Instead of a black square case with an Intel or AMD chip inside, with the Ascent QN10, Asus is doing things differently — both with its design and its silicon.

Unlike with its Intel-powered NUC mini PCs or AMD-powered ExpertCenter ones, the Ascent QN10 is the first to use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips, specifically the Snapdragon X2 Elite. As such, Asus has given this mini PC a sleek silver case with an anodized aluminum finish as opposed to the black plastic it uses on others.

At Computex 2026, I got a chance to see and hold the newly unveiled Ascent QN10 in person. While I wasn’t able to fully test it just yet, based on our previous benchmark testing of Snapdragon X2 Elite laptops, I’m excited to see what this chip can do when unleashed in an Asus mini PC for the first time.

The new Asus Ascent QN10 is so much more than the chip powering it though. Here are my initial impressions after some one-on-one time with it away from the crowds on the show floor.

Asus Ascent QN10 Specs

Sleek, small — and silver

At just 5.1 x 5.1 x 1.5 inches, the Ascent QN10 is smaller than some of the other Asus mini PCs I’ve reviewed in the past like the tall variant of the NUC 14 Pro. It’s no longer cube-shaped either, nor is it rectangular like the new Asus NUC 16 Pro. Instead, what we have here is a perfectly uniform square block with ports on the front and back and vents on either side.

Speaking of ports, there are two ultra-fast USB4 ones right on the front of the Ascent QN10 that support speeds of up to 40 Gbps, can output video via DisplayPort 1.4 and also offer Power Delivery. Right next to them, you get a 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack and two USB-A ports for connecting your accessories.

Personally, I’m looking forward to how you can grab two portable monitors or even a pair of the best smart glasses for some extra screen real estate in a pinch. Likewise, having these faster ports up front is great for transferring data to and from an external hard drive or even your smartphone.

Asus has done something incredibly clever with the Ascent QN10’s cooling, too. While the vents that bring in cool air on the left side form a dense, uninterrupted block of vertical slits, the exhaust grills on the right side are physically split by a horizontal strip of aluminum. The reason for this is pretty interesting.

Since the Ascent QN10 uses a blazing-fast PCIe Gen 5 SSD which tends to run hotter, Asus added a second internal fan just to cool it. To avoid having the heat from the SSD and CPU mixing together, that physical gap on the right panel keeps the exhaust channels isolated. So cool fresh air comes in all at once on the left but gets separated on the way out.

Then on the back of the Ascent QN10, we still have a barrel port connector for power along with another USB4 port, two more USB-A ports, HDMI 2.1, and a fast 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port. Overall, this mini PC has a phenomenal mix of front and rear connectivity. At the same time, despite its small size, it can drive up to four 4K displays simultaneously as well.

We’re definitely going to have to get an Ascent QN10 in for testing, but so far, it looks like a promising and powerful mini PC. There is one catch though: it’s missing a useful feature you'll find on almost all of Asus’ other mini PCs.

No hiding this one

When you flip the Ascent QN10 over, things look slightly different than they would on Asus’ NUC or ExpertCenter mini PCs. There isn’t a latch to quickly gain access to its internals, nor are there brackets to attach a VESA-mounting plate.

Instead, there are four white feet around the vents in the middle of the Ascent QN10 with screws at each corner. You can certainly open this mini PC up, but you will need a screwdriver to do so. While you can’t add more RAM due to how Qualcomm’s Snapdragon architecture is engineered, there are dual M.2 slots and both support up to 2TB for a total of 4TB of storage when fully equipped.

Now, it wasn’t the non-upgradeable RAM or the QN10 not having a toolless design that surprised me most; it was how you can’t VESA-mount this mini PC. One of the perks of using one of the best mini PCs is that — for the most part — you can usually mount them behind your monitor. Doing so gives you the space-saving benefits of an all-in-one computer like an iMac but at a fraction of the price and with more flexibility.

