Acer Aspire Vero review: For a better footprint, find a better laptop

Many laptop makers are making big statements about the stability of their products. But Acer's claims around the Aspire Vero are on a level we haven't seen before. It's a complete laptop aimed at "eco-minded users," in Acer's words. It is being advertised as an eco-friendly laptop made primarily from recycled materials.

Sure. Acer has dedicated an entire product to a goal that is very meaningful and commendable. Unfortunately, that's probably the best thing I can say about the Acer Aspire Vero. Outside of Acer's eco-minded marketing material, it's not a great laptop, and it costs a lot. It's not the top option I'd recommend for the eco-minded, and it's certainly not an option I'd recommend for budget buyers.

Acer's environmental claims are as follows: the chassis and bezels are 30 percent post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, the screen is "over 99 percent" recyclable, the keycap is 50 percent PCR plastic, and the packaging is 100 percent recyclable (and Can be converted into a reusable laptop stand). Acer claims the Vero is saving "about 21 percent" in C02 emissions compared to a "regular" plastic laptop chassis of the same size.

Before we go any further, it's worth noting that these ratios of recycled materials aren't particularly unique among laptop chassis. HP's Elite Dragonfly Max, which isn't an eco-branded laptop at all, also has a 50 percent PCR keyboard with 45 percent PCR bezels, and some of the Dragonfly line has chassis that are 90 percent recycled. Apple's new MacBooks have included a high proportion of recycled materials for some time, and the new Pro's enclosure is 100 percent recycled aluminum. Reusable, plastic-free packaging is also becoming more common. Several companies list such figures, and while Vero is certainly nice to look at, it's clearly not leading the charge.

Acer also notes that the Vero is held together with standard screws, which means you can use a Phillips head screwdriver to take the thing apart and upgrade it (as with some other types). Unlike the screw, which requires a more specialized tool). Sure - it's good and holds true for many other Acer laptops, including the Swift 3 and Nitro 5.

ACER ASPIRE VERO SPECS (AS REVIEWED)

15.6-inch IPS display, 1920 x 1080, LED-backlit TFT LCD
Intel Core i7-1195G7, 12MB smart cache, 2.9GHz with Turbo Boost Max up to 5.0GHz
8GB of onboard DDR4 system memory, 8GB of dual-channel SO dim DDR4 system memory
512GB PCIe Gen 3, 8GB/s, NVMe
3.97 lbs (1.8 kg), 14.31 x 9.39 x 0.7 inches (363.4 x 238.5 x 17.9 mm)
One USB Type-C (USB 3.2 Gen 1 up to 5GBPS), two USB 3.2 Gen 1 (one with power-off USB charging), one USB 2.0, one HDMI 2.0 with HDCP support, one 3.5 mm headphone / speaker jack, one DC-in, one Ethernet (RJ-45)
Windows Hello fingerprint reader
$899.99
Volcano Gray

Of course, the somewhat non-unique nature of its lofty claims hasn't stopped Acer from branding the Vero up and down as an eco-minded laptop. There is an earthy vibe to the whole thing. The lid and palm rest have a slightly rough texture with speckled brown color, reminiscent of handmade recycled paper. The "R" and "E" keys are on the back and printed in yellow (to represent "review, reconsider, recycle and reduce"). The various logos you typically see on laptops are engraved in the finish rather than constructed from extra plastic: "Intel Core" on the left palm, "Post-consumer recycled" on the right, Acer logo on the lid. (Don't worry, Intel's Core i7 and Iris Xe stickers are still here — flip the product over, and you'll find them below.)

But these features, as lovely as they are, aren't enough to make me recommend the Aspire Vero's environmental impact on merits. The reality is that the impact of people buying gadgets with recycled plastics is far less than the mounds of electronic waste that people generate each year. It doesn't matter what color the keys on the laptop you're buying are - e-waste is the main sin of the electronics industry. If you care that much about the environmental impact of your laptop, you shouldn't be adding recycled plastic to the inside of it. You need to keep an eye on how long it will last and how soon you will need to buy a new one.

This, unfortunately, is hard to judge by the one-week long trial period. But I'm not too optimistic about the Vero's durability. It's clearly plastic, and it has a slightly flimsy feel compared to higher-end Acer products like the Swift 3 (which is just $100 more than my Vero unit for comparable specs). There is noticeable flex in the keyboard and display. I was really concerned about the latter snapping during torque testing, which isn't often a concern on 15-inch models, especially at this weight and thickness. And there were noises here and there - the lid of my unit was bent awkwardly in the middle that it didn't close completely, I could sometimes hear some internal rattle while I was typing, and sometimes Sometimes leaning on the palm pressed the touchpad.

None of this is terrible to look at on a budget laptop—but laptops that are cheaply built don't last as long, and a laptop you need to replace quickly isn't environmentally friendly. . You can find options close to this price (like HP's Pavilion Aero 13 and Lenovo's IdeaPad Slim 7) that include these free models. There are no dues.