Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE evaluation: A small bit unfamiliar, but tranquil considerable

Designate When Reviewed

$699.99

Most life like Prices On the present time: Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE

After just a few years of modest Chromebook updates, Google is reviving the ChromeOS platform with a contemporary abilities that leans on Google’s AI. The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE stands out as a doable leader on this self-discipline, because it boasts every a extremely efficient processor and a 120Hz existing that’s supreme for cloud gaming. There’s completely 1 verbalize: it’s no longer better than its predecessor. 

Shopping for more alternatives? Take a look at out PCWorld’s roundup of the finest Chromebooks obtainable factual now.

Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE: Specs and functions

The contemporary Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE is extraordinarily same to the older Acer Chromebook 516 GE. It updates to Intel’s Core 5 120U, but that is arguably a downgrade, because the contemporary processor has two fewer cores than the Intel Core i5-1240P that used to be chanced on in the prior model. Then again, the Core 5 120U bumps up the Turbo Enhance clock speed from 4.4 to five GHz. 

• CPU: Intel Core 5 120U
• Memory: 8GB LPDDR4x 
• Graphics/GPU: Intel Built-in
• Disclose: 16-jog 2,560 x 1,600 120Hz LED, 350 nits
• Storage: 256GB 
• Webcam: 1080p
• Connectivity: 2x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 with DisplayPort and Vitality Provide, 1x USB-A, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm combo audio
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
• Biometrics: None
• Battery ability: 65 watt-hours
• Dimensions: 14.0 x 9.8 x .84 inches
• Weight: 3.81 pounds
• MSRP: $699.99 (most ceaselessly $649.99 on sale)

The specs are in any other case same to the outdated 516 GE, but succesful for a Chromebook. 8GB of memory would maybe well likely maintain to tranquil be loads for Chrome and 256GB of native storage feels roomy when the most important domestically save in apps are simply just a few hundred megabytes. The 120Hz existing is great, too, and provides the computer an edge whenever you’d thought to play games on a cloud gaming service that supports high refresh charges fancy Nvidia’s GeForce Now.

Acer says upgraded objects would maybe be obtainable with as much as an Intel Core 7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and as much as 2TB of storage. Pricing remains to be announced, nonetheless, and these objects weren’t obtainable online at the time of this evaluation.

Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE: Bear and create quality

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Acer Chromebook 516 GE would maybe perhaps also simply be running Chrome OS nonetheless it’s without a doubt no longer a skinny and lightweight intention. If truth be told, it feels moderately ragged faculty with a thick profile that measures as much as 0.84 inches and a clean 16-jog existing. It’s somewhat mild at 3.81 pounds, nonetheless.

None of that is truly execrable, nonetheless it defines the computer’s character. This isn’t an ultra-portable intention that you’re taking as much as throw in a limited earn for snappy journeys, but in its set up a straight-up different to full-sized House windows laptops.

There are perks to this create. The 516 GE appears to be like and feels steady, and even though it isn’t going to expose heads at your native espresso store, the present lid has a stunning two-tone peer. It’s a inflexible computer, as properly, with surprisingly small flex in the present lid and lower chassis even when handled roughly.

Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE: Keyboard, trackpad

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Acer Chromebook 516 GE has a truly pleased and big keyboard that lacks a numpad. There’s ample predicament so that you have to perhaps add a numpad, but ditching it keeps the keyboard aligned with the heart of the computer and above the touchpad. It also provides predicament on either facet of the keyboard for upward-firing audio system. I judge ditching the numpad used to be the factual desire (even though as a minimal one Google Sheets aficionado is shaking their fist at this paragraph, I’m optimistic).

I chanced on the 516 GE’s keyboard scrumptious, which stunned me, as I wasn’t keen on the keyboard on the outdated model. It appears to be like same to its predecessor, so I’m no longer optimistic if Acer made a alternate or if I’m simply in a more charitable mood. Nonetheless when put next to what I wrote in regards to the prior model, this keyboard has a better tactile in fact feel and more audible feedback. It’s no longer fantastic, but I did get it shining to utilize for hours at a stretch.

The touchpad, on the diversified hand, is tranquil mediocre. It measures about 5 inches broad and 3 inches deep and provides ample room to utilize Chrome OS multitouch gestures. Then again, it’s no longer a clean touchpad for a contemporary 16-jog computer, and I chanced on it a tad too responsive at its default sensitivity. 

Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE: Disclose, audio

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

Every Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE has a 16-jog IPS existing with a resolution of 2560×1600 and a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz. 1600p resolution would maybe perhaps also no longer sound unbelievable on paper, nonetheless it’s better than most competitively priced laptops and appears to be like appealing in person. I also fancy that the 16-jog existing has a matte surface, which maximizes the usefulness of the present’s listed brightness of as much as 350 nits.

Movement readability, fluidity, and responsiveness are perks thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate. Here is most noticeable when playing a sport over a cloud service that supports frame charges as much as 120 frames-per-second, equivalent to Nvidia GeForce Now. Nonetheless I’ve also attain to fancy the responsiveness a 120Hz existing can provide in easy daily tasks fancy scrolling down a websites.

Characterize quality is a blended earn. The IPS existing panel provides simply and realistic colors that always peer alluring, especially when viewing colourful tell fancy Overwatch 2 or the most contemporary Pixar movie. 

Distinction is cramped, nonetheless, especially when put next to the contemporary and an increasing number of more cost effective OLED shows obtainable on some a small bit costlier laptops. The shortcoming of distinction is most noticeable in movies and games with a darker palette fancy Diablo 4.

The upward-firing audio system on either facet of the keyboard sound decent at lower volumes, but they’ve limits. The highs of a vocalist’s verbalize can initiate as much as sound steel and shrill at high volume, whereas the bass thump of a dance music or action movie lacks affect. It’s stunning for being attentive to music whereas working, but you’ll want headphones or external audio system when playing games or watching Netflix.

Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

A 1080p webcam is nestled in the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE’s upper existing bezel. While it appears to be like decent on paper, it doesn’t are dwelling as much as expectations. Both photos and video appear gentle and grainy: at occasions, it appears to be like as execrable or worse than some 720p webcams. It’s acceptable for a Zoom call, but completely simply.

The microphone array is one other verbalize. It captured my verbalize with decent readability and volume but allowed quite loads of background noise to bound in. Even typing on the keyboard resulted in a serious quantity of clunking and clacking picked up by the microphones. This used to be factual on the prior 516 GE, nonetheless it feels diagram more important for the Chromebook Plus iteration, which is alleged to prioritize AI functions fancy noise cancellation.

Biometric login isn’t obtainable on the 516 GE, which is anticipated given its label. Few laptops supplied spherical $600 maintain a fingerprint reader or back facial recognition.

Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE: Connectivity

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Acer Chromebook 516 GE provides an excellent deal of ports. It boasts two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports, every of which back USB Vitality Provide for charging and DisplayPort for connecting an external show screen. Acer splits the USB-C ports all over the factual and left flanks in its set up of placing every on the identical facet.

Acer also provides USB-A, HDMI, Ethernet, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. It is seemingly you’ll well be in a dwelling to connect a wired keyboard, mouse, show screen, headset, and Ethernet simultaneously, all without desiring an adapter. That’s something many $2,000 laptops can’t notify. 

Wi-fi connectivity spans Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2. I’d take to peer Wi-Fi 7, nonetheless it’s no longer customarily obtainable on this label vary. Wi-Fi 6E is bigger than ample for comfortable cloud gaming when faded with an foremost router.

Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE: Performance

Acer updates the Chromebook Plus 516 GE from the Intel Core i5-1240P chanced on in the prior 516 GE to the more contemporary Core 5 120U. That appears to be like stunning at a peer, nonetheless it’s arguably a downgrade. 

Intel’s Core i5-1240P is a 12-core processor with four performance cores and eight efficient cores, whereas the Core 5 120U is a 10-core processor with completely two performance cores and eight efficient cores. This potential that, the contemporary processor is at occasions slower than its predecessor. 

• CrXPRT 2: 214
• Speedometer 2.0: 260
• Speedometer 3.0: 14.2
• Basemark Web 3.0: 1319.96
• Kraken: 411.5
• Jetstream 2: 302.864

Our slate of Chromebook benchmarks turned in scores that, even though steady, maintain been most ceaselessly no longer as high because the prior 516GE. The contemporary Chromebook Plus 516 GE fell unhurried in CrXPRT 2, Basemark Web 3.0, and the Speedometer tests. Then again, it scored wins in Kraken in Jetstream 2.