Given its sleek silver design and anodized aluminum case, though, I think Asus wants its first Snapdragon-powered mini PC to sit front and center on your desk. That’s alright with me, but I do wish Asus had included an integrated fingerprint reader on the power button or even next to it for faster logins. Since the Ascent QN10 is the kind of mini PC you can't hide away behind a monitor, having biometric security right at your fingertips would have been a nice touch.

Only AI will tell

I’m glad that Asus gave me a chance to see and hold the Ascent QN10 before its official release. However, there’s only so much I can glean from it without having it powered on and connected to a monitor.

Besides its sleek design and the premium components inside, the big sell here is the Qualcomm Hexagon NPU. It features 80 TOPS and is powerful enough to run AI agents like OpenClaw, Hermes, or Claude Desktop directly on the Ascent QN10. With Qualcomm’s AI Hub, it should be easy enough for even beginners to get started running AI locally. Since this mini PC is ARM and not x86-based, it should be a whole lot quieter and cooler when doing so too.

A few more questions remain as well, like how much the Ascent QN10 will actually cost when it releases. For now, though, I think this mini PC has the potential to be a great Mac mini M4 alternative for Windows users who are looking to get started with AI agents.

Stay tuned, as I’m definitely calling in one of these for review.

• I tried the new ROG NUC 16 and Asus’ upgraded mini gaming PC is complete overkill — but in the best way possible
• All 8 laptops launching with Nvidia RTX Spark this fall and what they can do
• I held the MacBook Neo in one hand and the new XPS 13 in the other — and Dell’s $699 laptop is surprisingly lighter

The new Asus ROG NUC 16 is the kind of device you need to experience firsthand to truly appreciate what this console-sized PC is capable of. Thankfully, while everyone else at the ROG 20th anniversary event made their way upstairs toward the DJ, I slipped away for some one-on-one time with this mini gaming PC. I’m incredibly glad I did, because the raw performance packed into this tiny case completely blew me away.

Even though we’re dealing with just a 3-liter case here, Asus has managed to pack this device full of powerful components. From an Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX processor to up to a Nvidia RTX 5080 Laptop GPU and even 128GB of DDR5 memory fully configured, the ROG NUC 16 is no slouch.

My favorite thing this time around is that in addition to the standard black, it now also comes in white. However, if you prefer black but want something different, there’s always the even more powerful ROG NUC 16 Edition 20 which features gold accents all around like the new ROG Xbox Ally X20 I checked out when I first arrived at Computex 2026.

So what can a console-sized mini PC with all the latest components actually pull off gameplay-wise? Quite a lot. If the Steam Machine just doesn’t seem like it has enough power to make your living room PC gaming dreams come true, then the ROG NUC 16 could be just what you’re looking for.

Asus ROG NUC 16 Specs

Console-sized PC power

On the front of the ROG NUC 16, there are two high-speed USB-A ports and a USB-C port along with a 3.5mm audio jack. There’s also a lightstrip above the power button with ROG branding on the right.

One big difference this time around is that Asus has completely redesigned the ROG NUC 16’s stand. Instead of having to manually screw it in like on the ROG NUC 970 I reviewed a few years ago, you now get a removable one made of two pieces that works in both vertical and horizontal orientations.

At the same time, the ROG NUC 16 now knows which orientation it’s in thanks to the G-sensor in its motherboard. Depending on which orientation you have the device in, its triple-fan QuietFlow cooling system will adjust accordingly for the best airflow.

Around back is where things really get interesting with the ROG NUC 16. On the left, you have all your video-out ports from the Nvidia GPU inside which include dual HDMI 2.1, dual DisplayPort 2.1 and a Thunderbolt 4 port. Then on the right, there are four more high-speed USB-A ports and a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port.

I’ve tested larger mini PCs like the Framework Desktop with fewer USB-A ports, so I really like how Asus has given you more than enough for all your peripherals. The ROG NUC 16 has an impressive selection of ports and powerful components inside but how well does it game? That’s what I was about to find out.

Small footprint, max graphics

At its ROG 20th Anniversary Event, Asus had all of its standard devices launching at Computex 2026 set up in the main room and the special edition ones for the anniversary in a smaller room off to the side.

