The Acer Chromebook 516 GE (2022) is a 16-inch cloud gaming Chromebook. It's available with an Intel Core i5-1240P or Core i7-1260P CPU, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 512GB of storage (PCIe Gen 3). It has a 120Hz QHD+ (2560 x 1600) IPS display, Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity, and a 1080p webcam. Ports include one USB-A, two USB-Cs, a headphone jack, an HDMI, and Ethernet. The USB-C ports support video output and charging but not Thunderbolt 4. You can see our unit's specifications and the available configuration options in the Differences Between Variants section below.
Our Verdict
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE is decent for school use. It feels well-built and provides a good user experience with a nice sharp display, a good keyboard, and a responsive touchpad. It's available with Intel 12th Gen CPUs, which can handle nearly anything you'd need to do on a Chromebook. You can't install x86 Windows programs, though, which isn't ideal for students that require specialized software. Unfortunately, although it isn't very heavy, it's somewhat bulky, so it might not fit into some smaller bags. Also, its battery lasts only around six hours of light use.
- Not too heavy for a 16-inch laptop.
- Sharp and bright QHD+ display.
- Intel CPU provides smooth experience in light to moderately demanding workloads.
- Spacious keyboard.
- Bulky.
- Battery lasts around six hours of light use.
- No Thunderbolt 4 support.
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE isn't designed for gaming in the same sense as a Windows laptop since it only runs on integrated graphics; instead, it's designed for cloud gaming through services like NVIDIA GeForce NOW. It has a nice 120Hz display and a comfortable keyboard, and it doesn't get hot or loud under load. It has Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity and an Ethernet port, which is great as cloud gaming performance will depend heavily on your internet connection. The Intel Iris Xe integrated GPU can handle most games from the Google Play Store, but know that some games might not run properly since they're designed for Android smartphones and tablets with an ARM-based processor.
- 120Hz display with fast response time.
- Spacious keyboard.
- Quiet fans.
- No VRR support.
- Android game performance varies depending on the game.
- Cloud gaming performance heavily dependent on internet connection.
- Slow SSD.
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE is good for media consumption. It's a little bulky since it's a 16-inch laptop, but it isn't too heavy, so it's still fairly portable. Battery life is pretty good at around five to six hours of video playback, giving you plenty of time to get through a couple of full-length movies. Its QHD+ touch-sensitive display looks sharp and gets bright enough to combat glare; it just isn't the best for dark rooms, as its low contrast ratio makes blacks look gray in dim settings. Sadly, while the speakers get very loud with minimal compression artifacts at max volume, they sound slightly unnatural and tinny, with very little bass.
- Not too heavy for a 16-inch laptop.
- Sharp and bright QHD+ display.
- Speakers get very loud.
- Battery lasts five to six hours of video playback.
- Bulky.
- Speakers sound unnatural and tinny.
- Blacks look gray in dim settings.
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE isn't ideal for use as a workstation. Although its Intel CPU is quite capable, its integrated graphics can't handle demanding workloads, and most professional programs don't run on Chrome OS. It also has a slow SSD and doesn't support Thunderbolt 4. On the upside, it has a good keyboard and doesn't get hot or loud under load.
- Spacious keyboard.
- Quiet fans.
- CPU can handle moderately demanding workloads.
- Integrated GPU can't handle demanding workloads.
- Many professional programs don't work on Chrome OS.
- No Thunderbolt 4 support.
- Slow SSD.
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE is decent for business use. It feels sturdy even though it's entirely plastic, and while it's a little bulky, it isn't overly heavy, so it's still fairly portable. Its 16-inch QHD+ display gives you ample room for multitasking and gets bright enough to combat glare. The keyboard feels good to type on, and the touchpad is large and responsive. It's available with Intel 12th Gen CPUs, which can handle most productivity tasks like text processing, spreadsheets, web browsing, and video playback. However, Chrome OS doesn't support x86 Windows programs, so it isn't ideal if your company requires special Windows software. Another downside is that its battery lasts only around six hours of light use.
- Not too heavy for a 16-inch laptop.
- Sharp and bright QHD+ display.
- Intel CPU provides smooth experience in light to moderately demanding workloads.
- Spacious keyboard.
- Bulky.
- Battery lasts around six hours of light use.
- No Thunderbolt 4 support.
Changelog
- Updated Sep 18, 2024: Added mention of the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE (2024) as a Chromebook alternative with longer battery life in the Battery section.
- Updated Dec 07, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.2.
- Updated Nov 03, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.1.
- Updated Jul 20, 2023: Added mention of the ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip (2023) as a more portable alternative in the Portability section.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Acer Chromebook 516 GE with an Intel Core i5-1240P CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. The CPU, memory, and storage are configurable; the available options are in the table below. Our review applies only to variants with a model number starting with 'CB516-1H'.
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You can see our unit's label here.
Popular Laptop Comparisons
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE is a decent Chromebook overall. It has a better display and more processing than most Chromebooks on the market because it's designed for gaming, but it isn't as portable, and its battery life is sub-par.
For more options, see our recommendations for the best gaming laptops, the best budget and cheap gaming laptops, and the best Chromebooks.
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE (2022) and the Lenovo Chromebook C340 15 (2020) are designed for different uses. The Acer is a larger device, so it isn't as portable, and it isn't a 2-in-1 like the Lenovo, although it does support touch input. As a cloud gaming laptop, the Acer has a sharper, brighter 120Hz display and a significantly faster CPU. It also has a better 1080p webcam and a wider port selection, including an HDMI and Ethernet port, which the Lenovo lacks. However, the Lenovo's keyboard feels more comfortable to type on, and its battery lasts much longer.
For most uses, the Acer Chromebook 516 GE (2022) is better than the HP Chromebook 14 (2021). The Acer has a sturdier build; a larger, sharper, and brighter 120Hz display; a better keyboard and touchpad; and a better webcam. It also has a wider port selection and is available with significantly faster CPUs. On the other hand, the HP is more portable, and its battery lasts much longer.
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE (2022) and the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (2021) are very different. The Acer is a somewhat bulky 16-inch model designed for cloud gaming, while the Lenovo is a 2-in-1 tablet designed for media consumption and light productivity. The Acer provides a better user experience overall with a sharper 120Hz display, a more comfortable keyboard, a larger and more responsive touchpad, and a wider port selection. It's also available with significantly faster CPUs. However, the Lenovo has an OLED display that's better suited for dark room viewing, and its battery lasts longer.
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE (2022) and the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2022) are very different. The Spin 714 is more portable since it's a smaller device, and its battery lasts much longer. It's also a 2-in-1 convertible, whereas the 516 GE is a more traditional clamshell model. The 516 GE has a better display; it's sharper and slightly brighter and has a 120Hz refresh rate with a much faster response time. Port selection is fairly similar. The 516GE has an Ethernet port to ensure a better internet connection for cloud gaming; however, the Spin 714 supports Thunderbolt 4, allowing you to transfer files quickly and connect up to two 4k displays at 60Hz with a single cable.
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