Skilled's Ranking
Execs
- Glorious efficiency
- Beautiful, massive show
- Nice gaming expertise
Cons
- Common audio
- Common battery life
- Requires subscription to sport streaming service for AAA video games
Our Verdict
Gaming on a Chromebook appeared like an impossibility till now. Pairing the Acer Chromebook 516 GE with a streaming service like Nvidia’s GeForce Now yields some very spectacular outcomes. It’s a robust machine with loads of efficiency on faucet, marking the beginning of a brand new period for Chromebooks.
Worth When Reviewed
$649.99
Finest Costs Right now: Acer Chromebook 516 GE
There’s been a current pattern of latest Chromebooks aimed toward avid gamers. The timing of this may really feel a bit suspect, with Google closing down its Stadia sport streaming platform in January 2023, however there are nonetheless loads of different nice gaming streaming providers obtainable, plus a variety of Android apps that may run on Chromebooks.
Acer’s entry is called the Chromebook 516 GE, with ‘GE’ standing for ‘Gaming Version’. However can it go toe-to-toe with rivals on this rising sector? Right here’s the total Tech Advisor evaluate of the Acer Chromebook 516 GE.
Design & construct
- Light-weight for dimension
- Clear and good livery
- Chunky, however comparatively gentle
The 516 GE is constructed for gaming, so it is smart that this isn’t one among your small and compact Chromebooks. The aluminium chassis measures 357mm x 250mm x 21mm and weighs in at a respectively gentle 1.7kg.
All of this area provides room for the 16-inch IPS show, quad audio system, a full-size keyboard (replete with programmable lighting) and huge trackpad. There’s additionally an honest number of ports, into which you'll be able to plug a monitor, sport controller, ethernet cable or many different peripherals.
Martyn Casserly
The Iron colour-scheme is cool and avoids the usually gaudy designs we’ve seen on devoted gaming laptops. Two massive exhaust ports sit underneath the show, to assist dissipate warmth and hold issues tolerable when within the midst of busy gaming classes.
Martyn Casserly
The fairly light-weight chassis and engaging livery, means while you’re not battling the advancing hordes, the Acer can lead the double lifetime of a typical Chromebook that wouldn’t look misplaced in a gathering. The 516 GE feels sturdy {and professional} with out killing your shoulders when carried in a backpack. Not a nasty mixture.
Display & audio system
- 16-inch IPD panel
- Quad audio system
- No touchscreen
Clearly, in case you’re severe about gaming then you definately’re going to wish an honest show with quick refresh charges, and on these counts the Chromebook 516 GE delivers. Acer equips the machine with a 16-inch LCD IPS WQXGA panel (wow, that’s a number of letters) that runs at 2560×1600 and encompasses a 120Hz refresh fee.
Martyn Casserly
The pin-sharp show has sufficient area to render the various transferring elements of a AAA sport but in addition the month-to-month figures from an Excel spreadsheet when it’s time to do some work. You received’t discover many Chromebook shows which might pivot between gaming and work so seamlessly.
Colors are effectively represented – the show boasts 100% sRGB protection, so that you get extremely detailed tones. Additionally, the 16:10 side ratio makes it slighter taller than the 16:9 panels you’d historically discover on a Chromebook. Scrolling pictures are clean too, with the excessive refresh fee making certain you don’t miss important components when gaming.
Must you want to take your adventures into the backyard or brightly-lit rooms, the 370 nits most brightness ought to be nearly sufficient, however the 516 GE is certainly happier when inside.
One draw back is that there’s no touchscreen on this Chromebook. In case you prefer to play Android video games, this could be a little bit of an issue. However the thinner panel helps hold the burden down, and the primary focus right here is on sport streaming providers, for which you’d join a controller anyway.
Sound comes from 4 audio system, with grilles positioned both facet of the keyboard and on the underside of the machine. You may get some respectable quantity out of them, however the audio isn’t immersive. In comparison with the 3D impact on many devoted speaker methods, they sound fairly flat.
There's a 3.5mm headphone jack although, so you possibly can join exterior audio system to enhance the audio, or pop on some gaming headphones for that immersive expertise.