What I liked about the ROG NUC 16 setup in particular was how I could see both the black and white version on either side and try it out in the middle. While I couldn’t switch between games like I could on the ROG Xbox Ally X20, Capcom’s Pragmata was already loaded up and ready to go. While I had read my colleague Tony Polanco’s review, I didn’t have a chance to play it myself, so this was great.

When playing with a mouse and keyboard, the game ran buttery smooth on the ROG NUC 16. It looked great too, especially as this mini gaming PC was paired with a 27-inch ROG Swift OLED gaming monitor.

One thing that really surprised me was that I didn’t hear a peep out of the ROG NUC 16 while playing. Since it had likely been running for hours before I got to try it, I figured the fans would have ramped up by now. However, with three active cooling fans and dual vapor chambers instead of standard copper heat pipes, the ROG NUC 16 feels like the kind of mini PC you can game on for hours without having to put on one of the best gaming headsets to drown out fan noise.

Obviously we’ll need to get one in for testing and put it through the paces at home. However, during my brief time with the ROG NUC 16, I was quite impressed with its performance overall. After skipping last year’s ROG NUC 2025, going from the ROG NUC 970 to this one was a massive improvement and all my previous gripes have been fixed. Well, all but one of them.

Portability has a price

Back when I first tried out one of Asus’ ROG NUC mini gaming PCs, the top-tier configuration was expensive at $1,799 for the ROG NUC 970. However, it wasn’t out of reach for those who wanted a premium mini PC they could game on and easily throw into a backpack to take with them anywhere. In the years since though, the price of an ROG NUC has climbed steadily upward.

For instance, last year’s ROG NUC 2025 launched with a base price of around $3,200. Unfortunately, this new ROG NUC 16 is even more expensive with a starting price of $3,799 for the baseline configuration. Then if you want the Moonlight White model seen here, you’re going to be paying even more at $4,700. Now Asus isn’t entirely to blame for this as due to RAMaggeddon, component prices just keep going up and up.

Will the ROG NUC 16 be worth it for most people? Probably not. Keep in mind that you’re paying a higher price for a premium machine you can take with you anywhere. Also, thanks to its new design and how Asus has reworked its cooling, the ROG NUC 16 will stay quiet under load while similarly-specced mini gaming PCs will sound like a jet engine under load.

If you’re looking for that console aesthetic but prefer to play on PC, then you might want to take a look at the Minisforum G1 Pro I recently reviewed. It is slightly larger but still smaller than a PS5 Pro by a fair margin when standing vertically. However, unlike the ROG NUC 16, it has an internal power supply instead of a large power brick and you can actually upgrade its graphics card since it uses a standard — albeit mini-sized — desktop GPU.

For those with money to spend who are short on space or travel overseas for extended periods, the ROG NUC 16 is the most powerful mini gaming PC you can get right now. And thanks to its powerful components, it will smoke any console, well at least until the PS6 and next Xbox arrive in a few years.

• I held the MacBook Neo in one hand and the new XPS 13 in the other — and Dell’s $699 laptop is surprisingly lighter
• All 8 laptops launching with Nvidia RTX Spark this fall and what they can do
• I just tested Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra — Nvidia RTX Spark brings life to one of the best laptops I’ve ever tried

I’ve tested Nvidia’s RTX Spark laptop chip (spoiler alert: it’s mindblowing), and now I’ve gone hands-on with every single laptop launching in just a few months time to set up a ranked list.

Eight premium notebooks are launching — each with their own unique features and quirks that I’m keen to share, so that when the launch date arrives, you know which one is best for you. Of course, this is personal preference, and certain systems I put in a lower grade may be better suited for you!

These are all incredible-feeling laptops, but grading them allowed me to get brutally honest with where I’d put them. So without further ado, let’s get into it.

While the Microsoft Surface Laptop was used in the demos, other models were turned off. This was something Nvidia required to ensure journalists (like me) don’t sneakily benchmark the laptops! That being said, these notebooks are basically pre-existing laptops but with RTX Spark inside and some tweaked cooling, so I can use past experience to fill in some gaps.

