Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE vs Apple MacBook Pro 14" M5 Pro
The Verdict
The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE and Apple MacBook Pro 14" M5 Pro sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE is the cheaper of the two at $649 versus $1,999, a difference of about $1,350. The Apple MacBook Pro 14" M5 Pro is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE stands out for 120hz qhd+ display is best-in-class for any chromebook, while Apple MacBook Pro 14" M5 Pro is praised for m5 pro: 18-core cpu with super cores, 4x ai performance vs m4. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE if…
- →120Hz QHD+ display is best-in-class for any Chromebook
- →Cloud gaming optimized with NVIDIA GeForce NOW and Xbox Cloud Gaming
- →i5-1340P delivers strong performance for ChromeOS
Buy the Apple MacBook Pro 14" M5 Pro if…
- →M5 Pro: 18-core CPU with super cores, 4x AI performance vs M4
- →Thunderbolt 5 connectivity
- →Up to 24 hours battery life
Pros & Cons
Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE
Pros
- 120Hz QHD+ display is best-in-class for any Chromebook
- Cloud gaming optimized with NVIDIA GeForce NOW and Xbox Cloud Gaming
- i5-1340P delivers strong performance for ChromeOS
- Ethernet port is rare and valuable for cloud gaming stability
- ChromeOS is fast, secure, and low-maintenance
Cons
- ChromeOS cannot run native Windows games or Steam natively
- 256 GB storage fills quickly for offline content
- 8 GB RAM is not upgradeable
- 1.88 kg is heavy for a Chromebook
- Limited app ecosystem compared to Windows
Apple MacBook Pro 14" M5 Pro
Pros
- M5 Pro: 18-core CPU with super cores, 4x AI performance vs M4
- Thunderbolt 5 connectivity
- Up to 24 hours battery life
- Wi-Fi 7 via N1 chip
- Starts at 1TB storage
Cons
- $1999 starting price
- No touchscreen
- Non-upgradable RAM and storage
Full Specifications
| Spec | Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE | Apple MacBook Pro 14" M5 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Software | ChromeOS | macOS 17 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 1.88 kg | 1.55 kg |
| Material | Aluminum lid, plastic body | Recycled aluminum |
| Dimensions | 357 x 254 x 20.4 mm | 15.5 x 22.1 x 1.55 cm |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | 1 | 1 |
| USB-A ports | 1 | — |
| USB-C ports | 2 | — |
| Ethernet | — | |
| Headphone Jack | — | |
| SD card | — | |
| MagSafe | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | — | 3 |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 9 hours | Up to 24 hours |
| Capacity | 65 Wh | 72.4 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 16 inches | 14.2 inches |
| Type | IPS LCD | Liquid Retina XDR, nano-texture option |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3024 x 1964 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz ProMotion |
| Brightness (nits) | 350 | 1600 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 256 GB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe | 1 TB / 2 TB / 4 TB |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 8 GB LPDDR5 | 24 GB / 48 GB |
| Cores | 12-core (4P + 8E) | 18 cores (6 super + 12 performance) |
| Chipset | 13th Gen Intel Core i5-1340P | Apple M5 Pro (18-core CPU, 20-core GPU) |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
Explore more in laptops, see all Acer products or all Apple products. View full details for the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE or the Apple MacBook Pro 14" M5 Pro.