Acer vs Samsung - Google Chromebook Comparison

Today I want to compare two products on the same platform.   Google has had their Chromebook line of light netbooks out for a bit.    To give this in a qui8ck 'n' dirty version, a Netbook is like a miniature laptop/notebook, with a smaller screen, no optical drive, and meant for portability and light work vs heavy crunching.  As such, the Intel Atom processor has been one of the staples of netbook CPU's for years.  Some netbooks are even branded to specific cellular companies, giving an upfront discount, but requiring a monthly data plan contract.

The Chromebook has followed that trend, but has opted to make the devices thinner and lighter, comparable to what Apple does with their Macbook line.   Chromebooks have less to do with the composition of their cases, and more to do with their operating system - Google Chrome. 

Today, I'm going to look at two of the top line Chromebooks, There is an Acer C710-2847, and a Samsung XE303C12-A01US.  Both are currently available. The Samsung model has a $50 higher pricetag, at $249.99 (Best Buy price) vs $199.99 for the Acer.  

(Acer C710-2847)

(Samsung XE303C12-A01US)

We can see a few similarities between the two models.   Both have an 11.6" screens, though they're slightly different.   Both include a webcam, media card reader, 2GB DDR3, and capabilities for wifi connection using the A, B, G or N standard.   Both also include an HDMI output port.

A side-by-side comparison will reveal a few differences, right off the bat.  The Acer model comes with an Intel Celeron 1.1GHz CPU, while the Samsung has a Samsung Express 5 1.7GHz CPU.   The Acer sports a 320GB SATA hard drive, while the Samsung uses a 16GB Solid State Drive for onboard storage.  The Samsung has 1MB cache vs 2MB L3 on the Acer.   The Acer includes an ethernet port, which the Samsung lacks.   While the Samsung includes a USB 3.0 port and a USB 2.0 port, the Acer had three USB 2.0 ports.  

It's easy to give a feature advantage to the Acer Chromebook.  It has larger storage capacity, ability to work in a wired or wireless environment, has expandable RAM and a few other features.   However, the fact that the Acer model is only using a 1.1GHz Celeron processor is a significant strike against it.  Doubling the RAM may help that processor out, a bit, but that's only a patch.

I've not played with these two side-by-side to really push their limits.  Chrome OS is a relative of Linux, though, which means that it's going to be a bit less bloated than Windows.   Also, there is going to be a bit better memory management, with regard to running programs.  

Personally, were I in the market, I would try to hold off a bit.   Someone (I'd wager Samsung) will find a way to bridge these two devices to come up with "the best of both worlds".   I find both have selling points, but both have a detraction, as well.   As mentioned, the Acer loses me with "Celeron", while the Samsung's biggest disadvantage is only a 16GB capacity.   If I were to have to choose today, though, I would probably go with the Samsung model.   While it has the same storage capacity as my MP3 player, I have enough storage at home that I would be able to easily transfer what I need/want via USB.   

The Acer is a decent unit, and for some, it may be all that one needs.   The lack of an optical drive may be a hindrance, but one could either use an external, or transfer via USB/Media Card.   With the $199 pricetage, and the compact size, it has good storage capacity, good portability, and a good price.