This is probably one of the first times in recent memory that I’ve seen an old Chromebook sold on here and not immediately denounced it as a bad deal. This Acer is a version of the venerable R11, which is an early convertible that was also one of the first 3 devices (one being the Chromebook Pixel 2015, and the other IIRC being the Asus Flip C100) to get access to Android apps on ChromeOS. It’s a chunky, fairly durable device (I think intended for the Edu market maybe?) with wide bezels and modest specs, but it’s at least got a passable CPU and amount of RAM that made it viable (over alternatives with 2-core Atom-based CPUs and/or 2 GB of RAM.)
Most importantly, all that with another year of software support make this acceptable for $130, IMO.
Does anyone know if the eMMC can be upgraded? It seems most that have eMMC instead of an M.2 SSD are soldered on, but I understand there are a handful of exceptions.
Does this one have stylus input?
I’m browsing the net on an R11. Wife & I have each been using one for years now (I’m on my second one) and love them. They get a LOT of use at home and while travelling. Also convinced me about the importance of a touchscreen for a portable go-anywhere device & I would never get a Chromebook without one. My only beefs are related to Android on Chromebooks rather than the device itself (eg no native support for AVI - do NOT like VLC on Android; the RDP app (now owned by Microsoft & free) is a bit “cursor” wonky and sometimes hard to use).
If either Chromebook wasn’t still going strong (well, my battery isn’t great at this point) I’d buy this in a second.
Can you or someone else please see if the Antutu Android benchmark runs on it? Reviews listed by Google do not seem to list it. Being able to use Android apps as well would be of interest. Curious how fast the device is using the benchmark. Thanks.
Addendum: Geekbench 4 single core average seems to be ~1100 which now should be considered slow.
For comparison, a Google Chromebook Pixel (from 2015) is about 1034. While a Pixel 3 phone is 2307.
Updates through June 2022, which is mediocre (it’s one more year of updates). After that date, no security updates / bug fixes / etc will be released for this device. ALL Chrome based devices have a limited “shelf life”; this one is a lot closer to it’s expiration date. I’m placing this in the do not buy category unless you’re looking for a Chromebook to tinker with and know how to load an alternate OS onto this device (and, no, it’s not like loading windows).
TL;DR If you’re not a “techie”, don’t buy this device
Screen resolution isn’t the greatest, but is what it is at this price point.
Woot Staff: The End Of Life date should be at the top of the specs; it’s the single most important spec when buying a Chromebook/box ESPECIALLY considering Chrome based devices have a limited update lifetime.
End of support is NOT end of life!
Yep, I have the Asus one, it’s still working great and the battery was easy (ish) to replace. Just a ton of screws, lasts about 11 hours or so.
I disagree. We’ve had one of these for awhile. Kid loves it. Works great for Roblox and such.
He’s not saying that it’s hard to use, he’s saying that with only another year of support that you need to immediately put Linux on it, which is BS. This guy comes on to every single Chromebook deal and complains about the EOL date for Chromebooks. At $130, if you only use it for couple of years, it was well worth it.
Right. They are cheap enough to just replace it every year or two.
I think if you have a Windows or iOS notebook, internet dependent Chromebooks are not very appealing.
If you need a single device and are on a budget, then you still are better off with the former two IMHO.
It surprises me that limited Windows RT devices were treated with disdain but Chromebooks are not.
I would not mind using a Chromebook Pixel 3 or higher but if my money to buy, I’d want storage and to be able to work using Office without paying for more for broadband on a plane or train.
Viriiman’s complaint seems similar for each of these. He does have a point. EOL support is comparatively short.
However, his concern about screen resolution, is a bit less off putting. It is 11.6" here. Such a screen for me as a notebook is too small for my eyes to be comfortable. Even 14" is not pleasant to view at a 17" distance from screen. I’d prefer 23" for me to use all day. It is more than OK as a tablet held 8 inches from my nose. Worse, the processing needs for higher resolution can cause excessive demands on GPU and CPU. There can be legibility issues if native rez is ultra fine. There is a point of diminishing returns - higher rez but painfully slow - for the specs he prefers when the screen dimensions are are so small.
He’s not wrong though. Our main complaint is that a lot of these old Chromebooks are already out-of-support, which means any buyers are immediately subject to any new security vulnerabilities. As I wrote at the top, this one is still in support, and for another year I think $130 is OK considering the device was decent to begin with.
The limited support for ChromeOS updates is particularly egregious considering there’s nothing technically preventing Google from continuing support; indeed, you can install Windows or Linux on a PC and get continuous upgrades as long as the hardware is viable. Google is trying to address the issue by separating the browser from the OS, so the mature parts (e.g. drivers) won’t get or need further updates while the browser portion will continue to receive the security updates that Google develops for every other version of the browser anyways.
Planned obsolescence used to be considered worthy of condemnation. That said, I really like their Pixel phones. Are they spying of me? Oh well. They can be bored if they want. I’m a cherub. Well, OK, I don’t fly, don’t have a halo, am a bit older, and my wings would have difficult generating lift. But no ones perfekt.
But it is for the “average consumer”; the device stops getting security updates.
Please read my first link: " Can I still use my Chromebook now it is no longer supported?"
I am surprised that Chromebooks are sold for the same price as notebooks that are same or lower price and do not need net access for full function. Plus the weight of Chromebooks has edged up so high that many are 2x the weight of my even thinner work notebook.
Sometimes a Chromebook works out better for someone who isn’t technologically inclined.
Interesting development that you may find interesting:
Google is making Windows 11 ability to use .APK files limited by requiring a new .AAP selective format.
.APK files from Amazon will likely work but the library of files on Amazon has become pathetic. They’re also are a lot of apps from outside the US that are not trustworthy IMHO due to permissions listed. They have removed apps that even have been paid for and don’t update them. Gone are almost all standard AV files except for ESET. Malwarebytes also appears to be gone.
httpss://chromeunboxed.com/google-blocks-windows-11-app-efforts