Acer C720 on Windows 10: Compatibility and a Testing Protocol

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 (NGFF) SSD [1].

To successfully run Windows 10, two modifications are almost mandatory:

1. SSD Upgrade: Microsoft lists 32GB or more of storage for current versions of Windows 10 [5], twice the size of the stock 16GB drive. Swap it for a larger M.2 (NGFF) SSD, such as 128GB or 256GB, and check the length and interface of the stock drive before you buy.
2. UEFI Firmware: Installing Windows requires flashing the BIOS with custom UEFI firmware, such as that provided by MrChromebox, whose UEFI firmware supports the C720 [7].

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

1. Record the RAM, SSD, battery condition, firmware, driver versions and Windows build.
2. 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.
3. Test your actual browser workload and record memory use, responsiveness and any video frame drops.
4. 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.

Windows does not support Chromebook hardware natively. You must use third-party drivers to make the device functional. The most common hurdles include:

• Touchpad: Requires specific drivers (like those from CoolStar) to enable multi-touch gestures [3].

• Audio: The C720 uses a standard Realtek ALC283 HD Audio chip [2], and CoolStar’s install helper lists no separate audio driver for Haswell models like it [3]; chrultrabook’s guide lists no paid drivers for Haswell Chromebooks either [4].

• Keyboard Mapping: Chromebooks have no Windows key and a row of shortcut keys instead of F1–F12. CoolStar’s Chrome EC driver includes remappings: the top row works as F1 to F12 by default, and Left Ctrl plus a top-row key performs that key’s original action [3].

The C720 does not use Intel’s SST audio design. The coreboot firmware source lists its audio chip as a Realtek ALC283 HD Audio codec [2], a standard type of chip, and Windows comes with a generic audio driver [6].

1. What CoolStar’s Guide Lists

CoolStar’s Windows install helper, the community’s driver guide, lists a Rapid Storage Technology driver, the Chrome EC driver with keyboard remappings and a touchpad driver for Haswell Chromebooks such as the C720, plus a touchscreen driver for the C720P, but no separate audio driver [3].

• Test Signing: CoolStar’s guide does not include its Test Signing step (which lets Windows load unsigned drivers) for Haswell models like the C720 [3].

• Check both outputs: The C720 has internal speakers and a headphone/mic combo jack [1]; test each after installing Windows.

2. If There Is Still No Sound

If Windows still shows no working audio device, Microsoft suggests updating the audio driver, then uninstalling it so that it reinstalls, and then trying the generic driver that comes with Windows: in Device Manager, under Sound, video and game controllers, right-click the audio device and choose Update driver, Browse my computer for drivers, then Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer [6].

The C720 came with either a Cypress or an Elan touchpad, and both connect over the I2C bus rather than the PS/2 or USB connections of most Windows laptops [8], so the usual Windows touchpad fixes generally do not apply here.

The Touchpad Driver

For the C720, CoolStar’s guide lists one touchpad driver installer: download it and run it [3].

• Cypress or Elan: The same CoolStar installer covers both touchpad makers used in Haswell Chromebooks, so you do not need to identify yours first [3].

• Touchscreen (C720P): The touchscreen model needs the separate touchscreen driver listed in the same Chromebook Windows drivers guide.

• No Fn key: Chromebook keyboards have no Fn key, so the Fn + F7-style touchpad toggles of many Windows laptops do not exist on the C720.

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.