Acer Spin 14" Plus 714 Steel Gray 2024 Review

The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 is a solid, no-fuss Chrome OS machine. It's got a nice 2-in-1 design with a touchscreen, a backlit keyboard, and decent ports like Thunderbolt. It's built for the basics: web browsing, streaming, and Google's suite of apps.

The Intel 115U CPU lands in the 21st percentile, so don't expect heavy lifting. It's fine for dozens of Chrome tabs and basic tasks, but it'll chug if you push it. The 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD are also on the lighter side, ranking in the 18th and 16th percentiles. Gaming is a non-starter with that integrated GPU, scoring a 6.4/100. But for Chrome OS stuff, it's adequate.

At $799, it's a tough sell. You're paying a premium for the 2-in-1 Chromebook Plus form factor, but the core specs are budget-tier. For the same money, you could find a Windows laptop with much better performance, or a cheaper Chromebook that does the same basic jobs.

Compared to a base MacBook Pro, you're in a totally different universe of performance and build quality, but also price. The Lenovo ThinkPad P14s is a more serious business machine with better specs for similar money. The real question is why you'd pick this over a cheaper, simpler Chromebook, or a more capable Windows ultrabook like an ASUS Zenbook. The Spin 714 sits in an awkward middle ground.

Only buy this if you're absolutely set on a 2-in-1 Chromebook Plus and you found it on a deep sale. For most people, a cheaper Chromebook handles the same tasks, and anyone needing more power should look at Windows or Mac options. It's a niche pick.