Acer Chromebook CB5-312T-K8Z9

A 13.3-inch Chromebook tested with Chrome OS 54.0, a MediaTek M8173C 2.1GHz processor, 4GB of memory, PowerVR Rogue GX6250 graphics, a touchscreen, and a 32GB eMMC drive.

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CR Expert Take

How did it perform in our owner surveys and expert lab testing?

Overall Score

The Overall Score for this model incorporates our expert lab test results, as well as ratings for that brand’s reliability and owner satisfaction from our annual product owner survey of members.

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Current Range of Tested Chromebooks

What goes into the Overall Score?

OWNER SURVEYS

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Ergonomics

/ 5

Portability

/ 5

Display

/ 5

Performance

/ 5

Versatility

/ 5

Color

/ 5

Display size (in.)

/ 5

Battery Life - web (hr.)

/ 5

Battery Life - video (hr.)

/ 5

Weight (lbs.)

/ 5

Touch screen

/ 5

2-in-1

/ 5

Thin & light

/ 5

Battery life (hr.)

/ 5

Supports Google Play

/ 5

Detailed Test Results

Performance: Performance was only fair. Speed was slow but adequate for productivity and Web-based tasks such as word processing, Web browsing, and online game play.

Portability: This Chromebook is a very good choice for traveling. At 10.5 hours battery life was very long, enough for a full day's work and a little more. At 3.3lbs. weight was typical for a Chromebook this size and light enough to carry.

Ergonomics: The keyboard and case were well-designed, making it comfortable and convenient to use. The full-sized keyboard was pleasant to type on. The power button was well-labeled, but it was not located in a convenient location and could be pressed accidentally when handling the device. The keyboard can be folded away, allowing the screen to be used like a tablet. Friction on the touchscreen may prevent fast swiping, and fingerprints may take some effort to clean off.

Display: The display quality was very good overall. Colors were in the ballpark, though not completely accurate. The display has a wide viewing angle, especially important if more than one person needs to see the screen at a time, say, for a video or presentation. It has a touchscreen, which is a plus for those using Android apps.

About

The Acer Chromebook CB5-312T-K8Z9 is a 13.3-inch Chromebook with an LCD resolution of 1920 x 1080. It has 4GB of memory and a 32GB eMMC drive. It has a MediaTek M8173C 2.1GHz processor and PowerVR Rogue GX6250 video adapter but no dedicated video memory. It was tested with Chrome OS 54.0.

The Acer Chromebook CB5-312T-K8Z9 has a built-in SD memory card reader for digital photography, a touch screen, and 1 full-size and 1 type-C USB ports. But you will lose a USB port to the power cable when charging the Chromebook. It has an HDMI out port for connecting to an HDTV. It is compatible with Google Play for downloading Android apps and games, but access was not yet available at time of test.

The Acer Chromebook CB5-312T-K8Z9 measures 12.8 inches wide by 0.6 inches high by 9 inches deep and it weighs 3.3lbs. It's backed by a 12 month warranty, with 12 months of tech support.

Brand Reliability & Satisfaction

#? in Reliability of all Chromebook Brands

Did the brand perform consistently well over time?

PREDICTED RELIABILITY SCORE

/ 100

Predicted brand reliability scores are based on the likelihood of newly purchased Chromebooks experiencing a problem, adjusted for extended warranty or service contract status and product usage, by the end of the 3rd year of ownership. Higher scores mean better reliability. Ranked #? of 8

Would our members recommend this brand?

OWNER SATISFACTION SCORE

/ 100

Brand owner satisfaction scores are based on how likely owners are to recommend their Chromebook to their friends and family. Ranked #? of 8

Source: Consumer Reports' 2022, 2023, and 2024 Winter Surveys

Features & Specs

Features

Memory-card reader

Yes

Built-in webcam

Yes

Multitouch touchpad

Specs

Processor

M8173C 2.1GHz

Memory (GB)

Storage (GB)

Native resolution

Video adapter

PowerVR Rogue GX6250

Width (in.)

12.8

Height (in.)

0.6

Depth (in.)

Thin and light

Yes

Operating system (as tested)

Chrome OS 54.0.2840.101

Warranty length (mos.)

Tech support length (mos.)

Battery capacity (WHr)

46.24

Auto update expiration date

EPEAT level

Energy Star

LCD resolution

1920 x 1080

Connections

WiFi

Yes

Ethernet

Number of USB ports

USB port

Thunderbolt port

HDMI output

Yes

Gigabit Ethernet

Price & Shop

Acer Chromebook CB5-312T-K8Z9

CR Expert Take

Overall Score

What goes into the Overall Score?

Detailed Test Results

About

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