Keyboard & trackpad
- Snug keyboard
- RGB backlighting
- Giant trackpad
The complete-sized keyboard on the Chromebook 516 GE may be very snug to make use of, though it’s fairly comfortable and does lack a specific amount of tactile response that some avid gamers could favor. I didn’t discover this an issue, although, and it really works effectively for each and gaming.
Martyn Casserly
One clear gaming-focused laptop computer is the colorful RGB backlighting, which lets you choose which color is displayed underneath the keys.
Acer has additionally added highlights to the surrounds of the W, A, S and D keys which are typically used for motion in video games. You possibly can’t arrange particular colors for sure keys, however having a non-white keyboard backdrop when gaming at nighttime is fairly cool on a Chromebook.
Martyn Casserly
The trackpad is a wholesome dimension and responds shortly to gestures. You’ll in all probability need to spend money on a gaming mouse in case you intend to play FPS or real-time technique video games, however for day-to-day actions the trackpad is stable.
Ports, connectivity & webcam
- Loads of ports
- Consists of ethernet and HDMI
- First rate 1080p webcam
Acer has geared up the Chromebook 516 GE with a wealth of ports that can be utilized to boost the gaming expertise.
On the flanks, you’ll discover 2x USB-C 3.2 ports, a 2.5G Gigabit Ethernet port (for wired web connections whereas streaming video games), a HDMI port (to show on a TV or monitor) and and a USB-A 3.2 port (for common peripherals). The intensive port choice is among the key strengths of the 516 GE.
Martyn Casserly
The laptop computer additionally contains Wi-Fi 6E capabilities and Bluetooth 5.2, so it’s about as updated as it may be. This could imply the machine is effectively future-proofed.
The built-in webcam goes as much as 1080p and does an honest job of holding the picture clear. It’s not one of the best I’ve seen, however removed from the worst. So, in case you simply need one thing for a little bit of video-conferencing, then it’s as much as the job.
Martyn Casserly
Specs & efficiency
- Intel Core i5 processor
- 8GB/256GB configuration
- Glorious gaming efficiency
Chromebooks can typically include fairly primary specs, as ChromeOS doesn’t run that many native apps and tends to be focussed on web-based duties.
Acer doesn’t maintain again with the 516 GE, although, because it’s powered by a Twelfth-gen (Alder Lake) Intel Core i5-1240p processor with 12-cores. That is accompanied by an Intel Iris Xe built-in GPU, 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and a 256GB SSD. The shortage of a discrete GPU may appear to be a difficulty, however the wonderful gaming efficiency suggests in any other case.
Making an attempt out the previous Android favorite Asphalt 9: Legends returned a fluent and visually pleasing expertise. There was no choppiness and my PS4 controller related to the Chromebook by way of Bluetooth to supplied quick and correct responses.
Signing as much as Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud gaming platform gave me entry to extra advanced titles, the place once more the 516 GE proved a gentle and judder-free expertise. Google and Acer have teamed as much as provide anybody who buys the Chromebook 516 GE a 3 month free trial of the Final tier, so that you’ll be good to go right away.
It’s actually spectacular how far this expertise has are available in a short-time, with AAA PC video games rendering completely on a Chromebook, due to the heavy lifting being finished on the server facet by Nvidia GeForce Now. Apart from the free-to-play demos, there was additionally new and traditional video games you should buy, plus the choice to attach your Steam, Ubisoft, GOG and Epic accounts and entry your already bought video games (supplied they’re additionally obtainable on GeForce Now).
Martyn Casserly
Clearly, you’ll want a powerful web connection to maintain efficiency ranges excessive, however the ethernet port does imply you don’t need to depend on Wi-Fi. Saying that, I discovered the wi-fi speeds to be quick sufficient to hold some graphically demanding video games with ease.
There was the occasional hiccup by way of buttons on the controller not fairly matching up with the instructions on a regular basis, however general the expertise was a really constructive one. It proves that Chromebook gaming has lastly come of age.
To get an concept of how the Chromebook 516 GE compares to different fashions we’ve examined, I put it by way of a few of our common benchmarks.
