The updated Acer Chromebook Spin 513 is a great example. It has a fast and efficient MediaTek ARM processor and a bright and clear 3:2 display. Acer wanted us to say that our review unit was the CP513-2H and that it was the second generation of that model.
The Chromebook Spin 513 from Acer has the same simple, functional design as many other recent Chromebooks from Acer. It has a simple gunmetal exterior that is not ugly, and a metal lid and lower chassis.
[content-egg-block template=offers_logo hide=price]This is a two-in-one device with a touchscreen and a hinge that can bend 360 degrees. The screen can be turned around until it touches the “bottom” of the laptop, turning it into a tablet. Tablet mode is good for short bursts, but it can’t really replace an iPad or Android tablet. The Chromebook Spin 513 is.64 inches thick and weighs 2.82 pounds. Because of both of its features, it is a bit hard to handle.
Specifications
- CPU: MediaTek Kompanio 1380
- Memory: 8GB LPDDR4X
- Graphics/GPU: Mali-G57 MC5
- Display: 2256 x 1504 IPS touchscreen
- Storage: 128GB eMMC
- Webcam: 720p
- Connectivity: 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 with Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alternate Mode, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 with Power Delivery, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, MicroSD card, 3.5mm audio
- Networking: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1
Where to get Acer Chromebook Spin 513?
The screen can also be turned back a little bit, which turns the keyboard into a stand for the screen. This “tent mode,” as it’s often called, is great for general use in tight spaces (like a crowded coffee shop or airplane) and is perfect for watching Netflix.
With a 360-degree design, both hinges are put under a lot of stress, and I’m not sure if Acer’s build quality is up to the task. The metal display lid feels nice to touch, but it can bend a bit, and the hinges look like they’re made of plastic, but I’d bet that the insides are metal. When typing, you can also move the keyboard a little bit. Two USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 ports, one USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a microSD card reader make it easy to connect. With Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1, wireless connectivity is a little bit behind the times.
The brains of the Acer Chromebook Spin 513 are an eight-core MediaTek Kompanio 1380 CPU and a five-core Arm-Mali G57 MC45 GPU. The CPU is meant to be fast enough for the light Chrome OS while still letting the battery last a long time. My review unit was also set up with 128GB of slower eMMC storage and 8GB of RAM. This is a lot of memory for a Chromebook.
The laptop’s 13.5-inch 3:2 2K (2256 x 1504) IPS display was one of its best parts. The taller aspect ratio makes it easier to get work done, and the screen was so clear that I had to look for pixels. Chrome OS doesn’t work with my colorimeter, so here are my subjective thoughts.