Acer Aspire Vero 16 hands on: I tried the world's first oyster shell laptop

4 hours ago 11

Early Verdict

The Acer Aspire Vero 16 is a powerful eco-conscious laptop that comes in at an affordable price point. It’s designed to be carbon neutral, made with recycled materials as well as an oyster shell casing. The material is quite flimsy, but this is easy to look past considering the performance you get.

Pros

  • +

    Made from recycled materials

  • +

    Amazing performance at a low price point

  • +

    Beautiful casing

Cons

  • -

    Shell feels a bit like cheap plastic

  • -

    Heavier than expected

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We’ve seen a wide range of new tech announced and showcased at CES 2025, including everything from gaming handhelds to electric scooters. The star of the show has certainly been AI, and the new Acer Aspire Vero 16 takes full advantage all while being encased in a blend of post-consumer recycled plastic and a brand-new oyster shell material.

Acer has stated that the Acer Aspire Vero 16 is committed to carbon neutrality for its entire life cycle. On top of using bio-based materials, it uses an easy to fix design in order to ensure that repairing is an option before replacing.

Price and availability

Acer Aspire Vero 16 laptop, screen closed to show off the oyster shell body

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

The Acer Aspire Vero 16 is set to release in April in the US at $799.99 and then later on in Q2 in Europe at €1,199. These are starting prices which will fluctuate based on the specifications you’re looking for.

It’s definitely one of the more affordable options on the market, especially in the US. However, regional pricing puts it at a much higher price point elsewhere.

Design

Acer Aspire Vero 16 laptop on a table at CES next to its Oyster Shell Plastic demonstration box
(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

When first laying-eyes on the Acer Aspire Vero 16, I think its quite clear that it’s made from recycled material due to the color and design. It looks pretty, with a marbled green chassis encasing the entire device including the trackpad. As well as recycled plastic, the chassis is also made from oyster shell material, making it carbon neutral and 100% recyclable.

Unfortunately, when holding and using the Acer Aspire Vero 16, it feels like cheap plastic. The casing has quite a light and fragile feel to it, and I wouldn’t entirely trust the Vero 16 in my backpack without an extra layer of protection like a case or sleeve - and even then, it’s a risk.

Despite being cased in plastic, the Acer Aspire Vero 16 is actually a bit heavier than I was expecting. It weighs in at 3.97 lbs (1.8kg), which isn’t the most lightweight option out there, but isn’t too heavy for you to transport to and from work or keep with you on the go either. Just be sure to pack it up snug and secure.

Port selection on the Acer Aspire Vero 16 laptop
(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

The Acer Aspire Vero 16 measures in at less than 2cm and despite being so slim, it still comes packed full of ports. You get to take advantage of two Thunderbolt ports, as well as a USB-A port, an HDMI 2.1 port and an audio jack.

You get an LCD display panel on the Vero 16, which is 1920 x 1200 pixels. Despite not being OLED, the screen is actually very bright and vibrant. It looks absolutely stunning but did leave me wanting slightly more in terms of resolution, however at this price point you can’t complain too much.

Specifications

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Acer Aspire Vero 16 Specs
Price:$799.99
CPU:Up to Intel Core Ultra 7 255H
Graphics:Intel Arc Graphics
RAM:32GB LPDDR5X
Display:LCD, Up to 16-inch, 1920 x 1200p
Storage:Up to 2TB M.2
Ports:2x Thunderbolt 4 (DP support), 1x USB-A, 1x Audio Jack, 1x HDMI 2.1 (TMDS)
Connectivity:Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4
Camera:1440p QHD
Weight:3.97 lbs (1.8kg)
Dimensions:259.4 (W) x 247 (D) x 12.4 x 19.6 (H) mm
Battery:65Wh

Performance

Acer Aspire Vero 16 laptop specs displayed on its screen

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

Picking up the Acer Aspire Vero 16 allows you to take advantage of up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H processor paired with Intel Arc graphics as well as 32GB of RAM. This machine offers absolutely insane performance, especially for its price point. Regardless of what you’re intending to use it for, it offers a high level of performance for a wide range of productivity and creativity tasks.

Of course, having this processor means you get to take advantage of a range of AI features including Copilot+ to help you speed up the process of everyday tasks. But as AI slowly takes over the laptop space, this is becoming more common.

With a 65Wh battery you’ll get a decent battery life out of this laptop. Acer states it’ll run approximately 10.5 hours, allowing you to get through a work day and then some on a full charge.

Early verdict

Overall the Acer Aspire Vero 16 is an amazing laptop, providing you with great performance at a low price point. As if that wasn’t already good enough, you get a clean conscience as the casing is made from 70% recycled materials and is gorgeous.

One downside is the material feels quite cheap, but this can easily be looked past when you consider all of the other benefits which are on offer. It’s somewhat frustrating that the regional pricing of this laptop makes it less affordable outside of the US and I hope Acer can adjust this prior to the laptop’s release in April.

Jasmine Mannan

Jasmine is a gaming hardware and tech journalist with an appreciation for all things others dare to call boring or complicated.

Previously of GamesRadar and currently at The Mirror, Jasmine has reviewed and covered hundreds of devices from laptops to sound bars, monitors to cameras and almost everything in-between. 

In her spare time, Jasmine enjoys playing games that make her rage and building PCs, which also makes her rage – as well as spending time with her three cats. Crazy cat lady in the making! 

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