
Important points of ZDNET
- of Acer Aspire Vero 16 (2024) Currently available for $749.
- Made from 60% recycled plastic, it’s a durable, eco-friendly laptop with a range of sustainability perks.
- Sustainability factors aside, this is a mid-range laptop that will do the job well enough for most people.
At first glance, Acer Aspire Vero 16 (2024) It looks like a normal mid-range laptop. But if you look a little closer, it’s clear that there’s something very different about this device. For one, the Vero ditches the smooth aluminum and silver found on most laptops for a unique stone gray finish with specks of color and a slightly grainy texture.
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Next, the E and R keys are green and in opposite directions. No, it’s not Cyrillic. This screams environmental awareness and recyclability, similar to the inverted R symbol that indicates products made from post-consumer recycled materials.
The Aspire Vero 16 is one of the most sustainably made laptops on the market today, so there’s a reason to highlight these features. The chassis is made from 60% post-consumer recycled materials with no paints or additives, the trackpad is made from ocean plastic waste, and the keyboard and power adapter are each made from 50% PCR material.
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In addition to these points, the laptop’s plastic-free packaging and built with standard screws allow you to attach the device to the products it comes with. from Made from recycled materials and can be easily disassembled and put back together to They are at the end of their life cycle and this concept is only now starting to take root.
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Until recently, computer manufacturers were reluctant to even talk about the “death” of their devices. Marketing has traditionally focused on the new, shiny product because it is the only state in which it exists. However, in reality, no device will remain shiny and new forever; there will come a time when its “lifespan” will come to an end. So what’s a consumer to do? Historically, that meant throwing it in the trash.
You don’t have to say it’s not sustainable. I’ve written about the longevity benefits of devices before, so I won’t go into them too much here, but it’s great to see manufacturers addressing these points in their products and pushing the boundaries of what sustainable devices can do. That’s it. In fact, it will happen.
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Now that we’ve touched on the Aspire Vero 16’s sustainability selling points, let’s take a look at the laptop’s features. To be clear, this is a pretty standard mid-range laptop, and that’s fine. Vero is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 5 125U processor. This is the mid-to-low end of Intel’s new Meteor Lake series, which is commonly found in other mid-range laptops on the market today, such as the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2. -1 at.
This processor is sufficient for typical user needs, such as surfing the web with multiple tabs, completing some tasks, and streaming videos. However, the key feature of this laptop is its energy efficiency. Acer says the chip’s AI allows for more detailed battery optimization, resulting in a slight drop in power when left idle. In my testing, I found the battery life to be quite long. It lasted several days with intermittent use, and with heavy loads throughout the day, it lasted over 10 hours before tapping out.
The 16-inch matte display is also standard, with a 16:10 aspect ratio and 60Hz refresh rate. It’s not really eye candy or great for gaming, but it’s passable for other uses. The Vero 16 can have a touchscreen if you want, but if you want to output 4K from this laptop, you’ll need to connect it to an external monitor.
Luckily, this is easy with a large selection of ports, including two USB-C (Thunderbolt 4) ports, one HDMI port, two USB-A, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a Kensington lock slot. The full-size keyboard is spacious and provides a satisfying experience. The slightly left-aligned trackpad is also a small design feature that I appreciate.
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The Vero comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage, which is also standard for a laptop in this price range. This hardware has a built-in GPU, so it’s not really a laptop made for graphics-intensive tasks, but unless the laptop is plugged in and Eco mode is selected, it’s lightweight. You can run the game. .
For testing, I downloaded Steam and tried running Manor Lords on battery power and eco mode on my laptop, but it was basically unplayable. However, when I plugged it back in and switched to performance mode, it was able to power the CPU, turn on the fan, and give the laptop the power it needed to work properly.
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When I heard about the new eco-friendly design of the Aspire Vero 16, I expected it to be either fragile or a pretentious product with a hefty price tag. Instead, Aspire Vero is discreet, practical and thanks to the standard screws on the back he is honest to life cycle with a DIY element.
Actually, this laptop has a slightly strange constitution. It certainly feels a little flimsy, but I feel like it would be fine even if I dropped it on the ground. There’s truth in this, and it’s military grade (MIL-STD-810H) durable. It weighs just under 4 pounds, which is pretty heavy for a 16-incher. However, it’s very thin so you can easily put it in your backpack or travel bag.
ZDNET purchase advice
If you are considering purchasing a laptop made from sustainable materials, Acer Aspire Velo 16 Here are some of the most impressive statistics. I applaud Acer’s efforts to continue raising the bar for sustainable devices. There will come a time when being made from eco-friendly materials will be the norm rather than just a selling point, but for now, the Acer Aspire Vero is a statement-making machine.
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The laptop’s hardware is mid-range, and its performance (and price) reflects that. This makes Vero a great choice for his second laptop, student device, travel laptop, or anyone interested in reducing their carbon footprint.
If you’re looking for a higher-end laptop made with sustainable materials, check out the $1,700 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. If you’re looking for a similarly priced laptop with a 14-inch screen, check out the $899 Acer Swift Go 14 (2024).