Support our independent tech coverage. Chrome Unboxed is written by real people, for real people—not search algorithms. Join Chrome Unboxed Plus for just $2 a month to get an ad-free experience, access to our private Discord, and more. Learn more about membership here.
START FREE TRIAL (MONTHLY)START FREE TRIAL (ANNUAL)
It’s no secret that one of my favorite Chromebooks launched in the past few years is the Acer Chromebook 516 GE and its successor, the Chromebook Plus 516 GE. They bear more than a passing resemblance, with the newer model fixing a few of the smaller gripes I had with the initial version. However, either one is worth the money on or off sale in my opinion.
And most of that comes down to the fact that these larger-than-normal Chromebooks get things right in the categories that matter most. The 16-inch 16:10 QHD screen is super smooth at 120Hz, plenty bright at 350 nits, and extremely sharp at a 2560×1600 resolution. The backlit keyboard is RGB, so you can customize it to your liking, and the massive OceanGlass trackpad is smooth, responsive, and a joy to use.
Then you have the upward-facing speakers that are loud, full, and great for media consumption and some cloud gaming. Add to that a fast Core 5-120U processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of NVMe storage and you have a device that can flat-out get stuff done. And while you’d expect a large Chromebook like this one to be heavy and a little flimsy, it is neither. Instead, it is plenty rigid and lighter than expected at just 3.75 pounds.
All in all, the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE is a fantastic all around device you can use at the desk or on the go for a full workstation feel when you are posted up at a coffee shop or any other random working location. The port selection is large, the all-black chassis is clean, and there’s little you’ll find you miss when using this beast of a Chromebook.
And right now, it’s a whopping $200 off, bringing the asking price all the way down to just $449. We’ve yet to see this newer model drop that far, and I’m so happy that its happening now. The original 516 GE hit this price point from time to time, and it always became a must-buy. Now the new Plus model is following in those footsteps, and I can’t give a device a higher recommendation than this one at this sort of price. Just don’t miss it!
SUBSCRIBE TO UPSTREAM
Get Chrome Unboxed delivered straight to your inbox
Upstream is our flagship, curated newsletter with the top stories, most click-worthy deals, giveaways, and trending articles from Chrome Unboxed sent directly to your inbox a few times a week. Join 31,000+ subscribers.
