Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE vs Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro
The Verdict
The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE and Apple MacBook Pro 16" 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 $2,499, a difference of about $1,850. The Apple MacBook Pro 16" 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 16" M5 Pro is praised for largest macbook display at 16.2 inches. 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 16" M5 Pro if…
- →Largest MacBook display at 16.2 inches
- →M5 Pro or M5 Max configurations
- →100 Wh battery with 24-hour 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 16" M5 Pro
Pros
- Largest MacBook display at 16.2 inches
- M5 Pro or M5 Max configurations
- 100 Wh battery with 24-hour life
- Thunderbolt 5
- Up to 96GB RAM with M5 Max
Cons
- 2.14 kg is heavy
- $2499 starting price
- Non-upgradable components
Full Specifications
| Spec | Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE | Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Software | ChromeOS | macOS 17 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 1.88 kg | 2.14 kg |
| Material | Aluminum lid, plastic body | Recycled aluminum |
| Dimensions | 357 x 254 x 20.4 mm | 17.7 x 24.8 x 1.68 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 | 100 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 16 inches | 16.2 inches |
| Type | IPS LCD | Liquid Retina XDR, nano-texture option |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3456 x 2234 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz ProMotion |
| Brightness (nits) | 350 | 1600 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 256 GB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe | 1 TB / 2 TB / 4 TB / 8 TB |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 8 GB LPDDR5 | 24 GB / 48 GB / 96 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) |
Want to compare a third product?
Add another product for a 3-way comparison.
Related Comparisons
- Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro vs MSI GE76 Raider
- Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro vs HP OMEN 17
- Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro vs Dell XPS 13 (2023)
- Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro vs Apple MacBook Pro 14" M2 Pro
- Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro
- Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro vs MSI Stealth 16 Studio
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 16" M5 Pro.