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Acer Chromebook Plus 516: Two-minute evaluation
The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 is a big gadget with a fairly sturdy spec, making it best for varied productiveness and leisure wants. It won’t look terribly auspicious, and the colour is slightly dour, but it surely’s surprisingly skinny for a Chromebook this measurement, which helps to make it extra modern.
It’s additionally a well-made machine, with supplies that really feel sturdy but mild. What’s extra, the lid hinges permit for simple opening and provide stability at any angle all the way in which as much as 170 levels.
It additionally has one of many best Chromebook keyboards when it comes to structure, with loads of keys included, comparable to a quantity pad, with out compromising spacing. This makes typing straightforward, and the snappy nature of the person keys makes them satisfying, too.
The touchpad is equally succesful, offering responsive inputs and loads of accuracy, which, mixed with its giant measurement, makes for simple navigation. It additionally manages to maintain out of the way in which whereas typing.
Port choice on the Chromebook Plus 516 is sort of good, and I used to be happy to see the inclusion of two USB-C ports. Nevertheless, it’s a minor disgrace each are on the identical facet, which can restrict your choices when plugging into an outlet. Nonetheless, the 2 USB-A ports, HDMI port and audio jack are all welcome additions.
By way of efficiency, the Chromebook Plus 516 handles most duties effectively. It hundreds apps rapidly and multitasks very effectively. Even cellular gaming on excessive settings is viable. It additionally takes Extremely HD content material in its stride, streaming it and not using a hitch for probably the most half. Viewing such content material is made all of the extra satisfying because of that enormous, crisp, and vibrant show, which additionally does an admirable job of conserving reflections at bay.
Sadly, the battery lifetime of the Chromebook Plus 516 isn’t significantly spectacular relative to its rivals. Throughout our film playback take a look at, it failed to interrupt previous eight hours, a threshold many fashionable Chromebooks can exceed.
With a beginning value of £399.99 (about $540 / AU$830), the Chromebook Plus 516 sits someplace in the course of the market. Nevertheless, it is good worth when you think about its efficiency, show, and productiveness credentials.
Acer Chromebook Plus 516 evaluation: Value and availability
- Begins from £399.99 (about $540 / AU$830)
- Obtainable from August within the UK
- Mid-market pricing
The Chromebook Plus 516 begins from £399.99 (about $540 / AU$830) and is offered within the UK from August in a single colorway. A number of storage, CPU, RAM and graphics choices are configurable. A backlit keyboard can be specified, as can a contact display screen.
It’s about the identical value because the equally succesful however barely smaller Acer Chromebook Plus 514. Like that mannequin, the 516 sits someplace in the course of the market, however maybe represents barely higher worth owing to the bigger display screen measurement and additional keys.
Nevertheless, when you nonetheless need nice efficiency however at a lower cost, the older Acer Chromebook Plus 515 stays an excellent choose, and its 15.6-inch measurement continues to be large enough to please those that favor giant shows; there’s a purpose we expect it’s one of many best student Chromebooks, in any case.
In the event you’re after one thing cheaper nonetheless, we expect the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook is the best student laptop for these on a funds. Its efficiency is not any match for the mightier Chromebook Plus 516, and it’s additionally a lot smaller, but it surely has the benefit of being a 2-in-1 gadget, because of its 360-degree rotation and touchscreen.
Acer Chromebook Plus 516 evaluation: Specs
These specs pertain to my evaluation unit of the Acer Chromebook Plus 516:
|
Value |
£399.99 (about $540 / AU$830) |
|
CPU |
Intel Core 3 100U (8 threads, 4.7GHz) |
|
Graphics |
Built-in, Intel UHD Graphics |
|
RAM |
8GB LPDDR5 |
|
Display screen |
16-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS, 16:10 |
|
Storage |
128GB UFS |
|
Ports |
2x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x 3.5mm audio |
|
Wi-fi |
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 |
|
Digital camera |
HD 1080p |
|
Weight |
3.75lbs (1.7kg) |
|
Dimensions |
14.1 x 10 x 0.8 inches (359 x 253 x 19mm) |
Acer Chromebook Plus 516 evaluation: Design
- Sensible and effectively made
- Loads of keys
- Each USB-C ports on identical facet
The Chromebook Plus 516 adopts the pretty typical Acer aesthetic, with a modern however understated look. There’s nothing significantly spectacular about its appears to be like, but it surely’s not less than free from too many fussy particulars.
