Discover the Highest Honors in Computex 202지 - How-To Geek's Expert Selection

Discover the Highest Honors in Computex 202지 - How-To Geek’s Expert Selection

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This year’s Computex expo was a battlefield for major AI players, specifically NVIDIA, Intel, and AMD. Thankfully, the Taipei-based event included plenty of substantial hardware announcements, interesting concept products, and excitement for the future.

So, we’re taking a moment to highlight some of our favorite announcements from Computex 2024. Some of the products we’re listing will arrive later this year, while others will never become real products.

Best Desktop CPU: AMD Zen 5

AMD

AMD’s Zen 5 processors might have been the most anticipated launch at Computex, and AMD didn’t disappoint . The company revealed a new Ryzen 9000 series of processors for desktop computers, as well as the Ryzen AI 300 series chips for laptops, all built on the company’s faster and more efficient Zen 5 architecture.

The Ryzen 9000 series promises 16% better instruction-per-clock performance than the existing Zen 4 processors, with the top-of-the-line Ryzen 9 9950X supposedly beating Intel’s high-end Core i9-14900KS processor. The new lineup starts with the Ryzen 5 9600X with six cores and 12 threads, and it goes all the way up to the Ryzen 9 9950X with 16 cores and 32 threads. The CPUs should be great choices for gaming and productivity when they arrive in July 2024.

Best Mobile CPU: Intel Lunar Lake

Intel

Intel revealed the first Core Ultra laptop processors last year, promising enhanced power efficiency and AI performance, but the company isn’t stopping there. Intel revealed its new Lunar Lake processors at Computex, which aim to get even closer to the power efficiency and performance of competing ARM designs (like Apple Silicon and Snapdragon X Elite) while maintaining the compatibility of the legacy x86 architecture.

Intel is promising redesigned P-cores (performance cores) and E-cores (efficiency cores), with up to 40% lower power consumption compared to previous laptop processors. There’s also an improved NPU, paving the way for Copilot+ PC features and other local AI tasks, and Intel is using baked-in RAM (with 16GB or 32GB options), which eliminates RAM bottlenecks but makes memory upgrades impossible.

The new processors will arrive in the third quarter of 2024. Laptop manufacturers like ASUS have already shared their intention to use Lunar Lake processors in upcoming devices.

Best Handheld PC: ASUS ROG Ally X

ASUS

The original ASUS ROG Ally proved itself to be the only Steam Deck competitor worth considering, and it just got even better with the release of the ROG Ally X.

In this refreshed version, ASUS has worked to address a range of concerns people had with its original handheld. One of the biggest complaints in our ASUS ROG Ally review was poor battery life. Well, the ROG Ally X now has an 80Wh battery, which is twice the size as the original. On top of that, it now comes with 1TB of expandable SSD storage, 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM, improved thermals, and better ergonomics.

The AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor at the heart of the console remains the same, but better thermals with more RAM will mean you can push the handheld to get more out of your games. You’ll also be able to do so for longer with the new battery.

Do note, though, that the original ROG Ally had an issue with the microSD slot overheating and frying the cards inside it. The good news is that the Ally X’s microSD reader is located further away from its exhaust vents, so overheated microSD cards may be a non-issue. But ASUS has never publicly acknowledged this problem, so we don’t actually know if it’s been fixed or not.

Still, the ROG Ally X is set to be an impressive improvement over the first generation, and if you’ve been holding off on getting one, now is a good time to pull the trigger. It’s available to pre-order for $799 from Best Buy .

Best Laptop: ASUS ProArt P16

ASUS

If you’re in the market for a powerful Windows laptop, you might want to keep an eye on the ASUS ProArt P16 . It’s a sleek and powerful 16-inch laptop, with up to an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, 64GB RAM, and a 4TB SSD. It will also be configurable with GeForce RTX 40-series dedicated graphics, giving you plenty of power for 3D-accelerated work, video editing, or local AI tasks.

There’s a lot to like here, even beyond the internal hardware. The entire laptop is just 14.9 mm (0.58 inches) thin and 1.85 kg (4 pounds) light, complete with a spacious keyboard and a smudge-resistant black coating. There are also plenty of connectivity options, including 40Gbps USB4, USB 3.2 Type-A and Type-C ports, HDMI 2.1, and Wi-Fi 7. You can leave your dongles at home.

Best Monitor: Acer Nitro GA1

Acer

Acer has introduced new “smart” monitors that strangely have Google TV built-in. The monitors are available in 27 and 31.5-inch 16:9 display sizes, offer QHD resolution, 180Hz refresh rate, 250 nits brightness, and a range of smart features, including voice control through Google Assistant.

The idea is that users can use their desktop OS for typical computer tasks, then switch over to the Google TV interface for a better experience with streaming services. It’s essentially like having a computer and a streaming device combined into one display. Wireless Google Cast support is also included, as is a unique split-screen mode.

