acer Chromebook Plus 515 Laptop with Google AI – 15.6″ Full HD 1920 x 1080 IPS Touch Display | Intel Core i3-1305U | 8GB LPDDR5X | 256GB SSD | Wi-Fi 6E | FHD Camera | Chrome OS | CB515-2HT-33M4

Nice basic laptop! Gets the job done!
I got it for a great price during the big prime day sale. For context, I have only had two laptops for the last 18 ish years. They were both Macs. Yes. I love MacBooks. However, at this point in my life I really have no need for the extra functions or capabilities. I really just wanted an affordable basic laptop. This is just that! No frills, not extremely capable, but really NOT bad at all. It starts up fast, works great, and is honestly made pretty well. The big screen is also really nice for me. The keys aren’t backlit buuuut… I don’t personally need that function. I recommend it!

Easy setup, lightning fast
Very nice chromebook. Excellent price, easy setup and very fast. Has built in security so no need for extra cost programs.

Good enough to replace light-use laptops
Build feels solid, good keyboard, crisp-enough screen, and it can handle 2 external monitors, though I still have some doubt about how much stuff it can actually handle in parallel to make 2 extra monitors worthwhile. I don’t like some Google stuff, but this is a keeper for me.

Why didn’t I switch over sooner?
I’ve always said Chromebooks are great for most people, but not for me. I need a machine that can handle serious multi-tasking. Well, enter the Chromebook Plus, stage right.This machine finally handles the workload I require. Unlike Windows, ChromeOS doesn’t require huge resources, so the 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD are more than sufficient. I routinely run 25+ tabs and 10 or so apps at once, and this lean, mean multi-tasking machine just keeps up, thanks to the Intel Core i3 “oomph.” It even has a quiet fan, so it never gets too hot under a heavy processing load.The “Plus” features are what seal the deal for me. The AI-enhanced 1080p webcam controls are built right into the dock and make me look fabulous. But the real value? It includes a free year of Google’s Gemini Advanced program. That’s over a $250 value (with tax), which means if you get this on sale, the device practically pays for itself!The hardware is solid. Battery life is an easy 10-12 hours depending on what settings you’re using. The FHD touchscreen is bright and crisp, and the upward-facing stereo speakers are a game-changer—no more muffled sounds coming from underneath the keyboard! It’s also super light weight at just over 3 lbs with great WiFi 6 and Bluetooth. And did I mention that Chromecast is built right in? There’s even a Pomodoro mode for serious productivity, as well as Do Not Disturb modes to keep you from distractions. The AI-enhanced mics are excellent for calls, too as my contact sometimes think I’m in the same room as they are.One of my few complaints is the keyboard. It’s not backlit, and the standard Chromebook layout has a weird slant if you’re used to a PC QWERTY keyboard like I am. You get used to it, but it could be better.My only wish? That I’d bought this sooner. I now do about 90% of my computing on this Chromebook Plus. It handles light video editing and software development just fine. But for heavy-duty compiling or video rendering, I still turn to my Windows machine (since this only has 8GB). And of course there is the odd program that will only run on Windows. But for everything else, this is my go-to, daily computing device now.Whether you choose this Acer or another Chromebook “Plus” model, you can’t go wrong. Like me, you’ll wonder why you didn’t switch sooner. And the eco-friendly packaging is just a bonus that seals the deal.