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Ahead of Computex 2024 in Taipei, we’re seeing some interesting Chromebook news. Earlier today, MediaTek announced its latest AI-powered Chromebook SoC in the Kompanio 838, and now we have Acer with several new Chromebook Plus models for both enterprises and consumers. Let’s take a quick look at the new Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 and Chromebook Plus 515 Enterprise.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514

We’ll start with the more interesting of the two models, as the new Spin 514 will be only Acer’s second Plus model to be a convertible. While it’s probably not as high-end as the Spin 714 we saw at Google’s Chromebook event last week, the images and specs of this new device from Acer look pretty sweet.

With a 16:10 1080p screen, upward-firing speakers, a backlit keyboard, and an overall nice aesthetic, I’m very curious to see how this Chromebook feels in the hand. Acer says it will start at $549.99 at Best Buy when it arrives in August in North America (July for EMEA), so I’m hoping the build quality is solid and that the screen is decent too. There will be quite a few SKUs of this device (and an Enterprise-focused model), so let’s get all those specs out of the way and then discuss what we’ll see in store to begin with.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 Key Features

• Up to Intel Core 7-150U processor (Core 5-120U, Core 3-100U, Core i5-1335U and Core i3-1315U options)
• 14-inch 1920×1200 IPS touchscreen
• USI pen support
• Up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM
• Up to 256GB NVMe
• QHD or 1080p webcam with temporal noise reduction
• Blue glass lens with privacy shutter
• 2x USB Type-C
• 1x USB 3.2 Type-A
• HDMI 1.4
• 10 hours of battery life
• Wi-Fi 6E
• Bluetooth 5.2
• Backlit keyboard
• Fingerprint scanner
• OceanGlass touchpad
• 12.59 x 9.05 x 0.82 inches / 319.9 x 229.9 x 20.9 mm
• 3.31 pounds / 1.5 kg
• MIL-STD 810H

What we’ll see in Best Buy stores to begin with will be the model with Intel Core 3-100U, 8GB RAM and 128GB UFS storage for $549.99. I imagine there’s a small chance the fingerprint scanner is off this model, and I’d guarantee the webcam option is a 1080p version, not QHD. These things aren’t certain, but based on historical data, that’s likely what we’ll see with the spec-boosted models sold at Acer directly down the road.

Acer Chromebook Plus Enterprise 515

When I first saw this listing, I wasn’t sure if they were just re-releasing the existing Chromebook Plus 515, but after seeing the specs and images, it’s clearly a new device all around. And I really like how it looks. Acer says this will only be available through commercial sales channels, so we may or may not ever see this Chromebook hit a store shelf; but there is always a chance.

Initial SKUs with a Core 3-100U and 8GB of RAM are decently priced (for Enterprise options), starting at $649.99, so I could see this very attractive, larger device being quite popular among businesses looking to deploy lightweight (3.7 pounds), large-screen Chromebooks on a reasonable budget.

Key features of Acer Chromebook Plus Enterprise 515

• Up to Intel Core 7-150U processor (Core 5-120U, Core 3-100U, Core i5-1335U and Core i3-1315U options)
• 15.6-inch 1920×1080 IPS screen (touch optional)
• Up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM
• Up to 256GB NVMe
• 1080p webcam with temporal noise reduction
• Blue glass lens with privacy shutter
• 2x USB Type-C
• 1x USB 3.2 Type-A
• HDMI 1.4
• 10 hours of battery life
• Wi-Fi 6E
• Bluetooth 5.2
• Backlit keyboard with numeric keypad
• Optional fingerprint scanner
• OceanGlass touchpad
• 14.2 x 9.39 x 0.79 inches / 360.6 x 238.4 x 19.95 mm
• 3.7 pounds / 1.68 kg
• MIL-STD 810H

With the existing Chromebook Plus 515 and the new Chromebook Plus 516 GE already in stores, I don’t know if this device will have a place in the consumer space, but it’s still interesting. I like the look and the color update is quite attractive. Expect it to launch in June in both North America and EMEA.