If you’re looking to invest in an accessible laptop that can handle day-to-day tasks, you’ll like one of the two models. Between a Chromebook and a Windows PC, what to choose? We will try to answer them in this comparison.
There are well-equipped laptops on the market without having to pay a large sum of money for them. Many manufacturers pull the price down without sacrificing performance. If you want to buy an ultraportable with a price tag of around 500-550 euros, but you don’t know which models to orient yourself towards, we have found two devices with interesting promotions for you. These are the Honor MagicBook 15 AMD (2022) and the Acer ChromeBook Spin 514.
These two references confirm that a good laptop does not necessarily have to cost more than 1,000 euros. When each offers a different operating system and processor, they can perform day-to-day tasks effectively and have considerable autonomy to get the most out of it. It remains to be seen which of the two best suits your needs and which experience appeals to you the most between Windows or ChormeOS? We will try to enlighten you through this comparison in your choice.
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Two sleek laptops including a convertible
Aesthetically, the Acer laptop offers pretty finishes. This Spin 514 is one of the top performers in the Chromebook market and lays claim to a design that’s worked with a solid aluminum shell. Its compact size and light weight (1.4 kg) make it easy to transport. It stands out above all for its design and its 360-degree hinge. So it is possible to rotate the screen to use it as a tablet. Handy for people who are used to taking notes or who like to draw as it works perfectly with pens. The Honor MagicBook 15 (2022) also benefits from a neat aluminum design with excellent finishes reminiscent of Huawei. Despite its large screen, it maintains a small footprint, measuring just 16.9mm and weighing just 1.54kg. On the connection side, the Spin 514 is equipped with two USB-C ports, an HDMI port, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port and an audio headphone jack. The MagicBook 15 offers a USB-C port, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port, a USB 2.0 port, an HDMI port and a 3.5mm jack.
The two manufacturers wanted to rely on screens with thin edges. The Honor MagicBook 15 (2022) uses a 15.6-inch IPS LCD panel in 16:9 format with FHD (1920 x 1080) resolution. We measured a maximum brightness of 325 cd/m² in our test, which is correct, but does not allow excellent readability in direct sunlight. If you intend to use the computer mainly indoors, the lack of brightness will not be noticeable. Overall the screen is of good quality and quite immersive with its thin 4.8mm bezels on three sides. The Acer Spin 514 is also based on an IPS LCD panel, but with a diagonal of 14 inches. It offers narrow bezels with a frame/screen ratio of 84% compared to 87% for the MagicBook 15. With its FHD resolution, the Acer laptop’s screen is pleasant to look at and its touch surface offers good versatility.
Microsoft or Google?
If you are more familiar with Windows, the operating system designed by Google is no less interesting. The latter offers a clean and pleasant user interface. ChromeOS impresses with its simplicity and responsiveness and ensures a good browsing experience for users. All Google services (Drive, Docs, Photos, etc.) are available and synced with your data. The operating system obviously offers access to the Play Store and therefore to a large number of downloadable applications such as Spotify or Netflix. It is even possible to launch Linux applications. On the other hand, if you have important software or peripherals, a Windows PC is probably a better choice.
Honor equips its ultrabook with Microsoft’s latest operating system: Windows 11. With the eleventh generation of Windows, we are entitled to a completely redesigned interface, with smoother animations, a clearer menu, easy-to-use widgets. etc.). The Microsoft Store application has also been redesigned and finally allows you to download and install applications without errors or performance problems. It will even be possible to download Android applications. This operating system continues to be updated by the Redmond company, with more adjustments in the menu but also to make an ergonomic interface very practical in everyday life.
Chromium operating system
Source: microsoft
An ideal machine for office automation and another more versatile
In terms of performance, both are laptops Don’t use the same processor : One runs under an Intel chip and the other runs under an AMD chip. Let’s start with the configuration of the Acer Chromebook Spin 514. Chromebook PCs with integrated Intel Celeron or Pentium chips are often found to have rather weak processors. Fortunately, the Spin 514 is better equipped and houses a 2-core Intel Core i3-1110G4 with a base frequency of 1.5 GHz, which can be boosted to 3.9 GHz. Everything is paired with 8GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 128GB of NVMe PCIe 3.0 storage. Specifically, this machine is not a power monster, but it is appreciated by (tele)workers and students. Especially with simple tasks ranging from office automation to web surfing to 2D gaming, you will be fully satisfied with this performance.
With the MagicBook 15 2022, Honor switches from an Intel processor to an AMD chip. We therefore find under the hood a Ryzen 5 5500U with 6 cores and 12 threads with a base frequency of 2.1 GHz that can rise to 4 GHz. A comfortable configuration for most everyday tasks: whether for work, surfing the Internet without lag or even creative work like editing photos. The latter packs a Radeon Vega 7 GPU part that can easily run games at 60 FPS with very low power consumption, but doesn’t go beyond that since this machine isn’t designed for gaming. Its cooling system is efficient and keeps the laptop performing. We also appreciate the 512GB SSD, which then allows for a quick boot and just as quick access to data.
Long lasting and quickly rechargeable
In terms of autonomy, Honor includes a 56Wh battery. This makes the machine last a long time. It also received a very good score during our autonomy test protocol (PCMark 10), giving up the ghost after 13 hours and 18 minutes, from 99 to 2%. Another important element and not least the 65W charger that delivers two hours of use after 15 minutes.
In general, Chromebooks are known for their endurance. Here the Acer laptop offers good autonomy and promises 10 hours of use. It’s true that this duration will vary depending on use, but for office use it’s quite honorable. You can get through the day worry-free from the charger, but with more intensive use knowing that it’s still compatible with fast charging (50% in 30 minutes).
Honor or Acer, which one to choose?
After detailing these two laptops point by point, here are some things to keep in mind when making your decision.
For those looking for a basic device to surf the web, watch video content, or launch Word or Google Docs, the Acer ChromeBook Spin 514 is a very good investment. In addition to its attractive price, its interface simplifies navigation for people unfamiliar with this type of product, like our grandparents. It can also meet students’ needs for note-taking and multitasking. With its ability to transform into a tablet, the ultraportable offers good versatility and portability.
On the other hand, if you have a more advanced use and you need to install software of the likes of Photoshop, the solution offered by Honor is more likely to be the most suitable. For heavier applications, the cooling system can maintain its performance and remain efficient during use. For nomads, its lightness and autonomy will not disappoint. And if you’re the type who stores a lot of files, the 512GB SSD won’t be too much. You should also know that we gave it a score of 8/10. A note we give to Frandroid if the product’s qualities make it a good deal for almost all user profiles. The large number of qualities means that any imperfections are not prohibitively expensive.
To find out more, you can discover our review of the Honor MagicBook 14 (2022) valid for AMD 15. And if we haven’t had a chance to review the Acer Spin 514 yet, you can check out our ChromeBook guide.
More references to discover
If these two laptops don’t meet your needs and you want to see what the competition offers, we invite you to consult our guide to the best laptops of the moment.
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