acer chromebook plus spin 514
ZDNET Highlights
- Acer’s 14-inch Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is now available for $649.
- Its marathon battery, fast performance and affordable price make it punch well above its weight.
- Its physical build won’t appeal to everyone, it has some hardware limitations, and its speakers are very basic.
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Ready to exit Windows? If you’re looking for a thin and light laptop for work, school, or everyday use, and you’re interested in eliminating your reliance on Microsoft, you may want to consider a Chromebook.
There’s no shortage of fast, easy-to-use Chromebooks in 2025. For example, one of my favorites, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus, has become my favorite travel device thanks to its portability, marathon battery, and satisfying physical design.
Also: This Lenovo Chromebook easily replaced my Windows laptop for work — and I can’t go back
But the latest Chromebook Plus I’m testing Acer’s Chromebook Plus Spin 514A very similar 14-inch device but exchanging an OLED display for a 2-in-1 form factor and a stylus at a slightly lower price.
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I can’t help but compare both the laptops, as they are almost identical under the hood. Both feature a battery-efficient, octa-core MediaTek Companio Ultra 910 CPU, an ARM-compatible chip that is excellent at powering lightweight devices. Both models have 12GB LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB UFS storage, with great battery life that lasts up to 17 hours.
Also: Why the most capable Lenovo laptop on the market isn’t the model you’re thinking of
However, the physical design and display are different. Where Lenovo’s Chromebook Plus boasts an OLED display, Acer opts for a WUXGA+ IPS display that runs at 120Hz – almost an identical trade-off, as Acer’s display is still smooth and crisp. However, it is very shiny and reflective, requiring some clever positioning when using it in the office.
The touchpad and keyboard on the Acer are more useful than Lenovo’s device, thanks to upward-firing speakers on either end of the keyboard and rubber stoppers on all four corners of the chassis, resulting in a busy design aesthetic, especially with the stickers that come with the device.
While the build quality seems fine, there is a significant amount of flex on the keyboard and wrist rest. Pressing down on the center of the keyboard leaves a depression of about half an inch.
Along these lines, the keyboard, although still quite tactile, requires a little more intentionality when pressing down. From time to time, if I didn’t press hard enough or was typing particularly fast, one of my key presses wouldn’t register. Luckily, I didn’t have this problem with the trackpad.
Also: How this DIY Windows laptop stole my heart from more expensive models (and it works with Linux)
The 5MP webcam isn’t the worst, but if you’re coming from a better camera elsewhere (or the MacBook Pro’s 12MP center stage camera), you’ll definitely notice a drop in quality. On the same lines, the speakers on this laptop are also quite basic.
That being said, battery usage – even with frequent videoconferencing use – is offset by this. This thing can stay on calls all day, and it doesn’t have much impact on battery life. I used an Acer Chromebook Plus as my main driver for over a week; One day, I was on a call for almost two hours and was still able to go an entire day without reaching for the charger.
It practically stops losing power when idling or not in use, so you can pick it up and pick up where you left off. On that note, it gets started quickly, especially with ChromeOS’s Welcome Recap feature.
Talking about Chromebook Plus features available in ChromeOS, you get Google AI Pro along with Google Drive, NotebookLM, and 2TB of cloud storage for Gemini, which comes free for a year when you purchase Chromebook Plus.
Outside of this core suite, full access to the Google Play store opens up a wide variety of apps and games depending on what you’re looking for; Just keep in mind that some mobile-only apps will only fit in the vertical orientation found on mobile devices.
Also: I tested a $139 Chromebook for a week, and I haven’t found a better laptop deal yet
In terms of I/O, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin comes with a wide selection of ports: two USB-A ports (both on the right), two USB-C ports (both on the left), a headphone jack, and a lock slot. Just be aware that on Chromebooks like this one, if you’re trying to power more devices than can be supported by the laptop’s onboard controller, you may encounter a “USB limit reached” error message.
If you’re coming from Windows and have never used a Chromebook before, there’s a bit of a learning curve with ChromeOS – but it’s incredibly easy to get started with. The operating system is straightforward and simple, and because it’s centered around Google’s ecosystem, it’s best for users who interact closely with those features.
ZDNET’s shopping advice
working on acer chromebook plus spin 514 It’s a pleasant experience, with a beautiful display that feels more premium than its $649 price point. It has reliably fast performance that handles everyday tasks across Google’s suite of apps, multitasking with ease and rounds off the deal with great battery life.
The laptop’s physical build is utilitarian and simple, but not as sleek and polished as other Chromebook Plus devices. In turn, the price is a bit more affordable, regularly costing $649, and it is likely to go down further during sale events. If you’re looking for a Chromebook Plus with a good display and a full marathon battery that won’t break the bank, this is one of your best options.
If you’re looking for a more premium Chromebook Plus (with better speakers) I recommend lenovo chromebook plus For $100 more.
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