Acer – 5 Minutes with Joe

I am not a fan of overly-large laptops, but if I were to buy one, Acer’s 15.6-inch monster would be among my top choices. The Chromebook packs in lots of value, which first and foremost is 1080p resolution to match the large screen, a benefit that is atypical for the price and size class. Screen brightness is no match for the Toshiba Chromebook 2, but the matte finish compensates for dimness by dramatically reducing glare. Meanwhile, the IPS display gives great viewing angles.

The point: Acer doesn’t just offer bigger, but better, among the overall Chromebook category, where dim TN screens are standard fare. That also can be said of competing Windows laptops, where with same size screen in the price range, or even more costly, resolution typically tops out at 1366 x 768. Chromebook 15 is 1920 x 1080. By more than size, the display is a big benefit.

As if my Pixel LS review isn’t enough, another Chromebook demands attention. Last week, Acer offered its maxi-model for review. FedEx delivered yesterday but I only cracked open the box this afternoon. The screen is motherfraking huge. Everything is humongous, actually.

The other big thing about the display—maybe that should be plural: IPS and 1080p. It’s the first Chromebook that my aging eyes can handle at full, native resolution. I keep the Pixel jacked down to 1440 x 956, like Toshiba Chromebook 2. Acer smartly chose a matte rather than glossy screen, which works surprisingly well. Viewing angles aren’t exceptional, but they are surprisingly good. Very, very good. Colors and contrast please, too.

Chromebook 15 isn’t the first Acer to user a matte display, but the others tend to be dim TNs. I like the company’s approach of going back to move ahead. Matte should make the IPS screen viewable just about anywhere—even outdoors in the sunlight. Reflective screens arguably give greater contrast but are overrated and way overdone.

Tag: Acer

Acer Chromebook 15 Review

Acer Chromebook 15 Display is More Than Just Big