Acer Chromebook Plus 516 CB516 16" specifications and in-depth review

Acer Chromebook Plus 516 CB516 16"

Manufacturer: Acer

The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 CB516 16″ is a versatile laptop from Acer, designed to offer a solid performance for everyday tasks. With its 16-inch display, this Chromebook provides ample screen space for productivity. The laptop weighs 1700g and features a 256GB internal storage, making it suitable for users who need a balance of performance and storage in a lightweight design. Its fanless design contributes to a quieter operation, though it lacks a backlit keyboard.

Powered by 8GB of RAM, the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 CB516 runs on a processor with 12 threads, offering a total clock speed of 2 x 1.3 & 8 x 0.9 GHz and supports up to 64GB of memory. Its 256GB flash storage provides sufficient space for most tasks, while the GPU, the Intel Iris Xe Graphics 80EU, operates with a clock speed of 300 MHz. The laptop also supports Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and comes with a variety of USB ports, including USB Type-C and USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, making it versatile in terms of connectivity.

Pros
  • The integrated Iris Xe Graphics 80EU GPU with 80 execution units offers decent graphical performance for general use.
  • It supports 5200 MHz RAM speed, enabling efficient data processing.
  • The device utilizes big.LITTLE technology for improved energy efficiency during multi-tasking.
  • With 9.5 MB L2 cache and 12 MB L3 cache, the system provides better performance for multitasking and demanding workloads.
Cons
  • The device lacks an unlocked CPU multiplier, limiting overclocking potential for users seeking enhanced performance.
  • It does not support ECC memory, which could be a limitation for those requiring enhanced data integrity.
  • No support for ray tracing or DLSS, making it less suitable for advanced gaming or graphics-intensive applications.
  • The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W, which may limit its capability for sustained high-performance tasks.
Who is this for?

This product is ideal for users who need a reliable laptop for general tasks, such as web browsing, office productivity, and media consumption. The integrated Iris Xe Graphics 80EU GPU and 8GB of RAM make it capable of handling everyday workloads and some light multimedia tasks. Its big.LITTLE technology helps optimize energy efficiency, making it a good choice for users who value battery longevity during basic computing activities.

Who is this NOT for?

This product is not suitable for users who require high-end gaming performance, advanced graphical processing, or intensive workloads like video editing or 3D rendering. It lacks support for ray tracing and DLSS, and its thermal design power (TDP) is relatively low at 15W, limiting its ability to sustain heavy processing tasks. Additionally, the absence of an unlocked CPU multiplier makes it unsuitable for users looking to overclock their system for maximum performance.

Design:

Type Chromebook
weight 1700 g
Uses a fanless design
Has a backlit keyboard
volume 1630.332 cm³
width 358 mm
height 253 mm
thickness 18 mm
is weather-sealed (splashproof)
has a rugged build

The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 CB516 16″ features a sleek design with a weight of 1700g, making it reasonably portable for its size. With a width of 358mm, height of 253mm, and thickness of 18mm, it offers a balanced form factor for everyday use. However, it does not have a backlit keyboard or a fanless design, meaning users may experience some fan noise. The laptop is also not weather-sealed or rugged, meaning it is not specifically built for tough environments.

Display:

screen size 16"
resolution 1920 x 1200 px
pixel density 141 ppi
Display type LCD, LED-backlit, IPS
has a touch screen
refresh rate 60Hz
has anti-reflection coating
supported displays 4

The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 CB516 16″ features a 16-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels, offering a pixel density of 141 ppi for clear visuals. The display type is an LCD panel with LED-backlighting and IPS technology, ensuring good color accuracy and wide viewing angles. However, it does not support touch input or include an anti-reflection coating, and it has a standard 60Hz refresh rate, suitable for most everyday tasks but not optimized for high-refresh gaming or intensive video editing.

Performance:

RAM 8GB
Uses flash storage
internal storage 256GB
CPU speed 2 x 1.3 & 8 x 0.9 GHz
CPU threads 12 threads
Is an NVMe SSD
DirectX version DirectX 12
GPU clock speed 300 MHz
uses multithreading
maximum memory amount 64GB
DDR memory version 5
turbo clock speed 4.6GHz
GPU turbo 1250 MHz
PCI Express (PCIe) version 4
semiconductor size 10 nm
has XeSS (XMX)
Supports 64-bit

The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 CB516 16″ is equipped with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of flash storage, offering a balanced performance for everyday tasks. The laptop's CPU features 12 threads and operates at a base clock speed of 2 x 1.3 GHz and 8 x 0.9 GHz, with a turbo boost of up to 4.6GHz. Additionally, it supports multithreading and is capable of handling up to 64GB of RAM. The integrated GPU, running at 300 MHz with a turbo speed of 1250 MHz, provides decent graphical performance, while the system supports DirectX 12 and PCIe 4.0. However, it does not feature an NVMe SSD or XeSS (XMX) support.

