The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 presents a compelling option for budget-conscious Chromebook shoppers. While many inexpensive Chromebooks compromise on RAM and storage, the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 offers a generous amount of both, making it stand out from the competition. This review delves into its design, performance, and features to determine if it’s worth your investment.
Acer Chromebook design
Design and Build Quality
The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 attempts a premium aesthetic but ultimately reveals its budget-friendly nature. The two-tone design with faux-aluminum and matte silver plastic is visually appealing when closed. However, the plastic interior, despite its metallic sheen, betrays the laptop’s price point.
Build quality, surprisingly, exceeds expectations. While not exceptionally rugged, the chassis feels solid, avoiding creaks and groans during use. The display does flex noticeably, but overall, the build quality is commendable for a budget laptop. The 180-degree hinge, allowing the laptop to lay flat, is a welcome addition. Though the bezels are slightly larger than those on pricier models, contributing to a wider footprint, the 3.15-pound weight makes it reasonably portable.
Keyboard and Trackpad
The keyboard is a highlight of the Chromebook Plus 514. The spacious layout features large, well-spaced keys, providing a comfortable typing experience. The tactile feedback and springy return are better than expected at this price point, facilitating prolonged typing sessions. A backlight, unfortunately, is absent, hindering use in low-light conditions.
The touchpad, however, is less impressive. Its small size can make multi-touch gestures feel cramped. While responsive, its limited dimensions detract from the overall user experience.
Acer Chromebook keyboard
Display and Audio
The 14-inch 1920×1080 IPS touchscreen offers decent visuals, although nothing spectacular. The 157 ppi density delivers sharp text and images, and the matte coating reduces glare. Multi-touch functionality is responsive, but the lack of 2-in-1 flexibility limits its utility.
A significant drawback is the display’s dimness. With a maximum brightness of around 315 nits, outdoor visibility suffers. Color and contrast are also lacking, resulting in a somewhat washed-out appearance.
The upward-facing speakers are functional but lackluster. While adequate for video calls and podcasts, they struggle with music and movies, producing a muddy sound.
Acer Chromebook Plus 514
Webcam, Microphone, and Biometrics
The 1080p webcam provides acceptable video quality, though colors appear slightly faded. The microphone is adequate for voice pickup but susceptible to background noise. ChromeOS’s AI features, including background blur and noise cancellation, enhance both video and audio quality. A physical privacy shutter is included for the webcam.
Acer Chromebook webcam
Connectivity and Performance
The Chromebook Plus 514 excels in connectivity, offering two USB-C ports with Power Delivery and DisplayPort support, two USB-A ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a MicroSD card reader. Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.1 provide reliable wireless connectivity.
The Intel Core i3-N305 processor, while featuring eight cores, relies solely on Efficient Cores, impacting performance. While faster than some budget Chromebooks, it lags behind more powerful models. However, for typical Chromebook tasks, the performance is generally adequate. The generous 8GB of RAM and 512GB SSD (specific to the CB-514-4HT-359X model) significantly enhance the user experience. Gaming performance is limited to cloud streaming services.
Acer Chromebook ports
Battery Life and AI Features
The 50 watt-hour battery delivers around 10 hours and 34 minutes of runtime in the CrXPRT 2 test. Real-world usage reflects this, providing enough power for a full workday of typical tasks. While some Windows laptops and MacBooks offer longer battery life, the Chromebook Plus 514 holds its own against similarly priced Chromebooks and outperforms budget Windows alternatives.
The Chromebook Plus 514 supports Google Gemini, offering AI-powered features like text generation and other AI enhancements within various apps.
Conclusion
The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 is a respectable budget Chromebook that offers significant value for its price. Its generous RAM and storage, comfortable keyboard, and comprehensive connectivity options are major strengths. The dim display, small touchpad, and modest processor performance are drawbacks, but understandable considering its affordability. For users seeking a budget-friendly Chromebook with ample storage, the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 is a worthy contender.
