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. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Provided Google Chrome OS meets your needs, it's hard to say no to this one. Acer Chromebook 514 MSRP: $349 Prices may vary by retailer. The drive is large enough to let you download some movies for offline viewing. PCMag Digital Group. The chassis didn't warm up much during my usage. Chrome OS is comparatively lighter on resources, so your computer doesn't need to be as powerful to be as capable. Besides the obvious fun factor, touch adds practicality in cramped places (an airline economy seat, for instance) where you don't have a lot of elbow space and it's easier to reach forward to tap. How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad, How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill, How to Find Free Tools to Optimize Your Small Business, How to Get Started With Project Management, Read Dell Inspiron Chromebook 14 2-in-1 (7486) Review, Read Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 (LTE) Review, Dell Inspiron Chromebook 14 2-in-1 (7486). And because the Play Store is always adding to its collection of apps and offerings, you’ll find content for any mood, anytime. The left edge has a USB Type-C port for power and data, a USB Type-A 3.1 port, a microSD card slot, and an audio combo jack. Chromebooks come in all shapes and sizes. 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. I timed the 514 at an acceptable 12 seconds from power-button press to login screen. New Listing Acer Chromebook 514 CB514-1H-C11Z 14" Celeron N3450 4GB RAM 32GB NX.H4BAA.003 Acer Chromebook 514 Buy Now. On a Windows PC, I find it hard to recommend less than 8GB of memory for any usage. The Chromebook 514 predictably crushed the older Acer Chromebook 14, but its aging Pentium N4200 processor was no match for the Core i5-7Y57 chip in the double-the-price Google PixelBook, let alone the beefier (and newer) Core i3-8130U chip in the Dell Inspiron Chromebook 14 2-in-1 (7486). Whether you’re considering your first Chromebook or looking for an upgrade, we’re here to help. Sharp-looking aluminum design for a budget machine. Find more details about this device's automatic update expiration at our. 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. Backlit keyboard for comfortable low light use. Your subscription has been confirmed. Chromebooks have access to a vast library of Google-approved apps. Once you add a backlit keyboard and long battery life to the mix, it becomes a tempting alternative to budget notebook PCs in its price range. 2020 Apple MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro: Which Mac Laptop to Buy? Keep an eye on your inbox! This circa-2016 quad-core chip is the top choice in the Chromebook 514, while less-expensive configurations come with a slower (and equally old) quad-core Celeron N3450 or a dual-core Celeron N3350. Acer - Chromebook Spin 713 2-in-1 13.5" 2K VertiView 3:2 Touch - Intel i5-10210U - 8GB Memory - 128GB SSD – Steel Gray SKU: 6416477 User rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars with 199 reviews. Acer Chromebook 514, CB514-1H-C47X, Intel Celeron N3350, 14" Full HD, 4GB LPDDR4, 32GB eMMC, Backlit Keyboard, Google Chrome Visit the Acer Store 4.4 out of 5 stars 235 ratings Sharp-looking aluminum design for a budget machine. CPU: Intel Core i3, i5 or i7. Excellent battery life. Aluminum-clad and ready for all day off the plug, the Acer Chromebook 514 is a reasonably-priced standout on the premium Chromebook stage that's right-priced for students and budget buyers. Find the right accessory for your Chromebook. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag. Again, Chrome OS does more with less. 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. Outside of that, this Acer could use better speakers, but that's hardly a deal-breaker in a Chromebook (or a Windows-based notebook, for that matter). Buy Acer Chromebook 514, CB514-1HT-C7AZ, Intel Celeron N3450, 14" Full HD Touch Display, 4GB LPDDR4, 64GB eMMC, Backlit Keyboard, Google Chrome: Everything Else - Amazon.com FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases The Acer Chromebook 514 delivers premium features at a reasonable price. Asus Chromebook Flip C436. You can adjust your privacy controls anytime in your. Despite its Intel Pentium processor, this Acer feels snappy enough for most undemanding use thanks to Google's lean Chrome OS. 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. The front-facing camera on my several-years-old smartphone is much clearer. 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. 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. Enjoy access to the latest Android apps, games, music, movies, TV, books, magazines, and more, all from your Chromebook. Windows PCs usually include several times as much at this price point, but this is a Chromebook: You're expected to store most of your stuff in the cloud. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. Charles Jefferies is a native of the Philadelphia area who has been reviewing laptops and related hardware since 2005. 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. The Best Laptops for College Students in 2020. Get answers to all your questions about Chromebook. And, thanks to Chrome OS, updates are managed automatically, 1. You can expand the storage with the microSD card slot, for which you can buy up to 1TB cards. Acer's Chromebook 514 (starts at $349; $499 as tested) is an upscale Chromebook with a 14-inch screen. 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. I'd still have appreciated if Acer ponied up for a newer CPU, though, especially since this is a premium Chromebook. A step-by-step guide to switch from your Mac or Windows computer. Inside, the Chromebook 514 packs an 802.11ac wireless card and the mentioned Bluetooth connectivity. OVERVIEW; Type: Chromebook: Operating system: Chrome OS: PERFORMANCE; Processor ... 514 14" Chromebook - Intel® Celeron®, 32 GB eMMC, Silver £229.00. 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. (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.) 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. Big touchpad. 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. 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. It's the only available color. Strong & durable thanks to the aluminum chassis. Consider that Google Chrome OS is less performance-hungry than Windows, so you don't need as much power to do equivalent tasks. Lesser Chromebook 514 configurations have 4GB, which is still plenty for general usage. Discover fun and helpful videos to make the most of your Chromebook.