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Acer TravelMate X514 Laptop Review: A small 14-inch machine with professionals in mind

Ultramobile and super-lightweight. Acer markets the TravelMate X514-51 as being particularly small and lightweight, and it does not disappoint in that regard. Our tests will determine whether this Whiskey Lake business laptop is up to scratch, though.
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q

The TravelMate brand has been around for well over twenty years now, with Acer having bought the rights to use it in 1997 from Texas Instruments. While TravelMate laptops are primarily high-end business laptops, Acer also offers devices such as the TravelMate X3410, which are geared more towards those who are operating on a tighter budget.

Our review unit currently retails for about €1,000 (~$1,102) and offers an Intel Core i5-8265U with UHD Graphics 620 graphics on board, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD among other components. Many OEMs offer these components in their compact business laptops though, so the TravelMate X514 faces stiff competition. We have included an overview below of the devices against which we will be comparing our review unit. You can add other devices into our comparison tables too.

Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q (TravelMate X Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-8265U 4 x 1.6 - 3.9 GHz, Whiskey Lake-U
Graphics adapter
Memory
8 GB 
, Dual-Channel
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 157 PPI, Chi mei CMN14D5, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Cannon Lake-U PCH-LP Premium
Storage
Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1, 256 GB 
, 210 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Cannon Lake-LP - cAVS
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm jack, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 15 x 329 x 228 ( = 0.59 x 12.95 x 8.98 in)
Battery
36 Wh, 4670 mAh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 0.9 MP, 16:9 (1,280 x 720)
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 36 Months Warranty
Weight
980 g ( = 34.57 oz / 2.16 pounds), Power Supply: 158 g ( = 5.57 oz / 0.35 pounds)
Price
1000 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
83.9 %
11/2019
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620
980 g15 mm14.00"1920x1080
88.4 %
09/2019
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
R7 PRO 3700U, Vega 10
1.3 kg16.1 mm14.00"1920x1080
86.2 %
05/2019
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
i7-8565U, GeForce MX250
1.5 kg14.9 mm14.00"1920x1080
84.6 %
04/2019
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
i5-8265U, GeForce MX230
1.5 kg19 mm14.00"1920x1080
84.8 %
04/2019
Dell Latitude 14 5495
R7 2700U, Vega 10
1.7 kg22.45 mm14.00"1920x1080

Case - A small and light business laptop

Acer refers to the material the TravelMate X514 as being made from a "unique mix of different alloys," but it feels like a high-quality plastic in our hands. However, while some people may see this as a detriment, it allows the device to look both clean and extremely lightweight. There are no obvious gaps between materials either, nor does our review unit suffer from any defects. Its hinges hold the display firmly in place too and allow it to be opened to 180°.

Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q

Our review unit weighs in at 980 g (~2.2 lb), making it lighter than all our comparison devices and even the LG Gram 14Z980. The TravelMate X514 is not the most compact 14-inch laptop around though, with Acer Swift 3 SF314 being a bit slimmer and narrower than our review unit.

Size Comparison

333.4 mm / 13.1 inch 228.9 mm / 9.01 inch 22.45 mm / 0.884 inch 1.7 kg3.73 lbs328.8 mm / 12.9 inch 225.8 mm / 8.89 inch 16.1 mm / 0.634 inch 1.3 kg2.82 lbs329 mm / 13 inch 228 mm / 8.98 inch 15 mm / 0.591 inch 980 g2.16 lbs322 mm / 12.7 inch 212 mm / 8.35 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 1.5 kg3.22 lbs323 mm / 12.7 inch 228 mm / 8.98 inch 14.9 mm / 0.587 inch 1.5 kg3.31 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity - Fast Wi-Fi, but only a few ports

The TravelMate X514 has surprisingly few ports. Acer waives an Ethernet port and memory card reader completely, while the USB Type-C port is limited to the USB 3.1 Gen1 standard. You can connect the device to an external monitor via Type-C with the right adapter though, although there is an HDMI port on board too.

Left-hand side: Cable lock slot, 3.5 mm jack
Left-hand side: Cable lock slot, 3.5 mm jack
Right-hand side: 1x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C, 2x USB 3.0 Type-A, HDMI, proprietary power connector
Right-hand side: 1x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C, 2x USB 3.0 Type-A, HDMI, proprietary power connector

