There's no getting around it--I love Google Chrome. I have used Chrome for quite a few years now, starting with Chrome browser for Windows, progressing to a Samsung Chromebox, a Samsung Chromebook and now my favorite machine of all--the Acer c720.

Yes, that's right, I traded in my Samsung Chromebook at Best Buy this week. Granted, they only gave me $70.00 bucks for it (the person at the counter said it had more than 5 scratches on the chassis), but since the c720 checks in at a cool $199.00, I felt that it was definitely worth it. I just couldn't take the lack of a high powered processor any more. The ARM-based processor of the Samsung was not able to handle the way in which I like to use my Chromebook. I often have 10 or more tabs going, including streaming from Google Music or Pandora. Even opening up Google Plus seemed to tax the poor machine. Sure it looked great, but really, when it comes to my computing device, I need it to perform well rather than just look good.

Indeed, I am very pleased with the multitask capabilities of the c720. Even though it has the same 2 GB of RAM as the Samsung, the new Intell Haswell chipset makes it much better at streaming video and supporting multiple open tabs (and let's face it, who uses Chrome without running lots of tabs simultaneously?) Furthermore, I actually like the look of the c720 just fine. Its got a nice, understated gray finish. More importantly, it seems solid. I always felt like the Samsung was going to fall apart in my hands. This machine feels robust in the hand; no creaking or bending when it opens.

If you are looking to add a second machine to your home computing set up, or if you are a teacher or tech director looking to buy devices for your school, I would definitely consider this inexpensive workhorse. You won't be disappointed.