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Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Dock with MagSafe review

The Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Dock with MagSafe is a weighty charging stand that can wirelessly charge an Apple Watch along with a compatible phone or earbuds case. It has a list price of $119.99 / £109.99 on the Belkin website, and can also be found at Amazon, with occasional offers appearing from both retailers in the form of discounts or purchase incentives.

At that price, it’s clear the Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Dock with MagSafe isn’t a budget option. But that doesn’t stop it offering a sturdy yet space-saving wireless charging solution that’ll happily charge three Apple devices, albeit not at the same time.

(Image credit: Future)

The 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Dock with MagSafe comes in two colorways: Charcoal or Sand. The charger I’ve tested is the Charcoal model, which is composed of a super-soft-to-the-touch silicone-like outer material, with metallic accents on the charging pad hinge and the Apple Watch charging puck holder that's fixed to the back of the charging stand. It became clear that dust could pose a problem straight out of the box, as the silicone material acted like a dust and lint magnet, so it took a bit of effort to keep it looking its best.

I was pleased to find that a 30W USB-C power supply comes as standard, as one should expect for the price, and the USB-C power cable is braided, giving it a more premium feel. This detail is something I don’t see all that often, even amongst the best wireless chargers, but very much appreciate when it comes along, as I did when I reviewed the ESR Qi2 Mini Wireless Charger, too. This is not simply because it looks good, but because it can often withstand more action than standard flexible plastic coverings that can split over time. The cable isn’t removable, which I’m usually not a fan of, but I’m not fussed in this instance, as this charging dock clearly isn’t designed to be relocated regularly, plus it reduces the chance of someone else in your household pinching the cable to power something else.

(Image credit: Future)

As the 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Dock with MagSafe had dimensions of 4.1 x 2.8 x 3.1 inches / 105 x 71 x 78 mm, it was nice that I could charge all of my devices without taking up a load of desktop or nightstand space. And I really appreciated the adjustable viewing angles that the charging dock offered, as I could keep the pad flat to charge my earbuds, or angle it up to 70 degrees to watch content on my iPhone, or toggle StandBy Mode. I found the non-slip base, strong MagSafe grip, and 1 lb / 450g weight of the charging dock to be reliable for the entirity of my testing, standing its ground and keeping a firm hold of my phone despite my poking and prodding.

As a brand, Belkin looks to be paying particular attention to the environmental impact of their products, and it was nice to see that the BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Dock with MagSafe came in plastic-free packaging. Belkin also states this wireless charger includes a minimum of 60% post-consumer recycled materials, too.

(Image credit: Future)

In terms of iPhone charging speeds, this MagSafe charging dock lagged almost 20 minutes behind other 2-in-1 wireless chargers I’ve tested from competitors like Anker and UGreen, taking 142 minutes to recharge our iPhone 13 Pro, which has a battery capacity of 2,600mAh. The Apple Watch charging speed was another story, however, as it took just 58 minutes to fully charge my Apple Watch Series 9, making it one of the fastest Apple Watch chargers I’ve tested to date.

In conclusion, if you’re looking for a reliable multi-device wireless charger to take up residence on your desk or nightstand, then the Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Dock with MagSafe is well worth your consideration. It may not be the fastest iPhone charger out there, but it’s perfect for passive charging while you work or catch some Zs, and the speedy Apple Watch charging speed is definitely a bonus. If you’re still on the fence about which wireless charger format would work best for you, I recommend checking out my selection of the best wireless chargers for some inspiration.

Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Dock with MagSafe review: Price & specs

Price

$119.99 / £109.99

Model

WIZ020

Max power output

15W

Devices charged

2

Charging tech

MagSafe

Connection

Fixed – USB-C

Weight

1lb / 450g

Dimensions

4.1 x 2.8 x 3.1 inches / 104 x 71 x 78mm

Should I buy the Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Dock with MagSafe?Buy it if…

You want a charger that’ll stand its ground
Despite having a compact footprint, this charger’s weight and low center of gravity mean it won’t be easily knocked down.

You want a convenient nightstand charger
The adjustable viewing angle, combined with how easy it is to rotate an iPhone on the MagSafe charging pad to trigger StandBy Mode, makes this a great charger for the bedside.

