Acer via eBay has
Acer Chromebook Vero 514 Laptop (CBV514-1H-34X9, Certified - Refurbished) for
$167.39.
Shipping is free.
Thanks to Community Member
Dr.W for sharing this deal.
- Note: This item has a 2-year warranty serviced by Allstate.
Details:
- 14" 1920x1080 60Hz IPS Display
- Intel i3-1215U 6-Core Processor
- 8GB LPDDR4X Memory
- 128GB PCIe NVMe Solid State Drive
- ChromeOS
Community Reviews
This refurbished Acer Vero 514 Chromebook stands out for strong value at this price, with an i3 1215U, 8GB of memory, and 128GB of storage that should feel snappy for everyday browsing and schoolwork. The chip is repeatedly described as much faster than the N305, and the machine can be repurposed with Linux, or even Windows 11 with Coolstar tinkering. The main tradeoffs are a 250 nit screen, no touch support, and storage that is workable but tight. It looks like a capable budget laptop if touch and extra space are not priorities.
people who want to use Linux on a Chromebook because commenters said Linux can make the Chromebook "totally viable," and that Linux can even be installed inside ChromeOS (container/VM-style) more easily than native Linux.
parents buying a Chromebook for kids because commenters called it "insta-buy" at this price and said the i3-1215U is much faster while storage is tight but still doable.
buyers who are okay with tinkering to run Windows because commenters said Windows 11 is installable via Coolstar and that it's possible with some tinkering.
buyers who don't need touchscreen and mainly want fast everyday performance because commenters noted there's no touch screen, but the i3-1215U is much faster and the deal is hard to beat if touchscreen isn't a must.
buyers expecting a very bright display because commenters disputed the listing brightness and said the screen is around 250 nits (feeling dim compared with a brighter Acer model).
people who rely on Android apps that need touchscreen interaction because commenters said the lack of a touchscreen "may not be best to run android apps."
people who want maximum flexibility from the OS environment because commenters argued ChromeOS is "way less flexible" than native Linux, even though Linux can be installed.
Common Questions (5)
AI-generated summary based on comments from the community. Updated ago
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30 Comments
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List price US $399.00 (58% off)
--->>> $157.39 with coupon code
-US $10.00
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Apply code during checkout
So I agree.
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I doubt many people are doing professional video rendering on a $167 laptop.
Comparing cache memory against different architectures isn't useful; there are too many other differences. Look at actual Passmark or other benchmark scores to understand processor differences.
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I doubt many people are doing professional video rendering on a $167 laptop.
Comparing cache memory against different architectures isn't useful; there are too many other differences. Look at actual Passmark or other benchmark scores to understand processor differences.
For general web browsing, internet speed typically accounts for 80-90% of perceived speed, while the CPU accounts for 10-20%. Internet speed determines how fast data arrives (loading), while the CPU determines how quickly that data is rendered and displayed (scrolling, interactivity). A strong CPU matters more for heavy, JavaScript-heavy sites.
Breakdown of Factors
- Internet Speed (Primary): Crucial for initial page loads and downloading content. If your internet is slow, a fast CPU cannot load the page any quicker.
- CPU (Secondary): Essential for rendering, rendering animations, running JavaScript, and handling multiple tabs.
- Bottlenecks: A very slow CPU can act as a bottleneck, causing lag in scrolling and rendering, even with fast internet.
- Typical Usage: For most users, any modern processor is sufficient. High CPU usage (over 70%) or having dozens of tabs open will significantly slow down browsing regardless of internet speed.
When CPU Matters MoreFor the best experience, a stable internet connection handles the data delivery, while a decent CPU (or faster storage like an SSD) handles the rendering efficiency.
- Internet Speed (Primary): Crucial for initial page loads and downloading content. If your internet is slow, a fast CPU cannot load the page any quicker.
- CPU (Secondary): Essential for rendering, rendering animations, running JavaScript, and handling multiple tabs.
- Bottlenecks: A very slow CPU can act as a bottleneck, causing lag in scrolling and rendering, even with fast internet.
- Typical Usage: For most users, any modern processor is sufficient. High CPU usage (over 70%) or having dozens of tabs open will significantly slow down browsing regardless of internet speed.
When CPU Matters MoreHere's what Google actually says:
Yes, the Intel Core i3-1215U is faster than the Intel Processor N305 for web browsing.
While the N305 has more total cores, the i3-1215U features high-performance ("P") cores that provide better single-thread speed—which is critical for tasks like loading web pages and daily responsiveness—whereas the N305 relies entirely on efficiency ("E") cores.
Key Performance Differences (Web Browsing)Single-Core Performance: The i3-1215U is significantly faster (some benchmarks indicate roughly 30–50% better) in single-threaded tasks compared to the N305. This translates to snappier web browsing, faster app opening, and smoother responsiveness.
Architecture: The i3-1215U (12th Gen) uses 2 Performance Cores and 4 Efficiency Cores, while the N305 (Alder Lake-N) uses 8 Efficiency Cores. For web browsing, 1-2 fast cores are better than 8 slower cores.Graphics and Cache: The i3-1215U generally has a more powerful integrated GPU (64 EUs) and more cache, which helps with rendering complex websites, media playback, and multitasking. RedditReddit +4
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