Acer Chromebook Spin 713 review: A high-end package with a budget price

If you’re one of those Chromebook devotees lamenting the demise of the classic Google Pixelbook, the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 feels like a natural successor. Miss the squarer 3:2 aspect ratio, QHD screen and the all-metal, thin-and-light design? The Pixelbook’s convertible form factor? The Spin 713 has you covered, only without the sky-high price tags of Google’s own-brand Chromebooks and with a spec that’s bang up to date.

Our test model came with a tenth-generation Intel Core i3-10110U processor with two cores and four threads that boost up to 4.1GHz, and while it wasn’t right at the top of the table in our performance benchmarks, it wasn’t far off. Geekbench 5 scores of 1,008 and 2,184 for single- and multi-core operations put it ahead of the Pixelbook Go and its scores of 761 and 1,373.

With 8GB of RAM, you’ll need a lot of Chrome tabs open or several demanding applications running before you see any hint of slowdown – or even hear the Spin’s cooling fans go to work. If you do need more power, there are Core i5-10210U and Core i7-10510U variants available for £200 or £300 more. For most people, however, the Core i3 will be perfectly adequate.

The form factor remains as good-looking and versatile as previous versions, with a military-grade metal chassis in a gunmetal tone that’s under 17mm thick and just 1.45kg in weight. You can use it in the standard clamshell configuration or fold the screen flat against the base for a tablet-style experience, or even pose it in a tent configuration for watching video or playing games. It’s very usable across all modes, partly because the 3:2 aspect ratio works for tablet use, where a 16:9 format can feel cramped, and gives you the illusion of a bigger screen in laptop mode thanks to the extra height. Switching between the 13.5in Acer and a 15.6in laptop, the Acer never feels small.

The IPS screen is fantastic, with an unusual 2,256 x 1,504 resolution that works brilliantly with Chrome OS’s desktop scaling. It’s bright, at nearly 400cd/m2, and covers 99.8% of the sRGB colour space, not to mention 86% of DCI-P3. We measured the average Delta E at 2.29, so while colour accuracy isn’t quite perfect, it’s close enough for anyone bar professional designers.

Whether you’re streaming video or playing Stadia games, image quality is brilliant, and the only downside is its spectacularly reflective surface, which ups vibrancy and contrast at the expense of being able to see anything with any kind of bright light behind you. Audio quality isn’t to be sniffed at, either: it’s very clear, with some warmth and bass, and can go quite loud without getting shrill or distorted.

As for usability, the Spin 713 makes the most of the available space with a good-sized backlit keyboard with large, flat keys and an equally sizable touchpad that has a 3:2 aspect ratio to match the screen. The keyboard isn’t the best here – while there’s enough travel, the action could be crisper – but it’s not far off the pace, and the touchpad is near impossible to fault, tracking fast movements and gestures perfectly. If this was your main work machine, you would be perfectly happy, and a battery life of 12 hours or more means you won’t run out of power before the day is done.

If you want to use the Spin 713 within a desktop setup, you’ve got all the connectivity you need. It’s one of the few modern Chromebooks that still feature an HDMI output, although you could use DisplayPort over a USB-C adaptor or hub if you prefer, while there’s a single USB-A 3 port and two USB-C 3.1 ports. Acer gets extra credit on the wireless front too, with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.

Perhaps the most important thing about the Spin 713 is that it looks, feels and performs like a high-end Chromebook, while remaining thoroughly affordable. Granted, it’s not quite as speedy as the Dell Latitude Chromebook 7410 or HP Pro C640, but it’s substantially cheaper while delivering a similar experience – or a better one in some respects. It’s an excellent Chromebook and incredible value.

Acer Chromebook Spin 713 specifications