Don't buy it if…

You want speedy iPhone charging
While it made quick work of charging my Apple Watch, the iPhone charging speed proved underwhelming.

You want something easy to clean
As delightfully tactile as the silicone outer is, it acts like a dust magnet and has trouble letting go. So if you like to keep your things dust-free, this particular charger may prove a bit of a challenge.

Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Dock with MagSafe review: Also consider

Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station 3-in-1 Stand
If you want to charge all three of your devices at once and have the space to spare, then this 3-in-1 stand from Anker is a great choice. Not only does its wide base offer plenty of stability, but it also boasts satisfyingly fast iPhone and Apple Watch charging speeds, and it’s cheaper, too! Check out my full review of the Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station 3-in-1 Stand if you’d like to learn more.

Klim Wind laptop cooling pad: review

The Klim Wind is a laptop cooling pad that's very much aimed at the average gamer. While it may not have the oomph required by pro esports players or creative studios, it’s aimed at those who just want to stop their CPUs cooking while playing Cyberpunk 2077.

It rocks four fans capable of spinning at up to 1200rpm and comes in a range of colorways, and it’s available from Amazon from just $19.97 / £19.97 / AU$49.97.

A big selling point of the Klim Wind is how quiet it is. In fact, the packaging describes it as ‘ultra silent’, which is a) redundant, given that something is either silent or it isn’t; and b) not actually true.

However, its fan noise is impressively muted – during testing, the combined noise of its fans at 1200rpm and the inbuilt cooling of our Acer Predator Helios 300 testing laptop with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU only registered as 58.5dB from a few inches away and 44dB from my head height. That’s pretty much as quiet as any laptop cooling pad I’ve tested.

I feel a little lukewarm about the Klim’s design. On the one hand, its 16-degree angle is comfortable enough, even if I wish it had a few different height settings, and its blue LED lighting feels nicely understated. On the other, its build quality isn’t as high as some of the best laptop cooling pads, feeling a bit light and plasticky, while the flip-up laptop rests jabbed at my wrists when I was resting them on my laptop. Also, with all its notches and sharp angles, its looks are a bit on the nose – it looks like a cyber-goth butterfly, which is distinctly less charming than it sounds.

(Image credit: Future)

But all of this comes second to its core functionality – if it offers game-changing cooling, does anyone care what it looks like? Unfortunately, the Klim Wind does little to redeem itself here. The cooling it offers is, frankly, mediocre.

Using our testing laptop, I ran a 15-minute 3DMark stress test with the Wind on its max 1200rpm fan speed, measuring how much the laptop’s temperature changed. It increased from 85F / 29.5C to 120F / 49C, a 35F / 19.5C rise, which is the weakest cooling I’ve seen from any cooling pad I’ve tested, aside from the TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad’s 22.8C.

In light of this, I can’t really recommend the Klim Wind – there are simply too many similarly priced options that will keep your laptop cooler. The best cooling I’ve personally tested comes from the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad, which I can't recommend highly enough, although its $119.99 / £129.99 (around AU$188.33) price tag won’t suit everyone’s budget.

If value is your biggest priority, the Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad is a great option; it’s nearly as frosty as the Llano but costs just $19.99 / £20.99 / AU$66.91, which makes it a bit of a bargain in my book.

(Image credit: Future)Klim Wind laptop cooling pad review: price & availability

• Available now
• Retails from $19.97 / £19.97 / AU$49.97
• Wide range of colorways available

The Klim Wind is available from Amazon now. It retails for as little as $19.97 / £19.97 / AU$49.97, which will get you the blue-lit version we tested here. Although it has historically been reduced as low as £14.90 in the UK, this was way back in December 2019, while the price has never been lower stateside, so we’d argue you’re unlikely to get a better price for this now.

If black with blue lighting isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other, pricier colorways to choose from. Including options with red, cyan or green LED lighting, white metal and plastic or even an additional RGB strip, these max out at $29.97 / £29.97 / AU$149.97.

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Klim Wind laptop cooling pad?Buy it if…

You like accessories that are oh so quiet
The Klim Wind is as quiet as any laptop cooling pad we’ve tested. At 44dB from 21 inches away, it’s barely any noisier than most libraries, according to the Center for Hearing and Communication.

