Acer Chromebook Spin 513
MSRP $616.00
“The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 hits all of the marks as a premium Chromebook with all of the bells and whistles.”
Pros
- Solid productivity performance
- Strong battery life
- Excellent 3:2 IPS display
- Comfortable touchpad
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Keyboard was behind the curve
- Display bezels are large
Chromebook convertible 2-in-1s have completely caught up with their Windows competition. Energetic pen support, taller 16:10 and three:2 displays, and better resolutions screens — they’re finally as much as snuff.
Acer’s updated Chromebook Spin 513 is a classic example, offering an efficient and quick MediaTek ARM processor and a 3:2 display that’s shiny and sharp. Acer wanted us to say our review unit’s model number, the CP513-2H, noting that it’s the model’s second generation.
My review unit is priced at $615 and includes the MediaTek Kompanio 1380 8-core CPU and a 13.5-inch 3:2 2K (2256 x 1504) IPS display. I discovered the 2-in-1 to be a quick contender within the Chromebook space, with enough battery life to face out. It’s a solid offering for Chrome OS fans who want the choice of flipping their display into tablet mode and writing or sketching on the display.
Design
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A mixture of sandblasted and anodized aluminum within the chassis’ top and bottom covers and plastic within the keyboard deck creates a laptop that’s meant to be durable on the surface but lightweight. I discovered the lid barely bendable, the keyboard deck to reveal some flex, and the underside chassis sturdy.
It wasn’t egregious, though, and the general construct quality was quite robust for a $600 laptop. It’s equal to similarly priced Chromebooks like the marginally larger Acer Chromebook Spin 514, while it’s less robust than the marginally dearer HP Chromebook x360 14c. The hinge was loose, allowing the lid to be opened with one hand but being slightly wobbly in a few its 4 modes: Clamshell, tent, media, and tablet.
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
Aesthetically, the Chromebook Spin 513 is a bit plain, with a unicolored dark grey chassis with zero adornments and simple lines. The rear edge is angled, and there’s a flair on the front sides, but otherwise, this can be a typical laptop design. The Chromebook Spin 514 is slightly sharper in its silver color, nevertheless it, too, is minimalistic. Evidently’s the trend with Chrome OS laptops (and laptops typically, frankly), because the HP Chromebook x360 14c is one other that’s simplistic in its aesthetic.
The Chromebook Spin 513 doesn’t have minimal bezels, particularly on the underside, where the chin is very large by contemporary standards. Given the marginally larger 13.5-inch 3:2 display, it’s quite a bit deeper and slightly wider than other 13-inch laptops. It’s 0.64 inches thick and weighs 2.83 kilos, which is thin and lightweight enough to be easy to hold around.
Ports
Connectivity is solid, with two USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 ports, a USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a microSD card reader. Wireless connectivity is barely behind the curve with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.
Performance
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 is built across the eight-core MediaTek Kompanio 1380 CPU, paired with an Arm-Mali G57 MC45 five-core GPU. The CPU is meant to be fast enough for the lightweight Chrome OS while offering long battery life. My review unit was also configured with 8GB of RAM, a ton of memory in a Chromebook, and 128GB of slower eMMC storage.
We are able to’t run a lot of our benchmarks in Chrome OS, but I used to be capable of test the Chromebook Spin 513 within the Android version of Geekbench 5 and the Speedometer 2.0 web benchmark. In Geekbench 5, the MediaTek CPU achieved 936 in single-core and three,438 in multi-core. That’s quite competitive with other ARM-based Chromebooks corresponding to the HP Chromebook x2 11 with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c that scored 599 and 1,718.
I discovered the Chromebook Spin 513 to be plenty speedy at the whole lot I threw at it.
After all, Chrome OS laptops with Intel Core processors were faster, including the Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 with a Core i5-1135G7 that scored 1,190 and 4,151. Nonetheless, the Chromebook Spin 513 wasn’t far off, which is a solid showing. In Speedometer 2.0, the Acer hit 76, well above the Chromebook x2 11’s 45 and below the Chromebook Clip CX5’s 163.
Subjectively, I discovered the Chromebook Spin 513 to be plenty speedy at the whole lot I threw at it. I could open multiple Chrome tabs and run just a few Android apps without things slowing down, largely on account of the massive amount of RAM. Even Android gaming was quick, with titles like Asphalt 9 playing without noticeable stutter.
| Geekbench (single / multi) |
Speedometer 2.0 | |
| Acer Chromebook Spin 513 (MediaTek Kompanio 1380) |
936 / 3,438 | 76 |
| HP Chromebook x360 14c (Core i3-1125G4) |
898 / 2,866 | N/A |
| HP Chromebook x2 11 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c) |
590 / 1,689 | 45 |
| Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 (Core i5-1135G7) |
1,190 / 4,151 | 163 |
Display and audio
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
Certainly one of the laptop’s more impressive features was its 13.5-inch 3:2 2K (2256 x 1504) IPS display. The taller aspect ratio is great for productivity, and the panel was sharp enough that I needed to search for pixels. My colorimeter isn’t supported in Chrome OS, so the next are my subjective impressions.