Communication

The TravelMate X514 also supports Bluetooth 5.0 and up to IEEE 802.11 ac Wi-Fi. Our review unit performed well in our Wi-Fi tests, with it averaging 649 MBit/s when downloading data thanks to the 2x2 MIMO antenna that Acer has included. Its average of 469 MBit/s when uploading data is a bit below par here, though.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Subnotebook
  (606 - 1339, n=3, last 2 years)
1056 MBit/s +63%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Realtek 8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
675 (561min - 737max) MBit/s +4%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
658 MBit/s +1%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
649 (588min - 677max) MBit/s
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
637 (467min - 709max) MBit/s -2%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
541 (318min - 616max) MBit/s -17%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Subnotebook
  (623 - 1690, n=3, last 2 years)
1258 MBit/s +168%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
618 MBit/s +32%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Realtek 8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
616 (569min - 634max) MBit/s +31%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
615 (517min - 654max) MBit/s +31%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
469 (256min - 561max) MBit/s
Dell Latitude 14 5495
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
452 (329min - 553max) MBit/s -4%
04080120160200240280320360400440480520560600640680720Tooltip
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q Intel Wireless-AC 9560; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø469 (256-561)
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V Intel Wireless-AC 9560; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø615 (517-654)
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T Realtek 8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø616 (569-634)
Dell Latitude 14 5495 Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø452 (329-553)
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q Intel Wireless-AC 9560; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø649 (588-677)
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V Intel Wireless-AC 9560; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø637 (467-709)
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T Realtek 8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø675 (561-737)
Dell Latitude 14 5495 Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø541 (318-616)

Security

Acer has equipped the TravelMate X514 with a fingerprint scanner that supports Windows Hello. The one in our review unit worked well during our tests and unlocked our machine after only a short delay. There is a Trusted Platform Module 2.0 chip too (TPM 2.0), but Microsoft requires all OEMs to include this in their laptops if they sell them with Windows 10 pre-installed.

Accessories

A look at Acer's USB Type-C docking station
A look at Acer's USB Type-C docking station

The TravelMate X514 comes with a power supply, along with some warranty information in the box. While Acer does not bundle any other accessories, it sells general ones such as a Type-C docking station or laptop sleeves and mice.

Maintenance

The TravelMate X514 is relatively easy to maintain and repair, although the device lacks a maintenance hatch. Setting this oversight to one side, Acer has made the bottom plate simple to remove, having secured it to the chassis with only a few screws. As the photo below demonstrates, removing the bottom plate reveals all main components such as the M.2 SSD, heatsink and battery. While there is an additional M.2 2280 drive bay, Acer has soldered the RAM to the motherboard.

A look at the TravelMate X514 with its bottom plate removed
A look at the TravelMate X514 with its bottom plate removed
A closer look at the spare M.2 2280 drive bay
A closer look at the spare M.2 2280 drive bay

Warranty

The TravelMate X514 has a three-year limited manufacturer's warranty. Acer offers various warranty extension packages and services should you need longer and more thorough coverage, though.

Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies & Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices - A backlit keyboard that will take some getting used to

Keyboard

The keys of the TravelMate X514 have a smooth finish to them and offer a fairly soft pressure point. Correspondingly, the keyboard may take some acclimatisation for frequent typists before the typing experience becomes a natural one. Acer has included white backlighting too for those who work in poorly lit rooms or at night. The backlight only has one stage though, rather than the multiple stages that other laptops offer.

A look at the keyboard on the TravelMate X514
A look at the keyboard on the TravelMate X514
and with its backlighting enabled
and with its backlighting enabled

Trackpad

The built-in trackpad has a smooth finish to it too, making it easy on which to perform precise swipes or multi-finger gestures. Acer has also integrated two mouse buttons that generate a crisp and audible sound when pressed. The trackpad in our review unit sits firmly in its housing and does not rattle or wobble when pressed.

A look at the trackpad on the TravelMate X514
A look at the trackpad on the TravelMate X514

Display - A dim, but colour accurate IPS panel

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array
Our review unit suffers from backlight bleeding
Our review unit suffers from backlight bleeding

The TravelMate X514 has a 14-inch IPS panel that resolves natively at 1,920 x 1,080. While its resolution is on par with almost all modern laptops, its average peak brightness of 276 cd/m² falls short of expectations. Likewise, many of our comparison devices put the 82% even backlight of our review unit to shame.

Worse still, the panel flickers at 250 Hz when set to 10% brightness and below, a frequency that will cause eye strain and headaches for some people. However, since this only becomes a factor when the display is set to 10% brightness or lower, this should not prove an issue in daily use.

