For years, Chromebooks have felt stuck. ChromeOS is mature and polished, but the hardware has been repetitive. Most models are serviceable but uninspired, and battery life on Intel-based Chromebooks often falls short. Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 changes that.
This model uses the MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 chip instead of the usual Intel processor. The result is a powerful and efficient Chromebook that offers up to 17 hours of battery life. Alongside Lenovo’s latest MediaTek-powered model, it’s one of the few Chromebooks capable of lasting more than a full day of work.
Design and Build
The Spin 514 (CP514-5HN) has Acer’s familiar sturdy design. It’s slim at 0.61 inches, lightweight at 3 pounds, and feels durable. The silver finish and chamfered edges give it a cleaner, more refined look compared to most Chromebooks.
The keyboard and trackpad are comfortable and responsive, making long typing sessions easy. The 14-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen is bright and crisp, though the bezels could be thinner.
Connectivity is solid:
- Two USB-C 3.2 ports and a headphone jack on one side.
- Two USB-A 3.2 ports on the other.
The only drawback is that both USB-C ports are on the same side, limiting charging flexibility when using an external monitor.
As the name suggests, the Spin 514 has a 360-degree hinge, letting you use it in tablet mode. It supports USI 2.0 stylus input, and the hinge feels sturdy.
Performance and Battery Life
The tested version, priced at $700, comes with:
- MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910
- 12GB RAM
- 256GB storage
Acer will also offer a $750 version with a higher-resolution (2880×1800) display and 16GB RAM.
The Kompanio Ultra 910 makes the Spin 514 one of the fastest Chromebooks available. ChromeOS runs smoothly with no lag, even with multiple apps and browser tabs open. Android apps like Lightroom also perform well.
Benchmark results (Geekbench 6):
- Single-core: 2,526
- Multi-core: 7,687
- GPU: 18,020
By comparison, an Intel Core 3 Chromebook Plus 514 scored 1,150 / 4,407 / 5,932 respectively.
Battery life is another highlight. In testing, the Spin 514 lasted over 14 hours of video playback. Under a regular workload with heavy multitasking, it still easily survived a full day. This kind of endurance is rare for Chromebooks.
Software Experience
Running ChromeOS, the laptop offers a stable and refined experience with tight integration with Android phones and strong offline support for tools like Google Docs.
It also includes a 12-month Google AI Pro plan for free, worth $20/month. This gives you:
- 2TB of Google Drive storage
- Access to Gemini 2.5 Pro in Search, Gmail, and Docs
- Use of Veo, Google’s image and video generation tool
Even if you’re not a fan of AI tools, these additions enhance productivity without being intrusive.
Pricing and Verdict
At $700, the Spin 514 is on the expensive side for a Chromebook, but you’re paying for battery life, speed, and long-term reliability. Acer’s standard Chromebook Plus 514 costs $350 and remains a better value for light users.
However, if you want a Chromebook that can handle serious work all day long without recharging, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 stands out.
Pros
- Long battery life
- Excellent performance
- Solid build and design
- Comfortable keyboard and display
Cons
- Pricey for a Chromebook
- Only one side with USB-C ports
- Mediocre speakers and webcam
The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is the most capable and efficient Chromebook Acer has built. For users who value performance and battery life over price, it’s one of the best ChromeOS laptops you can buy today.
