Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 assessment: the brand new go-to 2-in-1 Chromebook Leave a comment

I used to be cautiously optimistic about Acer’s Chromebook Plus Spin 514 when I examined a preproduction mannequin final month, however the ultimate unit is right here now and it sticks the touchdown. Nicely, principally.

Acer’s newest convertible Chromebook has zippy efficiency and oodles of battery life, together with a great touchscreen with stylus assist. However crappy audio system and no fingerprint sensor make its $700 value more durable to swallow, and prevents it from dethroning the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, our present favourite Chromebook.

Our assessment unit of the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is the base $699 config. It has MediaTek’s Kompanio Extremely 910 processor (similar because the current Lenovo), 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of UFS storage. Its 14-inch 1920 x 1200 IPS touchscreen has a 120Hz refresh fee and reaches 300 nits of brightness. And it helps USI 2.0 styluses, although they’re bought individually and there’s nowhere on the laptop computer to stow them. Acer sells a $799.99 spec with 16GB of RAM and a 2880 x 1800 decision show that’s barely brighter at 340 nits, however that upcharge doesn’t actually remedy the Spin’s largest downsides.

I want the display screen was a lot brighter (400 nits or greater, ideally), and I at all times favor OLED and a pair of.5K decision, however this can be a nice-looking IPS panel. I preserve that 1920 x 1200 decision is okay (not splendid, however the minimal tolerable spec) for a 14-inch display screen if every little thing seems to be good color- and contrast-wise. And that’s the case right here. It doesn’t look practically as vivid, vibrant, and contrasty because the OLED on the Lenovo, however the sooner 120Hz refresh is a good comfort. Stylus sensitivity for note-taking on the Spin 514 in pill mode is sweet, although palm rejection may very well be just a bit bit higher. I’ve had some uncommon circumstances the place the knuckle of my pinky finger drew a small line. However this can be a strong display screen with a pleasant, quick refresh fee, and it’s connected to a sturdy 360-degree hinge.

The Spin 514’s star characteristic is its Kompanio Extremely 910 processor. The Arm-based chip is speedy sufficient for on a regular basis productiveness duties and typical ChromeOS internet apps, and it simply lasts nicely over a full workday on battery energy. In contrast to Lenovo’s Chromebook Plus with the identical chip, the Spin has a cooling fan. It appeared to lead to barely higher benchmark scores than Lenovo’s Chromebook Plus 14, however in common utilization I hardly ever hear the fan spin up in any respect. I can work an eight-to-nine-hour day consisting of Slack, Google Docs, enjoying music on Spotify, plenty of messaging, many open Chrome tabs throughout digital desktops, and so forth., put it to sleep for the night, and get by means of practically half of the subsequent day earlier than having to cost. I like that type of freedom.

As for important elements just like the keyboard, trackpad, and ports, the Spin 514 is strong throughout the board. The keyboard isn’t fairly as tactile and good as its Lenovo counterpart, however it feels good to sort on, and key journey is enough. The mechanical trackpad is simply pretty much as good because the one on the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, however with a greater, extra dampened sound. And its two USB-C ports are twice as quick because the Lenovo’s.

The webcam on the Spin 514 is a monumental improve from the final Acer laptops I examined. As a substitute of an overprocessed, crunchy picture, the 5-megapixel digital camera right here is sharp and adequately contrasty. It handles combined and low mild nicely sufficient, although it as a substitute typically struggled with actually vibrant scenes close to a window, taking a second to find out that my face was blown out and wanted to be toned down. However on common, this can be a excellent webcam.

The place Acer falters is the Spin 514’s audio system and lack of biometric login. When you use an Android cellphone it can save you your self from placing in your lockscreen PIN each time by having your cellphone linked and close by. However that’s no substitute for shortly unlocking your laptop computer together with your fingerprint. The audio system are equally irksome, and being on the flanks of the keyboard they hearth away from you in pill / tent mode. However even when oriented towards you, they sound muddy and muffled. You may at all times circumvent poor audio system with headphones or exterior audio system, however it’s a blight on this in any other case nice laptop computer.

The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 isn’t the brand new king or queen of Chromebooks, however it’s a decent duke or duchess. These new Arm-based Chromebooks strike that just-right stability of nice efficiency and lengthy battery life, and I don’t see a lot purpose to sacrifice one or each with an Intel-based mannequin except you’re actually value delicate.

If I have been shopping for a high-end Chromebook myself proper now, I’d decide the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 for $50 extra. I like 2-in-1 convertibles just like the Acer as a result of they let me often get the keyboard out of the best way to look at stuff, however I don’t thoughts sticking to a clamshell type think about alternate for an OLED show, good audio system, and a fingerprint sensor. If the value delta have been better, I would rethink issues. And that’s possible only a matter of time. Acer laptops typically go on sale, and Kelly Odle, media relations for Acer, instructed me this $699 laptop computer will possible get common reductions as little as $599.99 at Finest Purchase. I can nonetheless suggest the Spin 514 at its full value to somebody who actually needs a convertible Chromebook. It’s an excellent 2-in-1 that’ll be extra broadly compelling if and when it goes on sale.

Images by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge