Next@Acer 2022: Acer announces new sustainability initiatives, laptops, and more

This morning, Acer held its Next@Acer event, detailing its plans for the rest of 2022 and beyond. They covered plans to expand sustainability efforts such as using post-consumer and ocean-bound plastics in laptops and peripherals as well as creating reusable and fully recyclable packaging. Acer also announced several new laptops and monitors for gamers, business users, and content creators.

Aspire Vero

The updated Acer Aspire Vero features either a new 14-inch or 15-inch, narrow border display for more working space, as well as a chassis and components made of post-consumer and ocean-bound plastic. Both versions of the Aspire Vero run on Windows 11 and are built with 12th Gen Intel Evo processors for tons of power and battery life to tackle everyday tasks. The touchpad is made with Acer’s Oceanglass, which is comprised of ocean-bound plastics, for a smoother feel and better responsiveness. 

Acer also announced that packaging for the Aspire Vero will be more sustainable as well, with re-use and recycling in mind. The outer box can be converted into a larger storage container or, our favorite idea, a cat bed. Internal packaging pieces can be used as laptop stands for better airflow and cooling as well as improved typing posture. 

To start your vegetable seeds, you can even use the internal packaging as a biodegradable planter. Package printing will also use water-based inks to reduce the chance of harmful chemicals entering the environment.

Veriton AIO PC 

Along with the Aspire Vero, Acer announced the Veriton AIO PC, which includes a keyboard and mouse made from post-consumer plastics and is built with Windows 11 and the latest 12th Gen Intel Core i9 processor. It features a 5MP IR webcam that works with Windows Hello for facial recognition log-ins as well as an Nvidia GeForce MC550 graphics card for content creation and graphic design work. The Veriton Vero AIO is meant for businesses looking for a greener computer for their offices, though it’s also a great option for home use as well.

Acers Vero keyboards and mice have also gotten a bit of an upgrade, providing up to 18 months of use on a single AA battery; which, in addition to the post-consumer and ocean-bound plastics that make up their build, helps to decrease your environmental impact by reducing the number of used batteries that end up in landfills. And these peripherals have the durability to match their sustainability. 

Each Vero keyboard is verified for up to 5 million keystrokes, while the Vero Mice are rated for up to 1 million clicks. This means you won’t have to worry about them wearing out in the middle of an important project. 

Vero monitors  

Acer’s new Vero monitors were also featured in the press conference, giving both businesses and home users a more eco-friendly option for displays. Both the Vero B247YG and Vero CB273 are made from 85% post-consumer and 5% ocean-bound plastics and feature 100% recyclable and reusable packaging.

With 24 and 27-inch sizes to choose from, you can get a great display that’s a perfect fit for your desk while also helping to make your office a bit more environmentally conscious.

Acer also announced that the Vero line of products would be expanded to include a projector, a mini version of the Veriton Vero PC, and the TravelMate Vero laptop.  Acer also announced that they would be expanding their line of Vero laptop bags to include traditional backpacks made with post-consumer plastics for a greener option when travelling with your laptop.

The Swift 3

Acer’s representative, Michael, then introduced the updated Swift 3. It features a 2880 x 1800 resolution OLED screen that is capable of producing up to 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut for incredible detailing, color volume, and contrast that’s perfect for entertainment as well as everyday work. The Swift 3 is also Intel Evo verified for all-day battery life so that you can work worry-free. 

The 12th Gen Intel Core H series processor provides all the power you need for streaming and typical work, while the 14-inch display features narrow bezels and a 16:10 aspect ratio for more working space and visibility when watching video or editing photos. The screen also features Eyesafe blue light filters to help reduce eye strain and fatigue during long days looking at your laptop. 

The Swift 3 OLED even has an Acer Oceanglass touchpad to help remove ocean-bound plastics from the environment and make more of the Acer laptop lineup eco-friendly.

SpatialLabs View 

Acer then switched gears, introducing two new portable monitors designed for 3D content creators and commercial spaces. The SpatialLabs View and SpatialLabs View Pro were created to provide the best 4K visuals for two-dimensional art as well as 2K detailing for stereoscopic 3D viewing. Each 15.6-inch monitor is capable of producing stereoscopic 3D images without the need for extra glasses or viewing equipment, so artists can work in 2D in their favorite programs and then inspect their work in 3D on one of the View monitors. 

The SpatialLabs View series monitors have integrated batteries which are rated for up to 5 hours of use on a full charge, so you don’t have to stay tethered to your desk in order to create 3D models or animation; which is great news for mobile or freelance designers and creators that may need to take a monitor with them to off-site client meetings. 

The View Series screens are compatible with Maya and Blender, and Datasmith file formats to support more 3D creation software in the future. The SpatialLabs Model Viewer mode is integrated with Sketchfab to give creators access to almost 1 million 3D library assets to practice with or integrate into projects. Acer has also launched the Spatial Labs developer site, which gives creators all of the tools and tips they need to integrate Unreal Engine projects with the stereoscopic 3D technology of the View series monitors. 

The View Pro monitor features a VESA mounting configuration for commercial display options in businesses, schools, or hospitals; Acer highlighted AI-driven customer service and conferencing applications for businesses to streamline customer experiences.

And Acer’s SpatialLab 3D technology isn’t just for businesses and creators. The company has integrated stereoscopic 3D capabilities in their new Predator Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition laptop. The laptop uses a pair of eye-tracking sensors to create the stereoscopic 3D effect without the need for special glasses or VR headsets. The 15-inch display provides 4K resolution in 2D mode and 2K resolution per-eye in the 3D mode for the best viewing experience possible. The screen does have a low-by-gaming-standards 60Hz refresh rate, but that’s to protect the integrity of the stereoscopic 3D video feed; anything higher would lead to screen tearing, increased lag, and a pretty disappointing experience overall. 

The laptop is powered by an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card, 12th Gen Intel Core i9 CPU, up to 32GB of DDR5 RAM, Windows 11, and can be configured with multiple M.2 SSD cards for plenty of storage as well as faster boot and game loading times. It also features a 5th generation Acer AeroBlade cooling fan configuration to better draw waste heat away from delicate components under heavy load to keep everything running at optimal temperatures.

The CPU also has Liquid Metal thermal paste for better transfer of waste heat from the processor to heatsinks, cooling fans, and liquid cooling systems. The Predator Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition supports 50 AAA titles for stereoscopic 3D viewing, and Acer has introduced the SpatialLabs True Game tool for gamers to cross-check their library against supported titles and even get a sneak peek at what it would look like in 3D.  

While Acer didn’t mention any pricing or release dates for any of their new products, ZDNet will keep an eye on their brand site and provide updates when that information becomes available.