Microsoft is about to officially launch Windows 11, and in tandem Acer is rolling out three new laptops alongside the new operating system. They are the Aspire Vero, which uses post-consumer recycled plastic in the keyboard and chassis; the Swift 5, an update to the company’s thin and light design; and the Nitro 5 budget gaming laptop.
The Aspire Vero, starting at $699.99, is made partially of post-consumer recycled plastic. Specifically, 30% of the plastic in the chassis and 50% post-consumer on the keycaps. Acer claims that the material in the chassis will help save 21% in carbon dioxide emissions when compared to laptops of a similar size made of 100% virgin plastic.
The Vero has a… let’s call it somewhat distinct design, with a gray cover with yellow speckles. I don't mind it from the photos Acer provided, but the company refers to it as "eco-iconic," which is a bit overboard. The keyboard has the R and E keys highlighted in yellow and reversed, which is supposed to highlight thinking about recycling and reducing waste. But mostly it looks like a six-year-old hand wrote them on a lemonade stand sign.
The Vero will include up to an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage and a 15.6-inch 1080p, IPS display, as well as both USB Type-C and Type-A, HDMI 2.0 and Intel Wi-Fi 6. That model will cost $899.99, while a cheaper version with a Core i5, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD will come later in the month for $699.99.
Acer is also adding a new Swift 5, (model number SF514-55TA), which will be its first running Windows 11. It weighs 2.29 pounds thanks to a magnesium-lithium and magnesium-aluminum chassis, and will run on up to an Intel Core i7 processor. It also features a 14-inch, 1920 x 1080 display with narrow bezels for a 90% screen-to-body-ratio. It will start at $1,099.99.
Lastly, Acer's Nitro 5 gaming lineup will have two models that ship with Windows 11 at launch.There will be a 15.6-inch option with a 144 Hz, 1920 x 1080p display, 11th Gen Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM and a paltry 256GB for $769.99, while a 17.3-inch, 144 Hz version will have an 11th Gen Intel Core i7, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD for $1,199.99. Both should be available by the middle of October.
Not looking to buy something new yet? If you want to upgrade to Windows 11 from an existing Acer laptop and are unsure if it's compatible, the company has put together a list of notebooks that it has tested and confirmed to work with Microsoft’s latest OS, which you can find here.
