Acer Chromebook Spin 514 review: Solid performance at a premium price

Price When Reviewed

$699.99

Best Prices Today: Acer Chromebook Spin 514

Want a quick Chromebook? The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 is more likely to land close to the highest of your search. Powered by AMD’s six-core Ryzen 5 5625C processor, the Spin 514 gives an alternative choice to opponents with the Intel Core i5-1240P and delivers massive good points over Chromebooks with Qualcomm or MediaTek {hardware}. However, these in search of funds laptop computer thrills might discover the Windows alternate options extra interesting.

Looking for extra choices? Check out our roundup of the best Chromebooks.

Acer Chromebook Spin 514: Specs and options

The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 is powered by AMD’s Ryzen 5 5625C, a six-core, 12-thread processor that features AMD Radeon Graphics with seven graphics cores. It’s beefy {hardware} for a Chromebook, and the configuration examined represents a premium mannequin. Acer sells a number of much less highly effective variations of the Spin 514 with Ryzen 3 processors.

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5625C 
• Memory: 8GB LPDDR4X
• Graphics/GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics 
• Display: 1920 x 1080 IPS Touchscreen
• Storage: 128GB 
• Webcam: 720p
• Connectivity: 2x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 with Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alternate Mode, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, HDMI, 3.5mm Audio-out
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
• Biometrics: None
• Battery capability: 39 watt-hour
• Dimensions: 11.81 x 9.25 x .64 inches
• Weight: 3.31 kilos
• MSRP: $699.99

Premium {hardware} comes at a premium value (for a Chromebook). The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 with AMD Ryzen 5 5625C will set customers again nearly $700 at MSRP. Less performant fashions are inexpensive, nevertheless: versions with the AMD Ryzen 3 3250C and half as a lot RAM and storage are underneath $400 at some on-line retailers.

Acer Chromebook Spin 514: Design and construct high quality

The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 isn’t a lavish laptop computer, and doesn’t look distinctive: if not for a chrome Acer emblem on the lid, most individuals would by no means know who made it. Yet it’s useful, sturdy, and modestly luxurious. Much of the chassis is constructed from steel, the show bezels are skinny, and the inside presents a sublime distinction of silver and black surfaces.

As its title implies, the Chromebook Spin 514 features a 360-degree hinge and touchscreen. The show folds again to be used as a pill, or to make use of the keyboard as a kickstand for the show. This versatility is appreciated and genuinely helpful. I typically use 2-in-1s as a pill when reclining in a chair and breezing by the day’s headlines. 

However, the Spin 514 is just too massive to switch a pill in lots of conditions. It weighs over three kilos and measures .64 inches thick, making it roughly twice the scale and heft of a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and over 3 times heavier than an iPad Air. It’s awkward to carry with one hand and clumsy to make use of as an e-reader when mendacity in mattress.

Acer Chromebook Spin 514: Keyboard and trackpad

IDG / Matthew Smith

Fortunately, the Chromebook Spin 514 is a a lot better laptop computer than it’s a pill. In reality, the Spin 514 is a superb laptop computer for fundamental, day-to-day use.

Credit the keyboard. The Spin 514’s chassis offers ample house for a large keyboard format with massive, simply positioned keys. The left-side Shift, Control, and Alt keys are huge, and the perform keys (which embrace help for the standard Chrome OS perform row shortcuts) are bigger than these discovered on Windows or Mac alternate options. 

Key really feel is superb, too, with deep journey and a agency, tactile backside motion that ends with a lightweight however satisfying click on. Touch typists will fly throughout the keyboard in no-time, whereas those that take the hunt-and-peck method will shortly discover the proper key. A backlit keyboard is normal, making keys readable in a darkish room.

The touchpad is superb, too. It’s spacious, measuring about 4.75 inches huge and 3.25 inches thick, and has a easy low-friction floor. Multi-touch gestures are simple to make use of (although Chrome OS helps fewer than Windows or MacOS). And although the touchpad is nice, the touchscreen gives another choice that may be helpful when navigating Android apps or internet apps constructed for cellular units.

Acer Chromebook Spin 514: Display, audio

IDG / Matthew Smith

Acer ships the Chromebook Spin 514 with an IPS touchscreen that boasts 1920×1080 decision. This isn’t the very best show you will discover on a Chromebook from Acer: the Spin 513 has a extra pixel-dense 13.5-inch 2256×1504 display screen, which is as crisp and attractive as a recent potato chip. Still, the Spin 514’s show seems to be a lot sharp.

Resolution apart, Spin 514’s picture high quality is nice however not nice. The greatest downside? Brightness. I measured a most brightness of solely 312 nits, which is a lot for day-to-day use indoors however insufficient when used outdoor or close to a sunlit window. The show’s shiny coating doesn’t assist issues and reveals clear, vibrant reflections that distract from what’s on-screen. Put merely: the Spin 514 is a laptop computer greatest left indoors (and away from home windows).

The show’s distinction and colour efficiency are sufficient for a contemporary laptop computer. 1080p video content material seems to be sensible and vivid. However, the IPS show is pressured by new laptops with OLED screens, a few of that are priced only one to 2 hundred {dollars} increased than the Spin 514. OLED laptops supply an enchancment in distinction and colour efficiency that most individuals will simply discover and like. The Spin 514’s low brightness stays a priority: LCD laptop computer screens are sometimes brighter than OLED, however that’s not true right here.

A pair of upward-firing audio system present the Spin 514’s audio. They’re not glorious, however loud sufficient at most quantity to fill an workplace with sound. The audio system work greatest with podcasts and video content material, as loud music may cause disagreeable distortion. 

