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Day 3 of CES 2021 and we have a little surprise for you thanks to a small package that Acer sent us. Along with the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook2, the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 is the second Chrome OS device to roll out of this year’s virtual tech event, and we have a pre-production model of the AMD Ryzen convertible in our hands. While we can’t report on performance at this time, we wanted to create a quick video to give you a quick rundown of what the new Chromebook has to offer and our first impression of the device. Take a look, then I’ll walk you through the details of Acer’s latest premium Chromebook.
Acer Spin 514 Chromebook
As I mentioned in the video, Acer is targeting not only the business market with this new Chromebook, but the consumer segment as well. When it debuts next month, the entry-level model with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage will cost $ 479, but options will go up to a Ryzen 7 with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. NVMe. We don’t have pricing for the more rugged models right now, but you can probably bet on the top model not going over $ 1000.
To build
The Chromebook Spin 514 might look a bit familiar as it shares a lot of design cues with the Spin 713. At first glance, the biggest difference is the display. The Ryzen-powered Chromebook Spin 514 has a 14 “16: 9 display as opposed to the 713’s 13.5” 3: 2 panel. Other than that, the two devices could pass for close relatives. The new Chromebook 514 has an aluminum cover and base with a magnesium alloy keyboard. Although the designs are similar, the 514 feels more ‘assembled’ than the Spin 713 and this is likely due to the fact that it has a MIL-Spec rating for drop testing, water resistance, and direct force. down. The hinges are tight and the frame is solid with very little flex or giving whatever mode you may have it. The best part is that the Spin 514 only adds a millimeter of thickness over the 713, so it doesn’t feel like a sturdy, clunky device.
Keyboard and trackpad
This Chromebook’s keyboard is standard fare for an Acer device and that’s a good thing. No, it’s not a Pixelbook Go but Acer makes some great keyboards and this one is no exception. The 514 offers an optional keyboard backlight that looks very similar to the black keys. The trackpad is definitely one area where Acer may have cut a few angles, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s certainly not glass, but anyway, it’s not floppy or cheap printing. I guess mylar, but I’ll have to research that one a bit. Either way, it has a decently sharp click and very little play that you sometimes see on non-glass trackpads.
Ports and speakers
On the outside, Acer has added a good variety of ports. You will have two USB-C ports, an A port, MicroSD and for Ryzen 5/7 models you get an HDMI port. Of course, there is a headphone jack and a Kensington lock. The speakers aren’t the best I’ve heard on a laptop, but they’re far from works. They’re actually quite loud for the sound down and the mids and highs are clear as a bell. There’s just no bass, but hey, it’s a laptop. For video conferencing and light media consumption, this is perfect. That’s about all we have right now until we can get our hands on a retail unit and make some real-world benchmarks. Here’s a look at the specs for the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 which will be available at some point in February or March.
Chromebook 514 Specifications
- Chrome OS / Chrome OS with Chrome Enterprise Upgrade
- 14 inch IPS display, touchscreen, Full HD 1920 x 1080
- AMD Ryzen Accelerated Processing Unit (APU)
- Up to 16 GB DDR4 system memory
- AMD Radeon Vega mobile graphics
- Up to 128 GB eMMC, up to 256 GB NVMe SSD
- 2 – USB Type-C ports supporting USB 3.2 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gbps)
- Display port over USB-C
- USB 3.2 Type-A port
- HDMI® port (Acer’s Chromebook Spin 514 with Ryzen 5 or 7 APU will have a built-in HDMI port. For other SKUs such as Ryzen 3, the Athlon Silver will not have a built-in HDMI port)
- 3.5mm headphone / speaker jack, support for headsets with built-in microphone
- Dimensions: 322.6 (W) x 225.5 (D) x 17.35 / 17.35 (H) mm (12.7 x 8.88 x 0.68 / 0.68 inch)
- Weight: 1.55 kg (3.42 lbs)
- Battery life: up to 10 hours
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 5 2 × 2 MIMO Bluetooth 5
- Audio: two integrated stereo speakers; Two built-in microphones
- Durability: US MIL-STD 810 (sand and dust test based on MIL-STD 810F.)
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