the most popular. Don’t let the 2.16Ghz Celeron processor and 2GB DDR3L RAM fool you, the CB3-131-C3SZ is lightning fast thanks to Google’s lightweight Chrome OS. Boot up times are around 7 seconds thanks to the 16GB SSD drive and with around 8 and a half hours of battery life this couldn’t be more suited for a on-the-go professional or student. There are a few limitations due to Chrome OS such as only being able to install apps off the Chrome web store as well as a lack of a file browser, however the tech savvy user will easily be able to install Linux to turn this Chromebook into a fully fledged laptop computer.
Pros
- Compact
- Aluminum Cover
- Long Battery Life
- Affordable
Cons
- Chrome OS Limitations
- No optical drive
Bottom Line
The Acer Chromebook CB3-131-C3SZ is fast, light and lasts a long time on a single charge, the only downside is the limitations imposed by Chrome OS.
- Weight: 2.43 lbs
- Processor: Intel Celeron N2840 2.16GHz
- Display Size: 11.6 inch
- RAM: 2GB DDR3L
- Operating System: Chrome OS
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail)
Critic Reviews
- TechRadar April 8, 2016
The Acer Chromebook 11 offers just enough features and performance needed for work and play, and nothing extra.
Read full review
Full Specifications
Processor | Intel Celeron N2840 2.16GHz [View Benchmarks] |
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Graphics | Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail) [View Benchmarks] |
Graphics Type | Integrated |
Graphics Memory | Shared |
RAM | 2GB DDR3L |
Operating System | Google Chrome OS Chrome OS |
Weight | 2.43 lbs |
Battery Life | 11.5 hours |
Hard Drive 1 | 16 SSD |
Display Size | 11.6 inch |
Display Type | IPS |
Display Resolution | 1366 x 768 |
Display Technology | In-plane switching | LED-backlit |
Connectivity | USB 2.0 | USB 3.0 | HDMI | WiFi | Bluetooth 4.0 |
Audio | Stereo speakers |
Webcam | HD 720p |
Additional Features | TouchPad, Secure Digital (SD) reader |
Dimension (LxWxH) | 11.6 x 8 x 0.89 |