257
cd/m²
267
cd/m²
250
cd/m²
269
cd/m²
295
cd/m²
275
cd/m²
273
cd/m²
305
cd/m²
296
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi mei CMN14D5 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 305 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 276.3 cd/m² Minimum: 17 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 82 %
Center on Battery: 288 cd/m²
Contrast: 1372:1 (Black: 0.215 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.6 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.4 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
63% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
68.6% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
98.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
67% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.08
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Chi mei CMN14D5, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
B140HAN05.7, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
Chi Mei CMN14D5, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
AU Optronics AUO403D B140HAN04.0, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Dell Latitude 14 5495
CMN14C9, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
Display
-1%
0%
-40%
-38%
Display P3 Coverage
67
67
0%
67.3
0%
39.71
-41%
40.94
-39%
sRGB Coverage
98.9
96.8
-2%
98.9
0%
59.6
-40%
61.4
-38%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
68.6
68.3
0%
69.5
1%
41.04
-40%
42.32
-38%
Response Times
-46%
-1%
-4%
3295%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
40 ?(21, 19)
60.8 ?(30.8, 30)
-52%
40 ?(22, 18)
-0%
40 ?(19, 21)
-0%
41 ?(24, 17)
-3%
Response Time Black / White *
27 ?(16, 11)
37.6 ?(19.6, 18)
-39%
28 ?(15, 13)
-4%
29 ?(17, 12)
-7%
30 ?(19, 11)
-11%
PWM Frequency
250 ?(10)
250
0%
25000 ?(30)
9900%
Screen
1%
-14%
-12%
-27%
Brightness middle
295
380
29%
323
9%
267
-9%
212
-28%
Brightness
276
381
38%
299
8%
257
-7%
200
-28%
Brightness Distribution
82
87
6%
87
6%
91
11%
89
9%
Black Level *
0.215
0.22
-2%
0.35
-63%
0.2
7%
0.23
-7%
Contrast
1372
1727
26%
923
-33%
1335
-3%
922
-33%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.6
4
-54%
3.13
-20%
3.79
-46%
4.34
-67%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
5.6
5.7
-2%
6.96
-24%
8.18
-46%
9.01
-61%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.4
4.4
-29%
4.32
-27%
1.49
56%
2.81
17%
Gamma
2.08 106%
2.54 87%
2.29 96%
2.48 89%
2.22 99%
CCT
7192 90%
6963 93%
7436 87%
6659 98%
6286 103%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
63
62.2
-1%
64
2%
38
-40%
39
-38%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
99
96.6
-2%
99
0%
59
-40%
61
-38%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.2
0.9
4.71
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-15% / -6%
-5% / -9%
-19% / -16%
1077% / 594%

* ... smaller is better

99% sRGB Colour space coverage
99% sRGB Colour space coverage
63% AdobeRGB colour space coverage
63% AdobeRGB colour space coverage

One of the saving graces of the display is its colour accuracy, an area in which it excels. According to X-Rite i1Pro 2, the panel has a 0.215 cd/m² black value, which culminates in a 1,372:1 contrast ratio. These both allow the display to delineate colours nicely from each other, while black tones look vivid too.

CalMAN analysis highlighted that the display overproduces blue tones while underrepresenting green tones. The TravelMate X514 covers 99% of sRGB and 63% of AdobeRGB, though.

CalMAN: Colour accuracy
CalMAN: Colour accuracy
CalMAN: Greyscale
CalMAN: Greyscale
CalMAN: Colour saturation
CalMAN: Colour saturation

While the TravelMate X514 is usable outdoors, we would recommend finding a shady spot in which to work if possible. Otherwise, the screen may look washed out and will be difficult to read, especially on sunny days.

Using the TravelMate X514 outdoors
Using the TravelMate X514 outdoors
Using the TravelMate X514 outdoors
Using the TravelMate X514 outdoors

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
27 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16 ms rise
↘ 11 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 63 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
40 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 21 ms rise
↘ 19 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 55 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 250 Hz ≤ 10 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 250 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 10 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 250 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The display in our review unit also has stable viewing angles. We noticed no distortions even at acute viewing angles, so the device should remain readable from almost any angle.

Viewing Angles
Viewing Angles

Performance - Good for office applications

Acer has designed the TravelMate X514 for those who are looking for as light a business laptop as possible. While the X514 meets those needs as we discussed earlier, the company has included in our review unit is powerful enough for all office tasks too. The Core i5-8265U, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD are a common combination around here and offer a good balance between performance and energy efficiency.

The company offers the TravelMate X514 with 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD too should you need more storage and RAM.

 

Processor

The Core i5-8265U has a 1.6 GHz base clock, although it can dip below these levels as we will discuss later in this review. The CPU can also reach up to 3.9 GHz on a single core and can execute up to eight threads simultaneously thanks to Intel Hyper-Threading.

