Acer Chromebook 11 (C720)

Updated on June 24, 2026

The Acer Chromebook 11 (C720) launched in October 2013 at $199-249 and became one of the best-selling Chromebooks of its generation. It was among the first to carry Intel’s Haswell-based Celeron processor, which paired responsive performance with all-day battery life. The Linux community adopted it for its user-upgradeable M.2 SSD and its compatibility with distributions like GalliumOS and Ubuntu via Crouton. Chrome OS support ended in June 2018, but the machine helped prove Chromebooks could be viable alternatives to traditional laptops for millions of users.

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Acer Chromebook 11 (C720) Comparison Chart

	Acer Chromebook 11 (C720)	Acer Chromebook 11 (C720)	Acer Chromebook 11 (C720)	Acer Chromebook 11 (C720)
Price	List Price: $199.99 Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon	List Price: $229.99 Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon	List Price: $349.99 Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon	List Price: $379.99 Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon
Model number	C720-2848	C720-2420	C720-3871	C720-3404
Performance Rating	2.1	2.6	2.4	2.8
Chromebook Plus	No	No	No	No
Processor	Dual-core 1.40 Ghz Intel Celeron 2955U	Dual-core 1.40 Ghz Intel Celeron 2955U	Dual-core 1.70 Ghz Intel Core i3-4005U	Dual-core 1.70 Ghz Intel Core i3-4005U
RAM	2 GB	4 GB	2 GB	4 GB
Internal Storage	16 GB SSD (upgradable)	32 GB SSD (upgradable)	32 GB SSD (upgradable)	32 GB SSD (upgradable)
Screen Size	11.6"	11.6"	11.6"	11.6"
Screen Resolution	1366x768	1366x768	1366x768	1366x768
Screen Type	LED	LED	LED	LED
Touch Screen	No	No	No	No
Stylus / Pen	No Stylus Support	No Stylus Support	No Stylus Support	No Stylus Support
Dimensions width x length x thickness	11.34 x 8.03 x 0.78 inches (288.04 x 203.96 x 19.81 mm)	11.34 x 8.03 x 0.78 inches (288.04 x 203.96 x 19.81 mm)	11.34 x 8.03 x 0.78 inches (288.04 x 203.96 x 19.81 mm)	11.34 x 8.03 x 0.78 inches (288.04 x 203.96 x 19.81 mm)
Weight	2.98 lbs (1.35 kg)	2.98 lbs (1.35 kg)	2.98 lbs (1.35 kg)	2.98 lbs (1.35 kg)
Backlit Keyboard	No	No	No	No
Webcam	720p HD	720p HD	720p HD	720p HD
WiFi	802.11 a/b/g/n	802.11 a/b/g/n	802.11 a/b/g/n	802.11 a/b/g/n
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 4.0	Bluetooth 4.0	Bluetooth 4.0	Bluetooth 4.0
Ethernet	No	No	No	No
Cellular Modem	No	No	No	No
HDMI	Full-Size HDMI	Full-Size HDMI	Full-Size HDMI	Full-Size HDMI
USB Ports	1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3	1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3	1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3	1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3
Thunderbolt Ports	No	No	No	No
Card Reader	SD	SD	SD	SD
Battery	3 cell, Lithium-ion	3 cell, Lithium-ion	3 cell, Lithium-ion	3 cell, Lithium-ion
Battery Life	8.5 hours	8.5 hours	8.5 hours	8.5 hours
Fanless	No	No	No	No
Auto Update Expiration Date	June, 2018	June, 2018	June, 2018	June, 2018

Haswell speed in a plain plastic shell with a swappable SSD

Michael Larabel of Phoronix noted the “overall build quality…quite nice, especially considering its low price,” and the rugged construction made it popular in educational settings where durability matters more than aesthetics. The 11.6-inch form factor kept weight to under 3 pounds, making it portable for students and travelers. The all-plastic construction did flex in the palm rest during typing, a trade-off at the $199-249 price point.

The Intel Celeron 2955U (Haswell) processor held 7.5-8.5 hours of battery life on a single charge while staying quick under a browser load. Lisa Gade of MobileTechReview called it “basically the power user’s Chromebook,” noting that 4GB RAM (double the typical 2GB standard) and Haswell efficiency meant the C720 could handle multiple tabs and web applications without sluggishness. TechRadar awarded it 4.5 out of 5 stars, praising the “fast processor, light weight, very fast boot-up, good battery life.”

The port set dates to 2013: one USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0 port, full-size HDMI for external displays, an SD card reader, and a combination headphone/microphone jack. WiFi runs 802.11 a/b/g/n dual-band with Bluetooth 4.0, and the 720p webcam served its purpose for video calls. The user-upgradeable M.2 2242 SATA SSD is the hardware feature owners still talk about, since it let them expand storage from the standard 16GB to 32GB, 64GB, or even 128GB using affordable third-party drives.

Reviewer Insights

Lisa Gade’s Perspective (MobileTechReview)

Lisa Gade’s MobileTechReview coverage treated the C720 as a productivity machine, and she wrote that “for $249, the C720 seems too good to be true.” Gade praised the sturdy build quality, good keyboard, reliable trackpad, and battery life, while noting the display’s mediocre TN panel as the primary compromise. On that panel she added, “you’re going to stare at the screen all day long, and I’d love to see manufacturers go with better displays.”

Ken Feinstein’s Analysis (TechRadar)

TechRadar’s review by Ken Feinstein awarded the C720 4.5 out of 5 stars, concluding that “Acer’s Chromebook balances power and price.” Feinstein credited the Haswell processor with delivering both speed and efficiency in a machine that stays portable. He also flagged a “mushy keyboard and trackpad” and “tinny underside speakers,” which he treated as minor at the price.

Michael Larabel’s Linux Testing (Phoronix)

Michael Larabel put the $199 model on Ubuntu 13.10 for his Phoronix Linux review. Larabel found that “installing Ubuntu 13.10 x86_64 to the Acer C720 was a breeze” and the “device ran without any other major problems.” The Intel Haswell processor and Qualcomm Atheros AR9462 WiFi card required no proprietary binary drivers, being fully supported by upstream Linux. That driver support is why a community grew around GalliumOS, Crouton, and various other Linux distributions tailored for Chromebook hardware.

Dana Wollman’s Core i3 Review (Engadget)

The Core i3 variant arrived in August 2014, making Acer the first manufacturer to release a Chromebook with an Intel Core i3 processor, and Dana Wollman covered it in her Engadget review. Wollman noted that “everything just feels slightly faster” with the Core i3, and browser games like “Plants vs. Zombies feel a tad more responsive.” That model sold at $350-380 depending on RAM configuration, with the plastic design carried over unchanged and still drawing criticism.

Steve Paine

Steve “Chippy” Paine approached the C720 as the netbook’s modern successor and tied the roughly eight-and-a-half-hour battery claim to the Haswell Celeron’s idle power management at the $199 price. He was upfront that the plastic chassis feels low-end, but praised the matte screen and a keyboard borrowed from Acer’s pricier V5 and V7 laptops. He also fitted a 128GB drive himself, showing that the upgradeable SSD opens the door to installing other operating systems on it.

A retired Chromebook that still runs Linux well

The Haswell chip, the upgradeable SSD, and the Linux compatibility that sold it at sub-$250 pricing are what keep the hardware usable today under GalliumOS or Ubuntu. Chrome OS support ended in June 2018 and the model is no longer available for purchase, so the remaining reason to own one is as a cheap Linux laptop with a drive you can swap. If you are shopping for a current model, our Chromebook Comparison Chart lets you sort and filter today’s lineup by specs, price, and features.

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