You don’t want to spend too much
Laptop cooling pads don’t get much cheaper than the Klim Wind, which sells from $19.97 / £19.97 / AU$49.97 on Amazon. So it’s definitely competitively priced.

Don't buy it if…

You want significant cooling
Unfortunately, its four 1200rpm fans simply can’t cut the heat as well as those on other products. Other products managed to keep our laptop’s temperature lower for essentially the same list price.

You’re not keen on edgy gamer styling
Style is individual and you might be a fan of angular, industrial gaming rigs and brutalist, sharp-edged accessories. If you’re not though, the look of this product likely won’t appeal.

(Image credit: Future)Klim Wind laptop cooling pad review: also consider

Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad
For truly arctic cooling, no product gets my stamp of approval more than the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad. Even during our 3DMark stress test, it was able to limit our testing laptop’s temperature rise to just 8C and it looks seriously classy, with its quality build and tasteful RGB lighting. It does sound like a jet engine and comes at a premium price but few laptop cooling pads can rival its prodigious cooling. Read our full Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad review.

Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad
Okay, it’s no Llano. But given it limited our laptop’s temperature rise to just 59.5F / 15.3C during stress testing, this still absolutely edges out the Klim Wind in terms of sheer sangfroid. Despite this, it retails for pretty much the same price, costing just $19.99 / £20.99 / AU$66.91. If you’re looking for a cheap laptop chiller, you’ll struggle to find one that’s better value. Read our full Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad review.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Klim Wind laptop cooling pad

• Tested over the course of two days
• Recorded how much the product cooled our gaming laptop during a stress test
• Checked the volume of its fans using a sound level meter

I tested the Klim Wind using TechRadar’s standard laptop cooling pad testing process. First off, I used a thermal camera to measure the peak temperature of our Razer Predator Helios 300 with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 testing laptop to establish a baseline. Then I ran a 3DMark stress test on the laptop for 15 minutes with the laptop cooling pad set to maximum speed, before recording its final temperature so I could compare its cooling against other products.

To test the amount of sound it generated, I used a noise level meter to check the combined noise of the cooling pad and the laptop’s fans. I took two measurements, one from a few inches away and one from my head height (21 inches away) to get a sense of the absolute and subjective noise levels the device makes. I also used the laptop cooling pad in a range of scenarios, from gaming to day to day work to assess how ergonomic and comfortable it was.

I have plenty of experience to help support my testing. Not only have I reviewed a wide range of laptop cooling pads for TechRadar, I’ve also been a creative and an avid gamer for years, meaning I’m familiar with the struggle of trying to keep a laptop cool during very CPU-intensive tasks.

• First reviewed: May 2025
• Read more about how we test

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Ever since Prime Video revealing they were doing a Carrie TV adaptation, I've been eagerly following along. The recent casting announcement has only made me more excited, too, as Scream and Five Nights at Freddy's star Matthew Lillard is stepping into the shoes of the horror story's well-meaning principal, aka Mister Morton.

I'm so excited to see Lillard's take on a character who's taken many forms over the years from the original Stephen King novel and the 1976 movie classic, to the not-so-good 2013 retelling. It'll be interesting to see if they stick to the novel or make changes his character, too.

I already had high hopes for this project, which has Netflix horror aficionado Mike Flanagan at the helm. He's well-known for his successful horror series such as The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, so I'm expecting his Amazon TV take on another of King's most iconic works to be another small screen hit.

Who else is going to appear in Amazon's Carrie TV adaptation?

Sissy Spacek as Carrie White in Carrie (1976) (Image credit: United Artists)

Alongside Lillard, there are numerous famous faces attached to appear.

For starters, Cult of Chucky's Summer Howell stepping into the shoes of the titular telekinetic teenager. Joining her is Samantha Sloyan, who recently starred in The Pitt, aka one of the best Max shows, as Carrie's domineering and god-fearing mother Margaret White.

Other names include Alison Thornton as Chris Hargensen, i.e. the popular schoolgirl and Carrie's major bully, Amber Midthunder as gym teacher Miss Desjardin, and Thalia Dudek, Josie Totah, Arthur Conti, and Joel Oulette in supporting roles.

We still don't know a lot about this project yet, but it's likely we'll spend a lot more time getting to know these characters as Flanagan can do a lot more with a TV remake than, say, a film's two-hour runtime. Here's hoping it's a horrifying hoot that'll earn a spot on our best Prime Video shows list in due course.

