TOP-NOTCH INPUT DEVICES
The Chromebook 514’s keyboard is on the money for
touch typing. The full-size keys have a light, springy feel
and white backlighting. The keyboard layout should
look familiar if you’re coming from a PC, and it is pretty
much in line with what I’ve seen on other Chromebooks.
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
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and launch shortcuts in conjunction with other keys.
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you need to know to get started in Google Chrome OS.
The buttonless touchpad, centered in the wrist rest, is
made of Corning Gorilla Glass. Silky-smooth and sized
for royalty, it’s a pleasure to use. I wasn’t sure whether
the slight play in its surface was intentional, but it has
utility; if you tap to click, the pad moves slightly and
gives you some audible feedback. 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.
Despite its Intel
Pentium
processor, this
Acer feels snappy
enough for most
undemanding
use thanks to
Google’s lean
Chrome OS.