For people who use their computer as their main media consumption device, the Google TV interface brings a better lean-back experience than navigating streaming websites with a mouse and keyboard. Pricing starts at $329 and goes up to $379. They’ll be available in Q4 2024.

Best Motherboard: MSI Z790 PROJECT ZERO PLUS

MSI

The Z790 Project Zero Plus is an upcoming flagship motherboard from MSI with a twist up its sleeve.

It has all the features you’d expect on a top-of-the-line motherboard, like Wi-Fi 7, a 2.5 gigabit Ethernet port, and support for PCIe 5.0. Like all of MSI’s Project Zero boards, the headers and power connectors are located on the back of the board to reduce cable clutter.

The most interesting feature is the memory. MSI has abandoned the traditional DIMM modules we’ve used for decades in favor of CAMM2 .

CAMM2 RAM fulfills the same purpose as “regular” RAM, but it is mounted flat on the motherboard rather than sticking up like fins. As a result, CAMM2 memory modules can be placed closer to the CPU without interfering with the CPU cooler. Since the form factor allows the RAM to be placed closer to the CPU, which may allow CAMM2 modules to eke out better performance than their DIMM cousins.

The motherboard is slated to be released in the second half of 2024.

Best Accessory: ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme Keyboard

ASUS

A gaming keyboard with an adjustable gasket mount? The ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme features a small toggle that, when pressed, changes the position of the gasket mount to alter the keyboard’s typing feel and noise characteristics. Essentially, you can go from rigid to soft at the flip of a switch.

The ROG Azoth Extreme is a sequel to ASUS’ original ROG Azoth keyboard. And, like its predecessor, the ROG Azoth Extreme spots a bevy of premium features—an integrated OLED display, a compact 75% design, wireless (2.4GHz or Bluetooth) and wired connectivity, a durable carbon fiber top plate, and hot-swappable ROG NX switches. (There’s also a newly integrated wrist rest, which is a cute addition to an otherwise bonkers keyboard.)

ASUS will begin selling the ROG Azoth Extreme in Q3 2024. Pricing for the keyboard is currently unknown. For reference, the original ROG Azoth keyboard carries an MSRP of $250.

Best Storage Device: MSI DATAMAG MagSafe SSD

MSI

For on-the-go content creators, MSI has revealed the DATAMAG Magnetic Portable SSD. Primarily designed for iPhone MagSafe connectivity, the DATAMAG SSD features an ultra-portable design with transfer rates up to 40Gbps when used with a USB4 interface (or 20Gbps on USB 3.2 Gen 2).

The idea here, of course, is that you’ll stick the DATAMAG to the back of your iPhone while recording or transferring videos. But this isn’t just for iPhone owners—DATAMAG comes with a small magnetic ring that you can attach to any smartphone, laptop, or tablet. It’s a convenient and unique storage solution, and it’s fast enough to support 4K 60FPS ProRes video on the iPhone 15 Pro.

There’s just one drawback: the DATAMAG SSD doesn’t appear to have an IPX rating for dust or water resistance. MSI says that the aluminum enclosure will provide durability, but this may not be an ideal storage device when working near water or sand.

Pricing and availability for the DATAMAG SSD remain unannounced. However, we do know that this drive will be offered in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities.

Best Concept Software: NVIDIA G-Assist

NVIDIA

Originally an April Fool’s joke , NVIDIA G-Assist is designed to provide real-time assistance to people while they play a game. The idea is that you will be able to use natural language to ask G-Assist questions about the game you’re playing, much like if you had asked a knowledgeable friend for help. G-Assist will provide contextually-relevant information.

Above and beyond information about the game itself, G-Assist also incorporates other features we’ve seen in NVIDIA software previously, like the ability to evaluate a game’s performance on your system and optimize settings automatically. It can even overclock your GPU.

Of course, what we’ve seen so far was just a tech demo—there is no saying if or when this will ever actually be released.

Best Concept Hardware: Palit x Lynk+ RTX 4090

Palit

This GPU concept, brought to us by a Palit and Lynk+ partnership, stands out from the rest for a couple of reasons. First is the 7-inch full-color screen on top of the card. GPUs with screens are nothing new, but most aren’t the size of your hand. With your graphics card inside your PC tower as the medium, you could have a lot of fun showing stats, animations, or a certain Rick Astley music video.

Second is the uniquely modular all-in-one cooler Palit is showing off alongside the GPU. The AIO is designed for quick and easy installation and upgrades. You don’t need to master custom loops thanks to the modular parts that make jobs like adding liquid cooling radiators dead-simple. Check out dead8aur’s video putting the system to the test to see how it performs.

Unfortunately, this model is just a prototype, so don’t expect to see it on shelves anytime soon. That’s all the more tragic when you realize it was also one of the hardware announcements at Computex that mercifully didn’t fire-hose us with the word “AI.”

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Discover the Highest Honors in Computex 202지 - How-To Geek's Expert Selection