computex2017
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The colorful Strix Fusion headset can blink in sync with others
Imagine the following, if you will: With seconds on the clock, you sink the final, game-winning goal in a particularly frenzied Rocket League match. It's over. You've done it. And just like that, the lights on the side of your headset begin to pulse a brilliant violet, then an intense yellow -- alternating, ebbing, flowing, before finally building to a vivid orange climax. Victory loves company as much as misery does, so the fact that your teammates' headsets have run through that chromatic celebration in sync with yours only makes your heart soar even higher. That's the (slightly silly) vision ASUS is selling with its Strix Fusion headset here at its Computex RoG press event.
ASUS ZenScreen is the slickest USB monitor I've ever seen
ASUS is known for its design chops, so much so that it could turn even a router into an eye candy. The same goes for its latest USB monitor, the ZenScreen (MB16AC), which turned up on the show floor here at Computex in Taipei. This 15.6-inch, 1080p IPS device is the slickest of its kind I've ever seen, which is largely thanks to its slim 6.5mm bezel, as well as the addition of a metallic chin on the front and the usual spun-metal back. It also helps that the buttons have been moved to said chin -- "Confirm" and "Menu" on the left, "Power" on the right -- in order to keep the edges clean, leaving just a USB-C port on the bottom left side.
A connected electrode could end the shame of sweaty palms
It's hard not to get sweaty walking around here at Computex in Taipei, but Tony Cueva Bravo had moist palms for another reason. The Peruvian entrepreneur suffers from hyperhidrosis, a condition that triggers excessive sweating, causing his hands to get frequently and uncomfortably moist. Hyperhidrosis can be off-putting and embarrassing, so Bravo did what any enterprising 24-year-old would do: He rounded up a team to find a fix and build a product to address it. Meet the Handrop, an orange-and-white potential game-changer that sits on your desk like a computer mouse.
Intel claims 8th-gen chips will be 30 percent faster than 7th-gen
Intel's upcoming eighth-generation processors could be more interesting than we initially thought. While the company previously said they would represent a modest 15 percent improvement over seventh-gen chips -- a performance gain it's been achieving steadily over the years -- Intel revealed today at Computex that the new processors actually perform around 30 percent better. Sure, that figure is only based on a Sysmark benchmark, but it's an encouraging sign for overall performance improvements.
Dell’s Inspiron 27 7000 all-in-one is ready for VR
Good things come to those who wait, especially if the good thing you've been waiting for includes a VR-ready all-in-one. Dell is launching one such machine in the form of the Inspiron 27 7000, which packs all of the ports you'll need to push pixels to an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. The base model packs AMD's Radeon RX560 with 4GB of RAM, but if you're looking to get into VR, it's probably worth opting for the higher-end RX580. The 7000 is a pretty-looking machine, too, taking design cues from the XPS series, with a slim bezel surrounding that 27-inch IPS display. If you're dipping a toe into the virtual world and want to keep your tabletop uncluttered, this machine is probably worth a look.
Intel’s Core i9 Extreme Edition CPU is an 18-core beast
Last year at Computex, Intel unveiled its first 10-core consumer CPU, the company's move into the world of a "megatasking." It was a pricey chip, launching at around $1,700, but it satisfied users who needed to juggle several intensive tasks at once. Now, Intel is upping the ante with a new family of processors for enthusiasts, the Core X-series and it's anchored by the company's first 18-core CPU, the i9-7980XE.
Intel’s tiny Compute Card launches today with Dell and LG aboard
Intel's Compute Card seemed like a logical step forward for the chipmaker when it was announced back at CES. It's basically a small, credit-card sized device that packs in everything you'd need to make a device "smart" -- an Intel system-on-a-chip, memory, storage and networking capabilities. The idea is that you can just slip it into a host device, like a refrigerator or TV, to give them computing capabilities. Today during its Computex keynote, Intel officially launched the Compute Card and announced a slew of partners, including Dell, LG and Lenovo.
NVIDIA 'Max-Q' gaming laptops are Ultrabooks with GTX 1080 power
Based on NVIDIA's 2017 Computex announcements, PC gamers won't have to choose between bulky gaming laptops and desktop-level processing power for much longer. A new design called "Max-Q" is arriving in laptops that it claims are both three times thinner and three times more powerful than their predecessors. Think: 18mm thick, 5 pounds and with the power of NVIDIA's GTX 1080 inside. Plus, there's "WhisperMode," which can pace the game's frame rate to keep the laptop cool and quiet during a plugged-in gaming session.
