Acer Chromebook R 13

Updated on January 26, 2026

The Acer Chromebook R 13 (CB5-312T) was an unusually well-built Chromebook for its day: a 13.3-inch convertible with an all-aluminum body and a 360-degree hinge, released in 2016 and among the first Chromebooks designed with Android app support in mind. It runs on MediaTek’s MT8173C, an ARM chip that keeps it fanless and gives it long battery life but limits it to light computing.

Note: this is a discontinued 2016 device. Google extended its ChromeOS Auto Update Expiration to August 2026, so it still receives updates as of mid-2026, but that window closes shortly; this page is kept mainly as a reference for owners rather than a current buying recommendation.

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Acer Chromebook R 13 Comparison Chart

	Acer Chromebook R 13	Acer Chromebook R 13	Acer Chromebook R 13
Price	List Price: $399.00 Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon	List Price: $399.00 Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon	List Price: $429.00 Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon
Model number	CB5-312T-K5X4 / NX.GL4AA.008	CB5-312T-K5X4 / NX.GL4AA.003	CB5-312T-K40U / NX.GL4AA.003
Performance Rating	2.6	2.6	2.6
Chromebook Plus	No	No	No
Processor	Quad-core 1.70 Ghz (max 2.10 Ghz) MediaTek MT8173C	Quad-core 1.70 Ghz (max 2.10 Ghz) MediaTek MT8173C	Quad-core 1.70 Ghz (max 2.10 Ghz) MediaTek MT8173C
RAM	4 GB	4 GB	4 GB
Internal Storage	32 GB eMMC	32 GB eMMC	64 GB eMMC
Screen Size	13.3"	13.3"	13.3"
Screen Resolution	1920x1080	1920x1080	1920x1080
Screen Type	IPS	IPS	IPS
Touch Screen	Yes	Yes	Yes
Stylus / Pen	No Stylus Support	No Stylus Support	No Stylus Support
Dimensions width x length x thickness	12.8 x 9 x 0.61 inches (325.12 x 228.6 x 15.49 mm)	12.8 x 9 x 0.61 inches (325.12 x 228.6 x 15.49 mm)	12.8 x 9 x 0.61 inches (325.12 x 228.6 x 15.49 mm)
Weight	3.28 lbs (1.49 kg)	3.28 lbs (1.49 kg)	3.28 lbs (1.49 kg)
Backlit Keyboard	No	No	No
Webcam	1280x720	1280x720	1280x720
WiFi	2x2 MIMO 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac	2x2 MIMO 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac	2x2 MIMO 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 4.0	Bluetooth 4.0	Bluetooth 4.0
Ethernet	No	No	No
Cellular Modem	No	No	No
HDMI	Full-Size HDMI	Full-Size HDMI	Full-Size HDMI
USB Ports	1 USB 3, 1 USB-C (with DisplayPort support)	1 USB 3, 1 USB-C (with DisplayPort support)	1 USB 3, 1 USB-C (with DisplayPort support)
Thunderbolt Ports	No	No	No
Card Reader	microSD Card Reader	microSD Card Reader	microSD Card Reader
Battery	3 cell, 54.0 Wh 4670 mAh, Li-ion	3 cell, 54.0 Wh 4670 mAh, Li-ion	3 cell, 54.0 Wh 4670 mAh, Li-ion
Battery Life	12.0 hours	12.0 hours	12.0 hours
Fanless	Yes	Yes	Yes
Auto Update Expiration Date	August, 2026	August, 2026	August, 2026

Detailed Insights into the Acer Chromebook R 13

The all-aluminum chassis gave the R 13 a clean, MacBook-like look that stood out at its $399 launch price. At 3.28 pounds and 0.61 inches thick it is a touch heavier and thicker than some rivals. The build is not flawless: NotebookCheck found the base unit can be dented in the usual places and twists fairly easily, so it feels less rigid than the metal finish suggests.

The 13.3-inch Full HD IPS display tested well for color in NotebookCheck’s review, with a Delta E of 3.99 and a strong 835:1 contrast ratio, and the IPS panel holds stable viewing angles, which matters on a convertible used at odd angles. The catch is brightness: at 204.3 cd/m² average it is dim, and the glossy coating makes outdoor use difficult, though indoors it looks vivid for media.

The MediaTek MT8173C is an ARM chip that runs ChromeOS but sits well below the Intel options of its era. NotebookCheck measured an Octane V2 score of 10,139 and a JetStream 1.1 score of 57, firmly entry-level. It handles a handful of tabs, light document work, and streaming smoothly, but stutters under heavier multitasking. The upside of the ARM chip is the fanless, silent design and the low heat: NotebookCheck recorded a maximum surface temperature of just 30.6°C (87°F) under sustained load.

Reviewer Insights on the Acer Chromebook R 13

Chrome Unboxed

Robbie Payne from Chrome Unboxed focused on the value. He said it is “made of all-aluminum, front and back, inside and out and feels way more premium than the 399 price tag would have you think,” and his benchmarking put the MediaTek chip’s Octane score around 10,000, adequate for most ChromeOS tasks. He called the R 13 the “first of a new breed of Chromebook built expressly with Android apps in mind,” and liked the ports, especially the full-size HDMI and SD slot alongside USB-C. His gripes were a wobbly hinge on his unit, a trackpad with mechanical “play,” and a large 16:9 screen that makes tablet mode awkward. He still came away positive, telling viewers “I think you’ll be really happy with the Acer R13.”

NotebookCheck

NotebookCheck scored the R 13 at 81%, praising the silent passive cooling and light build while flagging the display and keyboard. Their testing measured very low temperatures (idle around 23.1°C, a maximum of 30.6°C under load) and good color accuracy (Delta E 3.99), but confirmed the brightness is too low for outdoor use. On build they wrote that “the base unit can be dented in the usual places…it is easy to twist,” and the keyboard drew criticism for spongy feedback that makes long typing sessions tiring. Their verdict placed the R 13 as best for light browsing, media, and basic productivity in ChromeOS.

Conclusion

For its time, the Acer Chromebook R 13 was a standout: a premium all-aluminum convertible with long battery life, a fanless design, and early Android-app support at a $399 price that mostly bought plastic elsewhere. Reviewers from Chrome Unboxed and NotebookCheck both came away positive on the build and battery, with the dim display, soft keyboard, and entry-level MediaTek performance as the consistent limits.

In 2026, this is a device to understand rather than to buy new. If you already own one, it still works well for web browsing, media, music production in the browser, and Android apps, and its ChromeOS updates run through the extended August 2026 AUE. After that date it keeps working but stops getting security patches, so it is best treated as a secondary or hand-me-down machine from then on. To see how it compares with current models, use Starry Hope’s Chromebook Comparison Chart.

To see how the R 13 stacks up across more than just specs, our Chromebook Comparison Chart lets you filter and sort the full catalog side by side.

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