Acer launches new Chromebooks, eco-friendly devices, laptops aimed at 3D creators | ZDNet

Acer launched a series of new Chromebooks, laptops for creative pros working with 3D designs, a suite of eco-friendly devices and antimicrobial products.

The portfolio updates, which also included new Predator gaming devices, were outlined at a global press conference Wednesday.

In many respects, Acer is leveraging its consumer customer base to expand into more business use cases. When it comes to businesses, Acer is looking to break into an enterprise market dominated by Dell, HP and Lenovo.

Acer is also upping its product cadence as the PC maker recently launched a handful of new Windows 11 laptops including the ultraportable Swift 5.

For the latest updates, Acer rolled out a set of new Chromebooks designed for consumers and enterprises. Chromebooks have been driving unit sales for multiple PC makers. In an interview Acer CEO Jason Chen said demand for PCs overall was strong, but Chromebooks are outpacing the broader market in North America and Western Europe as well as Southeast Asia. Chen also said there has been strong demand for PCs that reuse plastics and are more sustainable. 

The new Chromebooks from Acer include:

• The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 and Acer Chromebook Spin Enterprise 514. These devices are fan less convertibles with 14-inch displays and 11th Gen Intel Core processors. The Acer Chromebook Spin Enterprise 514 includes IT management tools for admins and support Google Play and web-based apps. The Acer Chromebook Enterprise Spin 514 will be available in North America in December and EMEA in October. Starting price is $899. The consumer version of Acer Chromebook Spin 514 starts at $699.99 with availability in January in North America and October in EMEA.

• The Acer Chromebook 515 and Acer Chromebook Enterprise 515 update the company’s 15.6-inch Chromebook line. These devices feature a Corning Gorilla Glass touchpad and use 11th Gen Intel Core processors. The Acer Chromebook Enterprise 515 is available in North America in January with a starting price of $649.99. The consumer version is available in EMEA only.
• The Acer Chromebook 514 goes for $399.99 in North America and uses an octa-core MediaTek Kompanio 828 processor. The device, which I’m testing, seems well built and portable. It also has Corning Gorilla Glass and an aluminum top cover with December availability.
• The Acer Chromebook Spin 314 is a convertible design with a 14-inch FHD display, multiple ports and a starting price of $499.99 with November availability in North America.
• For creative pros, Acer launched the ConceptD 7 SpatialLabs Edition that has 11th Gen Intel Core H-Series chips and a range of graphics options including the Nvidia Ge Force RTX 3080 Laptop GPU. Acer also launched a developer site for SpatialLabs and updated its ConceptD 3 lineup with new clamshells and convertibles with 15.6 inch displays.
• The Acer ConceptD 7 SpatialLabs Edition will be available in EMEA in December starting at EUR 3,599. ConceptD 3 will be available in North America in January starting at $1,699.99 and ConceptD 3 Pro starts at $1,899.99.

• On the eco-friendly front, Acer launched the Acer Aspire Vero, a laptop has 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. There’s also an Aspire Vero trade-in program as well as the business-focused Acer TravelMate Vero. The Acer Aspire Vero will be available in North America in November starting at $699.99 and the Acer TravelMate Vero will be available in January starting at $899.99. Acer ConceptD 7 Ezel review: A multi-mode creator laptop with impressive GPU performance
• Acer also outlined a series of antimicrobial products including a set of laptops, monitors and keyboards and mouse. Acer even launched an eco-shell jacket for travelers made from the extracts of spent coffee grounds.
• The antimicrobial category includes the Acer Enduro Urban N3 laptop ($849.99) and Enduro Urban T3 tablet ($299.99). Both are durable devices designed for users in the elements. The Acer TravelMate Spin P4 is a business antimicrobial convertible laptop available in North America in January starting at $1,099.99. Acer Enduro N3 review: Thin and light, for a rugged laptop