Skip to content

This article features deals sourced directly by Gizmodo and produced independently of the editorial team. We may earn a commission when you buy through links on the site.

Deals

Cheaper Than a Basic Chromebook, This 15″ Windows 11 Laptop Crashes to Its All-Time Low and Leaves ChromeOS Behind

Most Chromebooks in this price range run ChromeOS and can't install standard Windows apps. This Acer costs less, has a bigger screen, and runs Windows 11.
By

Reading time 2 minutes

Chromebooks have built their reputation on being the cheap, no-fuss laptop option. This Acer Aspire Go 15 just made that argument harder to make. Amazon has it at $279, down from its $349 standard price and an all-time low for this 15.6-inch Windows 11 laptop with an AMD Ryzen 3 7320U, 8GB of RAM, 128GB SSD, Wi-Fi 6, and a full HD IPS display. This deal requires Prime membership, and the 30-day trial runs without a card.

See at Amazon

Full Windows 11 for less than most Chromebooks, with no app restrictions

The core problem with Chromebooks at this price is ChromeOS: a locked-down operating system that runs Android apps and web apps but can’t run standard Windows software. No Microsoft Office desktop apps, no Adobe suite, no Steam, no standard .exe installers. For students, casual users, and anyone who only browses the web, that limitation is manageable. For anyone who occasionally needs to run a specific Windows application, ChromeOS forces workarounds that a full Windows laptop eliminates entirely.

The Acer Aspire Go 15 runs Windows 11 in S Mode, which restricts app installation to the Microsoft Store by default but can be switched to standard Windows 11 Home for free through the settings menu, unlocking the full Windows software library instantly. That one-time switch converts a restricted laptop into a full Windows machine capable of running any Windows application, which is a meaningful distinction from ChromeOS where no equivalent option exists.

The 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display with narrow bezels delivers a sharp, accurate image for web browsing, streaming, and document work at a size that most Chromebooks in this price range don’t offer. Wi-Fi 6 handles fast wireless connectivity, HDMI 2.1 covers external display output, and four USB ports including two USB-C handle the peripheral connections that single-port Chromebooks require a hub for. The AMD Ryzen 3 7320U with AMD Radeon 610M graphics covers everyday workloads and light creative tasks without the sluggishness that entry-level Intel Celeron Chromebooks produce under load.

See at Amazon

All-time low on the Windows laptop that undercuts Chromebook pricing

Basic Chromebooks from Lenovo, HP, and Acer regularly sell for $299 to $349 with smaller screens, slower processors, and ChromeOS limitations built in. The Aspire Go 15 at $279 delivers a larger 15.6-inch display, a more capable AMD processor, Windows 11, and Wi-Fi 6 at a price that undercuts the Chromebook alternatives it competes with on value. The all-time low took a Prime Day deal to reach, and at this price the case for choosing ChromeOS over Windows on cost grounds alone no longer holds.

Copilot in Windows is accessible with a dedicated key, bringing generative AI assistance across applications without a separate subscription for basic features. AcerSense manages battery life, storage, and app performance from a single interface, and Acer’s TNR and PurifiedVoice technologies handle video call clarity at a level that basic Chromebook cameras and microphones don’t consistently match.

See at Amazon

Share this story

Sign up for our newsletters

Subscribe and interact with our community, get up to date with our customised Newsletters and much more.