The Acer Chromebook 315 (2020) is a budget 15.6-inch Chrome OS laptop. It's available with various Intel Celeron processors, up to 8GB of memory, and up to 128GB of storage. Display options include a 720p TN and a 1080p IPS display; the latter is available with or without support for touch input. It has a full-size keyboard with a numpad, a 720p webcam, and a 47Wh battery. Its port selection comprises two USB-As, two USB-Cs, a MicroSD card reader, and a headphone jack. The USB-Cs support charging and video output.
See our unit's specifications and the available configuration options in the Differences Between Variants section.
Our Verdict
The Acer Chromebook 315 is decent for school use. It feels very well-built and is fairly easy to carry around for a 15.6-inch device. The battery lasts easily through a full eight-hour workday with plenty of juice left over, which is great if you don't want to bring the charger around. The display looks reasonably sharp and provides plenty of space for multitasking; however, it doesn't get very bright, so glare may be a problem in well-lit settings. Its Intel Celeron's performance is fine for light productivity tasks like text processing and web browsing, but don't expect to do anything remotely intensive.
- Long battery life.
- Easy to carry around for a 15-inch laptop.
- Decent webcam.
- Keyboard feels good to type on and has a numpad.
- Trackpad gestures don't always work.
- Not enough memory for heavy multitasking.
- Dim display not ideal for well-lit rooms.
- Low-power CPU and integrated GPU can't handle demanding tasks.
The Acer Chromebook 315 is bad for gaming. You can't install DirectX games on Chrome OS, and while you can play Android games from the Google Play Store, they likely won't run very smoothly, as the low-power Intel Celeron CPUs and integrated graphics can't handle anything remotely intensive. Also, it has a 60Hz display with a slow response time, resulting in blurry images with visible ghosting in fast-moving scenes.
- Stays completely silent and doesn't get too hot.
- Good port selection for display and wired peripherals.
- Not compatible with DirectX programs.
- 60Hz refresh rate with no VRR support.
- Low-power CPU and integrated GPU can't handle demanding tasks.
- Small storage capacity and slow read and write speeds.
- Soldered RAM and storage drive.
The Acer Chromebook 315 is decent for media consumption. The battery can last through many feature-length films, so you can binge-watch many movies in a row without needing to plug in. Its 1080p IPS display gets very dim, providing a comfortable viewing experience in dark settings, but unfortunately, it doesn't get bright enough to combat glare and looks washed out. Also, the speakers sound boxy and unnatural, with no bass whatsoever.
- Long battery life.
- Easy to carry around for a 15-inch laptop.
- Large screen.
- Colors look washed out, and blacks look gray in dim settings.
- Dim display not ideal for well-lit rooms.
- Speakers sound unnatural, with no bass.
The Acer Chromebook 315 is bad for use as a workstation. Its Intel Celeron processors and integrated graphics can't handle demanding workloads, and you can only get up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Additionally, most professional applications don't run on Chrome OS. While you can edit photos using a web-based or Android app, know that the display is highly inaccurate due to its narrow color gamut.
- Stays completely silent and doesn't get too hot.
- Good port selection for display and wired peripherals.
- Low-power CPU and integrated GPU can't handle demanding tasks.
- Small storage capacity and slow read and write speeds.
- Most professional applications don't run on Chrome OS.
- Soldered RAM and storage drive.
The Acer Chromebook 315 is an adequate laptop for business use. It feels relatively well-built for an all-plastic laptop, and it's easy to carry around, thanks to its compact design. Plus, the battery lasts easily through a full eight-hour workday. Its Intel CPU can easily handle general productivity tasks like text processing, spreadsheets, and presentations; however, know that you can only use web apps or Android apps from the Google Play Store on Chrome OS, so it isn't ideal if your work requires specific Windows or macOS apps. Unfortunately, glare may be a problem in well-lit settings because the display doesn't get very bright.
- Long battery life.
- Easy to carry around for a 15-inch laptop.
- Decent webcam.
- Good port selection for display and wired peripherals.
- Keyboard feels good to type on and has a numpad.
- Trackpad gestures don't always work.
- Not enough memory for heavy multitasking.
- Dim display not ideal for well-lit rooms.
- Low-power CPU and integrated GPU can't handle demanding tasks.
- Most professional applications don't run on Chrome OS.
Changelog
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Updated May 08, 2025:
We've updated the Software section, as Google has extended the software support period from June 2026 to June 2029.
- Updated Jan 26, 2024: We've updated the review to improve clarity and readability.
- Updated Jan 23, 2024: Added mention of the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 (2023) as an alternative with faster CPUs in the CPU section.
- Updated Dec 07, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.2.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Acer Chromebook 315 (model CB315-3HT) with a 15.6-inch,1080p IPS display, an Intel Celeron N4020 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage in the 'Pure Silver' color scheme. The screen, CPU, memory, and storage are configurable; the available configuration options are in the table below.
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| CPU |
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| GPU |
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| RAM |
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| Storage |
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| Color |
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See our unit's label here.
Popular Laptop Comparisons
The Acer Chromebook 315 is a decent Chromebook for general productivity and is among the best in its price range. However, it's only suitable for people with an extremely light workload due to its CPU and GPU performance.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best laptops, the best laptops for college, and the best Chromebooks.
The Acer Chromebook 315 (2020) and the HP Chromebook 14 (2021) are both Chromebooks with power-efficient Intel Celeron CPUs. However, the Acer is better for productivity tasks and multimedia viewing because it has a larger, much more color-accurate 15-inch display that gives more room to multitask. It also has a better selection of ports and a far better webcam and microphone. On the other hand, the HP is a much more portable device, with a longer-lasting battery for web browsing and much better-sounding speakers.
The Samsung Chromebook 4 (2019) and the Acer Chromebook 315 (2020) are both Chromebooks that use power-efficient Intel Celeron CPUs. However, the Acer performs better overall, with a larger, crisper touchscreen display, a much better keyboard, and a better webcam and microphone. Also, it has a much better port selection, and its battery lasts far longer. On the other hand, the Samsung is much more portable, and although its speakers don't get as loud, they sound much better.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 (2021) and the Acer Chromebook 315 (2020) are both Chrome OS laptops, but the Spin 311 has a 360-degree hinge and can be used in tablet mode, while the Spin 315 is a traditional clamshell laptop. The Spin 311 is better for multimedia use, with better-sounding speakers and a much longer-lasting battery, and it's smaller and lighter. On the other hand, the Spin 315 is better for business and school use, with a numpad, a larger touchpad with better tracking, and a larger, sharper screen that's better for multitasking. Also, it has a much better port selection, but it's much less portable than the Spin 311.
The Acer Chromebook 315 (2020) is a 15-inch Chromebook available with power-efficient Intel Celeron CPUs, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14 (2020) is a 2-in-1 Windows laptop that comes in a variety of performant Intel and AMD processors. The Lenovo is particularly better for gaming and business tasks, with variants that have significantly more powerful CPUs, the option of a dedicated GPU, and a far superior SSD. Also, the speakers sound better, the keyboard feels nicer, and it supports x86 applications like Photoshop. On the other hand, the Acer has a larger screen, its battery lasts longer overall, and it stays completely silent and doesn't get too warm.
Test Results
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