Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE (2024)
The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE (2024) offers good value for its price, seeing that you get an i5 that is powerful enough to run Steam games, and run Steam games you will with a gaming machine like this.
The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE (2024) is probably my favorite Chromebook in the current lineup. My review says as much, having given it an 8.5 score, and that’s because this is not only a capable Chromebook but an awesome gaming machine, something I never thought I would say about a ChromeOS device. But thanks to hard work by Google and, of course, Valve, you can indeed run Steam games through ChromeOS’s Linux layer, which is itself a layer on top of the Windows code of the game, and things amazingly work swimmingly. Sure, you’re not going to be playing AAA games at max graphics, but you can indeed play plenty of indies and older games, which is kind of perfect for a laptop you’re likely to use portably. Keep in mind the laptop isn’t small by any stretch, but that means you get a large 16-inch screen, a comfy keyboard (that lights up with RGB, of course), as well as a large battery that offers 10 hours of screentime.
What’s great about the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE (2024)
For me, the fact that it games so well is a huge plus. I was playing through classic JRPGs on the machine during my review testing, bought directly from Steam, with no issue. Heck, some of them I played at 120Hz, and let me tell you, the ability to play at high framerates is a game changer. Plus, you get an anti-glare screen, which makes the laptop useful outdoors and in, perfect for getting work done no matter your setting and lighting. Best of all, for those of you who really want the best performance when playing online games or playing over streaming services, there is a built-in ethernet port, ensuring your data never falters when it matters most, like a hectic match in Rocket League.
Really, the only thing that bugged me is that the screen is 16:10, and that’s because most modern games are 16:9, resulting in letterboxing for any games that don’t support the native aspect ratio. It’s a small issue that admittedly bothers me more than most people, but still an odd choice for what is supposed to be a gaming machine. Still, at the end of the day, you won’t find a better Chromebook for gaming, and it’s certainly no slouch for getting work done either, all thanks to the included i5 and 8GB RAM.
So if you’ve been looking for a gaming Chromebook that can also double as a work companion, all the while looking slick, the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE (2024) at its current sale price of $550 is definitely a deal you shouldn’t pass up when it’s easily one of AP’s favorite gaming Chromebooks to launch this year.
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