In the past year, one device became more in-demand than ever – laptops. As organisations shift to remote or hybrid environments, millions of people across the globe have increased their reliance on these devices to ensure the continuity of business and communications as well as other leisure activities such as online consumption and creation. In fact, worldwide sales of laptop and desktop computers exceeded 302 million in 2020, a 13% increase from the year before and the most since 2014, according to market research and analyst firm IDC.
While these figures speak to the importance of technology in the hybrid era, it also sheds light on the importance of sustainability in the laptop industry.
Laptop production is a resource-heavy process, both from the materials used and the energy necessary to build the device. Materials used in laptops consist primarily of metals and plastic, with the latter accounting for 3.8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to recent reports. The industry’s whole supply chain from manufacturing to shipping also involves high amounts of carbon emission.
Increasingly, businesses around the world, including big tech companies, are remodelling their strategies to become more sustainable in response to growing global imperatives and consumer demands to go green.
One of the key global players that are actively taking part in this endeavour is Taiwanese advanced electronics firm Acer. Established more than four decades ago, the company’s vast portfolio of products includes desktop PCs, laptops, tablets, servers, displays and smartphones among others.
At its recent annual event – Next@Acer, which was held virtually, Acer affirmed its dedication to tackle environmental challenges with its ‘Earthion’ platform.
Earthion is a blend of the words ‘Earth + Mission’ and is the name the company created to represent its undertaking to help tackle environmental challenges through innovative and integrated solutions. The platform unites the strengths of its employees and supply chain partners and expands the circle of the impact of its sustainability efforts.
“The pandemic has pushed all of us to take stock and reboot our perspectives for the long term,” said Emmanuel Fromont, President – EMEA, Acer. “As a company, we are dedicated to innovating in all aspects of our products and operations, making sure that they support a sustainable future of not only our business but also of our society and environment.
“I think everybody talks about sustainability today but it’s important for us to showcase that we are committed to going beyond good intentions and make sure that it reflects in our products.”
These strengths and efforts are exemplified by Acer’s newly launched Aspire Vero notebook, its first sustainability-focused product under the Earthion platform.
Aspire Vero is an eco-friendly laptop designed using post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. The device’s chassis and keyboard caps are made using PCR. In addition, the device ships in a packaging made from up to 85% recycled paper, and plastic bagging for adapter protection is reduced by using paper sleeves instead.
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Acer has long been committed to enhancing energy efficiency. Last year, it has successfully achieved its 2020 target of reducing its carbon emissions by 60% worldwide. Taking this commitment another step further, during the Next@Acer event, the company has joined RE100, a global corporate renewable energy initiative that brings together hundreds of large and ambitious businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity. As part of this endeavour, the company has set a new goal to source renewable energy for all of its energy use by 2035.
“While we know that we’re not unique in this kind of initiative, we believe that we are among the companies that are making a significant headway in this mission,” said Fromont.
“Sustainability efforts like these are now more important than ever as businesses and individuals across the globe increasingly recognise that the planet is truly in danger. We believe that as users become more aware of the current environmental challenges they will be more inclined to purchase products that were made with sustainability in mind. That’s why in the long-term companies that do not embrace sustainability will be left behind.”
An impressive lineup of new devices
At Next@Acer, the company also introduced new gaming laptops, thin-and-light laptops, and announced enhancements to its lineup of devices for professionals.
“PCs are becoming an important companion for everyone, especially in the digital era. That’s why it is pertinent for us to develop products that address what users want and need today. Whether it’s about changing the look and feel of a device, making them lighter, extending the battery life or integrating technologies such as AI, we are constantly innovating to make sure people love and enjoy their PCs again,” said Fromont.
Among the new launches are three new gaming monitors, the Predator CG437K S, Predator X38 S, and Predator X28, with 43-inch, 37-inch, and 28-inch screens, respectively. The company also unveiled two thin-and-light laptops under its TravelMate series – the Acer TravelMate P6 and the Acer TravelMate Spin P6.
Acer also introduced new laptops for professionals under its ConceptD portfolio. The brand unveiled the ConceptD 3 Ezel, ConceptD 3, Concept D5, Concept D 7 Ezel, Concept D 7, and Concept D 7 Pro. It also launched another mainstream laptop, the Acer Swift X, which is also a thin-and-light laptop, powered by AMD Ryzen 5000 series CPUs and NVIDIA RTX 3000 series GPUs.
As part of its gaming line, Acer also debuted the Predator Helios and the Triton, which are the company’s latest high-end gaming laptops that are powered by the 11th Gen H series Intel CPU and RTX 3000 series GPUs. Finally, the company has introduced new enhancements to its gaming desktops, Predator Orion and Predator Nitro, which are now equipped with the latest 11th Gen Intel or AMD Ryzen 5000 CPU and RTX 3000 series of graphics cards.
5G and a sustainable future
Looking ahead, Fromont highlighted that Acer sees a lot of opportunities from 5G and further developing environmentally responsible offerings. The EMEA President also reiterated the company’s commitment to its customer-centric strategy.
“We believe that 5G will be a game-changer for improving device performance. As part of our gaming lineup, we have recently launched several accessories and devices that are 5G-powered, which can enable faster network connections and seamless gameplay. We see a lot of opportunities to leverage 5G in our products and that’s where we’ll continue to innovate.
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“For the long-term, I believe anything relevant to sustainability is also an opportunity. As I have mentioned previously, people are increasingly embracing eco-friendly products and this trend is only going to keep on growing.”
As for the Acer business, Fromont noted that the company will continue enhancing its consumer-centric products, especially now that customers are becoming more tech-savvy and are always on the lookout for the best devices as they navigate the remote work era.
“We have a strong commitment to the Middle East, through our headquarters in Dubai we seek to reach new markets and continue to deliver only the best and latest innovations to this region. The UAE, in particular, has handled the pandemic very well as compared to other markets. That’s why organisations here were able to quickly bounce back from the crisis. This reflects the strength of this market and for us, that’s another significant opportunity to go after.”