Regardless of its giant measurement, it’s pleasingly skinny and never fairly as heavy as you’d anticipate it to be. It’s no match for smaller Chromebooks when it comes to portability, however all sides are fairly flat and easy, which helps when sliding it into your bag.
The construct high quality is on par with the perfect Chromebooks. Sure supplies look extra premium than others, however all really feel stable and sturdy. The keycaps are maybe the least spectacular visually, however they’re tightly fitted.
The hinge mechanism is equally well-engineered. The lid is straightforward to open and transfer into any place, and its most recline angle of 170 levels makes it versatile for varied setups. What’s extra, it stays secure in any place; there’s subsequent to no wobble, which is all of the extra spectacular given its thinness and lightness.
The keyboard options quite a few shortcut keys on the F row, all of that are fairly helpful. Highlights embrace one for taking screenshots, one for dictation, and one for opening a menu containing varied accessibility features.
Being a Chromebook Plus, you additionally get a Fast Insert key, used for accessing recordsdata, opening latest paperwork or creating new ones, inserting hyperlinks, utilizing AI instruments, and different productivity-based features.
The keyboard even features a navigation cluster and quantity pad, each of which I welcome. Extra impressively, these don’t compromise the structure spacing, because of the width of the gadget itself. The touchpad additionally manages to not get in the way in which whereas typing, regardless of its comparatively giant measurement.
I used to be happy to see the Chromebook Plus 516 options two USB-C ports, though sadly they’re each the identical facet, which considerably limits versatility when plugging into an outlet. Nonetheless, it’s good to have a couple of, and the additional ports – two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and a 3.5mm headset jack – are all welcome additions. There’s no SD card slot, although, which is perhaps an issue for some customers.
Acer Chromebook Plus 516 evaluation: Efficiency
- Quick and succesful multitasker
- Can deal with mild gaming
- Sharp show
Benchmarks
These are the outcomes of our benchmarking checks for the Acer Chromebook Plus 516:
TechRadar Battery Life Check: 7 hours and 35 minutes
Jetstream2 Benchmark: 295.772
Kraken Benchmark: 398.5ms
Speedometer 3.0: 18.8 (±1.0)
The Chromebook Plus 516 is sort of a succesful performer. Creating and enhancing paperwork and spreadsheets is not any downside for it, whereas switching between apps and a number of tabs is taken in its stride.
Gaming efficiency can be admirable. I managed to play Asphalt Legends Unite on excessive graphics settings with out concern, working easily with little stutter. This was particularly spectacular provided that the sport really helpful I play on decrease settings based mostly on the specs, however you’ll nonetheless need one of many best gaming laptops when you plan on enjoying extra intensive video games.
It will probably stream extremely HD content material with relative ease as effectively. Throughout my testing, I encountered little in the way in which of buffering or stuttering, making for seamless viewing in the principle.
The expertise is made even higher because of the surprisingly vibrant show, which additionally avoids the washed-out look that afflicts some Chromebooks. Reflections do reveal themselves considerably in darker scenes and unfavorable lighting circumstances, however usually they’re saved at bay fairly effectively.
Furthermore, the 1920 x 1200 decision is suitably sharp for its giant measurement, which makes the UI very clear, whereas the skinny bezels be sure that probably the most is manufactured from the allotted actual property.
Typing on the Chromebook Plus 516 can be a pleasure. Regardless of the inauspicious wanting keys, they carry out effectively, with their mild actuation and simply sufficient dampening to make them tactile. Regardless of the inclusion of a quantity pad and different further keys, I didn’t discover the structure cramped, which made for an correct and cozy typing expertise.
The trackpad is brilliantly easy and really exact, monitoring completely with my finger actions and gestures. As with the keys, it solely requires a light-weight contact, which makes it straightforward to make use of.
