Acer’s new Chromebook Plus 514 is more of the same, but different

Today, Acer is announcing a new Chromebook Plus 514 model that keeps the same name, much of the same look, but a few differing pieces both on the inside and on the outside from the existing one. Sat next to one another, the first Chromebook Plus 514 and this new one look quite similar. There are differences, but both are clamshell, gray Chromebooks with 2-toned lids, plastic builds, and a pretty down-the-middle approach to delivering an affordable Chromebook with enough power to get stuff done.

That’s the Chromebook Plus way of doing things, right? We’ve talked about it tons of times in our reviews of these devices, and it looks like Acer is sticking to the formula they had with their first two Chromebook Plus models and aiming more towards the lower end of the price spectrum with this latest 514 while giving users all the necessary tools to be productive on their Chromebook Plus.

What’s different this time

The biggest change this time around is the processor inside. Where Acer opted for the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C in the first 514, the new model comes with the Intel Core i3-N305 we see in devices like the Lenovo Slim 3i Chromebook Plus. The first configuration availble will also sport 8GB of RAM and a whopping 512GB of NVMe storage for just $399.99 at Costco in May, but could show up as early as next week if things line up just right.

You can watch our original Acer Chromebook Plus 514 review and get the gist of what you can expect, but there are some changes on the outside as well that need to be considered. For starters, the screen is 14-inches and 16:9, not 16:10 like the first model. But unlike that first 514, this new one isn’t stuck at 250 nits of brightness and bumps things up to 300 nits instead.

The inclusion of 512GB of storage is also a big upgrade as well, but other cuts had to be made to keep that $399.99 starting price. One of those things is the backlighting on the keyboard. While I hate to see that go, if the tradeoff gives users a massive storage upgrade, I think most folks will find far more utility in that extra space.

The only other big difference is in the port selection, where the new model ditches the full-sized HDMI port for an additional USB Type C port. It also adds a microSD card slot to the mix just in case that 512GB of space isn’t quite enough for you. You can check out the full spec breakdown below.

Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (Intel) Key Specs

• Intel Core i3-N305
• 8GB RAM
• 512GB NVMe storage
• 14-inch IPS 16:9 1080p touchscreen at 300 nits
• Wi-Fi 6E
• OceanGlass touchpad
• 2x USB Type C ports
• 2x USB Type A ports
• MicroSD Card reader
• 1080p camera w/Temporal Noise Reduction
• 326.87mm x 224.93mm x 20.5mm
• 3.15 lbs.

Overall, I like the move Acer has made, here. Personally, I’d love to combine the powers of both of the 514 models into one and then simply have the consumer make the choice between an AMD device and an Intel one. With the exact same name, I fear this will get a bit confusing for potential buyers; and to make matters a bit worse, both versions of the 514 will be available only at Costco.

We have our review unit here in the office, and we’ll be doing a proper unboxing in the coming weeks once our YouTube haitus is finished. If you want more info on that and what we’re doing with that spare time, feel free to read/watch our post about that here. And be on the lookout for this new Chromebook Plus from Acer in the coming weeks as it hits the shelves at a Costco near you.