The quad-core chip cannot always maintain peak Turbo Boost clock speeds, as our Cinebench R15 Multi 64Bit endurance test demonstrated. We left our review unit running the benchmark on a loop for around thirty minutes, during which benchmark scores dropped from 500 points to a low of 454, with the device averaging 462 points overall. Not only is its peak score drastically lower than the equivalent of our only Core i5-8265U powered comparison device, but it also throttles to lower levels too. It also finished well behind our other comparison devices. This is only true of multi-core benchmarks though, with the TravelMate X514 finishing second to the Acer Swift 3 SF314 in CB R15 Single64Bit.

Please see our CPU comparison page for more information about the Core i5-8265U and how it fares against other processors.

03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630665Tooltip
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel Core i5-8265U: Ø462 (454.47-500.69)
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00 AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 3700U, AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 3700U: Ø578 (565.26-658.27)
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel Core i7-8565U: Ø525 (504.86-564.35)
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel Core i5-8265U: Ø503 (492.9-621.35)
Dell Latitude 14 5495 AMD Ryzen 7 2700U, AMD Ryzen 7 2700U: Ø620 (605-670)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Subnotebook
  (91.8 - 280, n=62, last 2 years)
234 Points +44%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
Intel Core i7-8565U
180 Points +11%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Intel Core i5-8265U
162 Points
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Intel Core i5-8265U
161 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (111 - 164, n=35)
155 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 3700U
149 Points -8%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
148 Points -9%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Subnotebook
  (514 - 2581, n=70, last 2 years)
1705 Points +240%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
670 Points +34%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 3700U
658 Points +31%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Intel Core i5-8265U
623 Points +24%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (457 - 750, n=38)
592 Points +18%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
Intel Core i7-8565U
564 Points +13%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Intel Core i5-8265U
501 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
162 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
501 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
47.13 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help

System Performance

Conversely, the TravelMate X514 finished in the midfield of our system performance comparison tables. Our review unit generally outperformed the average of Core i5-8265U and UHD Graphics 620 powered devices that we have tested too. We did not notice any noticeable stutters or performance issues when accessing files, booting the OS or loading programs either.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4384 - 7428, n=56, last 2 years)
5810 Points +56%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
4061 Points +9%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
GeForce MX230, i5-8265U, Kingston RBU-SNS8180DS3512GJ
3764 Points +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
Vega 10, R7 PRO 3700U, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
3762 Points +1%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1
3725 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2247 - 3985, n=29)
3705 Points -1%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
Vega 10, R7 2700U, Intel SSDSCKKF256G8
2585 Points -31%
Essentials
Average of class Subnotebook
  (8890 - 11168, n=56, last 2 years)
10202 Points +30%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
GeForce MX230, i5-8265U, Kingston RBU-SNS8180DS3512GJ
7981 Points +1%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1
7867 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (5073 - 8689, n=29)
7833 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
Vega 10, R7 PRO 3700U, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
7480 Points -5%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
7446 Points -5%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
Vega 10, R7 2700U, Intel SSDSCKKF256G8
5957 Points -24%
Productivity
Average of class Subnotebook
  (6213 - 10279, n=56, last 2 years)
7803 Points +22%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
7037 Points +10%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
GeForce MX230, i5-8265U, Kingston RBU-SNS8180DS3512GJ
6755 Points +6%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1
6382 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2941 - 6556, n=29)
6061 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
Vega 10, R7 PRO 3700U, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
5670 Points -11%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
Vega 10, R7 2700U, Intel SSDSCKKF256G8
3571 Points -44%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4093 - 9749, n=56, last 2 years)
6758 Points +142%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
3470 Points +24%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
Vega 10, R7 PRO 3700U, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
3407 Points +22%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2067 - 3210, n=29)
2917 Points +4%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1
2795 Points
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
GeForce MX230, i5-8265U, Kingston RBU-SNS8180DS3512GJ
2685 Points -4%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
Vega 10, R7 2700U, Intel SSDSCKKF256G8
2206 Points -21%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4730 - 5285, n=3, last 2 years)
5030 Points +59%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
Vega 10, R7 PRO 3700U, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
4161 Points +31%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
3581 Points +13%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2747 - 4244, n=24)
3442 Points +9%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
Vega 10, R7 2700U, Intel SSDSCKKF256G8
3256 Points +3%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1
3170 Points
Work Score Accelerated v2
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
5174 Points +10%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
Vega 10, R7 PRO 3700U, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
5077 Points +8%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1
4698 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3132 - 4927, n=23)
4657 Points -1%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2972 - 5271, n=3, last 2 years)
3805 Points -19%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
Vega 10, R7 2700U, Intel SSDSCKKF256G8
2438 Points -48%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3170 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4698 points
PCMark 10 Score
3725 points
Help

Storage Devices

Acer has equipped our review unit with a Kingston SSD, which puts the device in the midfield of our comparison table. While the drive has faster read and write speeds than the ones in the ASUS VivoBook 14 and Dell Latitude 14 5495, it falls well short of the drives in our other two comparison devices.