- Efficiency rating: 4.5 / 5
Acer Chromebook Plus 516 evaluation: Battery life
The Chromebook Plus 516 does not have a really spectacular battery life, posting a below-average rating throughout our take a look at. We ran a film on a steady loop, and it gave up the ghost after seven hours and 35 minutes.
The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 we examined fared higher, managing to final virtually an hour longer. The a lot smaller Chromebook Spin 312 additionally eclipsed it, working all the way in which previous 11 hours earlier than complete depletion.
Nevertheless, the Chromebook Plus 516 nonetheless did higher than the older Chromebook Plus 515, which solely managed 5 hours. Nevertheless, when you’re after a tool that may actually go all day, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook is maybe your best option, as this lasted over 16 hours in our film playback take a look at.
Ought to I purchase the Acer Chromebook Plus 516?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Ranking |
|---|---|---|
|
Value |
The Chromebook Plus 516 has a value you may anticipate for a Chromebook Plus, though its measurement and keyboard impart further worth. |
3.5 / 5 |
|
Design |
The Chromebook Plus 516 is pleasingly skinny for such a big gadget, and the construct high quality is respectable. The keyboard is nice for productiveness, too. |
4 / 5 |
|
Efficiency |
The Chromebook Plus 516 can deal with all types of duties, together with mild gaming, whereas the sharp and vibrant show is nice for viewing Extremely HD content material. |
4.5 / 5 |
|
Battery life |
The Chromebook Plus 516 is much from the perfect in school in relation to battery life, with many others able to outliving it. |
2.5 / 5 |
|
Complete Rating |
The Chromebook Plus 516 is a good performer with a vibrant show and a helpful keyboard. In the event you’re after a big Chromebook for work and play, it suits the invoice fairly effectively – as long as you don’t plan on utilizing it unplugged all day lengthy. |
4 / 5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Acer Chromebook Plus 516 evaluation: Additionally take into account
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
Acer Chromebook Plus 516 |
Acer Chromebook Plus 514 |
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Value |
Begins from £399.99 (about $540 / AU$830) |
$399 / £399 (about AU$560) |
$399.99 / £399.99 (round AU$633) |
|
CPU |
Intel Core 3 100U (8 threads, 4.7GHz) |
Intel Core 3 100U (8 threads, 4.7GHz) |
1.1GHz Intel Celeron N4020 (dual-core, 4MB cache, as much as 2.8GHz Burst) |
|
Graphics |
Built-in, Intel UHD Graphics |
Built-in, Intel UHD Graphics |
Intel UHD Graphics 600 |
|
RAM |
8GB LPDDR5 |
8GB LPDDR5 |
4GB DDR4 |
|
Display screen |
16-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS, 16:10 |
14-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS, 16:10 |
11-inch IPS touchscreen, 1,366 x 768 |
|
Storage |
128GB UFS |
128GB UFS |
64GB eMMC |
|
Ports |
2x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x 3.5mm audio |
2x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x 3.5mm audio |
2x USB-C with charging, 2x USB-A, microSD |
|
Wi-fi |
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 |
Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth |
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2 |
|
Digital camera |
HD 1080p |
HD 1080p |
720p |
|
Weight |
3.75lbs (1.7kg) |
3.15lbs (1.43kg) |
2.64lbs (1.2kg) |
|
Dimensions |
14.1 x 10 x 0.8 inches (359 x 253 x 19mm) |
12.9 x 8.9 x 0.8 inches (32.7 x 22.5 x 2cm) |
0.7 x 11.41 x 8.18 inches (17.8 x 290 x 207.8mm) |
Listed here are some options to the Chromebook Plus 516:
How I examined the Acer Chromebook Plus 516
- Examined for 2 days
- Used for quite a lot of duties
- Plentiful Chromebook reviewing expertise
I examined the Chromebook Plus 516 for just a few days, throughout which era I used it for quite a lot of duties, together with productiveness, gaming, and searching.
I edited spreadsheets and paperwork, used a number of tabs when searching in Chrome, and streamed 4K content material. I additionally performed Asphalt Legends Unite, and related varied peripherals by way of Bluetooth.
I’ve used varied Chromebooks and different laptop computer gadgets for many years, and have reviewed quite a lot of them too (together with different Acer fashions), various of their value factors, type elements, and efficiency.