Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE ZDNET's key takeaways The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE is available now for $549.
Its bright, 120Hz display plays nicely with a solid processor, making it fast, responsive, and optimized for cloud gaming.
Despite being a gaming Chromebook, the keyboard isn't great. View now at Best Buy
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When Google announced the release of six new Chromebook Plus devices in late 2024, all eyes were on the new models from Acer, HP, and Asus. I was lucky enough to get my hands on the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE, a beefed-up refresh of the previous cloud gaming model.
Also: Should you take gaming on Chromebooks seriously? Nvidia's latest move says it all
Chromebook Plus refers to devices that are largely the same as "regular" Chromebooks (light, agile, run on ChromeOS, and are designed for the cloud) but boast more robust hardware and leverage Google's Gemini for a host of AI functionalities.
The AI functionality in the new Chromebook Plus devices ranges from flashy features like generative AI wallpapers to photo editing tools in the Google Photos app and Google Chrome's Help Me Write app. More notably though, they come with Gemini on every device and the addition of the Quick Insert key where Caps Lock lives.
The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 5 120U from Intel's "Raptor Lake" series from 2024. This is a powerful processor found in much more expensive laptops and the power behind the gaming performance. This, along with the sharp-looking 16-inch WQXGA display with a 120Hz refresh rate and decent speakers make it look more like a solid gaming laptop than a Chromebook.
Also: This Acer laptop from last year is proof that you don't need to upgrade in 2026
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