$499 at Walmart. In fairness, Chromebooks aren't devices you cold-start that often. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag. A key selling point of the Chromebook 514 is that premium materials are used in its construction. Excellent battery life. Windows-based notebook PCs around the price of our review unit usually include newer, faster processors, like the Intel Core i3 U-series, although they must contend with running Windows. The breakneck pace of consumer-laptop technology makes the Intel Pentium N4200 processor in the Chromebook 514 configuration I'm reviewing (CB514-1HT-P2D1) seem like a relic. April 1, 2019 By Robby Payne Leave a Comment. Storage: 64GB eMMC But if you need an … While the ho-hum Intel processor in the Chromebook 514 left us wishing for something newer, it was still plenty responsive. The buttonless touchpad, centered in the wrist rest, is made of Corning Gorilla Glass. Follow us on ! There is also a more expensive SKU with double the RAM/storage and a more powerful Pentium processor for $499.99. Josh Goldman/CNET. The touchscreen display is a little bit wasted since it can’t fold all the way into a tablet mode. Nearly everything else about the Chromebook 514 is a deal-maker, earning it our top honors for a reasonably priced premium Chromebook. The layout is Chrome OS-prescribed and has no Windows key, of course, but the Search key (where the Caps Lock key resides on a Windows keyboard) almost works like Start, allowing you to find almost anything and launch shortcuts in conjunction with other keys. It's an excellent result for a Chromebook, especially considering the Chromebook 514 has a large 14-inch display. That resolution is an ideal match for a 14-inch-diagonal screen, offering better clarity and finer detail than the 720p (1,366-by-768-pixel) display that comes on some of the less-expensive Chromebook 514 configurations. The Acer's anti-glare screen coating is somewhat unorthodox on a touch device, which usually sports a glossy surface, but it feels quite smooth and doesn't hamper usability in the slightest. Sharp-looking aluminum design for a budget machine. Chrome OS is a relatively lightweight platform, so 4GB of RAM and a Celeron N3450 chip can go a long way. Just enter your email below. Comfortable backlit keyboard. USB-C for charging on either side and a decent selection of other options. However, the side frames of the Acer Chromebook 514 are reduced, they have a size of 6 millimeters, according to the brand. I prefer anti-glare screens because they minimize reflections and do a better job of resisting finger smudges. I'd still have appreciated if Acer ponied up for a newer CPU, though, especially since this is a premium Chromebook. Acer's Chromebook 514 (starts at $349; $499 as tested) is an upscale Chromebook with a 14-inch screen. It’s fairer to compare this model to other Chromebooks, and in that respect, it works as you’d expect for the specifications. Priced higher than a fan-fave and PCMag Editors' Choice winner from Acer, the Acer Chromebook 14, it brings to the table improved portability, a sleek aluminum design, and the option for touch-input tech. On the plus side, the low-power hardware means the Chromebook 514 runs completely silent, as it doesn't need a cooling fan. On a Windows PC, I find it hard to recommend less than 8GB of memory for any usage. PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering Labs-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. The Chromebook 514 is reasonably thin at 0.67 inches (the same as the Chromebook 13) and of moderate weight at 3.09 pounds (curiously, much lighter than the Acer Chromebook 13’s 3.5 … Unlike the cheapest variants that start at $349.99, mine has a multi-touch screen — useful for Android apps. The full-size keys have a light, springy feel and white backlighting. Slick Ultraportables Face Off: 2020 Apple MacBook Air vs. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3, High-End Mac Showdown: Apple iMac vs. Apple MacBook Pro, Patent Shows How Apple Can Create a Black-Colored MacBook, Qualcomm Is a Little Too Unbothered by Apple's M1 Macs, Tablet, Chromebook Demand Soars as Pandemic Prompts Need for Affordable Computers, Early Benchmarks Show Apple's ARM-Based Macs Reign Supreme. The anti-glare metal surfaces generally keep reflections down, though the silver color can become downright dazzling in direct sunlight. Acer's Chromebook 514 (starts at $349; $499 as tested) is an upscale Chromebook with a 14-inch screen. Plan to use the latter (or the internal Bluetooth 4.2 wireless) for audio, else you'll be stuck with the dismal sound quality of the twin built-in speakers. Sponsored by NordVPN. If you do decide that the 514 is for you, I would recommend getting the $379 model that has essentially the same specs as the one I’ve been using, minus the touchscreen