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We liked
The Acer TravelMate B115 dares to be different. In a market of 11” MacBook Air clones, this no-frills model succeeds thanks to modest goals. Sure, that sounds like an insult, but if you’re going to send your team out into the world, and they need a computer more capable than a Chromebook - but not especially fast - then the B115 is right for your squad.
We disliked
The touch screen feels like a gigantic waste of time and money. Maybe Acer had a bunch of those screens left over from a production run for a different model, but they’re entirely out of place here. What good is a touch screen on a generic laptop that can’t fold over completely or detach? It had me reaching out much farther than feels comfortable, looking like a child who assumes all screens work like iPads.
Verdict
I wanted to write this review entirely on the B115 unit, to replace my existing laptop with it for the duration of my testing. I took it through a series of tests and rigorous use, but I just could not stand using it for more than an hour at a time. It’s meant for a little usage here and there - editing a document, checking email, and anything else that isn’t completely hindered by its 11.6” screen. You get what you pay for, and it turns out $379 (about £243, AU$466) can only get you so far, even on Windows.
