The Acer Chromebook 516 GE has been reviewed for its potential in offering an exceptional cloud-based PC gaming experience. At its price range, high-quality gaming laptops are rare, but the Chromebook 516 GE challenges this notion, providing excellent gaming performance, a striking display, and additional features for $649. Notably, it is often available at a reduced price, currently $419 at Best Buy, making it a compelling choice for those seeking a balance of quality and value.
Cloud gaming, akin to streaming services like Netflix, allows users to play games without downloading or owning physical copies. This means the absence of load times and updates, though it can sometimes lead to reduced game quality and performance issues. However, the Acer Chromebook 516 GE mitigates these challenges. Testing utilized Xbox Game Pass, and the laptop delivered a seamless experience, easily connecting with an Xbox Elite Series 2 controller.
During testing, both single-player titles such as “Yakuza: Like a Dragon,” “Rollerdrome,” and “Cyberpunk 2077,” and online multiplayer games like “Sea of Thieves,” “Mortal Kombat 11,” and “Fortnite” ran effectively, with only a slight decrease in graphical fidelity, which is typical for cloud gaming. Impressively, there was no noticeable input lag or stuttering.
The purchase of this Chromebook includes a three-month subscription to NVIDIA GeForce Now at the Priority level, enhancing access to premium cloud servers. Additional perks include three months of YouTube Premium, a year of Google One cloud storage, and a month of Boosteroid access, offering substantial value.
Beyond its gaming capabilities, the Chromebook 516 GE serves well as a general laptop. Its build is robust, featuring an RGB keyboard with anti-ghosting technology, alongside various ports including USB-C, HDMI, and Ethernet. The standout feature is its 16-inch, 1600p display, providing bright and vibrant visuals with a 120Hz refresh rate, impressive for its budget category despite the lack of a lower refresh rate option for conserving battery life.
Reviews, including insights from Mashable Tech Reporter Alex Perry, highlight the display and performance as significant strengths of the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE. Perry primarily used the NVIDIA GeForce Now app during testing, finding it superior to Game Pass at the Ultimate subscription level. Overall, the consensus is that this gaming Chromebook offers significant value, especially when on sale.