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We spent hundreds of hours rigorously testing the latest robot vacuums so you can ditch that old vac for good. These are the ones that deserve your money.

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• The 3i G10+ has a big onboard dust bin with dust compression
• It's designed to hold up to two months' worth of dirt in one go
• This removes the need for a bulky self-empty dock

If your home is on the smaller side but you still want a robot vacuum, typically you need to make a choice: opt for a bulky dock with a big dust cup that the robovac can automatically empty into, or take a compact, charge-only dock and commit to manually emptying the bot's small onboard bin on a regular basis.

3i has come up with a third option. Its newly announced G10+ robot vacuum has built-in dust compression, and aims to be the best robot vacuum for those with small homes.

Inside, you'll find a mechanical paddle that physically squishes the contents of the onboard dustbin as the bot goes about its cleaning, to maximise how much dirt it can carry. The onboard bin itself is also large at 950ml – bigger than that found on most cordless vacuums.

(Image credit: 3i)

All that means that even though there's nowhere for the robot to dump its dirt in the dock, it still shouldn't need emptying too often. In fact, 3i suggests it can hold up to eight weeks' worth of dust and debris… although that will vary by how much there is in your home that needs sucking up. (Pet owners should expect to have to empty it more regularly, for instance.) If you're worried about debris being stored for so long, 3i has added a built-in UV light to sterilize the bin's contents.

There are further benefits to this setup. The dust squishing happens in real time as the robot cleans, and it's silent. You'll never have to listen to the (sometimes noisy) sound of your robot vacuum auto-emptying every time it parks up. And there are no dock dust bags to dispose of, or to remember to buy.

3i isn't quite the first robovac brand to explore the idea of dust compression, but it does look like the best current option for those with limited space. The Narwal Freo X Plus has onboard compression, but that model still comes with a bulky dock; one that has water tanks but no dust bag. Another option to consider is the iRobot Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo offers dust compression and a charge-only dock, although given the company's recent troubles, now might not be the best time to invest in a new Roomba.

(Image credit: 3i)

Elsewhere, the 3i G10+ features an extendable side brush and mop for effective edge cleaning (the latter via a mop pad with an unusual protrusion), and a very-decent 18,000 Pa of suction. There's automatic carpet detection and intelligent suction and water flow adjustment based on the type of dirt the bot encounters, and the same LiDAR navigation system and AI-powered obstacle avoidance as 3i’s flagship model (the S10 Ultra).

It's also relatively affordable – the list price is $499, but it's launching with a discount that takes it down to $399 (usually an indicator that it won't generally be sold at list price). One of the things that often bumps up the price of today's flagship robot vacuums is a fancy dock that offers things like mop pad cleaning; if you don't necessarily want those things but are still keen on an advanced robot vacuum, this could potentially be a great solution.

The 3i G10+ robot vacuum goes on sale at Amazon US on 29 May. We're in the process of testing it, and will have a review live for you to read as soon as possible.

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Acer Chromebook Plus 514: Two-minute review

The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 has some strong specs that make it suitable for all kinds of workloads. For a 14-inch device, it has a rather slender and light frame. The lid material also looks premium and is outlined with a gloss rim that adds a touch of elegance.

The keyboard looks cheaper by comparison but, still, it feels built to a sufficiently high standard. The touchpad is better on this front, with its smooth finish and solid construction.

The Chromebook Plus 514 has two USB-A and two USB-C ports, which helps to make it a practical machine to live with. It also has an HDMI port and a 3.5mm audio jack, both of which are also welcome additions – but it’s a slight shame there’s no SD card slot of any kind.

In action, the Chromebook Plus 514 is quite impressive, even compared to some of the best Chromebooks. It handled most tasks I threw at it with admirable composure. Multitasking is also possible, as it can switch between apps with speed and takes multiple browser tabs in its stride. However, fan noise is certainly noticeable when workloads become demanding, but thankfully I didn’t find it disruptive; the same goes for the mild heat it produces.

It also has some impressive gaming performance, allowing me to play mobile games with high settings and frame rates. It also streams 4K content without stuttering or buffering.

