Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Great battery life
- Durable construct
- Snappy day-to-day efficiency
- Skinny show bezels
Cons
- Weak audio system
- Webcam leaves just a little to be desired
- Uninspired design
Our Verdict
The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 checks off loads bins, certain, however at full retail value it’s costly. Personally, I’d look forward to a sale.
Price When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Best Pricing Today
Price When Reviewed
$549.99
Best Prices Today: Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514
$549.99
When it involves 2-in-1 laptops, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 will get it proper the place it counts. The transition from clamshell mode to tent mode is completely easy. The battery life can also be terrific and day-to-day efficiency is easy and lag free. Sure, the design may very well be sexier and the audio system may very well be punchier, however I don’t have many earth-shattering complaints right here. It definitely delivers in the correct areas, however is it excellent? The reply is a bit difficult.
Read on to be taught extra, then see our roundup of the best Chromebooks for comparability.
Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514: Specs
The Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is Acer’s mid-range convertible Chromebook, however our evaluate unit falls extra within the entry-level class given the specs. You’ll discover an Intel Core 3 100U 6 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of flash storage contained in the machine I’m reviewing right here. This configuration will value you $549.99 retail, which is fairly expensive for a Chromebook, but it surely does go on sale usually. Below you’ll discover the precise specs of my actual evaluate unit:
- Model quantity: CP514-4HN-30UC
- CPU: Intel Core 3 100U processor (6 core, 1.20GHz)
- Memory: 8GB LPDDR5X RAM
- Graphics: Intel Graphics
- Display: 14-inch 1920×1200 IPS show
- Storage: 128GB common flash storage
- Webcam: 1080p at 60 FPS
- Connectivity: USB-C, USB-A, HDMI
- Dimensions: 12.59 x 9.05 x 0.82 inches
- Weight: 3.45 kilos
- Battery: 53 watt hours
- MSRP: $549.99
You also can configure Chromebook Plus Spin 514 with as much as 16GB of RAM, as much as 256GB of SSD storage, and as much as Intel Core 7 150Uprocessors. However, the value shoots up considerably with these upgrades.
The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is a well-made convertible laptop computer–that a lot I can’t deny.
Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514: AI options
The “Plus” fashions include a slew of AI options, most of which I discovered to be pointless. I did use the Live Translate function, although. This function allows real-time translation of no matter’s enjoying on the display screen, which I discover helpful as a result of I wrestle with auditory processing. The generative AI wallpapers and video backgrounds are enjoyable to mess around with, but it surely’s not very helpful to me in my day-to-day life.
Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514: Design, construct high quality
IDG / Ashley Biancuzzo
The design is okay, but it surely’s nothing outstanding–it’s only a grey rectangular shell with barely rounded edges on the lid. In truth, it appears to be like virtually an identical to the Acer Chromebook Spin 312. The solely distinction is that it doesn’t have the colourful Chromebook brand within the right-hand nook. Without this splash of colour, the design is extra understated. It gained’t be turning any heads, that’s for certain, however some of us could desire that.
Thankfully, the construct high quality is extra spectacular than the Spin’s blah aesthetics. When I first pulled the laptop computer out of its recycled packaging, I couldn’t assist however discover how strong it felt in my fingers. This factor seems like a tank and is type of constructed like one, too. I observed no flex within the keyboard deck and solely a slight bend to the show after I gently twisted it. The backside of the chassis, the palm relaxation, and the encompassing show are product of plastic. The prime cowl, nevertheless, is product of aluminum, giving it that premium contact. Still, for a principally plastic machine, it held up nice throughout every day use.
IDG / Ashley Biancuzzo
Acer will get the 2-in-1 kind issue proper. The transition from clamshell mode to tent or pill mode was seamless and the 360 diploma hinge connecting the show to the keyboard was agency and safe. The weight distribution (when the laptop computer was in pill mode) felt even and I used to be capable of comfortably use it in each portrait and panorama orientations. Switching to pill mode will routinely activate the pill model of the working system. My solely criticism is that the laptop computer feels a bit thick when used as a pill.
Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514: Keyboard, touchpad
IDG / Ashley Biancuzzo
The keyboard is fairly comfy to sort on for lengthy durations of time. I spent a number of afternoons utilizing it to write down this evaluate and chat with coworkers on Slack or buddies on Discord. I shortly adjusted to the keyboard’s format, too–-similar to my expertise with the Acer Chromebook Spin 312. The keys have a pleasing bounciness to them and so they produce a pleasant clicking sound when depressed, which I like listening to as my fingers dance throughout the board.