First, I discovered the display greater than shiny enough for all my working environments, with only outside in direct sunlight being unusable. Acer quotes 360 nits for the display, and I think it’s hitting that number, if not higher. Next, colours were plentiful and seemed natural, with no oversaturation. Finally, the contrast seemed high enough that blacks looked black and never grey, and text on a white background popped.
Tablet mode works great because of the three:2 aspect ratio.
The display was comfortable in tablet mode because of the three:2 aspect ratio that’s closer to a sheet of paper. The display is touch-enabled and worked well, and there’s optional USI pen support.
Sound is delivered via two downward-firing speakers on the front bottom of the chassis. It was average in volume with clear mids and highs and nil bass. You’ll want headphones or external speakers on your Netflix bingeing and music listening pleasure.
Keyboard, touchpad, and webcam
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
The Chromebook Spin 513’s keyboard is nicely sized, with keycaps which might be just large enough and lots of key spacing. The switches have a solid click and require more pressure to have interaction than most. There’s a snug bottoming motion and lots of travel. Overall, it’s a serviceable keyboard that is probably not amongst one of the best you’ll find on premium laptops, nevertheless it’s the equal of most laptops I’ve tried which might be less $1,000.
The touchpad is satisfactorily sized for a 13-inch laptop, although there’s room for a bigger version. It’s covered with Corning Gorilla Glass, which is a pleasant touch at this price point, and it’s smooth and cozy with precise support for the total complement of Chrome OS multitouch gestures. The buttons have a responsive snap that’s just the tiniest bit too loud.
While the laptop industry is heading toward Full HD webcams, you don’t necessarily expect that from a budget laptop. Accordingly, the Chromebook Spin 513’s webcam is a 720p model, even though it still provides clear and shiny images.
Battery life
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
Chrome OS is an efficient operating system, and the MediaTek CPU also guarantees greater efficiency. That ought to lead to strong battery life even given the relatively small 36-watt-hour capability.
In our web benchmark that runs through a series of popular and complicated web sites, the Chromebook Spin 513 made it to simply over 11 hours, a powerful showing that’s behind the HP Chromebook x2 11 with its slower Qualcomm CPU. It’s for much longer than the Intel-based Chromebooks in our comparison group could manage. Next, in our video test that loops a neighborhood Full HD Avengers trailer, the Chromebook Spin 513 lasted for about 12.75 hours, one other strong rating that led the pack.
Battery life was an actual strength of the Chromebook Spin 513.
| Web browsing | Video | |
| Acer Chromebook Spin 513 (MediaTek Kompanio 1380) |
11 hours, 7 minutes | 12 hours, 42 minutes |
| HP Chromebook x360 14c (Core i3-1125G4) |
7 hours, 44 minutes | 8 hours, 2 minutes |
| HP Chromebook x2 11 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c) |
12 hours, 42 minutes | 10 hours, 59 minutes |
| Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 (Core i5-1135G7) |
9 hours, 25 minutes | 8 hours, 50 minutes |
Our take
The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 provides a compelling balance of performance and battery life. It’s neither the fastest Chromebook you may buy nor the longest-lasting, nevertheless it’s a Chrome OS 2-in-1 that doesn’t force you to compromise.
The laptop had few outright weaknesses, with a construct quality that was adequate given the $616 price, a very nice display, and a pretty if somewhat plain aesthetic. It’s a terrific option for anyone out there for a Chrome OS 2-in-1.
Are there any alternatives?
I’m unaware of any Chromebook 2-in-1s in the identical price range and with the identical 3:2 high-res display. Acer’s Chromebook Spin 713 is one option, despite the fact that it’s a bit older, dearer, and is stuck with Intel’s 1oth-gen CPU.
The HP Chromebook x360 14c is another choice, coming in at concerning the same price with decent performance but less battery life, and it’s still running with a 16:9 Full HD display.
Finally, if you wish to go the detachable tablet route, consider the HP Chromebook x2 11. It’s cheaper, has a smaller and sharper 11-inch 3:2 2K display, and likewise has good battery life. Nonetheless, its performance can’t quite sustain.
How long will it last?
The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 was robust enough to last for years of typical use, and its components should sustain with Chrome OS. Its one-year warranty is typical and tremendous for a laptop on this price range.
Must you buy it?
Yes. The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 provides a pretty combination of speed, longevity, and value.
Editors’ Recommendations