(Image credit: Future)

Such content is even more of a joy to experience thanks to the excellent WUXGA display in my unit, which is very clear and sharp with plenty of contrast. Colors are also rendered vibrantly, although perhaps not quite to the degree of some of the best Chromebook displays.

Typing on the Chromebook Plus 514 is pleasant enough, with the well-spaced keys and relatively long travel helping with feedback, although the lack of dampening can make it feel a little unrefined at times. The touchpad, although large, didn’t get in the way when hammering away at the keys, and it’s also easy to use thanks to its large size and smooth texture.

The battery life of the Chromebook Plus 514 is reasonable, lasting about eight and a half hours according to our tests. This is better than some of its competitors, but there are others that can beat it on this front.

With a starting price of $399 / £399 (about AU$560), the Chromebook Plus 514 sits in the middle of the Chromebook Plus market, but when you consider its performance for a Chromebook and sharp display, it’s certainly a device worth considering for work and play.

Acer Chromebook Plus 514 review: Price and availability

• $399 / £399 (about AU$560)
• Available now with multiple configurations
• Middle of the Chromebook Plus market

The Chromebook Plus 514 starts from $399 / £399 (about AU$560) and is available in two colorways: Iron and Silver. Various configurations are possible, including a choice between Intel or AMD hardware and Full HD or WUXGA displays.

This is a mid-range price for a Chromebook Plus. It’s cheaper than the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch, for instance, which boasts a similar performance but does of course have a larger display, although it doesn’t have quite as high a resolution.

If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly – but still very capable – Chromebook Plus, then the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 is a great choice, and is our pick as the best student Chromebook. However, this doesn’t have an especially impressive battery life.

• Value: 3.5 / 5

Acer Chromebook Plus 514 review: Specs

My review unit of the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 was specified with an Intel Core 3 CPU, WUXGA display, and 128GB of storage:

Price

$399 / £399 (about AU$560)

CPU

Intel Core 3 100U (8 threads, 4.7GHz)

Graphics

Integrated, Intel UHD Graphics

RAM

8GB LPDDR5

Screen

14-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS, 16:10

Storage

128GB UFS

Ports

2x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x 3.5mm audio

Wireless

Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth

Camera

HD 1080p

Weight

3.15lbs (1.43kg)

Dimensions

12.9 x 8.9 x 0.8 inches (32.7 x 22.5 x 2cm)

Acer Chromebook Plus 514 review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Premium from the outside
• Strong yet smooth hinge
• Good port selection

The Chromebook Plus 514 has a slender, dynamic figure considering its 14-inch size. It’s also surprisingly light and thin, although the lid is a little thicker than I’ve seen on other Chromebooks. All its sides are pleasingly neat, although there are a few juts and ridges that spoil its clean lines.

The finish of the lid looks and feels premium, with its metallic edges doing a subtle but noticeable job of enhancing its quality. It’s easy to open thanks to the smooth hinge mechanism, which also provides plenty of stability at any angle – even when it's opened to its full 180 degrees, which is impressive for a Chromebook this size. However, this isn’t a convertible device, so it won’t be able to rival the usability of the best tablets.

The keyboard looks and feels less impressive, with the faux-metallic keycaps appearing quite cheap, and the lack of backlighting on my model was also something I lamented (although this can be optioned on certain models). However, the keys feel well made and their selection is reasonable, with their various shortcut functions clearly labeled. The touchpad is large and smooth, and seems to be engineered to an even higher standard than the keys.

The Chromebook Plus 514 also features the Quick Insert key, which can be used to summon a search box, with useful suggestions provided based on your recent files and web pages, among other items.

Underneath you’ll find vents and two large rubber bars in place of four individual feet. The back one is thicker than the front, which means the whole unit sits with a slight forward tilt, but this is barely noticeable in use.

I was pleased with the port selection for the most part. There’s no SD card slot, which is a little disappointing, but it has an HDMI port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and two USB-A and two USB-C ports, which lends the Chromebook Plus 514 versatile connectivity.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Acer Chromebook Plus 514 review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Handles productivity, video, and light gaming
• Sharp and bright display
• Noisy at times

Benchmarks

These are the results of our benchmarking tests for the Acer Chromebook Plus 514:

TechRadar Battery Life Test: 8 hours and 30 minutes
Jetstream2 Benchmark: 275.980
Kraken Benchmark: 438.7ms
Speedometer 3.0: 16.5 (±1.3)

I found the performance of the Chromebook Plus 514 quite impressive. Apps are quick to launch and switch between, and it handles multiple browser tabs without issue. This is thanks to its 8GB of RAM, which allows for seamless multitasking for the most part. Light productivity tasks, such as spreadsheet editing, are also dispatched without issue.

