Acer Aspire Vero AV14 Review

It is no longer that expensive to make one product out of materials from another. This is why it now makes sense to build an entire laptop using post-consumer-recycled plastics. Interestingly, it is used for both the body and the keycaps. Not only that but the touchpad is now made from ocean-retrieved plastic.

This means that despite the name of the material (Ocean Glass) the unit does not contain glass. Furthermore, Acer didn’t apply any paint to the surface of the device. What is interesting is that the company decided to use upgradability to promote a lower carbon footprint. And they are absolutely right to do so.

Sustainability is the magic word in Acer’s Vero range. Both the outer packaging and the notebook itself are designed with the environment in mind. For example, the packaging is made entirely of paper – apart from the adhesive strips that protect the box from unwanted looks, everything here is recyclable.

Pros

• Top quality design
• Striking blue design made of PCR plastic
• Comfortable haptics
• Workmanship without any notable glitches

Accordingly, the Acer Aspire Vero AV14 only comes with the required 65-watt power adapter with a convenient USB-C port and the obligatory paperwork like the manual or warranty. As unpretentious as the scope of delivery is, the laptop’s design is unique. The case, the keycaps and much more are largely made of recycled materials – plastic in this case.

Acer calls the navy blue hue that almost completely adorns the AV14 “Mariana Blue.” Again and again, the blue device is interspersed with white plastic particles, which provides a pleasant color accent. In addition, the surface is pleasantly grippy and scores with a pleasing haptic, which skillfully stands out from most notebooks that you get to see.

There is almost nothing to see on the upper side. On the underside of the notebook, quite large ventilation slots catch the eye, which blow the hot air out of the AV14. There are also large, light blue rubber feet in the corners that provide a secure grip.

Another large ventilation slot can be seen above the keyboard. Plus points are awarded for the display hinge, which raises the underside of the notebook a bit when it’s opened and thus ensures better air circulation.

Features and connections

• Fast and efficient CPU
• PCIe 4.0 SSD
• Fast Wi-Fi 6E

With dimensions of 328.5 mm x 223.5 mm x 17.9 mm (width x height x depth), the Acer Aspire Vero AV14 is in a good range to pass as a compact notebook for everywhere. The weight of around 1.5 kilograms also contributes to that, whereby the laptop even feels a bit lighter purely subjectively.

In terms of features, Acer clearly positions the device in the business and office segment and forgoes a dedicated graphics solution, for example. The Vero AV14 competes with the Huawei Matebook D16 (our review) or the Dynabook Portégé X30L-K-139 (our review), among others, which offer a comparable configuration.

Specifically, the manufacturer equips our test model with an Intel Core i7-1255U processor with ten cores, 16 gigabytes of LPDDR4 RAM and a 1 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD from Micron. The bottom panel can be removed quickly and easily via a total of eleven screws, for example to replace the SSD or the screwed battery. Only the soldered-on working memory cannot be expanded.

Modern and fast Wi-Fi 6E and of course Bluetooth 5.2 are included as wireless standards. Acer also installs stereo speakers with a decent, but not overwhelming sound, a Full HD webcam (2.1 megapixels) and a fingerprint sensor for logging in using biometric data.

The ports of the Acer Aspire Vero AV14

• Thunderbolt 4
• Unfortunately, no SD card reader

For a notebook in this price range, the selection of ports turns out to be quite good. On the right side, the notebook has a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type A port and a Kensington Lock port.

On the left, there is a power port (which I do not understand due to the included USB-C power adapter), a USB-C port with Thunderbolt 4 support with PowerDelivery and DisplayPort function, HDMI 2.0 and another USB-A port of type 3.2 Gen 2, as well as a 3.5 mm jack.

Keyboard and trackpad

• Keyboard with pleasant travel and typing feel
• Precise trackpad
• Fast and reliable fingerprint scanner

The chiclet keyboard has a white backlight, which is quite discreet and can be adjusted in two brightness levels via the F11 key. Otherwise, it is quite pleasant to type on the keys with a key drop of around 1.5 mm. We have had worse notebook keyboards in this respect.

Acer Aspire Vero AV14 with Full HD display

• Full HD resolution
• About 300 cd/m² brightness
• Good color space coverage; only 60 Hz

Acer equips the Aspire Vero AV14 with a 14-inch IPS panel that resolves in Full HD with 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. The matte display achieves a brightness of just over 300 cd/m² and scores with good contrast rates. The matte panel also has the advantage that it is still quite legible outdoors in direct sunlight.

Although a higher maximum brightness would have been desirable here, of course. The maximum refresh rate is 60.05 Hz to be exact – so the AV14 does not offer the fastest panel. However, it is sufficient for office applications and everyday tasks.

Wrapping Up

Under the striking blue hood of the Acer Aspire Vero AV14, there is clearly more than meets the eye. Acer has created a sustainable and at the same time powerful office and multi-media notebook, which can’t really shine in any aspects, but on the other hand doesn’t stand out negatively anywhere either. With the exception of the unattractive whistling fan.

In addition, there is the excellent battery life, a fast and strong Wi-Fi module and Thunderbolt 4. However, it is a pity that this port is already reserved for the power adapter, unless you buy the additional and separately available proprietary power adapter.

Acer Aspire Vero AV14 Specifications

• Processor : Intel Core i7-1255U (10 cores, 12 threads, 1.2 – 4.7 GHz)
• Graphics performance : Intel Iris Xe
• Display : 14.0 inch; Full HD; 60.05 Hz
• Storage : 1,000 GB SSD PCIe 4.0 installed
• Memory : 16 GB LPDDR4X RAM (soldered)
• Keyboard : Compact; with RGB lighting; QWERTY layout (test model only)
• Operating system : Windows 11 Home
• Connectivity : Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX201; Bluetooth 5.2
• Dimensions (W x H x D) : 328.5 mm x 223.5 mm x 17.9 mm
• Weight : 1.5 kg (without power supply)
  Price :  $900.00