> >It can take up to a minute before the logo appears > >

Shut laptop off normally. Wait ~5 mins. Then turn it back on. Does the logo seem to appear about as fast as it used to? Try it again a few more times. Does the logo still appear about as fast each time? Report back with results.

@uraniumBoy

Here are some of the steps to speed up your computer.  

Try windows + r -  on the run window - type msconfig  - click ok  
click on services
check - hide all microsoft services 
click on disable all
click on startup 
disable all the startup items 
click on apply - ok  - restart the computer.     Loading process will be very fast now..

Note: You can always enable the services and startup items later or set it to normal startup from selective startup later on the General tab  

Try windows + r - on the run window - type appwiz.cpl  - click ok  
it will show you the list of programs
remove all the unwanted third party programs. 
Please don’t remove any drivers.  
If you are not sure , please don’t remove it.  

Try windows + r - on the run window type temp - click ok -  it will show you the bunch of files -  try ctrl + a - select all files - press the shift key and click on delete files 

Try windows + r - on the run window type  %temp%  - click ok  - It will show you the bunch of files -  try ctrl + a - select all files - press the shift key and click on delete files 

If you are not able to remove some files - click on skip and then click click on continue.. 

Try windows + r  - on the run window - type cleanmgr - click ok
click on all the boxes except recycle bin and thumnail
Delete the items which are checked 

Try windows x - on the menu - chose command prompt admin or power shell admin 
click on yes 
on the blue or black window  type sfc /scannow 
It will be running till 100 %

Try to do a chrome reset 
open chrome
click on three dots on top right corner 
click on settings
Scroll down - go to advanced
click on restore setting to default
you will see reset settings - cancel
click on reset settings 
Open chrome 
it will work faster now

If it is still not working then we have to do a refresh and reset

click on start - settings - update and security - recovery - reset this pc - get started 

or 

on start - type here to search - type reset this pc - click on reset this pc on the top  - click on get started 

or

Try windows + r using keyboard
on run window - type systemreset

It will show you keep my files and remove everything
chose keep my files 
chose the account - type the password - click on local reinstall - click on reset 
It will be in progress.. 
login to computer and start using the computer. 
If it is still not working 

click on start - settings - update and security - recovery - reset this pc - get started 
chose remove everything 
click on local reinstall - just remove my files - click on reset
It will be in progress

Note:

If you do refresh ( keep my files ) -  all your personal files like pictures, music , documents , videos  will still be intact.   Only the applications will be lost

If you do reset  ( remove everything )  - you are doing a factory default.   It will become like a day one computer.    It will wipe out everything and take your computer to day one like a new computer. 

You can also do the recovery in an alternative way..

There are two alt keys on the keyboard.  If you look at the bottom row of keyboard you can see the one on the left side of space bar and the other on the right side of space bar.  The alt key on the right side will be looking like alt, alt gr or alt car.  Turn off the computer.  Hold the alt key on the left and tap f10 continuously.   It will go to repair mode. It will show you chose an option, continue, troubleshoot.   If it is not going to repair mode, turn off the computer.  Turn on the computer.  Hold the right alt key ( alt gr or alt car or alt )  and then tap f10 continuously.  It will go to chose an option continue and troubleshoot..

It will show you chose an option, continue, troubleshoot
Go to troubleshoot  -  click on reset this pc
click on keep my files  ( only applications will be lost )   chose your account and type your password   - click on local reinstall  - click on reset
It will be in progress 

If the keep my files option is not working 

Go to troubleshoot  -  click on reset this pc – click on remove everything – click on local reinstall – just remove my files – click on reset 
It will reinstall windows. 

If the just remove my files is not working..

Go to troubleshoot  -  click on reset this pc – click on remove everything – click on local reinstall – Fully clean the drive – click on reset 
It will reinstall windows. 

Note: You can also go to chose an option , continue , troubleshoot by holding the alt key + tapping f10  or alt gr + tapping f10 on the keyboard while turning on the computer.    Once you see the troubleshoot option, you can stop tapping the f10 and stop holding the alt key.    Then you can try the keep my files and remove everything ( just remove by files and fully clean the drive ) by following the steps which was mentioned above. 

That boot drive is over 5yo. Go to this link , download, install and run CrystalDiskInfo to see if it can find any issues with the drive. Especially its hidden EFI partition if possible. This partition is what the BIOS tries to read before it presents the logo and hands off to the Windows operating system.

> >Should I update UEFI?> >

Hold off for now. Because it's usually the last thing you want to do if/when all else fails. Mainly due to the risk of causing other irreversible issues that may be even worse. Firmware updates are much riskier than Device Driver updates.

So the question now is, do you recall if this slow BIOS response —- "> >(60 seconds to display the Acer logo)> > —- happened suddenly for no apparent reason?

> >Would it make any difference if I formatted the entire disk including ESP and reinstalled the system from a bootable USB?> >

It might be worth a shot. If it was mine, I'd first try to make a USB image of the whole drive as-is using Acer Care Center or one of the full disk image backup/recovery freeware tools. The reason being that the original factory recovery partition should then be preserved —- at least theoretically. 😮 Then if the old disk is failing, a new disk could be prepared from the original factory image —- theoretically again.