display. Keep an eye on your inbox! Your subscription has been confirmed. The narrow bezel allows a 14” screen in a smaller footprint. Sharp-looking aluminum design for a budget machine. I wasn't sure if the slight play in its surface was intentional or not, but it has utility; if you tap to click, the pad moves slightly and gives you some audible feedback. A graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology, he enjoys all aspects of consumer and business tech, especially PCs, tablets, and photography. ! The display's minimal side bezels give it a modern, chic appearance, while the taller top bezel allows the Acer's 720p webcam to live up there. Good is perhaps a bit of a stretch, but by Chromebook standards, the keyboard isn’t that bad. Don't expect powerful performance if you get a Celeron N3450 model, but it's fine for general web-browsing tasks. The Acer Chromebook 314 offers excellent value for money given its price point, size and performance. Animation-heavy sites can take a couple of extra seconds to load. Subscribe to Android Police's weekly newsletter, with the biggest stories, latest deals, and insight on the week's news. Acer Chromebook 514 review: Keyboard and touchpad 9 The Chromebook is primarily intended for productivity, and I’m happy to report that the Acer Chromebook 514 has no issues at all in … CPU: Intel Core i3, i5 or i7. We're taking our Editors' Choice garland for consumer Chromebooks from the 14 and hanging it on the 514. As I said before, though, the Chromebook 514 has plenty of pep for daily tasks in Google Chrome OS. Acer Chromebook 315 battery – Poor performance Acer claims the Chromebook 315 sees a battery life of up to 12.5 hours, which surpasses the 10-hour mark that most laptops and … It’s not extortionate, but there are cheaper Chromebooks that perform just as well so it’s hard to justify this as a purchase. The Chromebook 514's keyboard is on the money for touch typing. For everyday, hitting-it-hard usage, the battery life might not be this good, as the video-playback test we run doesn't stress the processor all that much, but you shouldn't have a problem getting 10 or more hours with the Chromebook 514, provided you keep the screen brightness down. For that extra bit of power and style. The $499 commanded by our top-tier review configuration is midrange territory, at best, for Windows-based notebook PCs, where you'd be hard-pressed to find a thin-and-light aluminum chassis, all-day battery life, a full HD touch display, and a backlit keyboard as in our Chromebook 514. Two-minute review. The same can be said about the older Acer Chromebook 14. Silky-smooth and sized for royalty, it's a pleasure to use. The tutorial that appears at first startup shows you what you need to know to get started in Google Chrome OS. The original Chromebook 14 from Acer came out in 2016 and was a decent device for the price (around $300) — as such, it was popular with critics and consumers alike. They’re on the bottom and they sound plain awful, especially when you’ve got the thing resting on your lap. Thanks to the 6mm narrow bezel and wide viewing angle of the Full HD IPS screen and you can enjoy the full majesty of films, videos and TV … Fast boot times, ease of use, Tough security and a long battery life are some of the advantages of chrome OS ; Designed for working in bright-light conditions, The large 14 inch display of the Acer Chromebook … (In Acer's defense, Intel has been slow to release low-wattage budget processors for products like Chromebooks; it had produced just one new 6-watt chip, the Pentium 4425Y, since the end of 2017, as of this April 2019 writing.) If you use Chrome OS the way it’s intended — web browsing, checking emails, consuming … Asus Chromebook Flip C436. I've had the Acer Chromebook 514 for about two weeks now, and I am totally pleased with it! You’d rather pay a little less money for your glorified Chrome browser or you’d like something a little more versatile/exciting. Touch display (as tested) looks great. Big touchpad. Consider that Google Chrome OS is less performance-hungry than Windows, so you don't need as much power to do equivalent tasks. If you’ve ever seen a trailer for a movie, got super-excited about that movie, … Pressing the pad until it physically clicks makes a sound too loud for my preferences, though; I don't like advertising my clicks to everyone within earshot. Probably not. Bottom-firing speakers rarely work well, but they’re particularly odious here, especially when you have the machine on your lap and the sound is further muffled. Chrome OS is comparatively lighter on resources, so your computer doesn't need to be as powerful to be as capable. Unlike the pre-production model we tried out, this one is well put together and seemingly far more durable. 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