While disappointing, I don’t judge the Intel Core 5 120Usalower core depend is a substantial verbalize in follow. Most web apps predicament minimal load on native hardware sources, so it’s laborious to judge scenarios the set up extra cores are an profit. 

The Intel Core 5 120U also lacks an neural processing unit (NPU), which would maybe well likely also appear fancy a verbalize given the many AI functions chanced on on Chromebook Plus laptops. Then again, I didn’t survey any performance factors. Many AI functions are handled in the cloud, and folks which aren’t don’t appear to utilize ample native hardware sources to pull down performance.

What about games? Titles obtainable via cloud gaming products and companies, fancy Nvidia GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming, build beautifully. The 516 GE’s performance is bigger than ample to tackle streaming video and the computer’s Wi-Fi 6E adapter supplied a legitimate and steady connection. The predominant performance bottleneck would maybe well likely be the usual of your Web connection, no longer the rate of the 516 GE’s processor or integrated graphics. 

Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE: Battery existence

Every Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE ships with a 65 watt-hour battery (which is the identical ability because the prior 516 GE). It’s no longer clean for a 16-jog computer, but ChromeOS maximizes the vitality obtainable. 

The CrXPRT 2 battery benchmark, which loops a assortment of synthetic tests that emulate web browsing and web apps, drained a full fee in 13 hours and 12 minutes. That’s about an hour lower than the prior 516 GE, but three hours bigger than the 10 hours promised by Acer’s spec sheet.

Most Chromebooks carry out same battery existence, so the 516 GE’s result isn’t outstanding. Quiet, it’s bigger than ample for a full work day faraway from a vitality socket or a flight all over the Atlantic. 

The 516 GE’s exact-world battery existence regarded as if it would dip lower than the benchmark, but tranquil save me no longer off target for as a minimal 10 hours in most scenarios. Cloud gaming drains the battery more snappy than web browsing, but the computer can tranquil set up out for six or seven hours prior to it wants a fee.

Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE: Chromebook Plus… now with AI!

The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE is one among quite loads of Chromebooks to delivery with Google’s contemporary suite of AI functions, which contains Google Gemini, AI enhancements for video calls, AI photo modifying, AI generated wallpapers, and more. These functions are no longer original to the contemporary laptops and would maybe well likely maintain to tranquil also contrivance on older Chromebooks.

None of the AI functions in fact feel foremost. Gemini, for occasion, did not look on my Chromebook Plus even after the characteristic launched into public availability. Even though it used to be obtainable, I’m no longer optimistic why I’d take to utilize Gemini in an app in its set up of the browser, because the app tranquil requires Web connectivity. The AI-powered Magic Editor in Google Photos is at hand for transferring or resizing an particular person in a photograph, but same functions can be found in in competing apps. The AI-generated wallpapers are a stride over, because the characteristic completely supports producing wallpapers with a slim vary of preset prompts. 

Google has promised a desire of more critical functions, including AI summaries for PDFs and hands-free ChromeOS navigation via gesture tracking, nonetheless it’s unclear when these functions will delivery.

While the contemporary AI functions are so-so, one crucial perk is without extend obtainable: clients who pick qualifying Chromebook Plus objects (which contains the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE) receive 12 months of Google’s One AI Top rate thought, which provides get entry to to Google Gemini Evolved and 2TB of Google Force storage. That adds quite loads of cost, and it would maybe well likely also tip clients who thought to utilize quite loads of cloud storage towards a Chromebook in its set up of a House windows machine.

Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE: Conclusion

Acer’s Chromebook Plus 516 GE is a steady take for clients who want a ChromeOS computer with factual performance, quite loads of storage, and a substantial show mask mask. The $650 label rate is a bit high for a Chromebook, but the 516 GE provides quite loads of cost for the money, and it’s optimistic to allure to ChromeOS loyalists. It’s also a steady platform for cloud gaming, because the 120Hz existing provides factual motion fluidity. 

Then again, the updated Core 5 120U processor puts the contemporary 516 GE in an original set up. It has two fewer cores than the Core i5-1240P in the outgoing model and, in consequence, delivered a small bit lower performance overall. I tranquil indicate the 516 GE, but the contemporary model feels more fancy a marketing maneuver than a critical replace.