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I wouldn’t say that premium, flagship Chromebooks are a dime a dozen but the high-end market has definitely expanded over the past few years. This gives shoppers numerous options outside of the normal scope of just finding a Chromebook with a good screen, solid internals, and a well-built chassis. Nowadays, you can buy a Chromebook with an Apple-like haptic trackpad or pick up a new game-centric ChromeOS laptop with an RGB keyboard and a 120Hz display.
While the variety of specs and features for premium devices has expanded greatly, one device stands out among the crowd with a unique design that is unparalleled in the ChromeOS space. The Acer Chromebook Vero 514 is the first-ever Chromebook to bear the eco-friendly Vero branding and it comes bearing a chassis that is made with 30% post-consumer recycled plastic, an OceanGlass™ trackpad, and packaging that is comprised of 90% recycled paper. To further enhance the planet-friendly device, the Vero 514 features speakers and keycaps that are 50% PCR. Needless to say, the Acer Chromebook Vero 514 is by far the most eco-friendly ChromeOS laptop on the planet.
With all those recycled materials, you would almost expect the Vero to feel and possibly look cheap. That’s pretty much what I expected but oh was I mistaken. The Vero Chromebook does have a unique aesthetic but the build quality is exceptional and the uniquely textured chassis has a certain curb appeal that really lets it stand out from its peers. Add to that the powerful internals and the Vero Chromebook from Acer delivers an impressive total package for a very competitive starting price of only $499.
Announced back in August, the Acer Chromebook Vero 514 is finally available and you can purchase the “green” laptop today directly from Best Buy. Currently, the retail giant has two different models listed. One is the Core i3 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The other is the Core i5, 8GB/256GB version. Neither of these models appears to have a fingerprint sensor or a touch screen like the Core i7 model we unboxed but they aren’t convertibles so the latter feature isn’t that big of a deal, in my opinion.
Anyway, the Core i3 model is showing as “sold out” at Best Buy which probably means that they haven’t received any inventory yet. The Core i5 version, which is the more desirable model for many, is available and you can pick it up for $599. You get the Iris Xe graphics which will come in handy for Steam gaming and the extra storage space is always welcome even when you’re using a cloud-centric device. Here’s a look at the specs for the Vero Chromebooks available at Best Buy. There is a Core 7 model but we have et to see that one out in the wild.
Acer Chromebook Vero 514 key specs
- Chrome OS
- 12th Gen Intel Core i3/Core i5
- Intel UHD or Iris Xe graphics (Iris Xe graphics available on Core i5 only)
- 8GB LPDDR4X RAM
- 128GB/256GB SSD NVMe
- 14-inch Full HD IPS display 110% sRGB
- 2 x USB-C
- 1 x USB-A
- 1 x HDMI
- 3.5mm audio jack
- Backlit keyboard
- Wireless Wi-Fi 6E 2×2 MU-MIMO
- OceanGlass™ trackpad
- MIL-STD-810H military-grade durability
- Eco-friendly Design – EPEAT Gold compliant
- DTS® Audio with two built-in microphones and Google Assistant Lab Certification (ART)
- Full HD flare-reducing webcam
- 30% PCR(post-consumer recycled) plastic design
This Chromebook may not be for everybody but it is a very unique and well-built device that delivers a ton of power and plenty of features. All this in an attractive, eco-friendly package. Find both models at the link below.
