The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 (2021) is an 11.6-inch 2-in-1 convertible laptop. It has a MediaTek MT8183 ARM-based SoC, Mali-G72 MP3 integrated graphics, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of eMMC storage. There aren't any other CPU, GPU, or memory configurations; however, you can get a model with a larger 64GB storage drive. It has an IPS display with a resolution of 1366 x 768, a 720p webcam, and a 36Wh battery. It charges over USB-C and comes with a 45W power adapter.
Our Verdict
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is decent for school use. It's a compact laptop that's easy to carry around, with a battery that lasts almost sixteen hours of light productivity. It's a 2-in-1 convertible with a 360-degree hinge, which means you can flip the screen around into tablet mode. Unfortunately, the touchpad is tiny, and while the keyboard feels good to type on, it lacks backlighting. Its ARM-based SoC can handle light productivity tasks, but it isn't powerful enough for demanding workloads like graphic design.
- Exceptional battery life.
- Easy to carry around due to compact size.
- Decent build quality despite all-plastic chassis.
- Limited port selection.
- Screen doesn't get bright enough to fight glare.
- Tiny plastic touchpad.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is bad for gaming. It uses an ARM-based SoC that isn't powerful enough to handle graphically demanding games, and because it runs on Chrome OS, you can't install any DirectX games. It also has a low-resolution 60Hz display with no VRR support. You can only get up to 64GB of storage, and it's a slow eMMC drive, so large games take a while to load.
- Doesn't get hot under load and is silent due to fanless design.
- Low-power SoC not powerful enough for demanding workloads.
- Limited port selection.
- Can't install DirectX games.
- 60Hz refresh rate and no VRR.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is decent for media consumption. The speakers sound okay and get pretty loud, but the display is somewhat disappointing because it looks washed out and doesn't get bright enough to overcome glare in well-lit environments. It isn't ideal for dark rooms either, as its low contrast makes blacks appear grayish in dim settings. On the upside, it's easy to carry around, and it has exceptional battery life. Also, you can use it in tablet mode.
- Exceptional battery life.
- Easy to carry around due to compact size.
- Decent build quality despite all-plastic chassis.
- Low-resolution screen looks dull.
- Blacks appear gray in dark environments.
- Screen doesn't get bright enough to fight glare.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is bad for use as a workstation. It's only available with a low-power ARM-based SoC, which isn't powerful enough to handle heavy workloads. Additionally, it runs on Chrome OS, so you can't install any x86 applications. You can only get up to a maximum of 64GB of slow eMMC storage, and except for the battery, none of the components are user-upgradeable. The only upside is that it doesn't get hot or loud under load.
- Doesn't get hot under load and is silent due to fanless design.
- Low-power SoC not powerful enough for demanding workloads.
- Limited port selection.
- Can't install x86 applications.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is mediocre for business use. It's a very portable laptop due to its compact size, and it has a battery that lasts easily through a typical workday with plenty to spare. However, the overall user experience isn't as good because it has a small, low-resolution screen that isn't ideal for multitasking, a tiny touchpad, and a bad webcam. The keyboard feels good to type on but lacks backlighting, and the port selection is extremely limited, which means you'll need to carry a dongle or USB hub for your wired peripherals. Its ARM-based SoC is fine for general productivity, but it struggles with heavier workloads.
- Exceptional battery life.
- Easy to carry around due to compact size.
- Decent build quality despite all-plastic chassis.
- Limited port selection.
- Can't install x86 applications.
- Screen doesn't get bright enough to fight glare.
- Tiny plastic touchpad.
Changelog
- Updated Jan 04, 2024: Added mention of the ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 (2023) as an alternative with newer, faster CPUs in the CPU section.
- Updated Oct 27, 2023: Added mention of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Chromebook 14 (2023) as an alternative with a brighter display in the Brightness section.
- Updated Jan 18, 2023: We've updated the review to improve clarity and readability.
- Updated Nov 09, 2021: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 11.6 inch Acer Chromebook Spin 311 (model CP311-3H-K23X) with a MediaTek MT8183 SoC, ARM Mali-G72 MP3 integrated graphics, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage. The CPU, GPU, and memory aren't configurable. However, there's a model with a larger storage drive. There are other models of the Chromebook Spin 311 with either an AMD or Intel CPU, but they're slightly different in design and aren't part of the CP311-3H series, so we consider them as entirely different models.
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Our display and performance results are only valid for the configuration that we tested. If you come across a different configuration option not listed above, or you have a similar Acer Chromebook Spin 311 that doesn't correspond to our review, let us know, and we'll update it. Some tests, like black uniformity and color accuracy, may vary between individual units.
You can see our unit's label here.
Popular Laptop Comparisons
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is decent for a laptop in its class. However, it's only suitable for people with an extremely light workload, as the SoC can't handle demanding tasks or heavy multitasking, and the display is only large enough for one or two windows at a time.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best Chromebooks, the best laptops for college, and the best laptops under $500.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 (2021) and the HP Chromebook 14 (2021) are both budget laptops that run on Chrome OS, with the most notable difference being that the Acer is a 2-in-1 convertible, meaning you can flip the screen around to use as a tablet. Although the HP has a larger screen, it doesn't look as good as the Acer's because it has an extremely cool color temperature that gives the image a bluish tint. In terms of processing power, the HP has better single-threaded and graphical performance, but the Acer performs better in multi-threaded workloads. Battery life is about the same for both laptops if you're only doing light productivity tasks like web browsing, though the Acer lasts longer for video playback and gaming.
The Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 (2020) and the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 (2021) are 2-in-1 devices with 360-degree hinges that run Chrome OS. The Acer is better for school and multimedia use, with a much lighter frame and a significantly longer-lasting battery. Also, its speakers sound much better, it doesn't get nearly as hot, and it stays completely silent under load. On the other hand, the Lenovo is better for business use, as it has an extra USB-C port, a sharper screen, and a much better-quality webcam and microphone. Also, you can get it with a much faster and more responsive Intel Core i3 CPU, but sadly, it can't output to an external display.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 (2021) and the Lenovo Chromebook Duet (2020) are both 2-in-1 convertible laptops that you can also use in tablet mode. However, the Acer uses a 360-degree hinge that lets you flip the screen around, whereas the Lenovo has a kickstand and detachable keyboard. While the Lenovo's screen is smaller, it looks significantly sharper, brighter, and more colorful. The Acer's keyboard doesn't feel as cramped as the Lenovo's and provides a better typing experience. The Acer also has a larger touchpad and better port selection. CPU and GPU performance is about the same on both laptops; however, the Acer has a much longer battery life due to its larger battery capacity.
The Google Pixelbook Go (2019) is better than the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 (2021). The Pixelbook Go sports a larger, sharper, brighter, and more colorful screen, and you can even upgrade to a 4k display on the Intel Core i7 model. The Pixelbook Go feels sturdier, and despite its larger screen size, it's thinner and takes up less space in a bag. The Pixelbook Go has a backlit keyboard, which the Spin 311 lacks, and it also has a bigger touchpad and a much better webcam. As for the CPU and GPU performance, even the base model of the Pixelbook Go feels snappier and can handle much heavier workloads, although don't expect to perform extremely demanding tasks like 3D modeling or video editing. Battery life is slightly longer on the Acer for light productivity, but it's about the same for both devices with video playback.
Test Results
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