I test Chromebooks for a living, and this is the best Prime Day Chromebook deal, bar none

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The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 is an absolute beast, and saving $300 is just insane.

Goldeneye on Acer Chromebook 516 GE 16x9
(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)

Prime Day Chromebook deals are a dime a dozen, so it's not often that a deal pops up that actually catches my attention. That said, Best Buy has one of the best deals I've seen in some time, as the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE is $300 off.

With that, you'll enjoy not only one of the best gaming Chromebooks but one of the best Chromebooks overall. The 516 GE features a gorgeous 16-inch display with a 2560x1600 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate.

Powered by the Intel Core 5 120U, this chip is paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. This gives you more than enough headroom to get work done and immediately switch over into gaming mode at the end of the day.

Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE:$649$349 at Best Buy

Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE: $649 $349 at Best Buy

I still can't wrap my head around the fact that this is $300 off. It's such a good Chromebook that it should be on everyone's radar, regardless of whether you're doing back to school shopping or not.

Price Check: $649 $552.49 at Amazon

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✅Recommended if: you want a Chromebook with a big screen, comfortable keyboard, and plenty of power to last you for years.

❌Skip this deal if: you need a Chromebook that has a smaller footprint, you need a touchscreen display, or you just aren't a fan of the gamer vibes.

If there's really anything to complain about with the Chromebook Plus 516 GE, it's that I wish that it came with more RAM. It's not that 8GB isn't enough for your day-to-day tasks, it's that we're seeing more and more AI features coming to Chromebooks.

And as those features are moved to being performed on-device, the extra RAM would be a big help in providing a smooth experience. Plus, since this is a Chromebook Plus model, you'll get 12 months of Google AI Pro for free. That gives you access to the latest Gemini features, along with 2TB of cloud storage.

Nevertheless, this is the kind of Chromebook that is good for practically everyone, even if you aren't a fan of the RGB backlighting. Ultimately, you can just make adjustments or turn it off from the Settings app after it lands on your doorstep.

Andrew Myrick
Andrew Myrick
Senior Editor — Smartphones (North America), Chromebooks & Tablets

Andrew Myrick is a Senior Editor at Android Central. He enjoys everything to do with technology, including tablets, smartphones, and everything in between. Perhaps his favorite past-time is collecting different headphones, even if they all end up in the same drawer.

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