Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) vs Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025): Which Laptop Should You Buy?
Quick Verdict
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) scores 8.5 versus 7.5 for the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025), making it the stronger all-rounder. The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025) is the cheaper option at $449. Choose based on the use cases below: the MacBook Air 15 (M4) leads overall, while the Chromebook Plus 514 (2025) can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Key Differences
- Faster overall: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) (Geekbench multi 14,900 vs 6,000).
- Longer battery: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) (18.4h vs 16.2h web).
- Lighter: Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025) (1.35 kg vs 1.51 kg).
- Display: IPS (Liquid Retina) (Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4)) vs IPS (Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025)).
- Cheaper: Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025) (saves about $1,200 CAD).
MacBook Air 15 (M4) vs Chromebook Plus 514 (2025): Full Breakdown
Performance: the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the stronger performer, posting a multi-core Geekbench score of 14,900 against 6,000 for the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025) — roughly 148% faster in CPU-heavy work like exports and compiling. In our 1080p gaming suite, the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) averaged 38 FPS versus 12 FPS. The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better pick if you game or edit video.
Battery and portability: the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) lasts longer away from a charger, running 18.4 hours in our web-browsing test versus 16.2 hours. The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025) is also easier to carry at 1.35 kg versus 1.51 kg, which matters if you commute or travel.
Display: the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) uses a 15.3-inch IPS (Liquid Retina) panel (2880 x 1864, 60Hz), while the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025) has a 14-inch IPS panel (1920 x 1080, 60Hz). The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) measured brighter at 482 nits, and covered 96% of DCI-P3 — relevant for outdoor use and colour work.
Price and value: the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025) is the cheaper option in Canada, about $1,200 less than the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4). Weighed against our test scores (8.5 vs 7.5 overall), the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025) offers the better value for the money, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the stronger laptop outright if budget is not the deciding factor.
For the complete testing data, read our full Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) review and Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025) review.
Where these laptops rank
Both the MacBook Air 15 (M4) and the Chromebook Plus 514 (2025) feature in these BestLaptop.ca rankings:
Winner by Use Case
Specs & Scores Comparison
| Spec | MacBook Air 15 (M4) | Chromebook Plus 514 (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.5 ✓ | 7.5 |
| Price (CAD) | $1,649 | $449 ✓ |
| CPU | Apple M4 (10-core) | MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 |
| GPU | Apple M4 GPU (10-core) | Arm Mali (integrated) |
| RAM | 16GB Unified LPDDR5x ✓ | 8GB LPDDR5 |
| Storage | 512GB ✓ | 128GB |
| Display | 15.3" IPS (Liquid Retina) | 14" IPS |
| Brightness | 482 nits ✓ | 316 nits |
| Battery (web) | 18.4 h ✓ | 16.2 h |
| Weight | 1.51 kg | 1.35 kg ✓ |
| Geekbench multi | 14,900 ✓ | 6,000 |
| Gaming (1080p) | 38 fps ✓ | 12 fps |
| OS | macOS | ChromeOS |
| Warranty | 1-year limited (AppleCare+ available) | 1-year limited |
Which Should You Buy?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) scores 8.5 versus 7.5 for the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025), making it the stronger all-rounder. The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025) is the cheaper option at $449. Choose based on the use cases below: the MacBook Air 15 (M4) leads overall, while the Chromebook Plus 514 (2025) can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I buy the MacBook Air 15 (M4) or the Chromebook Plus 514 (2025)?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) scores 8.5 versus 7.5 for the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025), making it the stronger all-rounder. The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025) is the cheaper option at $449. Choose based on the use cases below: the MacBook Air 15 (M4) leads overall, while the Chromebook Plus 514 (2025) can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Which is better for school?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for school.
Which is better for business?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for business.
Which is better for gaming?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for gaming.
Which is better for multimedia?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for multimedia.
Which is better for programming?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for programming.
Which is better for travel?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for travel.
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