How I liked it with the Chromebook. Acer Chromebook 315 – review

I’ve had a few approaches to Chromebooks that didn’t end up like I wanted them to. But recently something has changed. First, I installed ChromeOS on a fat, antediluvian laptop that totally changed it and gave it a second life. Then the title Acer Chromebook 315 came to me for a longer time, on which I tried to do what I usually do on a private computer. It was so successful that not only did I write the whole text on it, but also played some games. Yes, Chromebook games.

What is Acer Chromebook 315?

If someone had looked at this laptop for the first time and somehow did not notice the characteristic logo on the casing, it would have been just another ordinary laptop. But as the name suggests, it is a Chromebook, which is budget hardware, but one whose strength is ChromeOS. An ultra-light Linux operating system that performs well in everyday tasks and works exceptionally well even on inexpensive computers with not necessarily a top configuration. And the Acer Chromebook 315 is undoubtedly such a computer, because it costs PLN 1499.Acer Chromebook 315 Technically speaking, we have a Celeron 2-core processor, 128 GB memory for data (it’s a pity eMMC) and up to 8 GB of RAM. I wrote “do”, because the play I tested had only 4 GB, but at the price mentioned above, there is twice as much memory. From what I got to grips with, the RAM cannot be increased, because it is permanently soldered, so I suggest looking for the “enhanced” version right away. The system itself and the whole philosophy associated with it make the computer run extremely fast and efficiently. Yes, you can also find much more powerful Chromebooks, with a better processor or larger disk, but also correspondingly more expensive, which makes us more and more distant from an affordable laptop for everyday work.

I have the impression that this is the most classic-looking laptop among laptops in this category.

It has a 15.6-inch IPS display, a plastic housing typical for such laptops or a full-size keyboard with a numeric block. Write down, paint over the definition of a laptop. In general, the Acer Chromebook 315 is well made and fits well, although we won’t find any better materials than plastic. The Full HD resolution and the matte coating of the screen are enjoyable, which greatly affects the comfort of work and how many things we can fit and see on the screen. There is also a touchpad with a few gestures. The number of ports is optimal, because we have one USB-C and USB-A (USB 3.2 Gen. 1) on both sides of the laptop and a headphone jack. Someone will say that HDMI is missing, but it is a Chromebook with the option of the most convenient wireless image transfer (chromecast), e.g. to a TV.There are also a few things about this laptop that set it apart in a way. The battery is charged via USB-C, regardless of whether the charger is connected to the port on the left or on the right side of the laptop. It’s nice that we have a universal connector and we can charge the Chromebook with an even more powerful smartphone charger. We have Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0, so we have the latest connectivity standards. I was also surprised that the screen can be tilted flat, which is not always possible in inexpensive equipment. It also happens when we look at the keyboard. There are not all the keys known from Windows computers, and in their place there are buttons with functions designed for ChromeOS. It is easier to jump between open programs, use the search engine with attached applications (a button with a magnifying glass in place of Caps Lock), go to all applications with one button or turn on or off the full screen mode.Acer Chromebook 315 What do I miss the most here? First of all, the backlit keyboard, which is my kind of “must have” in laptops. I would also not despise the faster login option, for example with a fingerprint, to get to the computer even faster. However, I am aware that adding such functions would increase the price.

For writing and other daily tasks

What’s important is that even me, the person who always wants to have turbo-efficient and the best hardware next to me, used the Chromebook surprisingly well. ChromeOS is light, extremely easy to use and very friendly, so you can find yourself in it right away. What’s more, it got at least one update while using it, which only proves that it is always up-to-date. Generally, updates come out every 4-6 weeks, but sometimes they come later to ensure the best possible user experience after installing them. We have a bar at the bottom, where the most important applications are already pinned by default and where we can also attach ours. Just like I did with Google Keep, for example. On the left we have a menu with all applications and a search engine, and on the right we have access to quick settings and indicators (e.g. battery status).

ChromeOS is a system that relies on Google services and applications, so if someone uses it on a daily basis, they will feel at home. He will feel that this computer is made for him.

