Acer has received many awards for Chromebooks, with the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 replacing older Spin 713 models as our top pick. The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 (INR 49,999) is a 2-in-1 convertible that sits beneath those systems. It retains an upscale feel, thanks to a tall 3:2 aspect ratio display similar to its Spin 700 Series predecessors. The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 isn’t as desirable as the 714, but it’s 10-11k less expensive, making it a more affordable and versatile grab-and-go productivity partner.
MediaTek Kompanio ARM processor and Hammer
Naturally, Acer’s 500 Series Chromebooks make sacrifices that the more expensive 700 Series models do not. The main differences in the Spin 513 (model CP513-2H-K62Y) are a MediaTek Kompanio ARM processor rather than an Intel Core or AMD Ryzen chip, and an eMMC flash drive rather than a faster solid-state drive. This model also lacks a stylus or pen for its touch screen.
Years of testing have shown that Chromebooks with ARM processors, while adequate, are not as fast as their x86 counterparts. Of course, Acer’s Kompanio 1380 claims to be the peppiest. The 6-nanometer chip combines four 3.0GHz Cortex A78 cores with four Cortex A55 efficient cores and five-core Mali-G57 integrated graphics.
Display
The new CPU is paired with 8GB of memory along with 128GB of eMMC storage in the Spin 513. The Corning Gorilla Glass touch screen measures 13.5 inches in size and has a resolution of 2,256 by 1,504. While its 3:2 aspect ratio isn’t ideal for watching videos, it’s ideal for working with word processors or browsing websites because it reduces scrolling.
The Spin 514 measures 0.64 by 11.8 by 9.3 inches as well as weighs 2.8 pounds, with an aluminium lid and bottom in a dark grey Acer calls Titanium Grey. The Spin 714’s 16:10 aspect ratio results in a slightly different footprint 0.71 by 12.3 by 8.8 inches and an increase in weight to 3.1 pounds. The almost-square chassis is thin and appealing, but there is some flex when grasping the screen corners or simply pressing the keyboard deck.. As expected for the price, there is no fingerprint reader, and the webcam lacks a privacy shutter.
Connectivity
Since it lacks an HDMI port, the Spin 513 is on our Chromebook “B” list rather than the “A” list. You’ll need a DisplayPort adapter for each of the two USB 3.2 Type-C ports (one on each side, with either accommodating the AC adapter) if you want to connect an external monitor. On the left is a single USB 3.2 Type-A port, as well as an audio jack and a microSD card slot. On the right edge, you’ll find a power button and a volume rocker. Wireless connections are handled by Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2.
Webcam
The webcam is a low-cost item with 720p resolution rather than 1080p. Its images are reasonably well-lit and colourful, but noisy and grainy, making it difficult to focus on my patterned shirt. The DTS Audio logo is located above the keyboard, however the bottom-mounted speakers generate a relatively weak, hollow sound and it’s not particularly loud, and there’s no bass to speak of. Overlapping tracks are swallowed up, leading to an overall roughness akin to an AM radio covered with a blanket.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The backlit keyboard on Acer’s Chromebook is standard, with a menu/search key in place of Caps Lock as well as browser and system controls along the top row. The cursor arrow keys are small, but they are arranged in an inverted T. The keyboard has a snappy and tappy typing feel. Although, it’s a little loud but easy to keep up with.
If you prefer a click to a simple tap, a chrome-trimmed, buttonless touchpad glides efficiently, though its clicks are stiff. With good palm rejection, the touch screen kept up with my fastest swipes and scribbles.
Brightness and colour
Too many low-cost Chromebooks have dim, lifeless displays. The screen on the Spin 513 is bright (Acer claims 360 nits) and colourful, with rich and well-saturated hues. The viewing angles on the panel are wide, though the touch glass displays reflections at extreme angles, and the contrast is adequate. Photos and videos looked great, and the whites on the screen appeared clean rather than dingy, thanks to the ability to tilt the screen far back.
Productivity Tests
The Spin 513, which finished in the middle of the pack, outperformed the other two ARM Chromebooks but trailed the Core i3 Lenovo 5i and the Core i5 HP Dragonfly Pro. It did, however, win PCMark for Android, indicating that it’s an excellent choice for Google Play Store entertainment and games.
We also run an Android CPU benchmark, Primate Labs’ multi-core Geekbench. GFXBench 5.0, an Android GPU test, puts both low-level routines like texturing as well as high-level, game-like image rendering to the test, reporting results in frames per second (fps).Finally, until the system shuts down, we loop a 720p video file and with screen brightness adjusted to 50%, volume set to 100%, and Wi-Fi and keyboard backlighting disabled. Four of these machines had enough onboard storage for the 69GB video, but the Acer 514 required an external SSD connected via USB.
Verdict
If you intend to run intensive applications, you should look for a Chromebook with an AMD Ryzen or even Intel Core CPU and a true SSD rather than eMMC flash storage. The Acer Spin 513, on the other hand, is an appealing, low-cost option if you’re searching for a lightweight 2-in-1 for daily online time and Google Workspace productivity, plus some sketching or annotating. It would be Editors’ Choice if it included a stylus and an HDMI port. Even without them, the Acer Chromebook Spin 513 is a handy, low-cost way to enjoy the advantages of a 3:2 aspect ratio display.
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