You can add another M.2 2280 SSD too should you need additional storage. Please see our HDD/SSD comparison page for more information and benchmarks.

Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Kingston RBU-SNS8180DS3512GJ
Dell Latitude 14 5495
Intel SSDSCKKF256G8
Average Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
51%
37%
-55%
-52%
14%
Write 4K
122.3
142.3
16%
185.5
52%
55
-55%
48.45
-60%
141.1 ?(58.4 - 442, n=7)
15%
Read 4K
45.51
46.69
3%
50.2
10%
28.79
-37%
25.11
-45%
82.4 ?(27.9 - 371, n=7)
81%
Write Seq
667
1175
76%
307.5
-54%
341.2
-49%
722 ?(271 - 900, n=7)
8%
Read Seq
713
1132
59%
430
-40%
521
-27%
974 ?(712 - 1582, n=7)
37%
Write 4K Q32T1
411.8
268.3
-35%
472.6
15%
149.5
-64%
202
-51%
418 ?(236 - 868, n=7)
2%
Read 4K Q32T1
559
359.6
-36%
642
15%
207.2
-63%
243.5
-56%
571 ?(349 - 1580, n=7)
2%
Write Seq Q32T1
892
3033
240%
1453
63%
389.2
-56%
320.8
-64%
717 ?(253 - 914, n=7)
-20%
Read Seq Q32T1
1639
3561
117%
1738
6%
497.1
-70%
555
-66%
1413 ?(412 - 1639, n=7)
-14%
Write 4K Q8T8
1491
247.5
483 ?(399 - 647, n=3)
Read 4K Q8T8
1499
253.4
684 ?(680 - 688, n=3)
AS SSD
93%
42%
-139%
-73%
-20%
Seq Read
1222
2661
118%
1438
18%
487.6
-60%
507
-59%
1195 ?(748 - 1416, n=7)
-2%
Seq Write
775
2314
199%
1352
74%
392.7
-49%
286.5
-63%
668 ?(219 - 836, n=7)
-14%
4K Read
54.8
45.52
-17%
47.35
-14%
36.4
-34%
19.76
-64%
33.6 ?(21.5 - 54.8, n=7)
-39%
4K Write
114.4
105.3
-8%
167.9
47%
26.46
-77%
34.58
-70%
82.6 ?(53.5 - 114.4, n=7)
-28%
4K-64 Read
896
1806
102%
1051
17%
325.4
-64%
238.4
-73%
667 ?(259 - 896, n=7)
-26%
4K-64 Write
604
1650
173%
1211
100%
87.2
-86%
225.2
-63%
561 ?(190.2 - 650, n=7)
-7%
Access Time Read *
0.04
0.432
0.128
0.117 ?(0.072 - 0.173, n=6)
Access Time Write *
0.044
0.041
7%
0.03
32%
0.4
-809%
0.101
-130%
0.05571 ?(0.044 - 0.07, n=7)
-27%
Score Read
1073
2118
97%
1242
16%
411
-62%
309
-71%
820 ?(360 - 1073, n=7)
-24%
Score Write
796
1986
149%
1514
90%
153
-81%
288
-64%
710 ?(294 - 799, n=7)
-11%
Score Total
2411
5169
114%
3397
41%
782
-68%
751
-69%
1931 ?(821 - 2411, n=7)
-20%
Copy ISO MB/s
1131
441.3
773 ?(576 - 1121, n=5)
Copy Program MB/s
267.1
152.1
375 ?(315 - 532, n=5)
Copy Game MB/s
691
260
509 ?(381 - 735, n=5)
Total Average (Program / Settings)
72% / 77%
40% / 40%
-97% / -102%
-63% / -64%
-3% / -5%

* ... smaller is better

Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1
Sequential Read: 733 MB/s
Sequential Write: 671 MB/s
512K Read: 577 MB/s
512K Write: 640 MB/s
4K Read: 41.12 MB/s
4K Write: 95 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 410.1 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 302.8 MB/s

Graphics Card

The UHD Graphics 620 handles all graphics tasks and benefits from the dual-channel mode in which the TravelMate X514 operates. The GPU is only powerful enough for undemanding graphics tasks, though.

While our review unit finished bottom in our 3DMark comparison tables, it always outperformed the average for its CPU and GPU. We would recommend considering something with a dedicated GPU such as the NVIDIA GeForce MX230 or GeForce MX250 if you need more graphics performance.

