What do you want to know? | Media Pyro

I’ve just unboxed the eco-friendly Acer Chromebook Vero 514 and it’s an interesting device. Acer sent me the $599 model, which is the best configuration right now and I’m very impressed with what you get for the money. At least on paper. I need to use the Acer Chromebook Vero 514 full-time for at least a week to really get a feel for the value proposition.

While I’m using this Chromebook, I’m open to questions in the comments below. What do you want to know about the Acer Chromebook Vero 514?

Acer Chromebook Vero 514 materials are unique

For those who are not familiar with this laptop, I can share some details and first thoughts.

Announced in August, the Acer Chromebook Vero 514 is an attempt to “leverage the spirit of sustainability through recycled and recyclable materials.” On first inspection, I’d say Acer is taking that approach.

I’ve never seen a Chromebook come in lighter or better-designed packaging, for starters. You can tell Acer put a lot of thought into this. The box materials are easy to break down and recycle, and are already made from 90 percent recycled material. There is also minimal packing material here, which I appreciate.

Then there is the device itself. Here’s how much emphasis Acer places on the sustainability features:

“It also uses recycled materials in most areas of the product including 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic in the chassis and 50% PCR plastic in the keys, 100% ocean-bound plastics on the touchpad surface…”

You can definitely say that the Acer Chromebook Vero 514 is built from such materials. It’s a single glance because the gray color is matte with little bits of color. And if that didn’t bother you, the materials will come into contact with the Vero. It has a slightly rough but pleasant texture that looks etched into the plastic.

The trackpad also feels different, probably because it’s made from recycled plastic that went to the ocean. It’s smooth but has a hint of a rubbery feel to me.

I know it sounds like I’m trying to describe the smell of good bourbon; I can’t explain it better than that though. I’m not worried about the feeling. The more apt description is surprising.

High-end hardware at a reasonable price

Inside you are getting plenty of horse for your money. This laptop uses the same 12th gen Intel Core i5-1235U silicon found in the $729 Acer Chromebook Spin 714 I bought three months ago. In fact, all of the internals are the same. That’s another surprise because the 500 line of Acer Chromebooks is usually a step below the 700 product line.

Not in this case. This ChromeOS laptop has 256 GB of NVMe storage and 8 GB of memory. So I expect the performance to be on par with my Spin 714, ie: Seriously good performance.

You’ll also find most of the ports you’d expect, or at least what I get with the Spin 714. There’s USB Type-C on either side, Type-A on the right, and a full HDMI port and both microphones. / headphone jack on the left side. My Spin 714 has a pair of USB Type-A ports, so you’re one down in comparison.

You still get a 1080p webcam, with both flare reduction and physical shutter capabilities. And the connectivity is also first class: WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 are supported.

It is worth noting that the display is 14-inch, 1920 x 1080 IPS with 300 nits of brightness no touch or stylus capable like the Spin 714. I can live without the stylus personally, but I prefer to have a touchscreen on my Chromebooks.

So far, Acer seems to have combined mostly high-end hardware with materials that are better for the environment. I will start using the Acer Chromebook Vero 514 moving forward to see how the experience goes.

Again, drop your questions in the comments below and I’ll try to answer them here and in my upcoming review.

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