As the largest computer expo, Computex has no shortage of interesting designs, eye-catching hardware, and new technology. This gathering of more than a thousand companies includes many of the industry's top leaders, all showcasing their latest and greatest. There's plenty to cover, so here's a quick summary of what's to come and things that raised an eyebrow or two.
Desktops and Laptops
AMD, Intel®, and NVIDIA made big announcements, which you can read more about here, and as with all CPU and GPU updates, OEMs follow suit. Expect to see AMD Ryzen and Intel® 10-series, as well as Quadro RTX-equipped desktops and laptops from Acer, ASUS, Dell/Alienware, Gigabyte/AORUS, HP, MSI, and more.
- Intel® Honeycomb Glacier
- We've known that Intel® has been working on dual-screen laptops from last year's demo of Tiger Rapids; however, this time around, Intel® is targeting gamers. Unlike Razer's Project Valerie, which has two additional screens placed on both sides, the Honeycomb Glacier has a smaller panel that takes up half the keyboard's space. Initially, this design might seem awkward to use, but with the unique hinge that positions the displays even higher, the second screen is now angled within your field of view. This lets users keep tabs on important in-game info, multitask, and basically get the dual-screen desktop experience on a portable.
- ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo
- Probably easily mistaken for the Honeycomb Glacier, the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo is another dual-screen laptop featuring the same design choices for fitting in two displays. It's missing the additional hinge, though, so it offers a more "top-down" experience that can still be useful, especially for creative users with a stylus.
Displays
Monitors were on full display at Computex 2019 this year. From 4K @ 144Hz monitors to portable designs, there are a wide variety of displays to choose from. The monitors are also finally getting true HDR support, thanks to 1000 nits of brightness.
- ASUS 17.3" Republic of Gamers Strix XG17 Portable Monitor
- This portable display was one of the highlights of the show. Its compact 17.3" IPS screen is housed in a durable metal chassis with a dual-purpose smart cover that can double as a stand. It can be powered by AC or dual USB Type-C ports. However, just because this screen is portable doesn't mean it skimps out on the specs. It features a Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution, a 240Hz maximum refresh rate for smooth gameplay, adaptive sync support to reduce screen tearing, and a 3ms response time to help reduce ghosting. This monitor will help you play competitive games without being at a disadvantage of using a hotel TV while traveling (gaming skills not included).
- ASUS 27" Republic of Gamers Swift PG27UQ 4K Monitor
- 4K resolution? Check. 144Hz refresh rate? Check. HDR support with 1000 nits of brightness? Check. NVIDIA G-Sync Ultimate technology? Check. The PG27UQ completes the wish lists from high-end graphics card owners. The display even features mini LEDs, which help to reduce bloom by up to 33% and consume less power than regular LEDs.
Motherboards and Graphics Cards
Going hand-in-hand with AMD's Ryzen 3000 CPUs, 500-series chipset motherboards are now underway. These motherboards will be featuring PCIe 4.0, which has roughly double the bandwidth of PCIe 3.0 for faster performance with PCIe-based hardware. As per AMD, pre-X570 boards will not support PCIe 4.0. Additionally, some even support Wi-Fi 6. On the graphics cards side of things, manufacturers are still producing a variety of cards with special editions such as the MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Ti LIGHTNING Z in pink, as well as the GALAX GeForce RTX 2080 TI HOF in all white. Since AMD announced the Radeon RX 5700-series, which are making their debut at E3 this year, there were also a few prototypes at the show, complete with triple fans and RGB lighting.
- ASUS Prime Utopia Concept
- This concept motherboard from ASUS relocates the GPU to the back for better cooling. On a standard layout, the CPU, GPU, and M.2 SSDs all share the same airflow, which can get hot quickly. By limiting the PCIe slots, the Prime Utopia can support up to four M.2 SSDs at the front. A few pros include its aesthetics, modular I/O ports, OLED display, and integrated cooling; however, it seems it only supports one dual-slot GPU. It's not a terrible trade as most users opt for a single GPU build anyways, but it could be a deal breaker for some. It's still a concept, but it's nice to see ASUS trying something new.
- Intel® Graphics Card
- While not available until sometime in 2020, Intel® is currently developing their own dedicated graphics card. At their Odyssey event, they showed off a few concepts with a variety of designs ranging from futuristic to steampunk. There's a lot of hype surrounding Intel's GPU, especially with AMD and NVIDIA as competitors, so be sure to keep an eye out.
Storage
With the upgrade to PCIe 4.0, SSD performance gets a big boost. Compared to previous gen storage, PCIe 4.0 is estimated to increase performance by 40%.
- Gigabyte AORUS AIC Gen4 8TB SSD
- Consisting of four 2TB SSDs, this PCIe-based SSD offers speeds of up to 15Gb/s. Their single NVMe M.2 Gen4 SSDs, available in 1TB or 2TB, delivers read and write speeds of up to 5Gb/s and 4.4Gb/s, respectively.
Cases and Accessories
The custom cases and mods at Computex never fail to impress. From extravagant builds and quirky themes to simplistic cubes, there's almost something for everyone. On the consumer side of things, manufacturers are still sticking to the trend of tempered glass side panels complete with RGB lighting. Additionally, many are branching out to make even more computer gear including peripherals, chairs, desks, and more.
- Thermaltake P200 Case
- Similar to their Level 10 GT case, but with an open-air design, the P200 is both a case and a reservoir. Made for liquid-cooling, it has strategically placed in/out ports to help route coolant to your CPU and GPU water blocks. It's also built with RGB lighting and completely clear for a unique aesthetic.
What are some of your top picks from Computex? Let us know why in the Comments section, below.
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