This is an excellent result for a Chromebook, especially considering the
Chromebook 514 has a large 14-inch display. The same can be said about the
older Acer Chromebook 14. For everyday, hitting-it-hard usage, the battery life
might not be this good, because 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.
IT’S WORTH THE PREMIUM
The Acer Chromebook 514 delivers premium features at a reasonable price.
Provided Google Chrome OS meets your needs, it’s hard to say no to this one.
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territory, at best, for Windows-based notebook PCs, where you’d be hard-
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touch display, and a backlit keyboard as in our Chromebook 514. More budget-
oriented Chromebooks tend to lack one or more of those conveniences, too.
While the ho-hum Intel processor in the Chromebook 514 left us wishing for
something newer, it was still plenty responsive. Google Chrome OS is less
performance-hungry than Windows, so you don’t need as much power to do
equivalent tasks. Also, this Acer could use better speakers, but that’s hardly a
deal-breaker in a Chromebook (or a Windows-based notebook, for that matter).
Nearly everything else about the Chromebook 514 is a deal-maker, earning it
our top honors for a reasonably priced premium Chromebook.
CHARLES JEFFRIES
PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION (^) I SUBSCRIBE (^) I JUNE 2019