Acer Chromebook Spin 514: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

A 1080p webcam with a bodily privateness shutter is squeezed into the laptop computer’s high bezel. It’s a pleasant improve over a 720p digicam and delivers a transparent enchancment in sharpness. Color replica can also be good in a well-lit room. Exposure was typically a bit off, although, inflicting massive swings in my pores and skin tone. 

The built-in is nothing particular, but it surely does the job. Backup noise will typically be picked up, however recordings of my voice provided good quantity and appeared simple to know when performed again. It’s high-quality for many video calls.

The laptop computer doesn’t supply biometric login.

Acer Chromebook Spin 514: Connectivity

IDG / Matthew Smith

Acer leans into future-proof connectivity with a pair of USB-C ports, one on either side. The laptop computer ships with a USB-C charger and each ports help USB Power Delivery, so both can be utilized to energy and cost the Chromebook. The ports even have DisplayPort Alternate Mode and can be utilized as video output to a USB-C monitor (or different displays, with acceptable adapter). 

The USB-C ports are joined by a single USB-A port, HDMI-out, and 3.5mm audio out. I’d want to see a second USB-A port and a MicroSD card reader. Still, the Spin 514’s connectivity needs to be sufficient for most individuals.

Wireless choices embrace Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. Wi-Fi efficiency was speedy and dependable in my testing, attaining about 250 Mbps two rooms away from my router and as much as 80 Mbps in an exterior workplace 60 ft away from the router.

Acer Chromebook Spin 514: Performance

The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 is accessible with a number of AMD Ryzen processors together with the six-core, 12-thread AMD Ryzen 5 5625C. It comes paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of strong state storage which, once more, is top-notch for a Chromebook.

Unsurprisingly, the highly effective processor delivered glorious leads to benchmarks.

• CrXPRT 2 efficiency rating: 199
• Speedometer 2.0: 210
• Basemark Web 3.0: 1024.38
• Kraken Javascript 1.1: 522.6
• Jetstream: 222.991

These scores defeat the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 with Intel Core i5-1135G7. In CrXPT 2, the Spin 514’s rating of 199 simply exceeds the Spin 713, which hit 164, and demolishes the Snapdragon-powered HP Chromebook x2 11’s rating of simply 52. The Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 with Intel Pentium Gold 7505 additionally falls behind with a rating of 124.

The Spin 514 loses in opposition to the Framework Laptop Chromebook with an Intel Core i5-1240P processor, but it surely’s an in depth contest. The Intel Core i5-1240P within the Framework is about 5 p.c faster than the Spin 514 general. That’s not a noticeable distinction and the 2 will appear similar in typical use.

Real-world efficiency feels as snappy because the Spin 514’s benchmark scores counsel. Juggling many browser tabs will not be an issue. New apps open in a blink. Files switch shortly. To be trustworthy, the Spin 514’s is overkill for the duties most Chrome OS customers are more likely to ask of it, however the further efficiency headroom will assist future-proof the laptop computer.

While the Spin 514 performs properly, the Windows competitors should be talked about. Acer’s Aspire 5 with Ryzen 5 5500U, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage will be discovered for underneath $700. The identical is true of Lenovo IdeaPad and Flex fashions, HP’s entry-level 14-inch and 15-inch laptops, and Dell’s Inspiron line. The elevated RAM and storage in Windows alternate options will enable them to perform duties the Spin 514 can’t deal with. 

What about video games? It’s a combination bag. Android video games will not be dependable, probably because of the Spin 514’s x86-based {hardware}, which differs considerably from that present in most Android units. Call of Duty: Mobile crashed to the desktop after the launch display screen. Pokemon Unite launched, however I couldn’t get the sport previous the login display screen. Asphalt 8 was playable, no less than, and appeared to run at an appropriate body price.

Cloud gaming is a greater choice and works properly over Wi-Fi 6. I launched Nvidia GeForce Now to get pleasure from an hour of Marvels’ Guardians of the Galaxy at 1080p decision with Ultra settings and ray tracing enabled. It seemed as beautiful because it does regionally on a high-end video card. However, GeForce Now works equally properly on much less succesful {hardware}, so the Spin 514 can’t take credit score for this consequence.

Acer Chromebook Spin 514: Battery life

The AMD Ryzen 5625C is mighty, but it surely has a default thermal design energy of simply 15 watts and is able to sipping energy when wanted. The laptop computer lasted 13 hours and 13 minutes within the CrXPRT 2 battery life take a look at. That’s proper on par with the Framework Laptop Chromebook and simply barely wanting the older Acer Spin 713. 

In real-world use, the laptop computer can final even longer in gentle use corresponding to streaming video or working in Google Docs with the show set at a low degree of brightness. The laptop computer can deal with an eight-hour workday with no less than a pair hours of battery left within the tank. 

Acer Chromebook Spin 514: Conclusion

The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 is among the many quickest Chromebooks at the moment obtainable, defeated solely by alternate options with Intel’s Core i5-1240P processor (and it’s an in depth name). The Spin 514 additionally advantages from a terrific keyboard, good touchpad, engaging show, lengthy battery life, and helpful USB-C ports. 

Pricing is the impediment. The Spin 514’s price ticket of just about $700 feels costly when in comparison with Windows laptops. The Acer Aspire 5, Lenovo IdeaPad 5, and HP 14 supply comparable processors at comparable costs however have extra RAM and strong state storage. The Spin 514 is accessible in inexpensive configurations, nevertheless. They’re a more sensible choice for most individuals, delivering a lot of the Spin 514’s perks with a modest (and acceptable) discount in efficiency.