Nvidia RTX Spark laptops: Tier list

S-Tier: Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra and Asus ProArt P14

I’ve already shared my experience with the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra — it’s a spectacular-feeling laptop in terms of a premium build quality, fantastic mini LED screen, tactile keyboard and a utilitarian aesthetic.

But the big showcase feature here (that no other Spark system has) is that breakthrough touchpad, which is able to communicate back to you with haptics across the UI. It’s a unique sensation like when snapping apps to the sides of the screen.

That being said, it is a 16-inch beast of a system, and the reason why I love my 14-inch MacBook Pro is the power paired with portability. Enter the Asus ProArt P14, and when I say Apple’s pro notebook is in trouble, this is the most direct competition to it in terms of premium build, fantastic ergonomics, port array and that RTX Spark chip.

Throw in an OLED display, and you’ve got a phenomenal ultraportable that I’d be willing to trade off a little bit of battery life to get — but hopefully Nvidia’s “all-day battery life” comes true to make this less of a fear.

A-Tier: MSI Prestige Flip N16 AI+, Asus ProArt P16 and HP Omnibook X 14

Kicking off with the Prestige Flip N16 AI+, I’ve already gone hands-on with the Intel version of this system back at CES 2026, and I’m a huge fan of it. This is the only 2-in-1 in the lineup, and that flippable hinge has a smooth glide and strong staying power at all angles.

On top of that, the touchscreen OLED panel on the pre-existing model is gorgeous; the keyboard is nicely tactile; and the touchpad is absolutely massive. Plus, there’s a stylus stowed in the bottom of the shell magnetically.

Then there’s the ProArt P16 from Asus, which is the same as that P14, but only bigger. If 16 inches is more than your speed, this is a fantastic option. But I’ll always opt for something more portable.

And finally in the A-tier is the HP Omnibook X 14, which immediately tickled my inner love for 14-inch laptops. Premium build quality, good I/O and a top notch OLED panel up top — so why the lower grade? Well, it comes down to that keyboard.

Whenever I’m typing on laptop boards, I’m more of a fan of a subtle dish that my fingers can fall into, whereas the keys on here are much more pronounced. It definitely has its fans, but I’m a little more mixed towards them.

B-Tier: HP Omnibook 16 Ultra, Lenovo Yoga Pro 9N and Dell XPS 16 Creator Edition

Now for the B-tier. Again, not any real slight, and this is my way-too-early impressions based on holding the systems. But personal taste made this an easy decision.

The HP Omnibook 16 Ultra felt like the heaviest laptop of the bunch, and while it has all those same winning specs as other options like an OLED display and a ton of I/O, that keyboard has those odd raised keys again and the edges can feel a bit sharp on the wrists when leaning on this to type.

Next, the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9N. From my time going hands-on with the Yoga Pro 9i (the same laptop shell), it’s a real prosumer piece of hardware with a nice aluminum build and those classic Lenovo ergonomics (a phenomenal keyboard for example).

But amongst a bunch of laptops that have some real unique elements that make these devices shine, it’s a rather unremarkable option. Not to say that’s a bad thing — I’m all for laptops that nail the fundamentals, but some just reinvent those fundamentals.

And then, there’s the Dell XPS 16 Creator Edition. In many ways, this is very much a Surface Laptop Ultra alternative, and another chapter in the book of Dell’s XPS apology tour for ditching the brand for a weird year back in 2024. The screen’s great, the touchpad is massive, and the I/O is plentiful.

My only main gripe is the keyboard — chiclet keys with no gaps between them. In my time testing XPS 16s of old, it took me a while to get used to a board like this, and I found myself often losing my place and making a couple of spelling errors.

Outlook

Of course, there's a lot more we need to find out first — not just actually testing these systems, but the big question of price. In a Q&A session, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang did say this is the top-tier chip as part of a whole family.

That does mean we could get cheaper, lower-end models too. But looking at what we tested, we can get a somewhat decent guess of the price based on the fact its essentially the same silicon (and RAM) as the DGX Spark mini AI PC — a device that costs $5,000.

