The Acer C720 Chromebook, released in 2013, remains a cult favorite in the “Chrultrabook” community due to its upgradable SSD and relatively powerful (for its time) Haswell-based Intel Celeron 2955U processor . While Google officially ended software support for this model years ago, users have turned to Windows 10 to breathe new life into the hardware.
This is a sourced overview with a proposed testing protocol, not a hands-on hardware review.
Support status checked 24 September 2026: Windows 10 reached end of standard support on 14 October 2025. Security updates require an applicable Extended Security Updates arrangement. Check Microsoft’s current lifecycle information before choosing an operating system. This article does not establish Windows 11 compatibility for the Acer C720.
Table of Contents
- Hardware Compatibility and Preparation
- How to Test Windows 10 Performance
- Critical Driver Challenges
- Summary of Key Takeaways
- Sources
Hardware Compatibility and Preparation
Before evaluating performance, it is vital to acknowledge the hardware limitations. The base Acer C720 typically comes with 2GB or 4GB of non-upgradable RAM and a 16GB M.2 SSD .
To successfully run Windows 10, two modifications are almost mandatory: 1. SSD Upgrade: A standard Windows 10 installation consumes approximately 12GB to 15GB of space . On a 16GB drive, this leaves virtually zero room for updates or applications. Users frequently swap the stock drive for a 128GB or 256GB M.2 2242 SSD . 2. UEFI Firmware: Installing Windows requires flashing the BIOS with custom UEFI firmware, such as that provided by MrChromebox .
It is not recommended, as a standard Windows 10 installation requires 12GB to 15GB of space, leaving almost no room for updates or apps. Upgrading to a larger M.2 2242 SSD is a mandatory step for a functional experience.
Yes, you must flash the device’s BIOS with custom UEFI firmware, such as the utility provided by MrChromebox, to allow the hardware to boot a non-ChromeOS operating system.
How to Test Windows 10 Performance
No original Acer C720 hardware benchmarks were performed for this article. The previous boot-time, tab-count and battery-life estimates were not accompanied by a reproducible test record and have been removed. Performance depends on the exact model, installed software, drivers, storage and battery condition.
How to measure your own machine
- Record the RAM, SSD, battery condition, firmware, driver versions and Windows build.
- Use the same power settings and background applications for every run. Record three cold starts with the same start and end points; report all results and the median.
- Test your actual browser workload and record memory use, responsiveness and any video frame drops.
- For a battery test, record screen brightness, workload and charge start/end points. Do not compare different workloads as if they were the same test.
This is a proposed test protocol, not measured results.
This article has no original hardware measurements to support a performance promise. Check support and driver compatibility, then use the documented test protocol on your exact machine.
This article has no original hardware measurements to support a performance promise. Check support and driver compatibility, then use the documented test protocol on your exact machine.
No battery test was performed for this article. Measure your own device with a documented workload, brightness and charge interval.
Critical Driver Challenges
Windows does not support Chromebook hardware natively. You must use third-party drivers to make the device functional. As detailed in our guide on Acer C720 Windows 10 Drivers: Resolving Audio and Touchpad Issues, the most common hurdles include:
Touchpad: Requires specific drivers (like those from CoolStar) to enable multi-touch gestures .
Audio: The Realtek or Maxim integrated audio often remains silent without manual driver injection .
Keyboard Mapping: Since Chromebooks lack a “Windows” key and function keys (F1-F12), a remapper utility is necessary for a standard typing experience.
If your system still feels sluggish after installing these drivers, consider these 7 steps to drastically optimize your computer performance to reduce background CPU usage.
Windows does not include native drivers for Chromebook hardware. You must manually install third-party drivers, such as those from CoolStar, to enable multi-touch gestures and tracking.
The integrated audio requires manual driver injection because the Realtek or Maxim components aren’t recognized by default Windows installations. Specialized community drivers are necessary to restore sound.
Since Chromebook keyboards lack a standard top row of function keys and a Windows key, you will need to use a keyboard remapper utility to assign these functions to existing keys.
Summary of Key Takeaways
Check operating-system support and exact-model driver compatibility before spending money on a conversion. Back up your data before firmware or operating-system changes. No hardware performance or battery-life promise is established by this article.
This article has no original hardware measurements to support a performance promise. Check support and driver compatibility, then use the documented test protocol on your exact machine.
This article has no original hardware measurements to support a performance promise. Check support and driver compatibility, then use the documented test protocol on your exact machine.