Battery & charging
- Strong battery life
- No actual quick charging
Having nice efficiency is all effectively and good, but when the battery provides out after a short while then there’s not a lot gaming going to be occurring. Fortunately, this isn’t an issue for the Chromebook 516 GE – battery life isn’t spectacular, however nonetheless according to many Home windows gaming laptops.
After an hour of stable gaming with FPS fashion video games on Nvidia’s GeForce Now service, the battery life had dropped by 20%. Meaning you have to be good for round 5 or 6 hours of use. Clearly, the truth that the gaming servers are doing a lot of the work implies that the Chromebook itself can save on vitality, which makes it truly fairly aggressive in opposition to extra highly effective Home windows gaming PCs.
In our commonplace video-loop take a look at the place we stream at 1080p with the show set to 200 nits till the machine dies, the Chromebook 516 GE managed a suitable, if not overly spectacular, 5 hours and ten minutes.
Charging instances have been additionally respectable, with the machine getting again to 21% in quarter-hour and 41% in half an hour. A full recharge was round 90 minutes although, so make sure to plug it in a great whereas earlier than you head out.
Software program
- Runs ChromeOS
- Streaming providers like GeForce Now work brilliantly
As this can be a Chromebook, the 516 GE runs on ChromeOS, the stripped-down working system that appears and feels fairly a bit just like the Chrome browser.
With this in thoughts, you possibly can’t run Home windows or macOS functions, until they've an Android equal. Whereas the addition of Android apps does open issues up fairly a bit, they're nonetheless hit or miss by way of with the ability to resize to desktop dimensions.
Martyn Casserly
However, so many providers now have net variations which makes it straightforward to get work finished, sync up your progress and usually use a Chromebook like some other laptop computer. Google’s personal software program covers a lot of the bottom you’d get from Microsoft Workplace, with a number of of the apps working offline and loading up adjustments while you return to an online connection.
As you possibly can see from the Nvidia GeForce Now service talked about above, it’s definitely doable nowadays to make use of highly effective apps on a Chromebook with out even having to put in them regionally.
Worth & availability
You possibly can order the Chromebook 516 GE instantly from Acer right this moment, with US clients getting solely Intel Core i5 mannequin with a 8GB/256GB configuration for $649.99. UK patrons are taking a look at £849.99 for a similar mannequin.
However the latter even have a higher-spec model obtainable to them, with Acer providing an Intel Core i7, 16GB/256GB mannequin for £999.99. There’s no indication in the meanwhile whether or not this variation will make it to North America.
As gaming Chromebooks are nonetheless comparatively new, there isn’t a lot competitors for the 516 GE in the meanwhile. Asus has its new Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip which prices round $869/£849, plus there’s additionally the Lenovo IdeaPad 5i that normally retails for round $699/£599.
Verdict
Given the excessive costs of many devoted graphics, the Chromebook strategy of streaming video games fairly than enjoying regionally means you possibly can entry loads of AAA titles with out spending a fortune.
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE encapsulates this admirably. The show is massive, sharp and vibrant, the keyboard is snug for lengthy intervals and has the RGB backlighting, plus efficiency throughout all conditions is nearly as good as you’ll get on any Chromebook at this worth.
However pairing it with a sport streaming service like Nvidia GeForce Now takes the gaming expertise to the following stage. It’s extra light-weight than your common 16in gaming laptop computer, whereas battery life is nice sufficient to help an prolonged gaming session.
In order for you a Chromebook for common use, there are many extra inexpensive choices. However if you need a gaming Chromebook, that is the one to purchase proper now.
Specs
- Intel Core i5-1240P processor Dodeca-core 1.70 GHz
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics shared reminiscence
- 16-inch LCD IPS WQXGA show with 2560 x 1600 decision, 16:10, 120 Hz
- 8GB LPDDR4X Reminiscence
- 256GB SSD
- RGB, anti-ghosting keyboard
- Quad audio system
- HDMI 2.1
- 2x USB-C 3.2 ports
- 2.5G Gigabit Ethernet port
- USB-A 3.2 port
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- Wi-Fi 6E
- Bluetooth 5.2
- ChromeOS
- 357mm x 250mm x 21mm
- 1.7kg