Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 Review: A Value-For-Money 2-in-1 Laptop

The laundry checklist of points I’ve with the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 makes this 2-in-1 laptop computer sound dreadful. Nonetheless, given the superb execution of its pill mode and an unbeatable worth, this can be the perfect value-for-money machine of its type.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514

A 2-in-1 laptop-tablet hybrid from Acer that runs on ChromeOS and contains cloud-based AI options.

Professionals

• Unbeatable worth
• Nice typing really feel
• Spectacular pill mode
• Seamless AI integration
• Sturdy in all configurations

Cons

• Tinny and poorly positioned audio system
• Unsatisfactory battery life
• Low high quality digicam
• Dim show

Worth and Availability

The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is out there beginning at $549.99. This base mannequin—the one I examined—sports activities a 14-inch 1920 x 1200 60 Hz IPS show, an Intel Core 3 100U Hexa-core 1.20 GHz processor, 8 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of UFS. Most of those specs enhance with higher-end fashions.

A 65W energy adapter comes included within the field.

Design Seems Finances, however Doesn’t Really feel Finances

The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514’s slate gray-colored plastic shell reads like one thing out of an industrial design 101 class. It left me fully uninspired at first look—not that I was expecting more from a budget laptop—however my angle rapidly modified after I began utilizing it.

As a author, my first impression of a laptop computer will at all times be its keyboard. It must really feel good to sort on if I’m to get pleasure from doing my job. Acer nailed this important facet with giant, punchy switches and not one of the superfluous proprietary keys many laptop computer keyboards tack on. The one exception to that is the smart replacement of the caps lock key with a Windows-esque launcher key, which can be utilized in key combos to entry quite a lot of options, together with caps lock. There’s no backlight, but when that was a vital lower to get a keyboard of this high quality on this laptop computer, Acer selected the proper trade-off. Costlier fashions provide a backlit keyboard.

I’m a bit much less enthusiastic concerning the trackpad, although it will get the job finished. It’s a tad smaller, has occasional sensitivity hiccups, and its unclickable prime part feels clunky. That final level is par for the course with non-Apple trackpads, although, and general, I don’t assume most customers will find yourself having too many points right here.

Acer’s suite of ports can also be a boon to not be taken with no consideration in a price range providing. You get an HDMI port, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, one USB-A 3.2 port, and two USB-C 3.2 ports. It’s a minor shame that these couldn’t be bumped to USB4, however I don’t assume the audience right here will run into any points. A slot for a Kensington lock can also be included.

A 2-in-1 Design Carried out (Principally) Proper

That is all preamble to the realm the place Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 excels: its 2-in-1 form factor.

When you haven’t used a hybrid laptop computer like this earlier than, the idea is that the touchscreen show is mounted on a 360-degree hinge that turns into a pill when folded over on itself. Doing so instantly prompts a pill model of the working system. As an added plus, the flexibleness of those units permits for some helpful unconventional configurations, the preferred being folding the machine right into a tent form for media consumption.

A number of the issues that always plague these units are unfastened hinges, poor weight distribution, and awkward grips. The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 avoids all of those pitfalls with flying colours. The hinge unwaveringly holds its type at each conceivable angle, sufficient in order that appreciable drive is required to maneuver it. The burden distribution of the pill mode is even when held in each portrait and panorama orientations. In flip, each of those traits assist make gripping the machine comfy, particularly since there aren’t any awkward angles to contort round. It’s much more spectacular contemplating 14 inches sits on the largest finish of pill sizes.

I do have just a few critiques, although. The small quantity button is commonly arduous to find, and it’s straightforward to mistake for the ability button. Additionally, the audio system located on both facet of the keyboard emit sound away from the consumer. I discovered all of it however necessary to make use of headphones after transitioning to pill mode. If there’s one a part of the pill expertise that Acer wants to handle in future revisions, it’s this.

These are gripes within the massive image of what this pill mode presents, although. Among the many handful of more premium-priced 2-in-1 laptops I’ve used, that is the primary I’ve felt has gotten the mandatory necessities proper. I’d even say that is the perfect method to make use of the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514, since ChromeOS is of course well-suited for touchscreens, and it lets you correctly run Android apps.

A Show With an Unlucky Concession

The price range nature of the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 begins to indicate in its show. A number of the concessions make sense, whereas others are disappointing whatever the worth level.

For that first class, Acer made the best name in opting for a bigger display screen with a baseline 1920 x 1200 decision than a smaller one with a slight decision bump. 14 inches is the proper midpoint between spaciousness and portability and is beastly for a pill. The draw back is the uniform pixelation, although it’s not one thing most customers are prone to discover.

What could be extra of a problem is the display screen’s dimness. It is marketed as reaching a peak of 340 nits, which causes the picture to look washed out even in darkish rooms and crumbles in direct daylight. I both discovered the display screen boring or uncomfortable to take a look at, or each. It’s an unlucky concession because it singularly hindered my enjoyment of the laptop computer, and even a average bump in nits would’ve made all of the distinction.