So if you want the top-tier model, this could get real pricey! But all I can say is I hope there are more reasonably priced RTX Spark laptops, which in the midst of RAMageddon may be tricky.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best of Computex 2026: The 17 greatest gadgets from the world’s largest computing show
• I gamed for 250 hours on AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE — it’s a $549 nightmare for Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti
• I just tested the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ — it leaves ROG Xbox Ally in the dust with breakthrough Intel Arc G3 power

We called MacBook Neo the "best budget laptop ever," and it's taken the world by storm. Speaking to a few Windows laptop makers here at Computex 2026, it's clear that the value-for-money proposition of a premium macOS portable with great battery life, nice design and powerful Apple silicon has terrified them.

But these companies are not taking things lying down. A lot of Neo competitors just got announced — all premium thin-and-lights that target that $6-700 price, and launching just in time for back-to-school.

And even better? Each of them offer a little something that the MacBook Neo doesn't, so the value fight is now officially on! Here are four budget-friendly laptops that I think could give Apple some serious competition.

Dell XPS 13

Dell's XPS revival started earlier this year, and it took another significant step forward at Computex with an all new XPS 13 aimed squarely at the MacBook Neo.

It continues to use a premium aluminum chassis, retaining the high-end feel that people expect from the XPS brand. You can really feel that in the hands, with a nice sturdy hinge, good ergonomics and a nice-feeling keyboard to boot.

Dell says this is also the thinnest and lightest XPS laptop it has ever made. And unlike the Neo, this is upgradeable too — configurable with up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 3 processor and 32GB of RAM.

Pricing starts at $699 for the base model with Intel's new "Wildcat Lake" chip, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage ($599 with an education discount). Technically, that puts it in the same ballpark as the MacBook Neo if you spec the latter with 512GB of storage, but even from a base-model comparison, the XPS 13 offers a few advantages.

The four key ones are a silky smooth 120Hz touchscreen display with a non-reflective coating, USB-C ports on both sides of the laptop, a backlit keyboard, and support for Windows Hello face unlock.

From what I experienced testing it, the Dell XPS 13 feels like the most serious MacBook Neo competitor out there, and it could genuinely challenge Apple's dominance in this category once it launches later this year.

Asus Zenbook 14

Asus told me they couldn't make the Zenbook A14 any cheaper, so the company rewrote the rulebook, changed the materials and internals and made a banger of a value system.

On paper, the bad news is it starts a little higher at $799. But the good news in person is that it does offer one massive upgrade over the Neo right from the get-go: an OLED 120Hz display. Colors are mesmerizing on this panel with inky blacks to boot.

Beyond the display, you also get a premium all-metal build made from Asus' Ceraluminum material, which is basically a blend of ceramic and aluminum, along with a lightweight design that comes in at around 2.6 pounds.

The keyboard and touchpad feel solid on it with minimal flex on the board, and the colors look amazing with Komodo Coral being a personal favorite of mine.

Unlike some of the other laptops on this list that rely entirely on Intel chips, the Zenbook 14 is available with Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, with the Snapdragon variant starting at the lowest price point. That means a claim of 21 hours of battery life, which I can't wait to properly put to the test.

Port selection is also better than what you get on the MacBook Neo (or, in fact, all other laptops on the list). You get two USB-C ports, a USB-A port, and a full-sized HDMI port as well!

Acer Swift Air 14

Acer also wasn't holding back when it came to taking on the MacBook Neo. At Computex 2026, the company unveiled the Swift Air 14 (2026), another laptop that starts at a competitive $699 price point and focuses on delivering as much value as possible while still maintaining a premium feel with an all-metal chassis.

That said, I did notice a bit of flex around the keyboard deck when pressing down on it — something you don't experience on the Neo. But it's all about making the right compromises too.

Much like the XPS 13, it's got a 120Hz screen (though it's 14 inches for the Swift Air), powered by Intel's lower-cost Core Series 3 "Wildcat Lake" chips. And if you thought the Dell XPS 13 had a solid port selection, the Acer Swift Air 14 takes things a step further with a full-side USB-A too.

