Acer Googlebook 14 review: The AI isn’t the best part

Rate When Reviewed

$899.99

Finest Prices Today: Acer Googlebook 14

$899

Entering into this, I had a great deal of concerns, particularly about the brand-new os(aka Googlebook OS )and its AI functions. Is the brand-new OS going to puzzle me? What takes place if I unintentionally triggered the Magic Pointer? Will it drive me bananas?

The response, the good news is, was no– to an unexpected degree.

Acer Googlebook 14: Under the hood

• Design: Acer Googlebook 14 (GP714-91N-50A0)
• OS: Googlebook OS
• Processor: Intel Core Ultra 5 325, 8-core, as much as 4.5 GHz
• Graphics: Intel Graphics, 4 Xe cores, as much as 2.45 GHz
• NPU: Intel AI Boost, approximately 47 TOPS
• Memory: 16 GB
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Show: 14-inch 2880 × 1800 OLED touchscreen, 120Hz
• Ports: 2 × USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1 × USB4/Thunderbolt 4, 1 × 3.5 mm earphone jack
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0+
• Weight: 2.51 pounds
• Cost: $899.99

Acer Googlebook: Design-wise, it’s a step-up from Chromebook Plus designs

The Googlebook showed up tucked inside what appeared like a precious jewelry box– I got premium vibes from it immediately. It likewise included a laptop computer sleeve, which I valued.

The style is a huge part of why the price is greater than

what you usually spend for a Chromebook Plus. (The other part is the hardware, which I’ll get to later on.)You can feel the distinction in the aluminum-magnesium chassis(most Chromebook Plus designs are made from plastic). It feels really resilient. The 360-hinge likewise lets you turn the screen and utilize the laptop computer in tablet mode if that’s your thing. And, at 2.51 pounds and simply 0.55 inches thick, it’s likewise remarkably light and thin.

Acer Googlebook 14: The keyboard is comfy, however the touchpad brings in finger prints

I normally choose smaller sized laptop computers since I have smaller sized hands, so bigger keyboards take me longer to get utilized to. I accustomed myself to this one quite rapidly given that it’s still comparable to the design I utilize Once I changed, typing felt comfy.

The keyboard likewise has backlighting, which is great– and something I ‘d anticipate at this cost point. The power button functions as the finger print sensing unit for visiting.

The touchpad is focused and a great size, so I do not have any problems about how it feels to utilize. It’s likewise got a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass on it, so it feels smooth.

The issue is that it began gathering finger prints nearly instantly. I do not believe something

like that would hinder me from buying a laptop computer(any laptop computers, truly). If you’re somebody who likes keeping your laptop computer looking beautiful, you’ll most likely observe it.

Acer Googlebook 14: The web cam was great, with one little misstep

I utilized the 5MP cam throughout a short call and believed the video quality was completely great. I didn’t look absolutely rinsed, which is constantly a win as far as I’m worried.

The call itself did drop me two times, although I was rapidly reconnected both times. I do not understand if it was a problem with Microsoft Teams or the Googlebook itself, so I’m reluctant to blame the laptop computer for it. It didn’t feel fantastic.

Acer Googlebook 14: The Glowbar is adorable

There’s a little Glowbar on the cover, and I believe it’s an adorable function.

Is it essential? No.

It’s inconspicuous, and it really has a beneficial function: it informs you how much battery you have actually left, as well as the charging status. That’s convenient when you just have a 2nd to look at the top of the laptop computer and would like to know if you’re going to require to charge it quickly.

It’s one of those little additions I would not always request, however do not mind having. I like that it’s little and subtle.

news Acer Googlebook 14: This is a phone-first laptop computer

Acer sent me a Google Pixel 10 Pro XL to utilize with the Googlebook. I’m an iPhone user, however, so leaping to an Android phone felt a bit like landing on another world.

This is where it got fascinating for me. I might see why somebody who currently utilizes an Android phone would discover this practical. The Googlebook is created to make your phone seem like an extension of it. The Continue function, for instance, lets you continue whatever it is you’re doing on your phone on the Googlebook. I experimented with it a bit, however I’m not absolutely offered on the concept of linking my phone to my laptop computer. I ‘d in fact choose to keep them different– I do not desire all of my details in one location. The deep Android combination is a clear selling point for Googlebooks.

Acer Googlebook 14: The user interface feels remarkably familiar

I anticipated the Googlebook to feel more various from a Chromebook, particularly when browsing around the os.

It actually does not!

The greatest distinction is what takes place beyond the desktop. There is a lot more Android combination this time around.

Still, I didn’t discover myself combating with the user interface or questioning where whatever had actually gone.

Acer Googlebook 14: I kept forgeting the Magic Pointer

The Magic Pointer is among those functions that I kept forgetting existed, regardless of being among the beloveds of the Googlebook’s marketing when it was initially revealed.

That’s partially since you’ve got to wiggle the cursor in order to trigger it, which’s not something I naturally do when I’m utilizing a laptop computer. If I’m wiggling the cursor around, it’s generally due to a minute of disappointment. That stated, you’ve got to truly wiggle the cursor with objective in order to summon the Magic Pointer. It’s not quickly activated … however that may really be a good idea.

