The Chromebook Plus Spin 514 features a sturdy build, including an aluminum lid and bottom of the chassis, and a keyboard deck that feels like soft-touch plastic. The display housing flexes slightly under pressure, as does the keyboard deck when typing. Overall, however, the build is solid enough for the price. Acer subjected the laptop to a full suite of MIL-STD 810H (military standard) quality and reliability tests, which should be reason enough to trust its stability for comfortable mobile use.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
The hinge requires both hands to open the lid, but that’s not surprising for a 360-degree convertible that can morph from clamshell laptop to tent, media and tablet modes. The swivel mechanism is smooth enough, and the 0.61-inch thickness is trim enough to comfortably sketch on the display, with the active pen included with my review unit located in the tablet-mode laptop arm rest. At 3.3 pounds, the unit is a bit heavy, but the weight is reasonable for a 14-inch model. You won’t want to hold the Chromebook Spin Plus 514 in one hand for long-term inking sessions, but it’s easy enough to prop it up or leave it lying flat.
Similar products
Our current picks for the best Chromebooks for 2026
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus
Black Friday and Cyber Monday: Save on select Chromebooks at Best Buy
At Best Buy
Look at it
Read our review
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Acer’s aesthetic is quite attractive, with a silver finish with subtle chrome Acer and Chromebook logos on the lid. The display bezel is all glass and is flush with the sides, adding to the premium look. The sweeping lines on the sides give the laptop the impression of being much thinner than it actually is. It’s easy to see how mainstream users and die-hard Chromebook fans alike will enjoy the overall look and feel of the Chromebook Plus Spin 514.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
The machine features the latest version of Chromos, which offers many AI functions with the help of a neural processor that can handle up to 50 trillion operations per second (tops). Acer and Google include a year of Google AI Pro in the box, which enables seamless integration with Gemini 3 Pro, 2 TB of cloud storage, and Gemini Workspace.
In addition, Acer uses the USI 2.0 stylus standard to support active pens. While Chrome doesn’t offer the same level of digital inking support as Windows 11, it’s more than enough for students and most general users, but it may fall short of digital artists’ expectations.
