Asushas taken to this year’s Computex to reveal a number of interesting new products ranging fromlaptopsto portable gaming displays and more.
We’re here to give you the lowdown on a number of these new devices, show you why they matter and why they’re interesting.
ZenBook Duo and ZenBook Pro Duo
Asus wowed the crowds with the new ZenBook Duo andZenBook Pro Duolaptops. These new devices are premium products that take the company’s previous secondary touchscreen trackpad idea to a whole new level.
Now you get a large, full-width secondary display that’s not only touchscreen capable but supports a stylus too.
These machines are designed to enhance productivity by allowing you to use the extra screen space to either see more of what you’re looking at or as a multitasking panel.
As many as three programs or windows can be fit side-by-side in the extra display. It’s also compatible with numerous apps or standard Windows programs.
The company visualises this extra screen space may be used in a variety of ways. Whether that’s with extra tools to help people do their jobs on the main screen or just as another space to run apps that you don’t want to interfere with your main productivity.
You’ll be able to use it to controlSpotify, glance at incoming instant messages fromWhatsAppor Facebook Messenger or use it as a panel for various toolboxes from other programs.
Extra screens aside, these laptops are also real head turners. Crafted from aluminum and CNC milled to perfection, they’re real eye-catchers. High-end specs also appear to ensure you get a fantastic experience whether gaming, working or just browsing the web.
ROG Strix XG17 portable gaming monitor
This is a new portable gaming monitor from Asus that’s designed to run with an insane 240Hz refresh rate at 1080p.
In designing this new portable screen, the company looked at the sorts of games competitive players are engaging with. The likes of CS:GO, Rocket League, Overwatch, PUBG and others were seen to be the most popular. Quite often people playing those games play on lower settings, running at 1080p. They’re, therefore, likely to easily hit over 144Hz, so making a 240Hz screen made the most sense.
This is a 17.3-inch display that’s designed to be taken with you and used anywhere. During the demos, they had it running games from a Nintendo Switch, but also demonstrated how it could be easily hooked up to a laptop.
The ROG Strix XG17 comes with a smart case which allows you to use it in either landscape or portrait mode and there will also be a future accessory to let you place the screen above your current laptop display.
An interesting and flexible display for gamers on the go or just people looking for a portable and convenient secondary display.
Asus ZenBook 13/14/15
Alongside the mightly impressive ZenBook Duo and ZenBook Pro Duo, the company also unveiled new ZenBooks. These updated versions include the new and improved ScreenPad 2.0 technology.
We’ve seen this tech before onlast year’s ZenBook Pro 15,but now it’s been improved further.
Pressing the F6 key on the keyboard now activates a smartphone-like touchscreen display in place of the trackpad. That can then be used to play music, watch videos or even knock out a quick game of Candy Crush.
If you have always wanted an extra screen to view two things at once, then this new design might well be for you. It’s seen as a productivity enhancer. It can run apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store or simply be used to show adaptive toolbars from main programs.
We saw it running a toolset to support Microsoft Excel, but you can also use it in Powerpoint and all sorts of other applications.
Redesigned hardware and software means the new screen is connected to Intel Discrete Graphics and uses less battery than the original ScreenPad - ensuring the entire device lasts longer.
Beyond the secondary screen enhancements, you also get “the world’s most compact” 15-inch laptop with stylish looks and a decent specification to boot.
Asus ROG Theta gaming headsets
Asus has taken Computex as an opportunity to show off a range of new high-end gaming headset too. The first of which is the ROG Theta. A 7.1 surround sound headset with improved drivers and a dedicated DAC.
These surround sound cans include eight large essence drivers supported by a home theatre grade 7.1 DAC. They have large 40mm main/front drivers and 30mm drivers for side, centre and rear. The bass driver has been removed and is covered by those other drivers to ensure a rich and accurate sound.
The headset also includes the S122OA DAC which has been taken from the company’s experience with motherboards and transferred over to headsets.
The aim here is to create an accurate, impressive and realistic surround sound experience that professional gamers can rely on.
Alongside incredible sound, the recording capabilities have also been considered. This headset features a new and improved AI-powered mic that offers enhanced noise cancellation.
Artificial intelligence was used to analyse 50 million indoor sounds to enable the tech to then remove all ambient noise from recordings. This is said to be much more intelligent than other noise cancelling devices as it makes these enhancements while also preserving the tones of your voice. Asus makes some bold claims that it’s also able to remove other people’s voices from recordings or broadcasts. So gamers will no longer have their friends hearing their mum or wife shouting at the background.
That’s a winner in our book.
Asus ROG Theta Electret headset
As well as a 7.1 surround sound headset, Asus has also unveiled a new gaming headset aimed at audiophiles. This is said to be the world’s first electret gaming headset that’s capable of delivering “true-to-life” audio with a punchy bass as well.
Internals include Hi-Fi grade silver-plated copper wiring for high-frequency sound reproduction and a mix of both Electret and dynamic drivers. This setup means these fully analogue gaming headphones can deliver a crisp, clear and impressive sound across a wide frequency range.
The dynamic driver does the work in the lower end of the spectrum while the Electret covers the top end, so you get the best of both worlds.
The result is a gaming headset that can also be plugged into a high-end audio system at home and used to enjoy music or taken with you on the go. It features a “tuned boom” microphone and is also Twitch and Teamspeak certified so more than suitable for gaming with friends as well.
Asus VivoBooks
Alongside the impressive new ZenBooks, Asus has also revealed some colourful updates to the more affordable ultraportable VivoBook range.
Like the ZenBooks, these new VivoBooks also feature the new and updated ScreenPad 2.0 tech. They’re designed to support “smarter productivity and unlimited creative possibilities” in a compact and lightweight frame.
Of course, the VivoBooks are a much more affordable alternative, but based on specs and what we saw of these devices they shouldn’t be dismissed as being cheap. A high-quality design, snazzy finish and plenty of pleasant design aesthetics make the Asus VivoBooks fairly appealing.
With Harman Kardon sounds and some decent specifications, these ultraportable laptops are bound not to disappoint in the sound or visuals department. Offering excellent value for money and well worth considering.
The new VivoBook S14 and S15 will be available from mid-June 2019 with full pricing and availability to be confirmed soon.
Price, availability and full specifications of some of the devices in this list are yet to be announced.