Another thing the Swift Air 14 appears to have going for it is that massive 70Wh battery. That's nearly double the 36.5Wh battery inside the MacBook Neo, and it'll be interesting to see how that translates into real-world battery life once we get more time with the device.

MSI Modern 14S AI+

First showcased at CES 2026, MSI has now shared more details about the Modern 14S AI+, and it's looking more and more like a legitimate MacBook Neo competitor. There's the aluminum alloy chassis (except for the bottom), a thin profile and a light weight of roughly three pounds.

Intel's "Wildcat Lake" CPU makes a reappearance again, and the port selection gets even better here with MSI throwing in an Ethernet socket too alongside the HDMI, USB-A and two USB-C.

In use, the keyboard deck has a small amount of flex and the touchpad can feel a little mushy in the corners, but again, it's all about balance, as the Modern 14S AI+ also comes with a 14-inch OLED panel too.

But arguably the most impressive thing about it is durability. MSI says the laptop is MIL-STD-810H certified, which should make it tougher and more resilient than most of the other laptops on this list.

Bottom line

The budget Windows laptop market had been unchallenged for so long by Apple that they'd got too comfortable — cutting corners in materials and making one too many compromises in the knowledge that if you had $5-700, they were the only options you had.

Now the Neo is here, Computex 2026 showed they've woken up, and have truly come to play. There are now plenty of compelling Windows alternatives entering the space as well, and I can't wait to review them all real soon.

That said, if you're looking for a premium Windows machine and don't mind waiting a bit longer, it might be worth holding off for the upcoming RTX Spark-powered laptops. From everything we've seen so far, things are looking pretty promising on that side of the market too.

More from Tom's Guide

• All 8 laptops launching with Nvidia RTX Spark this fall
• Intel Arc G3 is here to shake up handheld gaming, and AMD should be terrified — Acer Predator Atlas 8, a new MSI Claw and more launching soon
• I built a touchscreen MacBook Pro using this snap-on accessory, and I'm baffled why Apple hasn't made its own for years

We've reached day 2 of Computex 2026, and from holding every Nvidia RTX Spark laptop to comparing all the new budget systems competing with the MacBook Neo, I have so much to update you on!

Beyond that, I got to talk to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang about Spark, properly tested the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip in the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ (spoiler alert: AMD gaming handhelds are cooked), and went on a mission to find every budget laptop that competes with the MacBook Neo.

But that's not all, as my team is out here too — running around the exhibition center and finding all the best (and weirdest) tech of Computex. So follow along with us for all the latest.

Read the latest from Computex

• I just tested Nvidia RTX Spark laptops for video editing, gaming and AI — and the MacBook Pro is in trouble
• I held the MacBook Neo in one hand and the new XPS 13 in the other — and Dell’s affordable laptop is surprisingly lighter
• I just tested Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra — Nvidia RTX Spark brings life to one of the best laptops I’ve ever tried
• I spoke to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang about RTX Spark — he is ‘willing to work’ on an RTX gaming handheld, N2X and N3X are already planned and the chip is 'more like R2D2’ than a laptop CPU
• I just tested the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ — Intel Arc G3 is a breakthrough for handheld gaming, but at what cost?
• I thought Asus' massive 32-inch OLED would be my favorite Computex 2026 monitor — but I found one that was even better
• I tested the Acer Predator Atlas 8, and played a game Intel told me not to — the numbers are staggering

LIVE UPDATES

Computex is still going strong

Hey, all! Our Computex 2026 coverage is going strong as we're on the ground in Taipei checking out the latest and greatest from the computing world. Keep it locked here four all of our live updates and hands-on impressions.

RTX Spark put to the test

We've had the opportunity to put Nvidia's RTX Spark to the test for video editing, gaming, and AI, and the results are... impressive. Now, the obvious caveat is that we don't know what these machines will cost once they arrive — but it should make Apple and its MacBook Pro a little more than nervous.

Here's what my colleague Jason had to say after he'd spent some time with Nvidia's new chip: "With Microsoft in tow, working in lockstep to rebuild Windows 11 for Nvidia's agentic vision for the future of computing, these are going to be some truly mighty notebooks that may very well revolutionize the Windows laptop and truly stand on their own as the future of computing."

