Acer Chromebook Plus 515: What Real Users Say

With a really hard time learning or understanding new things with tech, why would you even consider a MacBook? Get a Chromebook — he'll be fine.

Chromebooks would be fine, and much cheaper than the $1000 or so US you would spend on a MacBook.

I got mine for 299 from target, I love it, the software for me is fine, I just wish it were a wee bit slimmer. Zero complaints otherwise.

Only reason for a MacBook would be better iPhone integration. Otherwise a solid Chromebook would be cheaper — you could move that $800 budget to $500 or even $400 and get a good new Chromebook Plus.

My 93 year old mother has been using Chromebooks for 15-ish years. Make sure you know his login for when he forgets it or adds a spammy extension.

This is the same generation CPU but an i5 and better screen — it is a great deal under $300, about what you are paying. If you can live with a refurb from a reputable source, you get more for the money.

I have both a Mac and a Chromebook (several actually). For your usage, I would say a Chromebook is the better choice. It's cheaper, considerably so, for one thing. But the main advantage here is how simple it is. ChromeOS is literally you clicking the chrome icon and proceeding to surf.

I would use whatever you use because you're going to be the one supporting him.

For your stated use case, I'd save the money. I doubt there's any noticeable difference in performance between the i3 and i5 for basic tasks.

A Chromebook sounds like a good fit. A number of my friends adopted Chromebooks in the last year or two at the suggestion of their grandchildren, who grew up with Chromebooks in school. All of my friends are delighted to have done so.

The screen on the 515 is just a bit smaller than the 516 and the 516 has a 120Hz 2K one. The 515 has an i3 and 516 has an i5 same generation. It really depends on if you are ok with a refurbished one or a new one slightly less powerful.

516GE without a doubt.

This person obviously hasn't used ChromeOS. You cannot judge an Operating System by just going to the store and trying it for a day. A true review takes time. ChromeOS has a lot more pros than cons and is a fantastic modern OS for the general user.

The Intel i7 1135G7 processor in the Acer has 4 performance cores whereas the 1245U from the HP has only 2 performance cores but 8 efficiency cores. It's unclear why the perceived performance is better with the Acer Chromebook but it should be possible to measure this.

Chromebook by far. Mac has a terrible learning curve and is not logical. A Chromebook is a great on ramp for folks looking to start using computers. A lot of people already have a Gmail account and all the Google services online play nice with the Chromebook.

I think you need to get that i3. The Pentium is hot garbage. You'll be able to use the laptop much longer and not be frustrated with stuttering on video/many tab situations. The 12th gen i3 is a beast.

The i3 1215U in the Acer is about 3 times as fast as the old N6000 CPU in the Lenovo. The Acer has also better port selection (2x USB-C) and front firing speakers and probably better built quality as well.

In any case, the fan on Acer 515 is very quiet and maybe doesn't even run all the time. Performance and battery life are impressive.

I owned a 516GE and then returned it, then decided I wanted it again and bought it. Between the two you mentioned, go for the 515. It's a solid machine for general Chromebook use.

I then ordered the 515 i3 and really love it. Note it does not have a touchscreen which is ok with me — means no fingerprints on the screen.

Just bought the 515 and I recommend. Don't get anything less than an i3.

I recently purchased this model. I like it a lot. Cons: No backlit keyboard, there is no glare protection and wifi antenna on the 5ghz side seems weak. The speakers are tiny sounding. BUT this is not designed to be a power user machine. Pros: Browser performance seems more fluid and a bit faster.

For me yet the best gift ever as it is a lot of money in my country The Netherlands. Got mine today, I am sure I will get it figured out though.

It's good and quite nice. I've turned off Android apps and don't use the Linux container because I feel it makes it a bit slower.

Either should work well for you.

I am very biased; whenever I bought something from Acer I got something that did not even last through mandatory warranty periods.

You're right and the main reason is the 12th Intel CPU thermal issues in the HP Elite Dragonfly's compact body design, which definitely doesn't help the heat issue.

I am an IT director at a school. Modern macOS is overly complicated. This generation of Chromebooks are outstanding. I migrated my mother to one from Windows ten years ago when she was 70 and she has no problems using it.

Chromebooks would do everything he needs without either of you spending $1,000+.

I bought one this weekend. It's fast. Handles HD video well in the browser while running Linux and Android apps. My only disappointment is the screen. Muted colors, and not terribly bright.

Yes, it will likely be fine. I presume you're trying to hit a price point? If not, look for something with an i5 or i7. You'll be overall fine with the i3.

If you get a Chromebook Plus, background blur is available at the camera interface of the OS independent of the app. I use it on mine with MS Teams web app regularly. To be a Chromebook Plus, it has to offer a webcam with 1080p or better with Temporal Noise Reduction.

In theory it should be fine. I have a Lenovo Flex 5i with an older/weaker i3 and 8gb and it does everything smoothly. Doing some complex multitasking like being on a Zoom video call and running some complex Android apps might be wonky.

A newer and faster CPU, a better screen with high resolution and refresh rate, larger and more reliable storage (SSD vs. UFS) — those are the main advantages of the 516 GE over the 515.

Webcam? It's Acer. Also known to have failed updates. No to Acer.

This makes me feel better having just ordered one for this exact use scenario — instances where I want to use a laptop without endangering my MacBook Pro.

You might be able to run demanding games on it, but it'd definitely be at low settings.

You can game on it. Chromebooks support cloud gaming, so you can even play more modern games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Far Cry 6 through streaming.

Chromebook for the win. Super easy to use and fires up fast. Keep everything in the cloud.

I run Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS. I've transitioned older relatives who used Windows in their careers over to Chromebooks. The updates are much easier, and they seem to be less malware prone compared to Windows and Mac.

Your prices seem wrong but the i5 and i3 mean nothing without knowing what the numbers behind them are. For example if the i5 is 1033U and the i3 is 1335P then the i3 is massively better. Always go for better processor first unless screen size matters then RAM.