The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 (2026) is a premium convertible Chromebook priced at £799.99 / $799, positioning it against rivals like the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus and Windows-powered alternatives such as the Asus Zenbook A14. It is one of the first Chromebooks to feature the new flagship Arm-based MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 chip, offering a powerful alternative to Intel and AMD processors.
The device has a generic silver metal chassis with minimal branding, weighing 1.36kg, which is on the heavier side for a 14-inch laptop but necessary for the 360-degree hinges that enable tablet mode. The keyboard features a 65% layout with solid tactility and white backlighting, though the lighting is not entirely even. The Gorilla Glass trackpad is responsive but feels slightly skittish and is smaller than those on some competing laptops. Port selection includes two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, two USB-A ports, and a Kensington Nano lock, but it lacks HDMI or Thunderbolt-capable USB-C ports.
The 14-inch IPS touchscreen comes in two configurations: a 1920×1200 version with a 120Hz refresh rate and a higher-spec 2880×1800 model with a 60Hz refresh rate. The review unit featured the higher-resolution screen, which is sharp and detailed, but the 60Hz limitation is a notable drawback given that many Windows laptops offer higher refresh rates without the same resolution trade-off. Peak brightness is rated at 340 nits, sufficient for both indoor and outdoor use, with 100% sRGB coverage for accurate mainstream colours. The upwards-firing speakers are fine for casual listening but can sound thin at higher volumes.
Performance is driven by the MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910, an eight-core Arm-based chip with a single Cortex-X925 core, three Cortex-X4 cores, and four Cortex-A720 cores. In Geekbench 6 tests, it achieved scores similar to other high-end Chromebooks like the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus and first-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon X-powered laptops, though it falls slightly behind premium Windows ultrabooks in multi-threaded tasks. The review unit includes 12GB of RAM and 256GB of UFS storage, which is slower than NVMe but adequate for Chromebook usage.
The device runs ChromeOS with a clean, lightweight interface and no bloatware. As a Chromebook Plus model, it includes additional AI features such as Google Gemini access from the taskbar, Magic Eraser for photo editing, Offline File Sync, Live Translate for captions, and Google Meet enhancements like auto-framing. A new Quick Insert key replaces the Caps Lock key, opening a Spotlight Search-style menu for inserting links, looking up files, or using Gemini.
Battery life is a strong point, with a 70Whr cell lasting 13 hours and 32 minutes in a video loop test, enough for two working days on a single charge. Charging from zero to 50% takes 40 minutes, and a full charge requires 85 minutes. However, Acer does not include a charging brick in the box.
The reviewer concludes that the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 (2026) is a capable convertible Chromebook with solid performance, a detailed IPS screen, and good battery life. However, the 60Hz screen, middling port selection, and high price are significant drawbacks. Compared to the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus, which offers better ports, a larger screen, lighter weight, and slightly better endurance at a similar price, the Acer is a good choice for those specifically seeking a premium convertible Chromebook, but Windows alternatives may offer more power and flexibility for the same cost.
Source: Trusted Reviews