I wasn't sure if the slight play in its surface was intentional or not, but it has utility if you tap to click, the pad moves slightly and gives you some audible feedback. Silky-smooth and sized for royalty, it's a pleasure to use. The buttonless touchpad, centered in the wrist rest, is made of Corning Gorilla Glass. The tutorial that appears at first startup shows you what you need to know to get started in Google Chrome OS.

The layout is Chrome OS-prescribed and has no Windows key, of course, but the Search key (where the Caps Lock key resides on a Windows keyboard) almost works like Start, allowing you to find almost anything and launch shortcuts in conjunction with other keys. The keyboard layout should look familiar if you're coming from a PC, and it is pretty much in line with what I've seen on other Chromebooks. The full-size keys have a light, springy feel and white backlighting. The Chromebook 514's keyboard is on the money for touch typing. You can find lighter 14-inch-screened devices out there, but finding one around the price range of even this topped-out Chromebook 514 configuration is no small feat. In addition to its slim dimensions, the Chromebook 514 is just 0.7 inch thick and 3.31 pounds. The front-facing camera on my several-years-old smartphone is much clearer. The cam's muddy picture quality isn't better or worse than I've seen from ones in similarly priced laptops, but that's hardly an excuse for device makers not to step up their selfie game. The display's minimal side bezels give it a modern, chic appearance, while the taller top bezel allows the Acer's 720p webcam to live up there. The 12.7-by-9.1-inch chassis is about as trim as a Chromebook (or a notebook PC, for that matter) sporting a 14-inch display can get. The anti-glare metal surfaces generally keep reflections down, though the silver color can become downright dazzling in direct sunlight. The lid and chassis are impressively rigid and strong. No ands, ifs, or plastics about it: The exterior of the Chromebook 514 is all aluminum.

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Cb514