Acer’s first Vero Chromebook is repairable, upgradeable, and eco-conscious

As part of a series of “Green Day” announcements — no, not the band — Acer has unveiled its first Chromebook in the eco-conscious Vero series, which promises to be repairable and upgradeable.

The first thing you’ll likely notice about the Acer Chromebook Vero 514 is its boxy, no-nonsense form factor. The steeply curved corners are also reminiscent of Google’s Pixelbook, but otherwise the Vero Chromebook looks like no other ChromeOS device before it.

The paint-free cobblestone gray chassis is made from post consumer recycled materials — a common trait of Acer’s Vero line, which is also boldly emblazoned in the corner of the hand rest — and has something of a speckled honeycomb pattern. There’s no mistaking the Chromebook Vero 514 for a standard flagship device, as Acer has opted to turn its eco-conscious materials into a uniquely bold design.

Like other products in Acer’s Vero line, the Chromebook Vero 514 makes significant use of recycled plastic, including 30% in the main chassis and 50% in the keycaps and speakers. Additionally, the Chromebook’s internal fan and the signature “OceanGlass” trackpad are made with ocean-bound plastics.

To further reduce waste, Acer will package the Chromebook Vero 514 primarily in recycled paper and plastic, and the inner packaging can also be repurposed as a laptop stand. The Chromebook itself is also designed to itself be as recyclable as possible, with the display panel even being 99% recyclable.

Acer is also letting the Chromebook Vero 514 stand apart from most other ChromeOS devices by designing it to be easily opened for upgrades and repairs, reducing e-waste. For most, “upgrades” simply means installing additional RAM after purchase, while repairability will surely be useful for consumers and businesses alike.

On the inside, the Acer Chromebook Vero 514 is no slouch, packing a 12th Gen Intel Core processor complete with Intel Iris Xe graphics, with an all-day ready 10-hour battery life. Overall, Acer has put together a compelling package that aims to be sustainable, long-lasting, and ultimately recyclable. You can pick up this first-ever Vero Chromebook from Best Buy in the United States for $499 (Core i3, 8 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD) in October, while the global version will run €599 when it launches in November.

Acer Chromebook Vero 514

• Display: 14″ IPS 1920×1080, sRGB 100% (touch optional)
• Processor options:
  • Intel Pentium Gold 8505
  • Intel Core i3-1215U
  • Intel Core i5-1235U
  • Intel Core i7-1255U
• Graphics: Intel Iris Xe
• Memory: Up to 16 GB of LPDDR4X SDRAM
• Storage: Up to 256GB PCIe Gen 3 NVMe SSD
• Battery: 56Wh Li-on, up to 10 hours, charged via USB Type C
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E 2×2 MU-MIMO
• Audio:
  • Two upward-facing speakers w/ DTS Audio
  • Two built-in microphones
  • Google Assistant Lab Certification
• Security: Fingerprint reader
• Durability: MIL-STD-810H military-grade durability
• Eco-friendly: EPEAT Gold compliant