Acer Chromebook Plus 515 Review: The Budget Laptop Most Students Actually Need

Not every student needs a Windows laptop. If your coursework lives mostly in a browser, in Google Docs, Canvas, or a handful of web apps, the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 (Intel Core i3-1305U, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 15.6-inch FHD IPS touchscreen) is a strong argument for spending less and getting more reliability out of that spend.

Chrome OS is a lighter operating system than Windows, so the same hardware feels noticeably snappier here than it would running Windows. The Intel Core i3-1305U and 8GB of RAM handle a browser with a couple dozen tabs open, video calls, and streaming without slowdown, which is more than enough for research, writing, and remote classes. Reviewers who've covered the Chromebook Plus line consistently note that the 515 punches above its price with a genuinely good 15.6-inch touchscreen and solid speakers, two things budget laptops usually cut first.

The "Chromebook Plus" label matters here: it's Google's designation for Chromebooks that meet a higher hardware bar and get access to more built-in AI features like offline file access and better video call backgrounds. This isn't last decade's underpowered school Chromebook.

The honest limitation is software. Chrome OS runs web apps and Android apps well, but it doesn't run Windows programs like the full Adobe desktop suite or most specialized engineering, CAD, or data-analysis software. If your major requires software that only runs on Windows or Mac, this isn't the machine, and you should look at a Windows or Mac laptop instead. For general education classes, humanities, business, or anything centered on writing and research, that limitation rarely comes up.

At $299.99, this is one of the most defensible budget laptop purchases on the market right now, especially for a first laptop or a backup machine for note-taking.

Price: $299.99 at Amazon (checked 28 Aug 2026), down from a $429.99 list price

“This isn't last decade's underpowered school Chromebook.”