Acer Spin 514: Nearly the Perfect Chromebook

The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 delivers impressive performance and outstanding battery life, positioning itself as a strong contender in the convertible Chromebook market. While it excels in many areas, a couple of notable shortcomings prevent it from claiming the top spot among premium Chromebooks.

Our evaluation focused on the base $699 configuration, which features a MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 processor, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of UFS storage. The 14-inch IPS touchscreen offers a 1920 x 1200 resolution with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and reaches 300 nits of brightness. It supports USI 2.0 styluses for note-taking and drawing, though you’ll need to purchase the stylus separately and find your own storage solution since the laptop lacks a built-in slot. A higher-end model is available for $799.99 with 16GB of RAM and a sharper 2880 x 1800 display that hits 340 nits, but this upgrade doesn’t address the device’s core weaknesses.

Here’s a quick breakdown of key components:

• Screen: C
• Webcam: B
• Microphone: C
• Keyboard: B
• Touchpad: B
• Port selection: B
• Speakers: D
• Number of stickers to peel off: 2

The display looks quite good for an IPS panel, though it falls short of ideal brightness levels, 400 nits or more would be preferable. While OLED technology and higher resolution would enhance the experience, the 1920 x 1200 resolution remains perfectly acceptable on a 14-inch screen, with pleasing colors and contrast. It doesn’t match the vividness or dynamic range of the OLED display found on the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, but the fluid 120Hz refresh rate offers a satisfying alternative. Stylus responsiveness is generally reliable in tablet mode, though palm rejection could be slightly more consistent, occasionally, my pinky knuckle registered stray marks. The screen is mounted on a robust 360-degree hinge, contributing to the laptop’s durable feel.

Performance is where the Spin 514 truly shines. The MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 processor provides snappy responsiveness for everyday productivity apps and ChromeOS tasks. Unlike the fanless Lenovo model with the same chip, this Acer includes a cooling fan, which appears to yield marginally better benchmark results. During typical use, the fan remains nearly silent. Battery endurance is exceptional; I comfortably worked through a full eight- or nine-hour day involving Slack, Google Docs, Spotify streaming, numerous messaging apps, and dozens of Chrome tabs across virtual desktops, then resumed usage the following morning without needing an immediate recharge. This level of freedom is a major advantage.

Essential components like the keyboard, trackpad, and port selection are consistently reliable. The keyboard offers a pleasant typing experience with sufficient key travel, though it doesn’t quite match the tactile feedback of the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14. The mechanical trackpad performs just as well as the Lenovo’s, with a more subdued clicking sound. You get two USB-C ports that operate at twice the speed of those on the Lenovo, along with two USB-A ports for legacy devices.

Benchmark comparisons illustrate the performance profile:

• Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 (MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910): Single-core 2496, Multi-core 7726, GPU 18244
• Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 (MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910): Single-core 2448, Multi-core 7548, GPU 17995
• Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus (Intel Core 3 100U): Single-core 1860, Multi-core 5693, GPU 8785

The 5-megapixel webcam represents a significant improvement over previous Acer models, capturing sharp, well-balanced images. It handles mixed and low-light conditions reasonably well, though it occasionally struggles with very bright backgrounds, taking a moment to adjust exposure for faces near windows. Overall, it’s a capable camera for video calls.

Where the Spin 514 disappoints is in its speaker quality and the absence of a fingerprint sensor. While Android phone users can bypass the lock screen PIN when their device is nearby, this doesn’t replace the convenience of instant fingerprint unlocking. The downward-firing speakers produce muddy, muffled audio that becomes even less directed when using the laptop in tablet or tent mode. You can work around this limitation with headphones or external speakers, but it’s a frustrating compromise in an otherwise excellent machine.

The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 may not dethrone the current Chromebook champion, but it stands as a highly capable alternative. These new Arm-based Chromebooks achieve an ideal harmony of responsive performance and extended battery life, making Intel-based models less appealing unless budget is the primary concern.

If I were purchasing a high-end Chromebook today, I would choose the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 for its OLED display, superior speakers, and fingerprint reader, even at a $50 premium. Convertible designs like the Spin 514 are great for media consumption without the keyboard in the way, but I’d personally trade that flexibility for better audiovisual components and biometric security. The decision becomes more compelling if the price gap widens, which seems probable given Acer’s frequent discounts. Company representatives indicated this $699 model could regularly drop to $599.99 at retailers like Best Buy. At full price, the Spin 514 remains easy to recommend for users committed to the 2-in-1 form factor, and it becomes an even more attractive option when on sale.

(Source: The Verge)