Acer Aspire Vero 14 review: From recycled trash to PC treasure

Price When Reviewed

$899.99

Best Prices Today: Acer Aspire Vero 14

We’ve all heard the slogan: recycle, reuse, cut back. While you possible know what which may imply for on a regular basis gadgets like cans, how would it not apply to a laptop computer PC? That’s one thing Acer’s exploring with its Aspire Vero line of computer systems.
 
The Acer Aspire Vero 14 is a laptop computer that’s produced from quite a few supplies, a lot of them recycled, most significantly, post-consumer recycled. From the unboxing expertise to the laptop computer itself, it is a machine made with the surroundings in thoughts. But what is going to you sacrifice for the bragging rights of toting round a laptop computer produced from trash? Let’s discover out.
 

Acer Aspire Vero specs and options

Our evaluate unit is packing an Intel Core i7-1225U, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of NVMe PCIe SSD storage. For extra particulars, take a look at the bulleted checklist under:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-1255U (10 cores, 12 threads: 2 efficiency, 8 effectivity)
• Memory: 16 GB LPDDR4x RAM (soldered to the motherboard)
• Graphics/GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
• Display: 14-inch 1080p IPS LCD
• Storage: 1 TB M.2 NVMe PCIe strong state drive
• Webcam: 1080p with twin microphones
• Connectivity:  1x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (1x always-on charging), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm combo audio, 1x DC-in barrel plug
• Networking: Intel Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
• Biometrics: Fingerprint reader
• Battery capability: 56Wh
• Dimensions: 12.94 (W) x 8.8 (D) x 0.70 (H) inches
• Weight: 3.2 kilos, 3.86 kilos with AC adapter
• Price as Reviewed: $899.99
   

Design and construct high quality

The Acer Aspire Vero has a design that’s in contrast to most different laptops. Embracing its plastic-ness, the Vero is totally lined in textured plastic with yellow and gray flecks embedded. The plastic is frivolously textured with a slight raised dot sample. Acer says that these elements are produced from 30% post-consumer recycled supplies. The yellow within the gray chassis is echoed in just a few distinctive touches, from the yellow rubber toes on the underside of the laptop computer to the yellow coloration on the flipped R and E keys, symbolizing the significance of that previous chestnut “reduce, reuse, recycle.”

In lieu of stickers, the Aspire Vero principally embosses its intentions into the plastic, from the Acer logos to the Intel Evo stamp of approval to the Post-Consumer Recycled emblem. No paint is used on the Aspire Vero, eliminating a supply of unstable natural compounds from the manufacturing course of.
 
On the entire, even when I didn’t know that this was produced from recycled plastic, the Aspire Vero is enticing, full cease. Admittedly, this isn’t the thinnest, sleekest, or lightest laptop computer round however its further heft helps it stand out. Many plastic laptops really feel low cost, however the Aspire Vero bucks the pattern through the use of the fabric in a method that’s extra sustainable, feels good, and appears good in addition.

Connectivity

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

If you’re in want of ports, the Aspire Vero doesn’t skimp. At this worth, we hoped to discover a Thunderbolt 4 and we discovered that and extra. On this 14-inch model, there are 2 USB-A ports, each with USB 3 speeds, a headset jack, and a full-sized HDMI port. If you’ve got a suitable charger, there’s a vestigial DC-in barrel plug as properly, though the model of the Vero we sampled got here with a 65-watt USB-C PD charger within the field.
 
If you’re on the lookout for the newest and biggest in wi-fi, the Aspire Vero packs the newer, quicker Wi-Fi 6E together with Bluetooth 5.2. Need wired connectivity? The greater 15-inch Aspire Vero has a gigabit ethernet port as customary. Otherwise, the 14-inch can simply plug right into a Thunderbolt hub with wired ethernet or a standalone USB adapter and nonetheless have ports to spare.
 

Keyboard and trackpad

Given the plastic nature of the Aspire Vero, you would possibly assume that the keyboard is an inexpensive, chintzy affair. Thankfully, you get a pleasant set of keys on this machine, backlit by default (with two ranges of brightness) and a shallow however responsive-feeling quantity of journey on every button. If you utilize the delete key quite a bit, you would possibly have to retrain your mind to not hit the facility button–it’s proper above the backspace, the place delete normally is on a variety of different keyboard layouts. Following the recycled theme, the keycaps on the Aspire Vero are made with 50% post-consumer recycled plastic.

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

 
The touchpad, likewise, is recycled from plastic Acer calls OceanGlass. I’m unsure precisely what this implies, nevertheless it sounds that in contrast to the remainder of the machine, this isn’t post-consumer materials. Anyways, the plastic touchpad feels nearly like glass, giving a extremely polished and tender floor that works nice for pointing and gestures. Embedded within the touchpad is a small, rectangular fingerprint sensor, which makes safe log-ins quick and stress-free.

Display, audio system, and webcam

Even although the Aspire Vero takes liberties with its eco-inspired design and recycled supplies, the show panel on this laptop computer is a fairly peculiar 1080P HD IPS display screen. It will get lots brilliant, with a peak brightness round 300 nits. The distinction regarded nice and colours have been vibrant with out wanting oversaturated. For day-to-day use, I had no qualms with this show. The solely factor I’d change is the side ratio–its 16×9 widescreen form is sweet for binge watching exhibits, however the further vertical house of a 16×10 display screen is my choice for productiveness.

