In 2023, Google partnered with various PC manufacturers to develop it Chromebook Plus– a new, stripped-down version on a laptop with its own operating system. The idea was to offer a more powerful version of the Chromebook for those who wanted that little bit extra. And before Christmas, Google sent me a new Chromebook Plus from Acer so I could test out the device's gaming capabilities. After a few weeks with it, I'm happy to report that it's a solid laptop that I may consider purchasing in the future. But it's not a good way to play most games.
The Acer 516 GE is special Chromebook Plus I was sent to review. And before I get into my issues with streaming, I should clarify that the device itself is sleek and modern, has solid battery life, and has never given me any technical issues. Watching videos, writing, and surfing the web with the Acer Chromebook Plus was a very pleasant experience.
I've used Chromebooks in the past and didn't like it. The stripped-down ChromeOS-based laptops have been around for about a decade now, but every time I've picked one up, I've always been disappointed by the lack of performance and functionality.
Now, in 2025, as more apps are web-based and mobile hardware has become incredibly fast, using a Chromebook is no longer a problem. While using the Acer 516 GE, I even forgot that it was a Chromebook because many of the things I do on the computer every day—checking email, chatting with colleagues, reading the news, and writing stories—through a browser be done anyway. Therefore, I never had any problems with the Acer 516 GE. Well, until I tried playing games.
The 516GE Chromebook Plus is heavily marketed as a gamer-oriented device. Google sent it to me, an author at My citybecause it is supposedly a gamer-friendly device. But if you know anything about ChomeOS and Chromebooks, you know that these devices can't play high-end games. The solution? The power of the cloud.
That's the big selling point of the 516 GE. No need to download games or worry about technical requirements. Just log in to your favorite game streaming service and play things like Cyberpunk 2077 or Fortnite immediately. And maybe in another five years that promise will become a reality, but for now, streaming games is still a poor way to play things.
I tried Fortnite, Cyberpunk 2077, And Gears 5 using various methods including Game Pass, Nvidia Geforce Now and Amazon Luna. And while some were better than others, none could match the experience of playing a game natively on a device like a console or PC.
Now you can install Steam on the 516 GE (it has a special built-in feature that allows this) and with Proton I assume I was able to play some 2D games vampire Survivors And Balatro quite good on the 516 GE. But that's not impressive in a world where my phone can do that too. No, the big selling point of this device is that it can play high-quality AAA video games on the go, without the need for downloads and without having to spend thousands of dollars on a dedicated gaming laptop.
Unfortunately, in 2025, even with Google Fiber internet (which I have), the 516 GE can't eliminate the lag, choppiness, and visual artifacts that occur when streaming games.
So if you're looking for a powerful Chromebook that can play some basic 2D games and retro stuff (I was able to get it). sting runs on it without any problems), then it's worth trying out the 516 GE. Just don't expect it and its game streaming features to replace your Switch, Steam Deck, or PS5 any time soon.
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