Due to the fact that I kept ignoring it, the Magic Pointer wasn’t almost as invasive as I anticipated it to be.

I attempted it out on an image of a cool charcuterie board I saw on Reddit. The Magic Pointer created a number of concerns I might ask Gemini, including what type of red wine would match well with it and how to recreate the board. When I asked to recreate it, Gemini turned up in the corner with a wish list of active ingredients and assembly actions.

It worked.

I simply do not understand if it’s something I ‘d in fact utilize(or keep in mind to utilize).

My impulse is to search for the active ingredients and determine assembly myself. And truthfully, it’s most likely easier for me to do that than to keep in mind to wiggle the cursor.

That’s the important things I saw about the Googlebook’s AI functions. They’re there. They work. They’re not especially bothersome. I simply do not constantly believe to utilize them.

Acer Googlebook 14: As a laptop computer, it works truly well

If you entirely rack the AI stuff/Android phone combination for a minute, the Googlebook is simply a good laptop computer. That’s a huge compliment.

The specific Acer design I evaluated has an Intel Core Ultra 5 325 processor, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, which mix felt more than efficient in managing my normal work.

I had no issues tossing my normal work at it: scrolling through Reddit, talking with colleagues on Slack, composing posts in Google Docs, and typically bouncing in between the important things I generally do throughout the day.

I didn’t discover any downturns.

The web-based criteria I worked on the Googlebook supported my experience:

• Basemark Web 3.0: 1,670
• Movement Mark: 4670.12(@ 60 fps)
• WebXPRT 5: 95

Let’s take a better take a look at Basement 3.0, which determines web browser efficiency– now let’s compare the Googlebook’s rating (1,670)with the Acer Chromebook Plus 516’s rating(901). The Acer Googlebook 14 was 85 percent quicker than the Chromebook Plus design. As far as internet browser efficiency goes, the Googlebook has a significant benefit here.

That contrast isn’t completely apples-to-apples. Here’s why.

The Chromebook Plus 516 has the Core i3-1315U, which is a reputable spending plan CPU(2 efficiency cores, 4 performance cores). That stated, the Googlebook’s Core Ultra 5 325 is much more recent, with 4 efficiency cores and 4 performance cores, and is coupled with 16GB of RAM instead of 8GB. No surprise it blew the Chromebook Plus out of the water!

In regards to hardware, the Acer Googlebook 14 is in fact quite near to the Dell XPS 14. They’ve both got an Intel Core Ultra 5 325(” Panther Lake”)processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. The Googlebook has a much better screen, and it’s likewise lighter and more flexible due to the 360-degree hinge. The Dell is significantly more pricey, too, at$1,409.99(as checked ). We didn’t run those web-based tests on the XPS 14, so I can’t make a direct efficiency contrast.

The greatest hardware benefit, however, is the display screen. The Googlebook has a 14-inch OLED touchscreen, and it’s definitely beautiful

It has a 2880 × 1800 resolution, a 120Hz revitalize rate, and 100 percent DCI-P3 protection. It gets up to 500 nits, too, so it’s both sharp and brilliant.

I wound up putting it through among my preferred informal laptop computer screen tests: A Björk performance.

I enjoyed Biophilia Live on this Googlebook, and it looked terrific. This is really the 2nd laptop computer I’ve evaluated where I’ve enjoyed a Björk show, which has actually ended up being a quite beneficial method for me to evaluate how vibrant and sharp a screen looks. Her performances have plenty of extremely vibrant outfits and visuals, so an excellent screen has plenty to deal with here.

My hubby and I likewise viewed a couple of episodes of Star Wars: Clone Wars, and the Googlebook managed those well, too. I never ever discovered myself wanting the screen were brighter or more vibrant.

Acer Googlebook 14: Battery life is a good surprise

Battery life was another strength for the Googlebook 14. In my daily usage, I navigated 14 hours on a single charge.

That sufficed to survive a complete workday and after that some (without needing to view the battery portion bar like a hawk). That’s a remarkable outcome for a laptop computer with a particularly intense OLED display screen.

I need to keep in mind that it wasn’t a regulated battery test. Rather, I utilized the laptop computer disconnected till it lacked juice and after that computed the time by utilizing the information from the Battery Usage area in the Settings menu.

Should you purchase the Acer Googlebook 14?

I do not believe the response is so basic here.

It depends.

The Acer Googlebook 14 expenses $899.99 at the time of this writing. It’s more expensive than a Chromebook Plus laptop computer, however you’re getting hardware that’s much closer to what I ‘d anticipate from a Windows laptop computer (like the Dell XPS 14). It’s not a powerhouse, however as an everyday motorist, it certainly provides.

If you’re trying to find an inexpensive Chromebook, this isn’t the laptop computer for you. I do not believe that’s truly who’s being targeted here.

A Googlebook makes good sense if you desire a premium, light-weight convertible laptop computer and you’re currently well-acquainted with Google’s community. Two times as so if you’ve got an Android phone, as they’re deeply linked with one another.

Google made such a huge offer about AI, however the most unexpected thing was how … regular utilizing a Googlebook feels. It wasn’t anywhere near as AI-forward as I believed it would be.