Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 overview: Google Gemini virtually lives right here lease free

The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 simply jogged my memory what I like about Chromebooks. As somebody who’s deep into the Google ecosystem in my work and private life, in addition to proudly owning an Android telephone (e.g., Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely), it is a lot extra handy for me versus the M2 MacBook Air that I exploit.

At setup, I used to be requested to log in with my Google credentials, and it did not go away me floundering. (No offense to Microsoft, however since I do not use the likes of OneDrive, Groups, nor different Microsoft properties typically, I can by no means keep in mind my Microsoft credentials, making establishing Home windows laptops a ache.)

With a lovely sub-$500 beginning price ticket, for a cut up second, I questioned whether or not I would be higher off with a Chromebook — however one dealbreaker slapped me proper again into actuality. Nonetheless, I would argue it is among the best Chromebooks you should buy.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 worth and specs

The Chromebook Plus Spin 714, as of this writing, begins $499 through Greatest Purchase and comes with the next specs:

If you would like a bump in efficiency, you possibly can improve the Chromebook Plus Spin 714 to an Intel Core Extremely 5 115U (this overview is predicated on this configuration) — it will require a further $200 for a worth of $699.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 design

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714’s design language simply speaks to me. You actually cannot go flawed with a gray-and-rose-gold colour scheme.

Your entire aluminum chassis is available in Metal Grey — the one colour choice for the Acer laptop computer. However what offers this laptop computer an edge is the rose gold touches that you’ll find on the hinges and the reflective trim that surrounds the touchpad.

Talking of the hinges, as you possibly can inform by the title “Spin,” the Chromebook Plus Spin 714 can be a contortionist if it was personified as a human. It is bendable and versatile, which suggests it could actually rework into numerous completely different postures: tent mode, pill mode, and extra.

Tent mode is ideal for anybody who needs the show to take middle stage, making it straightforward to get pleasure from streaming apps like Netflix and Hulu on the Chromebook Plus Spin 714.

If you wish to draw and take notes, you should utilize pill mode. The Chromebook Plus Spin 714 helps styli, like this one on Amazon, however it would not ship with one, which is unlucky. Nonetheless, the draw back of pill mode — and that is throughout all 2-in-1 laptops — is that you’re going to really feel the keyboard underneath your fingers whereas utilizing it, which all the time gave me the ick.

One of many prime promoting factors of the Chromebook Plus Spin 714 is that it meets MIL-STD 810H requirements, which suggests it has military-grade sturdiness. In different phrases, you possibly can relaxation assured that it could actually stand up to on a regular basis put on and tear. (This makes this an excellent “starter laptop computer” for younger youngsters who are inclined to have butterfingers with tech.)

It is also price noting that the Chromebook Plus Spin 714 has fairly a little bit of heft. It is not heavy, however this is not a laptop computer that may make me say, “Whoa! That is so thin-and-light!”

It weighs 3.21 kilos and has a slimness of 0.74 inches.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 show

I wasn’t anticipating the Chromebook Plus Spin 714’s show to blow me away. Bear in mind: it prices lower than $700.

It sports activities a 14-inch. 1920 x 1200-pixel decision show with a 16:10 side ratio. This side ratio is rising extra well-liked amongst laptops (16:9 was the standard choice), and I am comfortable about it. It offers extra vertical display screen area, so you possibly can get pleasure from extra show actual property for scrolling via the net, studying paperwork, and extra.

Nonetheless, the Chromebook Plus Spin 714’s show carried out loads higher than I anticipated. I watched a few trailers, together with Snow White (2025), and the display screen completely captured Rachel Zegler’s heat ivory pores and skin tone. The textures are so vivid, I might virtually really feel the yellow tulle of the gown Zegler twirled in throughout one whimsical scene.

One factor to pay attention to, nonetheless, is that the brightness is kind of low, clocking in at about 340 nits. As such, you may probably have a little bit of hassle seeing the display screen in sunny environments.

However should you plan on utilizing the Chromebook Plus Spin 714 indoors, it is acquired an above-average show for a Chromebook.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 ports

The Chromebook Plus Spin 714 comes with a good number of ports.

On the left facet, you may discover the next:

• USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 (2)

• HDMI 2.0

On the suitable facet:

• USB-A (3.2 Gen 1)

• Headset jack

On the left facet, you may discover the facility button, however the quantity rocker lives on the suitable facet. The Chromebook Plus Spin 714 helps Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.1.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 audio

The worst side of the Chromebook Plus Spin 714 is its audio high quality. You possibly can’t win ’em all, proper?

