Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Acer’s 14-inch Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is available now for $649.
- Its marathon battery, snappy performance, and affordable price point make it punch 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 branch out from Windows? If you’re looking for a thin and light laptop for work, school, or everyday use, and you’re interested in divesting your reliance on Microsoft, you may want to consider a Chromebook.
There has been no shortage of snappy, easy-to-use Chromebooks in 2025. For example, one of my favorites, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus, has become my go-to travel device for 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’ve been testing is Acer’s Chromebook Plus Spin 514, a very similar 14-inch device but exchanging the OLED display for a 2-in-1 form factor and a stylus for a slightly lower price.
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I can’t help but compare the two laptops, as they’re nearly identical under the hood. Both feature the battery-efficient, octa-core MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 CPU, an ARM-compatible chip that excels at powering lightweight devices. Both models feature 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS storage, boasting stellar battery life that lasts up to 17 hours.
Also: Why the most capable Lenovo laptop on the market is not the model you’re thinking of
The physical design and displays are where they differ, however. Where Lenovo’s Chromebook Plus boasts an OLED display, the Acer opts for a WUXGA+ IPS display that runs at 120Hz — a nearly even trade-off, as the Acer’s display is still sleek and crisp. It is, however, very glossy and reflective, requiring some clever positioning while using it in the office.
The touchpad and keyboard on the Acer are more utilitarian than Lenovo’s device, thanks to the upward-firing speakers on either end of the keyboard and the rubber stoppers on all four corners of the chassis, resulting in a busier design aesthetic, especially with the stickers that come with the device.
While the build quality feels fine, there is a significant amount of flex on the keyboard and wrist rest. Pressing down in the center of the keyboard results in a depression of nearly half an inch.
Along these lines, the keyboard, while still quite tactile, does require a little more intentionality when pressing down. Every once in a while, one of my key presses wouldn’t register if I didn’t press it hard enough or was typing particularly fast. Luckily, I didn’t have this issue 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 MacBook Pro’s 12MP Center Stage camera), you’ll certainly notice the step down in quality. Along the same lines, the speakers on this laptop are pretty basic.
That being said, the battery usage — even from sustained videoconferencing use — makes up for it. This thing can be on calls all day, and it doesn’t make much of a dent in battery life. I used the Acer Chromebook Plus as my main driver for over a week; one day, I was in a nearly two-hour call and still was able to get through the entire day without once reaching for the charger.
It also practically stops losing power when it’s idle or not in use, allowing you to pick it up and start where you left off. On that note, it starts up immediately, especially with ChromeOS’s Welcome Recap feature.
Speaking of the Chromebook Plus features available in ChromeOS, you’ve got 2TB of cloud storage for Google Drive, NotebookLM, and Gemini with Google AI Pro, which comes with a year free when you buy a Chromebook Plus.
Outside of this core suite, full access to the Google Play store opens up a variety of apps and games depending on what you’re looking for; just keep in mind some mobile-only apps will only fit to vertical orientations found on mobile devices.
Also: I tested a $139 Chromebook for a week, and I’ve yet to find a better laptop deal out there
In terms of I/O, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin comes with a well-rounded 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 a Chromebook like this, you may encounter the “USB limit reached” error message if you’re trying to power more devices than the laptop’s onboard controller can support.
If you’re coming from Windows and have never used a Chromebook before, there’s a slight learning curve with ChromeOS — but it’s incredibly easy to get started with. The operating system is straightforward and simplified, and because it’s centered around Google’s ecosystem, best for users who interact closely with those features.
ZDNET’s buying advice
Working on the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is a pleasant experience, with a lovely display that feels more premium than its $649 price point would suggest. It has reliably snappy performance that sails through everyday tasks in Google’s suite of apps, multitasking with ease and sealing the deal with fantastic battery life.
The laptop’s physical build is utilitarian and unpretentious, but not quite as sleek and polished as other Chromebook Plus devices. In exchange, the price is a little more affordable, regularly priced at $649, and likely to drop further during sale events. If you’re looking for a Chromebook Plus with a nice display and absolute 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 way better speakers) then I suggest the Lenovo Chromebook Plus for $100 more.
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