Acer's Chromebook Plus 514 Laptop Dreams Big Of Being An AI PC
It's important to dream big, and to that end, Acer's new and affordable Chromebook Plus 514 laptop has aspirations being an AI PC, though not necessarily through specialized hardware. Instead, the heavy marketing pitch towards AI is geared towards the "AI-powered capabilities of ChromeOS" and the Chromebook Plus ecosystem as a whole.
Chromebook Plus is a relatively new category of Chromebooks that offer more performance than their non-Plus brethren, with "built-in Google apps and powerful AI capabilities." These systems come with faster processors and double the memory, along with Full HD 1080p displays with IPS panels. In order to qualify as a Chromebook Plus laptop, a system must meet these minimum hardware requirements...
- CPU: Intel Core i3 12th Gen or AMD Ryzen 3 7000 series or above
- RAM: 8GB+
- Storage: 128GB+
- Webcam: 1080+ with Temporal Noise Reduction
- Display: Full HD IPS or better
That said, you won't find dedicated NPU hardware on these systems (not yet, anyway), which are staples of higher-end processor offerings from AMD and Intel. So while the AI marketing angle is valid in some respects, it's also ambitious.
As for Acer's Chromebook 514 (CB514-4H/T), it features a 14-inch IPS display with a 1920x1080 resolution and 300 nits of brightness. According to Acer, the IPS canvas on its latest Chromebook Plus is "the perfect palette to take on AI-powered graphic design and
photo editing tools, like Magic Eraser in the built-in Google Photos app as well as Adobe
Photoshop and Adobe Express powered by Adobe Firefly generative AI. Additionally, the
Chromebook Plus 514’s display is available in touch- and non-touch models, with anti-glare
coating, so it can be enjoyed in bright-light conditions."
It's powered by an Intel Core i3-N305 processor (8C/8T, up to 3.8GHz, 6MB L3 cache, 15W TDP configurable down to 9W) "and an ample 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM," along with up to 512GB of PCIe Gen 3 solid state drive (SSD) storage.
It's a bit comical to see 8GB described as "ample" when that's really the bare minimum these days, though in fairness, Chromebooks (even of the Plus variety) are less demanding than Windows and macOS systems. That said, don't be shocked if we end up seeing 16GB being offered as an option.
Other notable bits include Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, two USB Type-C ports supporting DisplayPort and USB charging, two USB Type-A ports, a microSD card reader, 1080p webcam with AI tools to enhance clarity and blur out the background, and a 53Wh 3-cell battery that Acer claims is good for up to 11 hours of battery life.
There's a durability angle to the announcement, too. The Chromebook Plus 514 measures 12.87 x 8.86 x 0.81 inches, weighs 3.15 pounds, and is MIL-STD 810H compliant.
Acer's Chromebook Plus 514 will be available in the US next month starting at $399.99, and in EMEA in June starting at €479.