Benchmarks:

Geekbench 6 result (multi) 7605
Geekbench 6 result (single) 2183
PassMark result 13420
PassMark result (single) 3347

The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 CB516 16″ delivers solid performance as reflected in its benchmark scores. It achieves a Geekbench 6 multi-core result of 7605 and a single-core score of 2183, indicating strong multi-tasking and single-threaded performance. In PassMark, the device scores 13420 overall and 3347 for single-threaded performance, providing a reliable experience for everyday computing tasks.

Connectivity:

USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-C) 0
USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-A) 2
USB 4 20Gbps ports 0
USB 4 40Gbps ports 0
Thunderbolt 4 ports 0
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-C) 2
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-A) 0
Thunderbolt 3 ports 0
has an HDMI output
Has USB Type-C
supports Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi version Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
has an external memory slot
RJ45 ports 0
HDMI ports 1
DisplayPort outputs 0
USB 2.0 ports 0
has AirPlay
mini DisplayPort outputs 0
has a VGA connector

The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 CB516 16″ offers a range of connectivity options, including two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports and two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C ports, providing ample ways to connect devices. It also features an HDMI port for external displays, along with support for Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and AirPlay for wireless media streaming. However, it does not include Thunderbolt ports, an external memory slot, or a VGA connector.

Battery:

battery size 53 Wh
Has sleep-and-charge USB ports
Has a MagSafe power adapter

The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 CB516 16″ is equipped with a 53 Wh battery, providing decent battery life for everyday use. However, it does not support sleep-and-charge USB ports or come with a MagSafe power adapter, meaning it lacks these convenience features for charging while the device is off or using a magnetic charging connection.

Features:

release date April 2025
has stereo speakers
has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack
supports ray tracing
supports DLSS
has Dolby Atmos
Stylus included
Has a fingerprint scanner
number of microphones 1
Uses 3D facial recognition
has voice commands
has a front camera
Has S/PDIF Out port
has a gyroscope
has GPS
has an accelerometer
has a compass
Has an optical disc drive

The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 CB516 16″ comes with stereo speakers and a 3.5 mm audio jack for convenient audio options. It also features a front camera for video calls but does not support features like Dolby Atmos, fingerprint scanning, or 3D facial recognition. Additionally, it lacks support for voice commands, gyroscope, and GPS, making it a straightforward device without advanced sensory or biometric features.

Miscellaneous:

clock multiplier 0
PassMark result (overclocked) 13427
GPU name Iris Xe Graphics 80EU
Type Laptop
CPU socket LGA 1700
Has an unlocked multiplier
L2 cache 9.5 MB
L3 cache 12 MB
Has NX bit
CPU temperature 100 °C
render output units (ROPs) 20
texture mapping units (TMUs) 40
shading units 640
OpenCL version 3
OpenGL version 4.6
GPU execution units 80
Has integrated graphics
Supports ECC memory
memory channels 2
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 15W
Uses big.LITTLE technology
instruction sets SSE 4.2, SSE 4.1, AVX, AES, FMA3, F16C, MMX
RAM speed (max) 5200 MHz

The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 CB516 16″ features the Iris Xe Graphics 80EU GPU with 80 execution units (EUs) for integrated graphics. It supports up to 5200 MHz RAM speed and uses big.LITTLE technology for efficient processing. With a thermal design power (TDP) of 15W, the device maintains energy efficiency. It also includes 9.5 MB of L2 cache and 12 MB of L3 cache to enhance performance during multitasking, although it does not support ECC memory or an unlocked CPU multiplier.

Final Verdict

The product offers solid performance for everyday tasks, thanks to its integrated Iris Xe Graphics 80EU and 8GB of RAM. While it excels at general computing and light multimedia activities, its limitations in graphical performance and low thermal design power make it less suitable for gaming or resource-intensive workloads. Overall, it is a reliable choice for users seeking a straightforward laptop for office productivity and media consumption, but not for those requiring heavy processing power or advanced gaming capabilities.

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