Please see our GPU comparison page for more benchmarks and information about the UHD Graphics 620, along with how it compares against other graphics cards.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2979 - 16904, n=55, last 2 years)
8016 Points +361%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 3700U
3781 Points +117%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, Intel Core i7-8565U
3593 Points +106%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i5-8265U
3318 Points +91%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
3080 Points +77%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (1144 - 3432, n=244)
1749 Points +1%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
1740 Points
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Subnotebook
  (13768 - 65911, n=40, last 2 years)
29002 Points +211%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, Intel Core i7-8565U
20283 Points +118%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 3700U
16495 Points +77%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i5-8265U
15299 Points +64%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
10773 Points +16%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
9324 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6205 - 16400, n=225)
9262 Points -1%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2837 - 12349, n=59, last 2 years)
5881 Points +414%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, Intel Core i7-8565U
2977 Points +160%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 3700U
2385 Points +108%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i5-8265U
2369 Points +107%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
1835 Points +60%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (557 - 2608, n=213)
1161 Points +1%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
1144 Points
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Subnotebook
  (811 - 4773, n=58, last 2 years)
1981 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 3700U
737 Points
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i5-8265U
710 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (299 - 797, n=88)
389 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
1917 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
7933 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1035 points
Help

Gaming Performance

While the UHD Graphics 620 can play some games, do not expect it to replace a dedicated GPU. Our review unit can average around 60 FPS in older games such as "BioShock Infinite" and "Dota 2 Reborn", but only at 720p and on low graphics settings. By contrast, modern titles such as "Anno 1800" completely overwhelm the GPU even at minimum settings.

Please see our gaming comparison page for more benchmarks and information about the UHD Graphics 620.

BioShock Infinite
1280x720 Very Low Preset
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
175.5 fps +193%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
151.5 fps +153%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
106.4 fps +78%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
85.7 fps +43%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (18.3 - 90.2, n=187)
60.7 fps +1%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
59.9 fps
1366x768 Medium Preset
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
98.4 fps +187%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
82.8 fps +141%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
34.3 fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (11.5 - 45.5, n=187)
32.8 fps -4%
1366x768 High Preset
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
84 fps +178%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
70.2 fps +132%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
30.26 fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (8.1 - 35.9, n=187)
27.5 fps -9%
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF)
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
32.27 fps +259%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
27.96 fps +211%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
22 fps +145%
Dell Latitude 14 5495
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
14.4 fps +60%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (4.5 - 17, n=176)
9.2 fps +2%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
8.98 fps
Dota 2 Reborn
1280x720 min (0/3) fastest
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
118 (103min) fps +60%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (57.5 - 152.8, n=58, last 2 years)
108.8 fps +47%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
73.9 (65.2min) fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
73 (65.4min) fps -1%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (42.4 - 90, n=92)
71.9 fps -3%
1366x768 med (1/3)
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
98.7 (83.8min) fps +111%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (53.7 - 137.8, n=58, last 2 years)
87.6 fps +88%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
63 (57min) fps +35%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
46.7 (42.4min) fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (8.6 - 57.1, n=92)
43.5 fps -7%
1920x1080 high (2/3)
Average of class Subnotebook
  (37.4 - 115, n=58, last 2 years)
65.5 fps +228%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
60.7 (54.2min) fps +204%
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
36.5 (33.9min) fps +83%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
20 (18.8min) fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (5.6 - 23.8, n=92)
19.7 fps -1%
Anno 1800
1280x720 Low Graphics Quality (DX11)
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (19.9 - 23.8, n=2)
21.9 fps +10%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
19.9 fps
1920x1080 Medium Graphics Quality (DX11)
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (5.7 - 8, n=2)
6.85 fps +20%
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
5.7 fps
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 59.9 34.3 30.26 8.98
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 73.9 46.7 20 17.7
Anno 1800 (2019) 19.9 5.7

Emissions - Quiet fans, quiet speakers and low surface temperatures

Fan Noise

Fan noise characteristics
Fan noise characteristics

The TravelMate X514 has a single fan that generally runs quietly, but occasionally it can reach 30.4 dB(A) when idling. This only occurs when Office applications are running, though. The fan peaks at 34.4 dB(A) under load too, and will be audible in most environments.