Here's everything ASUS unveiled at Computex 2017
It won't be long before laptops become so thin and light that you'll barely notice the heft of one in your bag on your commute. That's the main takeaway from ASUS' Computex press conference, in which the Taiwanese company showed off a raft of new laptops. Topping the table is a refreshed ZenBook Pro (UX550), measuring 18.9mm thick and weighing less than four pounds, with high-end Intel CPU and NVIDIA graphics under the hood.
ASUS' Tango-powered ZenFone AR will hit the US in July
We already knew from Google I/O earlier this month that ASUS' ZenFone AR, the second-ever Tango phone (and the first to also support Daydream), was getting close to its official launch, and that it's coming to the US as a Verizon exclusive this summer. Thankfully, we now know when people will actually be able to buy one. Right after ASUS' pre-Computex keynote today, I sat down with CEO Jerry Shen who revealed that this device will finally be launching in Taiwan in mid-June, followed by a US launch as soon as late June or early July.
ASUS blew a hole in its newest wireless router
Wireless routers have for years taken the form of ugly black rectangles that we've habitually tried to bury behind our TVs and bookshelves. ASUS is hoping that you'll think differently about the Blue Cave, its new WiFi router that looks like an electric pencil sharpener on human growth hormone. The device with a hole is an AC2600 dual-band WiFi router that the company says can handle enough connections to cope with your growing home.
ASUS ZenBook Pro UX550 is a powerhouse with a 4K touchscreen
It's been over two years since ASUS announced its original ZenBook Pro, and while the machine received a spec bump late last year, it's about time for the company to revamp its premium desktop replacement line. Announced at the "Edge of Beyond" event ahead of Computex, the new ZenBook Pro UX550 once again dons a 15.6-inch 4K touchscreen behind the spin-metal lid, except this time it comes with Intel's top Kaby Lake option plus an NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti graphics chip (with 4GB of DDR5 VRAM). More notably, at 18.9mm thick and 1.8kg (3.97 pounds), the UX550 is one of the most portable laptops in its class, beating the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 (25.44mm/2.62kg) and Acer Nitro 5 (26.75mm/2.7kg), which tout similar specs (except for their lack of 4K display option), while almost matching the smaller 14-inch Razer Blade (17.9mm/ 1.86kg).
ASUS ZenBook Flip S is the thinnest convertible yet
If you're shopping for a new laptop for the back-to-school season, get ready to be spoiled for choice. At its Computex keynote in Taiwan today, ASUS showed off a slew of new laptops and convertibles, leading with the ZenBook Flip S, which the company says is the "world's thinnest 2-in-1 convertible laptop." At 10.9mm thin and weighing 1.1kg, the 13-inch Flip S certainly has a smaller footprint than other similarly sized systems from Apple, HP, Acer and Lenovo. That thin profile, along with new minimal display bezels that ASUS is calling "NanoEdge," is the clear focus for the company's laptop refresh this year.
ARM's new mobile processors are built for AI on the go
When ARM showed up at Computex last year, it brought a bundle of smartphone processors that pushed for better mobile VR. As you might've noticed, though, AI is one of the big new trends in mobile this year. Is it any surprise, then, that ARM is pushing that angle with its latest batch of silicon?
What to expect at Computex 2017
We're pretty much halfway through the year, which means it's Computex time. As usual, you'll find a handful of us running around the Taipei show floors next week, where we'll be getting our hands dirty with the latest PC products and components. Last year was relatively fruitful, thanks to what was then a recent VR explosion. Several PC brands introduced high-end GPUs or affordable ones capable of running VR. Even Intel surprised its hardcore users with its first 10-core desktop CPU. ASUS topped it all off with Zenbo -- an adorable $600 home robot that went on sale in Taiwan earlier this year. This year, however, is bound to be quieter. For one, Microsoft already stole some of Computex's thunder with its own events earlier this month, so we're not expecting anything major from it next week. Intriguingly, HTC Vive has no official presence at Computex this year, which means less VR. Still, based on recent leaks and launches, we have at least a rough idea of what to expect.
Acer's Nitro 5 notebook is meant for gamers on a budget
As a company with several indistinguishable product lines, the last thing Acer needs is another family of laptops to follow. But with the Nitro 5, it's hoping to make a dent in the increasingly important budget-gaming market. It's not the most powerful laptop around. Instead, the company is hoping to attract people who game once in a while. You can choose from configurations with up to NVIDIA GeForce 1050Ti graphics and seventh-generation Intel Core i5 and i7 CPUs, or AMD FX, A10 and A12 CPUs, with up to Radeon RX550 graphics. Either way, you can stuff in up to 32GB of RAM, and you have the option of PCI-E SSDs to speed up performance.
