The Acer Chromebook Spin 514, the company's first Chromebook powered by AMD's Ryzen processor, is part of what is expected to be a major trend at CES 2021: PC makers are releasing more and more non-Intel-powered laptops. PC makers are releasing more and more notebooks that are not powered by Intel.

With a mid-range price point, this 14-inch convertible has the durability that modern chaotic life demands, and an enterprise edition will be released. Is this enough to make the Best Chromebooks list? Let's find out.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 debuted in the U.S. this past February, with prices starting at $479.99. It will be available in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in March for €529. Specific configurations and prices will vary by region.

Then there is the Acer Chromebook Enterprise Spin 514, which will be available in North America in March starting at $749.99. In Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, it will be available for €799.

The Chromebook Spin 514 has the delicate touch required of a high-end notebook. The anodized and sandblasted aluminum casing is durable; Acer says the Spin 514 has passed multiple MIL-STD 810H tests, proving it can withstand dust and sand, high and low temperatures, mechanical impact from drops, and rain.

It also comes in three different colors: pure silver, steel gray, and mist green. The first two are hard to distinguish, but Mist Green is a pleasant shade reminiscent of the recent midnight green iPhone.

Acer did not provide full dimensions for the Spin 514, but at 0.7 inches thick and 3.4 pounds, it is thicker and heavier than the just announced Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 (0.6 inches and 2.7 pounds).

The Chromebook Spin 514 is also convertible, which means it can be used in laptop, tablet display, or tent mode.

As for ports, it has dual USB-C ports (USB 3.2 Gen 1 @ up to 5 GBps, DisplayPort over USB-C, and USB charging support) and dual USB-A ports (USB 3.2, Gen 1). microSD memory reader is also available and some models have HDMI output.

The Chromebook Spin 514 runs on different versions of the AMD Ryzen processors announced for Chromebooks this September; Acer's press materials mention only the Ryzen 5 3500C and Ryzen 7 3700C options and and does not mention the entry-level Ryzen 3 3250C processor.

Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7 models will feature AMD Radeon Vega Mobile Graphics, while other models will feature AMD Radeon Graphics.

Entry-level memory and storage are not listed, but the Spin 514 will be sold with up to 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

While the industry-wide shift from Intel to AMD (or in Apple's case, its own M1 chip) may not seem like a big deal, it is a sign that computer manufacturers have grown tired of Intel's small advances in recent years and see AMD's advances as important However, Chromebooks are not the only products that are being used by Intel around the world. But Chromebooks are not abandoning Intel around the world. Samsung's Galaxy Chromebook 2, for example, comes with Intel Celeron and Core i3.

Acer only claims a modest battery life of "up to 10 hours." We look forward to testing it in our web surfing-based battery tests to see if it lives up to, exceeds, or disappoints this claim (the least likely option, given the Full HD display).

As the tide turns to AMD processors, Acer is making the rest of the laptop look good: the Chromebook Spin 514 has more ports than it should, and the anodized aluminum shell, especially in mist green, is priced would be impressive for the price.

However, since we are covering CES remotely, it will be a little while before we can give you our impressions of the actual device in a full review. The laptop world seems to be moving in a better direction.