The touchpad is an efficient dimension (not too huge, not too small) and it sits within the heart of the keyboard deck, giving my fingers a snug place to relaxation. The floor of the touchpad seems like glass, but it surely’s truly made out of ocean-bound plastics. There have been just a few misfires right here and there, however nothing main that I can recall.
Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514: Display, webcam, audio system
IDG / Ashley Biancuzzo
The 14-inch 1920×1200 IPS show is my favourite factor about this laptop computer. Not solely does it produce a sharp-looking image, however the bezels are additionally skinny (extra display screen!) and the taller 16:10 facet ratio makes it simpler to scroll by means of longer paperwork and internet pages. I wouldn’t say it’s the brightest display screen I’ve ever seen (Acer claims 340 nits), but it surely’s fantastic for day-to-day duties and binge-watching your favourite Netflix exhibits. The contact capabilities on this show are very responsive as properly–I didn’t discover a lot lag when swiping or tapping.
The one destructive factor I’ve to say concerning the show is that there’s glare in direct daylight, which is why I wouldn’t suggest utilizing this laptop computer open air. It does have Antimicrobial Gorilla Glass in addition to USI Active Stylus help, so at the very least there’s that.
The webcam is okay for the occasional Zoom name, however not a lot else–the image it produces is a bit fuzzy-looking. As for the microphone, my voice sounded extra hole than I favored however you might nonetheless make out what I used to be saying. I reside in a quiet neighborhood, although. If you reside in a loud metropolis or if you happen to’re working in a busy café, the background sound could drown out your talking voice. The one silver lining right here is the bodily privateness shutter, which you’ll be able to slide over the webcam when it’s not in use.
I don’t love the upwards firing audio system, as they’re simply not punchy sufficient for my style. I wish to take heed to music whereas I prepare dinner dinner and, sadly, I needed to maintain bumping up the quantity as a result of I couldn’t hear Enya’s ethereal vocals or the sharp synthesizers of her music very properly (I’m in an Enya section, go away me alone). It’s nothing a pair of headphones or exterior audio system couldn’t repair, however I want the audio system have been higher. Upwards firing audio system are usually higher than the downwards firing sort, so I used to be a bit disillusioned.
Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514: Connectivity
IDG / Ashley Biancuzzo
The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 has sufficient ports to maintain most folk blissful. There are two USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 and one audio jack on the left facet. The proper facet options one USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1, one 1.4 HDMI, and one Kensington lock. No complaints right here–it’s an amazing mixture of ports for an entry-level laptop computer.
Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514: Performance
Performance-wise, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is corresponding to the dearer Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus ($699), because it has the identical Intel Core 3 100U processor. The Intel Core 3 100U gives good single-threaded efficiency, so it’s designed to deal with on a regular basis laptop duties like primary textual content enhancing, video playback, and internet looking.
- CrXPRT 2: 169
- Speedometer 2.0: 333
- Basemark Web 3.0: 1213
- Kraken: 404.7ms
- Jetstream 2: 295.228
In use, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 performs fantastic. I used to be capable of soar from tab to tab with ease and the bootup instances have been fairly quick. Again, my every day work duties principally contain enhancing and writing, which aren’t very demanding to start with. The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 ought to breeze by means of lighter workloads, although you could have to mood your expectations or look elsewhere in case your workload is extra useful resource intensive.
Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514: Battery life
The 53 watt-hour battery isn’t significantly huge, but it surely chugged alongside properly into the night time and that alone stunned me. In our battery test, which repeatedly loops movies and varied duties, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 lasted for just a little over 15 hours on a single cost–an exceptional consequence! That’s higher than the dearer Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus ($699), which died on the 13 hour mark. However, that’s with the brightness turned down. At full brightness, you’ll be able to count on about six or seven hours out of this machine.
Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514: Conclusion
The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is a well-made convertible laptop computer–that a lot I can’t deny. The laptop computer folds simply (because it ought to!) and it’s pretty comfy to make use of in both panorama or portrait orientations. It’s additionally a long-lasting laptop computer (so long as the brightness is turned down) and the show bezels are barely there, so that you’re getting plenty of display screen. That mentioned, at full value ($549.99), it’s costly, particularly for an entry-level configuration with simply 8GB of RAM and 128GB of flash storage.
Personally? I’d look forward to a drop in value. It’s an excellent laptop computer, but it surely’s an excellent higher one when it’s much less cash. Fortunately, this laptop computer tends to go on sale usually–not too long ago, I’ve seen it go on sale for $449 at Amazon. The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 has loads to supply feature-wise, however I’d count on barely higher specs at full retail value.