Finest laptops beneath $500: Our high inexpensive picks

Learn Mashable’s full assessment of the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE.

The price range Acer Chromebook 516 GE guarantees its customers a incredible cloud-based PC gaming expertise, and in our testing, it undoubtedly delivers. At this value level, high quality gaming laptops are exhausting to come back by, however the Chromebook 516 GE breaks that mildew by providing top-notch efficiency throughout gaming and common use, an attractive show, killer perks, and extra for $649. Fortunately, it usually goes on sale for beneath $500 — particularly at Finest Purchase, the place it is sitting at solely $419 on the time of writing. In the event you’re on the lookout for the intersection of high quality and worth, you will discover it right here.

In the event you’re not acquainted with cloud gaming but, it is the equal of watching content material by way of an app like Netflix: You will be streaming video games slightly than downloading them or proudly owning a bodily copy. Meaning no load occasions to begin enjoying, no downloads, and no updates. Typically, this can lead to poor sport high quality and uneven efficiency, however this laptop computer does not have these issues. We used Xbox Recreation Move as our cloud platform of selection throughout testing, and we had an general nice expertise (we additionally used an Xbox Elite Sequence 2 controller, which related simply).

We performed single-player video games like Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Rollerdrome, and Cyberpunk 2077, in addition to on-line multiplayer video games like Sea of Thieves, Mortal Kombat 11, and Fortnite — all of which require quick and responsive efficiency to play as supposed. We’re completely satisfied to report that each sport we booted up ran swimmingly, save for a slight loss in constancy (which is extraordinarily widespread with cloud gaming). We additionally skilled zero enter lag or stuttering, a powerful feat.

Fortunately, you will not be beholden to Recreation Move. Alongside together with your buy, you may redeem three free months of NVIDIA GeForce Now on the Precedence stage, which grants you entry to NVIDIA’s high-end cloud servers with enhanced decision and body price. You get different perks, too, together with three months of YouTube Premium, a yr’s price of Google One cloud storage, and a month of entry to Boosteroid. As we stated, the worth to your cash right here is stellar.

Other than the gaming-centric options, the Acer Chromebook 516GE can be a extremely stable laptop computer on the whole. The construct high quality feels sturdy and durable like a gaming laptop computer ought to, and it encompasses a good RGB keyboard with anti-ghosting tech that is unbelievable to kind on. You will additionally get a bevy of ports, together with USB-C, HDMI, and Ethernet. The true showstopper is the laptop computer’s show — the 16-inch, 1600p display screen appears incredible and boasts clear, vibrant, and vibrant colours. It additionally helps a 120Hz refresh price, which is wonderful for a price range gaming laptop computer (regardless that you may’t drop it down to avoid wasting battery life).

Mashable Tech Reporter Alex Perry additionally loved his time with the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE, citing show and efficiency as highlights as effectively. He used NVIDIA’s GeForce Now app principally throughout testing and stated it carried out higher than Recreation Move, at the very least on the Final subscription tier. We will not communicate to the free tier, nevertheless it’s in all probability nearer to the bottom Recreation Move expertise. All in all, Perry additionally agrees that this gaming Chromebook is a superb worth for the value, particularly on sale.