Noise Level

Idle
30.4 / 30.4 / 30.4 dB(A)
Load
34.1 / 34.4 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30.4 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2036.733.632.734.436.72539.633.735.537.439.63143.840.937.640.143.84034.434.633.132.334.45033.833.930.231.333.86330.329.229.228.430.38027.226.527.726.827.210025.926.325.627.325.912526.426.425.825.826.416024.82523.523.724.820023.623.623.222.623.625023.222.622.122.223.231522.72221.720.922.740021.521.520.720.221.550020.620.52019.520.663019.819.91919.219.880020.520.318.518.220.5100020.821.5181820.8125020.820.817.91820.8160022.322.618.117.522.3200024.424.617.917.524.4250025.225.717.817.725.2315023.123.117.717.823.1400021.822.618.11821.850002121.918.11821630020.320.418.218.220.3800019.719.718.418.419.71000018.818.918.418.418.81250018.518.218.318.118.51600018.518.218.218.218.5SPL34.234.430.630.434.2N221.51.42median 21.5median 21.9median 18.4median 18.2median 21.5Delta1.71.71.11.21.7hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseAcer TravelMate X514-51-511Q

Temperature

System information during a FurMark & Prime95 combined stress test
System information during a FurMark & Prime95 combined stress test

Conversely, the TravelMate X514 keeps its surface temperatures for the most part. Our review unit never strays above 27 °C (~81 °F) when idling, while the palm rest remains below 30 °C (~86 °F) under sustained load. Four areas exceeded 42 °C (~108 °F) during our stress tests though, while the hottest reached an uncomfortable 44.9 °C (~113 °F). These warm areas are at the back of the laptop too, so you will feel them if you are pushing the system hard with the laptop on your lap.

We subjected our review unit to a one-hour stress test, during which we ran FurMark and Prime95 on a loop. While CPU core temperatures peaked at a moderate 72 °C (~162 °F), clock speeds still fell as low as 1 GHz to prevent overheating. We only encountered such heavy throttling during this test though, and its performance soon returned to normal after we had ended it. Our stress test push devices to their limits too, so you should not experience this in daily use or even when gaming.

Max. Load
 32.7 °C
91 F
44.2 °C
112 F
44.9 °C
113 F
 
 28.5 °C
83 F
31.6 °C
89 F
37 °C
99 F
 
 26.4 °C
80 F
26.9 °C
80 F
29.2 °C
85 F
 
Maximum: 44.9 °C = 113 F
Average: 33.5 °C = 92 F
42 °C
108 F
44.2 °C
112 F
33 °C
91 F
35.1 °C
95 F
35 °C
95 F
29.5 °C
85 F
29.4 °C
85 F
29 °C
84 F
27.9 °C
82 F
Maximum: 44.2 °C = 112 F
Average: 33.9 °C = 93 F
Power Supply (max.)  49.8 °C = 122 F | Room Temperature 23.1 °C = 74 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.5 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 30.7 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 44.9 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 44.2 °C / 112 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.8 °C / 77 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 29.2 °C / 84.6 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-0.9 °C / -1.7 F).
Heatmap of the top of the device at idle
Heatmap of the top of the device at idle
Heatmap of the bottom of the device at idle
Heatmap of the bottom of the device at idle
Heatmap of the top of the device under load
Heatmap of the top of the device under load
Heatmap of the bottom of the device under load
Heatmap of the bottom of the device under load

Speakers

Speaker characteristics
Speaker characteristics

Acer has equipped the TravelMate X514 with a pair of comparatively quiet speakers. Worse still, midrange tones dominate its frequency response, so we would only recommend using the speakers for conference calls or Skype. If you want to listen to music or play a video, then make sure you have some headphones or external speakers to hand instead.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2034.334.434.32536.537.436.53140.940.140.94034.532.334.5503531.3356330.628.430.68027.426.827.410027.727.327.712527.725.827.716033.123.733.120036.422.636.425048.922.248.931551.320.951.340055.320.255.350058.119.558.16305819.25880065.618.265.6100066.81866.81250641864160062.417.562.4200063.217.563.2250057.117.757.1315055.117.855.1400053.71853.7500054.91854.9630055.518.255.5800053.518.453.51000049.818.449.81250044.918.144.91600042.618.242.6SPL72.830.472.8N28.71.428.7median 54.9median 18.2median 54.9Delta7.11.27.135.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAcer TravelMate X514-51-511QApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (66.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 17.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.8% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (25.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 83% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 14% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 75% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 20% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management - An efficient business laptop with good runtimes from its small battery

Power Consumption

The TravelMate X514 is the most energy-efficient laptop in our comparison table, with our review unit consuming between 2.3 W at idle and 29 W under load. Acer includes a 45-W charger in the box, which is large enough to keep the device always charging.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.17 / 0.4 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.3 / 4.6 / 5.8 Watt
Load midlight 22.4 / 29 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3256GJ1, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
R7 PRO 3700U, Vega 10, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
i7-8565U, GeForce MX250, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
i5-8265U, GeForce MX230, Kingston RBU-SNS8180DS3512GJ, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Dell Latitude 14 5495
R7 2700U, Vega 10, Intel SSDSCKKF256G8, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
 