The Chromebook Plus 514 streams ultra-high-definition content with aplomb, too, and it even has capable gaming performance. I managed to play Asphalt Legends Unite on high graphics settings with next to no slowdown, which was impressive.

However, the downside of all this power is that the Chromebook Plus 514 can get quite loud as the fans kick in. It’s not as loud as other devices I’ve tried though, and the pitch at which they whir isn't grating. The chassis can also get quite warm at the rear, but again not to a bothersome degree.

On the other hand, the display is hard to fault in any regard. The WUGXA resolution is very clean and sharp, capable of surprisingly high brightness levels for a Chromebook. Contrast is also strong and colors are vivid, although perhaps not quite to the extent of some displays.

(Image credit: Future)

However, plenty of viewing angles are possible and it does a respectable job of eliminating glare in unfavorable lighting conditions. In essence, it rivals the displays of not only the best Chromebooks, but also some of the best laptops.

Typing on the Chromebook Plus 514 is a mostly pleasant experience, thanks to the generous spacing of the keys. Their travel is quite deep, which helps with tactility; however, they lack dampening, which can make them feel a little harsh when you're thumping away rapidly.

Thankfully, despite its large size, the trackpad didn’t get in my way while typing. It’s also precise and responsive, as well as offering smooth gliding. Its large surface area helps to make navigation that little bit easier, too.

Unfortunately, the speakers on the Chromebook Plus 514 aren’t particularly impressive, producing a tinny sound owing to the lack of bass response. Small amounts of distortion can also be heard at times, but the overall audio quality is clear enough to be usable, if not enjoyable.

• Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Acer Chromebook Plus 514 review: Battery life

(Image credit: Future)

The battery life of the Chromebook Plus 514 is reasonable. During our test, which involved running a movie on a continuous loop, it managed to last about eight and a half hours, which is about average compared to other Chromebooks we’ve tried.

It’s a markedly better performance than the Acer Chromebook Plus 515, which we rate as the best student Chromebook, as that device only managed a paltry five hours. However, it's worse than the Acer Chromebook Spin 314 (2023), which managed to exceed over ten hours.

• Battery life: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Acer Chromebook Plus 514?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Price

The Chromebook Plus 514 has a reasonable starting price, placing it somewhere in the middle of the Chromebook Plus market.

3.5 / 5

Design

The Chromebook Plus 514 looks good from the outside, although the keyboard is a little drab. Overall build quality is good, though, and the port selection is useful.

4 / 5

Performance

For a Chromebook, it’s fast no matter the task, and it can handle multiple workloads quite well, although it can get a little noisy in such cases.

4.5 / 5

Battery life

Battery life is fairly average relative to other Chromebooks, outlasting the weakest among them but falling short of the strongest.

3.5 / 5

Total Score

The Chromebook Plus 514 is fast at all kinds of tasks and has a fantastic WUXGA display. Starting prices are reasonable as well, all of which makes it worth your consideration.

4 / 5

Buy it if...

You have diverse uses in mind
The Chromebook Plus 514 handles productivity, video playback, and mobile games very well, thanks to its spec and display quality.

You need good ports
The Chromebook Plus 514 has plenty of USB ports and includes HDMI and audio jacks, all of which are useful.

Don't buy it if...

You want a convertible Chromebook
Reclining the screeen to 180 degrees is useful, but the display can’t be folded back and used like a tablet.

You want silence
If you want the silent operation of, say, the best MacBooks, then the Chromebook Plus 514 isn’t going to be for you.

