OLDER, BUT NOT OBSOLETE
The breakneck pace of consumer-laptop technology
makes the Intel Pentium N4200 processor in the
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1HT-P2D1) seem like a relic. This circa-2016 quad-core
chip is the top choice in the Chromebook 514, while less
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equally old) quad-core Celeron N3450 or a dual-core
Celeron N3350. Windows-based notebook PCs around
the price of our review unit usually include newer,
faster processors, such as the Intel Core i3 U-series,
although they must contend with running Windows.
Chrome OS is comparatively lighter on resources, so
your computer doesn’t need to be as powerful to be just
as capable.
I’d have appreciated Acer ponying up for a newer CPU,
though, especially since this is a premium Chromebook.
(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 writing.) Despite the older processor, the
Chromebook 514 is responsive for web browsing and
1080p video streaming. Animation-heavy sites can take
a couple of extra seconds to load. On the plus side, the
low-power hardware means the Chromebook 514 runs
completely silent, as it doesn’t need a cooling fan. The
chassis didn’t warm up much during my usage.
On the other hand, the 8GB of memory (RAM) in my
Chromebook 514 tester is a luxurious amount for a
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have 4GB, which is still plenty for general usage. On a
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8GB of memory for any usage. Again, Chrome OS does
more with less.
The low-power
hardware
means the
Chromebook
514 runs
completely
silent, as it
doesn’t need a
cooling fan.