Don’t Count on A lot of the Digital camera, Audio system, and Microphone

Bear in mind once I talked about disappointment within the backwards-facing design of the audio system in pill configurations? Effectively, you in all probability gained’t be too eager to make use of them to start with, as they’re fairly junk. I don’t use that phrase calmly: they emit such a tinny sound that even podcasts sound shrill. Count on to have headphones or an exterior speaker on-hand because the sound that comes out of those audio system is straight-up disagreeable and, to me, unusable.

The digicam isn’t significantly better. The picture it produces is smudgy, artifact-ridden, and has an aggressive stroboscopic flash effect in video. These points are exacerbated by low lighting; the picture I included above was taken with each gentle in my residence turned on for the very best consequence. It’s positive for leisure video calls, however not way more. I do just like the privateness cowl that may be slid over the digicam, although.

The microphone’s recording high quality is hole and static-ridden, and voices are simply washed out by background noise. Residing in a populous space of New York Metropolis, I take care of this loads! Nonetheless, I’m truly impressed by how properly the pre-installed Recorder app’s transcription characteristic can accurately choose phrases out of extraordinarily noisy recordings. Transcriptions are general extra correct than these I’ve tried in merchandise from different main manufacturers, which lessens the blow of the microphone’s low high quality a bit.

Battery Life Is a Letdown

Acer touts the Chromebook Plus Spin 514’s battery as lasting as much as 10 hours, however I didn’t discover this to be true. My common battery life from 100% to close down hovered round 6.5 hours. Testing included internet searching, YouTube consumption, utilizing numerous pre-installed companies, and a few idle durations. So, nothing that needs to be pushing this laptop computer too arduous outdoors of retaining the brightness maxed.

This in all probability gained’t be a problem if you happen to’re accustomed to charging commonly. Nonetheless, in case your use case calls for day-long use away from an influence supply, this laptop computer is not prone to final so long as you want it to. A number of the sting is taken out by quick charging occasions, however I nonetheless anticipated extra given Acer’s estimates.

ChromeOS Isn’t for Everybody

As you’d anticipate from its title, this 2-in-1 laptop computer runs on ChromeOS. When you’re unfamiliar with the working system, it’s essential you perceive its distinctive quirks.

For all intents and functions, ChromeOS is a glorified hub for Google-owned companies and Android connectivity. The Google Play app retailer is the first methodology of acquiring new software program, together with appropriate Android apps. Google’s suite of apps is basically wrappers on internet companies. Some—like its workplace suite—simply open a Chrome internet web page altogether.

This give attention to cloud companies is how Chomebooks punch past their weight, nevertheless it’s at the price of a extra versatile working system like Home windows or macOS. Nonetheless, as a result of its consumer interface is already not dissimilar to a pill, it’s a particularly nice match for a 2-in-1 laptop computer. Simply know that if you happen to’re transferring to this from a extra strong working system, it’ll really feel like utilizing a pill on a laptop computer, along the lines of Samsung DeX. It’s a fantastic expertise if you happen to’re primarily out there for a pill, however much less so if you happen to want a conventional pc.

Wise AI Options

The maximalism that tech giants have exercised in introducing AI to the general public has largely resulted in features that often don’t work and garish generative photos of use to no one. The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 takes a extra nuanced method that seems like it really works alongside you when wanted, assuming you’ve the requisite on-line connectivity.

AI options embody dwell transcription and translation of all audio and video, a writing assistant, and summaries of internet pages and voice memos. This final one might be the least spectacular, given the summaries are often brief to the purpose of uselessness, however the writing assistant will definitely be useful to some customers. You possibly can do that for your self on Google Docs, although it’s extra seamlessly built-in on a Chromebook Plus.

The transcription and translation are essentially the most spectacular characteristic of the bunch, as they supply pretty correct captions for each piece of multimedia content material. It’s a incredible accessibility characteristic and a mannequin for AI implementation that the competitors ought to comply with.

There’s additionally a Gemini portal where you can chat up Google’s ChatGPT-like chatbot, although that is, like most different apps right here, a wrapper on an internet browser. What’s essential is that it by no means feels like several of those options are compelled upon you, so if you need nothing to do with AI, you possibly can simply flip it off or ignore it.

Ought to You Purchase an Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514?

The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is a product for a really particular particular person: somebody who lives within the Google and Android ecosystems, isn’t an influence consumer, and has a selected curiosity in utilizing the machine as a pill (maybe much more so than a laptop computer). Alternatively, it’s a fantastic second laptop computer if you happen to want a straightforward journey companion. For $549.99, that is nearly as good because it will get, particularly within the 2-in-1 realm.

Nonetheless, if you happen to begin taking a look at costlier variants of this Chromebook Plus, it’s in all probability price investing as an alternative in a laptop that runs Windows, or a more powerful tablet.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514

A 2-in-1 laptop-tablet hybrid from Acer that runs on ChromeOS and contains cloud-based AI options.