The upward-firing audio system flank the keyboard, however I am not a fan of the sound high quality. I fired up Sabrina Carpenter’s hit tune “Espresso” through Apple Music (downloaded from the Google Play Retailer), and whereas it might get sufficiently loud at max quantity, the tune sounded a bit tinny, metallic, and flat.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 keyboard and trackpad

I am a keyboard snob, and I am unable to get sufficient of the Chromebook Plus Spin 714’s satisfying keyboard. The minute the keys actuate, they springboard you to the following letter, making a seamless, rhythmic typing expertise.

The keys are clicky and snappy, however they’re additionally not loud sufficient to earn side-eyes from aggravated co-workers and classmates.

Bonus factors for the keyboard’s excessive visibility between with the well-contrasted white-and-dark grey keys. Plus, you possibly can regulate the white backlight on the keyboard by urgent the ALT and brightness key (subsequent to the mute button) within the perform row.

The trackpad is not half dangerous both. It was responsive whereas I pushed it to the sting with my erratic actions.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 benchmarks and efficiency

On Geekbench 6, which exams how nicely a laptop computer can deal with real-world functions (e.g., PDF rendering, ray tracing, picture modifying, and file compression) Chromebook Plus Spin 714 delivered a rating of 5,223.

This rating is OK. However I am not too involved with this efficiency determine as a result of ChromeOS is designed to light-weight duties that run via cloud-passed functions (slightly than counting on native processing energy).

Most Chromebook duties (e.g., utilizing Google Docs, streaming movies, net looking) occur on-line, which means these laptops depend on cloud servers for heavy processing, minimizing the necessity for highly effective {hardware}.

Even whereas pushing Google Chrome to its restrict with about 40 tabs, I did not discover any slowdowns nor laggy conduct.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 battery life

The Chromebook Plus Spin 714, full of a 53 watt-hour battery, is marketed as having as much as 10 hours of battery life.

In response to our video rundown check, which entails a nonstop video loop of a 1080p video, the Chromebook Plus Spin 714 lasted about 9 hours on a single cost — 8 hours and 57 minutes to be actual. This can be a little bit of a dealbreaker for me. Ten-hour battery life, at minimal, is a should.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 Google AI

AI is not everybody’s cup of tea, however it’s positively mine. I am cautiously optimistic concerning the sudden resurgence synthetic intelligence.

When you can expertise Google Gemini on any laptop computer or telephone, this suite of Google-based AI virtually lives inside this ChromeOS laptop computer, permitting you to proper click on anyplace within the display screen to get summaries on webpages, companionship for writing, and even creating high-res backgrounds to your video calls.

Creating summaries is fast and straightforward, and it labored like a allure. For instance, on Mashable, I requested Gemini to provide me an easy reply to why, precisely, iPhone 16 Professional batteries are dearer to exchange (because the headline instructed) — and it “learn” the article and spat again the reply to me in a fast and concise response.

And I did not even must learn a single phrase.

The one challenge I’ve with Gemini is that, at occasions, it may be painfully gradual. For instance, I attempted to create a background picture for my Google Meet name, and it took so lengthy to generate (over 9 minutes), I finally gave up and closed the laptop computer.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 comes with 12 months of the Google One AI Premium Plan (this plan consists of entry to Gemini Superior and 2TB of storage, and Gemini in Docs, Sheets, Gmail, and extra).

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 webcam

The Chromebook Plus Spin 714 has a 1440p webcam, and as a lot as I dislike utilizing this trite phrase, there actually is not a lot to put in writing house about.

It is not the crispest, clearest webcam, as one would count on from a sub-$700 webcam, however it does the job. It nonetheless was in a position to precisely seize my complexion and my burgundy prime.

Is the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 price it?

The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 has a better-than-expected show, an glorious keyboard, a complicated design, and military-tested sturdiness. Nonetheless, the display screen brightness is not that nice, the sound high quality is mid, and the battery life may very well be higher.

If it weren’t for the battery life, I would think about giving the Chromebook Plus Spin 714 a spot in our greatest low cost laptops listing.

On the plus facet, there is a laptop computer for everybody. I would advocate the Chromebook Plus Spin 714 for budget-conscious customers who’re in search of a laptop computer that may be stationed on a desk at house. I would additionally recommend this Chromebook for a tween who would not want a high-powered, long-lasting work station — they’re going to be proud of a laptop computer with an incredible show and respectable efficiency.