Average of class Subnotebook
 
Power Consumption
-75%
-109%
-68%
-49%
-58%
-102%
Idle Minimum *
2.3
4.7
-104%
7.4
-222%
3.7
-61%
4.3
-87%
3.81 ?(1 - 12.4, n=259)
-66%
4.9 ?(1.77 - 11.8, n=63, last 2 years)
-113%
Idle Average *
4.6
7.28
-58%
9.9
-115%
6.1
-33%
6.6
-43%
6.94 ?(2.8 - 15.7, n=261)
-51%
8.4 ?(4.6 - 17.4, n=63, last 2 years)
-83%
Idle Maximum *
5.8
9.48
-63%
11.7
-102%
8.3
-43%
7.7
-33%
8.75 ?(3.8 - 30, n=259)
-51%
10.4 ?(5.1 - 22.4, n=63, last 2 years)
-79%
Load Average *
22.4
35.3
-58%
29
-29%
43
-92%
32
-43%
35 ?(8.1 - 51.6, n=259)
-56%
46.1 ?(19.1 - 83.3, n=62, last 2 years)
-106%
Load Maximum *
29
55.5
-91%
52
-79%
61.6
-112%
40
-38%
47.5 ?(22 - 96.3, n=261)
-64%
66.2 ?(24.2 - 121.2, n=63, last 2 years)
-128%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Acer has equipped the TravelMate X514 with a 36 Wh battery, which would appear to be rather small on the face of it. However, our review unit lasted just over six hours in our practical Wi-Fi battery life test, a runtime that is just about long enough for a full day's use between charges. We are assuming that the device will be idling or on standby for an hour or two during this time, though.

While our comparison devices have better battery life than our review unit, the latter gets more from its smaller cell. Overall, the TravelMate X514 offers a nice balance between weight and battery life.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
17h 55min
WiFi Websurfing
6h 18min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 28min
Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, 36 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad T495s-20QKS01E00
R7 PRO 3700U, Vega 10, 57 Wh
Acer Swift 3 SF314-55G-768V
i7-8565U, GeForce MX250, 50.7 Wh
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
i5-8265U, GeForce MX230, 37 Wh
Dell Latitude 14 5495
R7 2700U, Vega 10, 61 Wh
Average of class Subnotebook
 
Battery Runtime
79%
12%
-12%
35%
36%
Reader / Idle
1075
968
-10%
1089
1%
1197 ?(581 - 2550, n=10, last 2 years)
11%
WiFi v1.3
378
675
79%
484
28%
331.3
-12%
562
49%
623 ?(303 - 1144, n=64, last 2 years)
65%
Load
88
104
18%
136
55%
115.4 ?(61 - 197, n=47, last 2 years)
31%

Pros

+ compact
+ lightweight
+ smooth system performance
+ colour accurate display
+ second M.2 2280 drive bay

Cons

- battery life could be better
- only a few ports
- meagre maximum brightness

Verdict - A good office laptop for use on the move

The Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q laptop review. Test device courtesy of by Cyberport.
The Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q laptop review. Test device courtesy of by Cyberport.

The TravelMate X514 lives up to its billing, and probably Acer's intentions too. The laptop strikes a good balance between being compact and lightweight with having enough power for all general office tasks. The device has adequate battery life too, without being burdened by a high capacity battery that would add to its overall weight.

The display is a mixed bag, though. On the one hand, it reproduces colours vividly while retaining colour accuracy, something that should impress content creators or those who like to stream on the move. On the other, its maximum brightness is too low for a device designed to be used on the move, which is a shame.

The Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q is a competent lightweight and compact business laptop that does well in most areas.

However, there are some drawbacks to having such a compact design. Firstly, Acer has omitted business features such as an Ethernet port, so you will need an adapter to hand if need a wired internet connection. Moreover, Acer has equipped the device with a comparatively small battery, which will not see you through a full day of intensive use away from the mains. Although the 36 Wh cell helps keep the device below 1 kg (~2.2 lb), LG has been able to equip its 14-inch Gram series with considerably larger batteries while remaining below that weight threshold.

Acer TravelMate X514-51-511Q - 11/11/2019 v7
Mike Wobker

Chassis
84 / 98 → 86%
Keyboard
84%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
43 / 75 → 57%
Weight
75 / 20-75 → 100%
Battery
70%
Display
86%
Games Performance
50 / 78 → 65%
Application Performance
78 / 85 → 91%
Temperature
91%
Noise
97%
Audio
50 / 91 → 55%
Camera
36 / 85 → 42%
Average
72%
84%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Acer TravelMate X514 Laptop Review: A small 14-inch machine with professionals in mind
Mike Wobker, 2019-11-12 (Update: 2019-11-14)