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

 
The webcam is an honest sufficient unit, coming in with a 1080p decision. I regarded fairly good besides in a closely backlit scene in a café. The noise is saved underneath management fairly properly and even in that backlit occasion, my face by no means regarded too clean or blotchy. Noise canceling twin microphones helped maintain a number of the background noise at bay and my voice sounded clear sufficient even with different ambient sounds round.

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

 
In the previous couple of years, laptop computer audio system have gotten spectacular. That mentioned, Acer didn’t appear to place a lot effort into the Aspire Vero’s sound system. The stereo audio system are weak and, maybe worst of all, fireplace downwards from the underside of the pc. That won’t be unhealthy in case you’re utilizing it on a desk or kitchen countertop, however on a lap or any form of softer floor, the audio system are muffled to be almost indistinguishable.

Software

I can admire what Acer was going for when it included its VeroSense software program with this laptop computer. The intention there may be neat, as this app enables you to observe the facility utilization of your Aspire Vero, change the facility profile, and cap the battery’s cost at 80% in case you’re gonna use it at a desk usually (this helps extend your battery’s well being immensely). That mentioned, Windows 11 Home contains some fairly useful and good visuals in its Settings app, which you may as well use to gauge energy utilization whereas turning down settings to save lots of battery life.
 
Unfortunately, there’s an unpleasant aspect to the software program that’s preloaded on the Aspire Vero and that’s the presence of Norton and ExpressVPN. Both apps will bug you to join their paid companies, making pop-ups an annoyance when utilizing the laptop computer. Dropbox even tried to present me a particular deal on storage, unprompted. Sometimes, this introduced a few of my testing to a screeching halt.

I had related points with the cheaper Acer Aspire 5, so I’m not shocked. Like that machine, the Aspire Vero additionally masses your Start menu up with random junk you’ll most likely by no means use, together with a League of Legends teaching web site hyperlink, Forge of Empires, and a dummy app that tells you that Intel’s Unison is coming quickly (how thrilling!). On high of the usual Windows 11 junk, this makes the Aspire Vero really feel like somebody’s logged on earlier than you and put in a bunch of apps you didn’t need. Not the best begin to a life with a brand new laptop computer.

Performance

With its Intel Core i7-1255U, this in any other case modest Acer Aspire Vero 14 AV14-51-73LM is a bit quicker than you would possibly assume. While it solely has two efficiency cores, the facility on show right here is superior for day-to-day duties. One of the one draw back to this laptop computer could be its soldered-on RAM, leaving no room for future reminiscence upgrades which may assist the system really feel peppier in the long term.
 

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

We use the PCMark 10 benchmark to get an general image of a laptop computer’s efficiency. The i7-1255U won’t have lots of the burly efficiency cores that Intel blends with effectivity cores, nevertheless it nonetheless held its personal with others in its class. The Acer Aspire Vero was solely a bit slower than the extra highly effective Lenovo Yoga 9i, which sports activities a greater Intel chip inside.

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

In one other efficiency check, we use Cinebench R15 to get a way for a way properly all a laptop computer’s cores work collectively to render a 3D mannequin. The Acer Aspire Vero held up properly towards the competitors, giving us the efficiency we’d anticipate from this Intel chip with a U on the finish–not too potent, however no slouch both. As it stands, Intel’s chips are nonetheless bested by the newest AMD Ryzen cellular processors since these chips have extra of the highly effective kind of core, as we see with the HP Pavilion Aero on this check.
 

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

So, you prefer to play video games, eh? Well, don’t anticipate superb outcomes from the Acer Aspire Vero. It has an edge over many latest Intel chips in that as a substitute of 80 execution models on the built-in Xe graphics chip, it comes with 96. We’d say you’ll be able to comfortably play e-sports titles like Rocket League on this laptop computer and particularly in case you like retro video games or indie video games, you’ll discover it lots performant as proven within the intensive 3DMark Time Spy benchmark chart.
 

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

In our Handbrake rendering check, the Intel i7-1255U’s further Xe graphics cores turn out to be useful, serving to the Aspire Vero in transcoding a giant HD video into one appropriate to be used on a pill. In this check, we are able to see this laptop computer punches above its weight due to Intel’s QuickSync video tech and would say it’s performant sufficient for some mild video modifying duties.

Battery life

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

When taking a look at competing portability-focused laptops, it’s clear that the Acer Aspire Vero’s physique chassis isn’t simply made from recycled plastic– it additionally has slightly further house for an even bigger battery. Slimmer laptops with a taper simply can’t match a variety of stuff inside, so Acer was capable of stick in a chunky 56 watt-hour battery inside. That let the Aspire Vero sail previous the 10 hour mark in our video loop check, placing it in good firm with different fashionable laptop computer PCs. If you utilize your laptop computer away out of your desk ceaselessly, check out the Aspire Vero.
 

Conclusion

Although Acer may have coasted on the Aspire Vero’s recycled supplies and funky design, we have been shocked to search out that it’s a really competent laptop computer. Between its decently peppy Intel chip, glorious battery life, and plentiful ports, there’s tons to like on high of its eco-conscious design. Once you uninstall Norton and the opposite annoying bloatware, you’ll have an superior little laptop.
 
That mentioned, the issues Acer is doing with the Vero sequence shouldn’t essentially want calling out–they need to be a baseline for the business. We’d like to see the post-consumer recycled supplies and eco-friendly pondering used right here throughout the Acer lineup and past. If mixed with a upgradeable, tremendous repairable strategy like that of Framework, there may very well be a significant discount of waste in laptop computer computer systems that would maintain a variety of helpful materials from the landfill.