Acer Chromebook Plus 514 review: Also consider

Acer Chromebook Plus 514

HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch

Acer Chromebook Plus 515

Price

$399 / £399 (about AU$560)

$549.99 / £449.99 / AU$749

$399.99 / £399.99 (around AU$633)

CPU

Intel Core 3 100U (8 threads, 4.7GHz)

Intel Core i3-N305 (8 threads, 3.80GHz)

Intel Core i3-1215U

Graphics

Integrated, Intel UHD Graphics

Integrated, Intel UHD Graphics

Intel UHD Graphics

RAM

8GB LPDDR5

8GB LPDDR5

8GB

Screen

14-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS, 16:10

15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080), 144Hz, 16:9, non-touch screen

15.6-inch FHD (1920x1080) IPS, 16:9

Storage

128GB UFS

128GB UFS

128GB

Ports

2x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x 3.5mm audio

1x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x microSD, 1x 3.5mm audio

1x Type-A USB port, 2x Type-C ports, 1x HDMI port, and 1x headset jack

Wireless

Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth

MediaTek Wi-Fi 6 MT7921 (2x2), Bluetooth 5.3

Intel Wireless Wi-Fi 6E AX211, Bluetooth 5.1

Camera

HD 1080p

1080p FHD camera with privacy shutter

1080p HD video at 60 fps

Weight

3.15lbs (1.43kg)

3.81lbs (1.73kg)

3.7lbs (1.68 kg)

Dimensions

12.9 x 8.9 x 0.8 inches (32.7 x 22.5 x 2cm)

14.28 x 9.5 x 0.78 inches (36.26 x 24.15 x 1.98cm)

14.2 x 9.39 x 0.79 inches (360.6 x 238.5 x 19.99 mm; W x D x H)

HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch
The HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch offers a performance close to the Chromebook Plus 514, courtesy of its similar specs. However, it doesn’t quite have the same premium veneer of the Chromebook Plus 514, and while its display is also excellent, its Full HD resolution lacks the sharpness of WUXGA. Read our full HP Chromebook Plus review.

Acer Chromebook Plus 515
If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly Chromebook Plus, the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 is a fine choice, thanks to its strong performance and great display. It’s not as quick as the Chromebook Plus 514, and the battery life pales in comparison, but for the price, it represents great value all the same. Read our full Acer Chromebook Plus 515 review.

How I tested the Acer Chromebook Plus 514

• Tested for two days
• Used for work and entertainment
• Chromebook reviewing experience

I tested the Chromebook Plus 514 for two days, during which time I used it for working and for entertainment.

I streamed 4K content on YouTube and played games such as Asphalt Legends Unite. I also connected it to various peripherals via Bluetooth and its ports.

I have plentiful experience with Chromebooks and other mobile devices, and have reviewed a number of them as well.

• First reviewed June 2025
• Read more about how we test

• Qualcomm has addressed three zero-days abused since January 2025
• The patches must now be applied by OEMs
• No details about in-the-wild abuse, but users should still be on guard

Qualcomm has finally patched three Adreno GPU zero-day vulnerabilities that were being abused in the wild.

According to the June 2025 Android Security Bulletin, the chipmaker has now fixed CVE-2025-21479, CVE-2025-21480, and CVE-2025-27038.

The first two are incorrect authorization flaws in the Graphics component. They were given a severity score of 8.6/10 (high), and could trigger memory corruption. They were first observed in January 2025. The third bug is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Graphics component that also leads to memory corruption. This one was given a lower severity score - 7.5/10.

Payment information intact

"There are indications from Google Threat Analysis Group that CVE-2025-21479, CVE-2025-21480, CVE-2025-27038 may be under limited, targeted exploitation," Qualcomm explained.

"Patches for the issues affecting the Adreno Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) driver have been made available to OEMs in May together with a strong recommendation to deploy the update on affected devices as soon as possible."

Now, it’s up to different device manufacturers, such as Samsung, Google OnePlus, or Xiaomi, to apply these patches in their products.

The affected devices span a wide range of Qualcomm chipsets, including flagship models like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and Gen 3, as well as midrange and budget platforms such as the Snapdragon 695, 778G, and 4 Gen 1/2.

There are currently no details on who abused these flaws, against whom, and to what end, however similar vulnerabilities were seen used in the past in spyware campaigns such as Variston and Cy4Gate.

A separate Qualcomm bug (CVE-2024-43047) was used by Serbian secret service agency, BIA, in December 2024, to unlock Android devices seized from journalists, activists, and protestors, the same source claims.

Via The Hacker News

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(Image credit: Spencer Platt)