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Acer unveils its greenest-ever laptop to coincide with COP 28

More than just greenwashing?

· TechRadar

News By Matt Hanson published 6 December 2023

At this year’s COP 28 conference in Dubai, UAE, the eyes of the world are on the governments, companies, and institutions that are meeting to discuss solutions to the climate crisis. It wouldn’t be hyperbole to say that the decisions made at the event could have lasting implications for humanity and our planet.

So, it’s fitting that Acer, one of the most popular laptop and PC makers, is hosting an event that coincides with COP 28, to announce the latest addition to its eco-friendly laptop range: the Aspire Vero 16, while also announcing further commitments to minimize its carbon footprint.

“To help tackle the increasing challenges posed by climate change,” Acer COO Jerry Kao announced in Dubai, “Acer is proposing ‘conscious technology’ designed and made with consideration for the future.”

Kao also revealed that Acer aims to use 100% renewable electricity by 2035 and to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

Acer is one of the more committed companies when it comes to minimizing its ecological impact – its Vero range certainly puts some companies’ green claims to shame.

“As a company, we need to put our heart into sustainability plans,” Acer CEO, Jason Chen, told attendees (including TechRadar) at the Dubai event when introducing the ‘conscious technology’ platform.

(Image credit: Future)

Aspire Vero 16’s green mission

Along with the general theme of conscious technology, the main focus of the keynote was the new Acer Aspire Vero 16. As with previous entries in the Vero lineup, the key selling point of this laptop is its green credentials.

So, the chassis is made of a blend of over 60% recycled plastic (double the amount found in the first generation Vero products), and there are no ‘volatile’ compounds, paint, or additives used on its surface, and the touchpad is made of ocean-bound plastic.

(Image credit: Future)

Minimizing the ecological impact of the Acer Aspire Vero 16 begins before you even open the laptop, with the packaging made of 100% recyclable materials, and Acer has partnered with logistics companies to use biofuel on various routes when delivering the devices.

Inside, the Acer Aspire Vero 16 features the latest Intel Core Ultra processors, which offer better energy efficiency from the previous generation, and pre-installed AcerSense battery management software will offer three levels of power profile: Eco+, Eco, Balanced, and Performance.

To prove how seriously Acer takes this green initiative, Chen was joined onstage at the event by Intel’s Gokul Subramaniam and Microsoft’s Shelly Blackburn, who explained how the companies are working together to help tackle the climate crisis, something Chen calls the “greatest threat to humanity.”

Perhaps most impressively, the Acer Aspire Vero 16 will be easy to take apart and repair, and you can also easily upgrade and recycle the laptop, which uses standard screws so no proprietary tools are needed.

Self-repair, upgradability, and planned obsolescence have been a very hot topic recently, and it’s great to see Acer continue to lead in this area. It’s something that Apple in particular needs to address – its iPhones and MacBooks are notoriously difficult to repair and impossible to upgrade – which is increasingly looking like not just an anti-consumer approach, but an anti-Earth one.

We’ll find out more about the Acer Aspire Vero 16 at CES 2024 in January, and we’ll also be at that event in Las Vegas for hands-on impressions.

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