Just log into your Google account and click through a few options. We have a Chrome browser, we have a Google calendar, a shortcut to Gmail or YouTube, but there is also a Google Play store and we can install any application we want at any time. Okay, as long as it is available in this store. I had no problem finding Messenger, Spotify, Disney + app, Instagram or office suite (I used it from Google). Yes, I missed a bit more extensive graphics editor that I use on a PC, but you can always use an android or web editor.I could write texts just like on a stationary machine, using Google Keep, Google docs or directly in the browser and panel of my website. I could browse photos and files, use Twitter and other social networks, I could use Gmail and other mailboxes, watch something on YouTube or streaming services. I watched the match in the browser without any problems, I made a transfer and a lot of other things that I do on my computer. I even looked at the photos I had on my phone because there is a feature like Phone Hub that connects the Chromebook to an Android smartphone, and the good thing is that we don’t need to install any antivirus on the Chromebook. ChromeOS is so safe that we can even use online banking. Google Chrome has a built-in feature called “Sandbox” that increases the level of security when using the browser. The point is, each running website or application is treated as a separate process. When it turns out that, for example, one of the pages opened in the browser tabs has been infected, the sandbox mode will prevent the execution of malicious code and the spread of the threat to other tabs, thus ensuring the stable operation of the computer. And the most important thing in all this is that we have a constant synchronization of our workspace in the Google cloud. This means that we always have access to our data, because it is stored in the Google account, regardless of which Chromebook we log in on.Acer Chromebook 315 with ChromeOS The Chromebook only takes 5-6 seconds (boot time depends on the device) for the login screen to appear after the system logo is displayed. It works instantly and wakes up as soon as we lift the lid. I appreciated it several times when I had a thought that I wanted to add to the text right away and I could do it practically without waiting for something to turn on or load. In fact, I didn’t even have to turn it off because it wasn’t necessary. I finished a task, closed the hatch and that’s it, and when I wanted to come back, I opened it and the laptop was immediately ready for action.

You can also play!

Yes, you can play games on a Chromebook, and this is where game streaming services come in handy. Okay, you can install something from the Play Store, but if we use cloud gaming, we have access to a wider library of games. I launched a few games and it was as expected. Maybe the streamed graphics did not knock you on your knees, you could feel that its quality is dynamically determined, but at least it was smooth, which in the case of a Chromebook is probably more important. This is not the equipment on which we will run the game to the maximum in the highest possible resolution, but thanks to the streaming service we will be able to play the latest titles. No installation, no waiting, and basically right away, with a click. In the case of a Chromebook, whether it’s a simple pixel roguelike or an AAA title is of little importance. Everyone will run just as smoothly.Far Cry 6Enter the Gungeon

The battery is actually able to last a whole working day, although it also depends on the device or how we use it.

With such typical office work with breaks for coffee, courier or something to eat, the battery status shows an estimated 9 to 11 hours. In my case, when I sat at the Chromebook all evening, about 40% of the battery was drained. In about an hour of playing Assassin’s Creed Valhalla from about 59% of the battery, it had dropped to 38%. The games ran fine even with a deeply drained battery when it was around 20%. The best part is that the Chromebook doesn’t heat up at all and is totally silent as there is no active cooling. We charge the battery in about one hour and 20 minutes and we can do it with the included charger or another USB-C device, e.g. from a smartphone or tablet. The factory one in the box is 45 W.

Who is the Chromebook for?

I admit that after the time spent with the Chromebook, I changed my approach to such computers a lot. Maybe they are not as extensive and efficient as other, more expensive devices, but they provide practically everything the computer was created for. Chromebook works super fast, boots up in seconds, has an easy-to-use and secure ChromeOS system. You can successfully use it in typical home-office tasks and not worry about our data, which is synchronized in the cloud. In fact, we only need a relatively fast net and a Google account to operate. In addition, the purchase of such a computer will not damage the home budget, the more that sometimes it can be found in good promotions. Just like the last time I saw the Acer Chromebook 315 tested here in a three-digit amount. The article was created in cooperation with Acer and Google