Acer C720P Chromebook Review: Touchscreen, Chrome OS & Features

The Chromebook Acer 720P is a unique class of computing device. It differs from the traditional laptop because it runs on web-based apps and not on traditional PC applications. This device is designed to be connected to the internet (typically with WiFi or 3G/4G service) and will not run traditional PC software such as Microsoft Office or Adobe Photoshop. Instead, it uses Google Apps that are especially designed for these purposes. Unlike traditional PCs, you can store some files on the actual device, but will mostly store your files in the cloud in Chromebook. The 720P is the latest of the Chromebook laptops with a 11.6″, anti-glare, high definition and LED back-lit display. It also sports a touchscreen, which is one of the first of these devices to do so. The device can be purchased with 2GB or 4GB memory on board for different prices, and in black or white color choices. There are also various accessory cases on the market to really enhance the color or style of the device.

This third generation Acer C720P Chromebook is 30% slimmer than its predecessors. It can easily slip into the bag and weighs around 2 pounds. The battery will easily last for more than 8 hours. The 720P will boot in less than seven seconds and stay up-to-date and virus free at all times. It is powered by a 2955U Intel Celeron Haswell micro-architecture processor, which has a processing speed of 1.4 GHz. This would help to deliver a great experience on the web. It can load content and picture-rich web pages quite quickly and easily.

In the box are the Chromebook itself, a power brick, connection cable for the device to the power brick, and paperwork including a quick start guide to get going with the device. At approximately 11-inches screen display, it’s bigger than some tablets, and slightly smaller than the laptops some users enjoy. However, the screen is brilliant in color, with adjustable wallpapers for the main screen’s backdrop. Apps are stored at the lower left corner of the device for quick access. Settings are accessible through Chrome browser or a convenient bar in the lower right corner of the screen. The entire bar on the bottom of the display can also be hidden and retrieved easily.

Chrome OS is the standard device operating system. It’s basically the Google Chrome brand of web browser, and allows the device to boot up quicker than most others. Updates are on the way from Google which will allow more features in the future. There’s even been a rumor that Android apps are on the way sometime in the future. With all that said, the majority of computing is done through the Chrome OS, meaning through the internet browser. There are some apps that can be obtained to work offline as well, and while there’s the ability out there to install Linux or other OS’s on the device, most will be fine just using this simplistic online-based netbook.

The Acer 720P Chromebook connects to the internet with dual band Wi-Fi. The Chrome web store would offer thousands of free apps, extensions and themes to help you make the best of Chromebook 720P and its Google Chrome Operating System. There are popular Google products built-in to the Acer 720P. YouTube, Gmail, Google+ Hangouts and many other popular app products are already included with the 720P. The Google Docs, SlideRocket and Zoho apps will help you enjoy creating spreadsheets, drawings and presentations. There’s also significant free apps available at the Chrome Web Store, 25  of which are recommended in Shelby Johnson’s Chromebook guide.

The DDR3L, 2GB, RAM is sufficient even for the avid internet user, who would love to be online for 24 hours per day. The 16GB SSD Drive of the Acer 720P will help to improve the performance of the hard disk drive. The product comes with a built-in high definition webcam, 2 stereo speakers and Bluetooth 4.0. There is one USB 2.0 port, 1 USB 3.0 port and a HDMI port in the 720P. The full-size Acer FineTip keyboard will make typing extremely easy and enjoyable, with the touchscreen model also providing the ability to use on screen keyboards. Google also includes a webcam for chatting or taking photos (by using a third party app), and both document-creation and or photo edits can be easily done on board. Additional apps can make those tasks even more efficient.

Our Conclusion: For under $300 the ACER C720P Chromebook makes a great device for getting booted up quickly and getting online. Those who typically do a lot of online surfing, emailing and other tasks will not have an issue with it. It’s also easy to use, and easy to find files. Keep in mind there are storage limitations on the actual device, but these can be overcome with accessories or additional online storage via Dropbox and the Google Drive.

The touchscreen of this device is one of the first to be included on a Chromebook, giving it an extra appeal which tablet users will love. Some may not even feel the need to use it, but the fact it’s included for the low price doesn’t hurt.

Of course, this device won’t appeal to all fans of traditional laptops or who are used to having an array of desktop-style computing programs. Limitations are there, including no ability to use popular programs such as Skype, iTunes, MS Office or Adobe Photoshop. However, for the price point, this is a robust and quick-loading machine which offers plenty of great alternatives to those particular programs.