PC makers said they care about sustainability at CES 2022. Is that true?

CES sets trends in the PC market for the year to come. This year, sustainability became an area of focus, with multiple PC makers – and, of course, companies in other industries – announcing sustainability goals and promising to use more recycled materials in new devices.

But to what end? Do PC makers have anything new to say on sustainability, and is there really a difference between companies? I dove into a pile of CES announcements and annual corporate responsibility reports to find out.

[ Further reading: Best of CES 2022: The most intriguing and innovative PC hardware ]

Who had announcements at CES 2022?

Dell

Most PC makers had something to say on sustainability during CES 2022, but Dell (which technically didn’t attend CES and hosted its own digital event) had the best reveal. The Concept Luna prototype is Dell’s attempt to pair sustainable, repairable design with the thin-and-light appeal of XPS laptops. Luna would let users swap key components, like the display or keyboard, to extend the life of a laptop instead of swapping it out for an all-new PC. (You can see the disassembled laptop pictured above.)

The downside? It’s only a concept—and, as I’ll get into later, some start-ups are already selling what Dell’s concept has promised.

Lenovo also had a strong showing. The new Yoga 13 will offer a fabric-wrapped cover made with “up to 50 percent recycled plastics.” The power adapter and packaging will use recycled materials, as well. The company is also expanding the CO₂ offset service it debuted for some business customers last year. Shoppers buying Lenovo Legion and Yoga PCs will be able to opt-in by the end of January 2022 (in some regions, at least).

Acer

Acer impressed with its Vero National Geographics Edition laptop. The machine will use post-consumer plastics in a number of large components, from the chassis covers to the key caps, and pledges use of 100 percent recyclable packaging. The laptop will also be relatively easy to repair thanks to a design that uses standard screws to secure the bottom cover. It looks outstanding, but Acer doesn’t plan to sell it in North America. We’ve already reviewed the