• Read the full story: I just tested Nvidia RTX Spark laptops for video editing, gaming and AI — and the MacBook Pro is in trouble

MSI debuts 'Triple Mode' monitor

This right here is the MSI MPG OLED 322URDX36. It's the first 31.5-inch, 4K 360Hz gaming monitor on the market to feature the 'Triple Mode' configuration technology.

It lets gamers switch freely between 4K 360Hz, 2K 520Hz, and FHD 680Hz based on their preferences — meeting the specific performance demands of various game genres.

The monitor rocks a peak HDR brightness of 1,500 nits and integrates an AI Care Sensor that "leverages accurate human detection to provide real-time OLED panel protection without compromising user privacy." Whatever that means.

Could Microsoft be building the most exciting RTX Spark laptop?

Microsoft will be facing down the MacBook Pro with the Surface Laptop Ultra later this year, it's one of the first eight laptops to arrive with Nvidia's RTX Spark on board and it could be seriously impressive.

Microsoft claims this will be most powerful Surface it's ever built and there are a few specs we are already pretty confident about. For starters, it has a 15-inch mini-LED PixelSense Ultra display that can reportedly reach 2,000 nits of peak HDR brightness. There's also a full set of ports, including HDMI, USB-C, USB-A, an SD card reader, and a headphone jack.

The Surface Laptop Ultra will also reportedly have “all-day” battery life and you can expect it to come in Platinum and Nightfall finishes.

• Read more: Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Ultra packs an Nvidia Spark chip — and it could be a MacBook Pro killer

Intel Arc G3 steps up against AMD

Intel Arc G3 and G3 Extreme are really bringing the heat with a monstrous integrated GPU and XeSS 3, seemingly delivering some of the best handheld gaming experiences you can get.

We've checked out the Acer Predator Atlas 8 and the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ here at Computex already, and both have impressed us with their smooth performance.

This is a huge win for Intel, which has, up until now, played second fiddle to AMD and its near-dominance over the handheld space.

MacBook Neo has competition from Dell

We just got to go hands-on with Dell's new XPS laptop line but one device in particular stood out: the new Dell XPS 13. Thin, light and affordable, you know where this is going. We have another MacBook Neo competitor in our midst.

The Dell XPS 13 does have a few nice extras you don't get on the Neo, like a backlit keyboard, a touchscreen and two full-featured USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 ports with one on each side. Stay tuned for our full hands-on but so far, I'm quite impressed.

A mesmerizing laptop

Laptops tend to look similar, which is why the Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Vincent van Gogh Edition stands out. Adorned with the troubled artist's work on the lid, it’s certainly a conversation starter. The fact that it’s built around a Prestige 14 Flip AI+ means you’re getting quite the workhorse here, too.

But what about the price? It’s the one question nobody can really answer, given how RAMageddon has put the whole computing market in flux.

To hazard a guess, given that the current Prestige sells for $1,299 and this is a more powerful special-edition machine, we bet it could be around $2,499. Of course, we'll have to wait and see what the actual price is.

8 laptops confirmed to launch in the fall with RTX Spark

Nvidia's RTX Spark chip is already slated to appear in a bunch of laptops arriving this fall, including a new Surface Laptop from Microsoft. Following on from the laptops, expect to see it appearing in mini PCs and small form-factor from the likes of Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus, MSI, Acer and Gigabyte.

Powered by the new chip, these laptops are poised to deliver a thin-and-light form factor coupled with elite battery life and enough power for desktop-class AI development and heavy video editing. They'll also be pretty good when it comes to gaming, too.

The only question is what will the pricing be for these new machines?

• Read more: All 8 laptops launching with Nvidia RTX Spark this fall — and what they can do

The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ leaves the ROG Xbox Ally in the dust

Intel Arc G3 handhelds are the talk of the town here at Computex 2026, and I just got an early hands-on with the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+. In short, believe the hype — this is the next generation of gaming on the go, unlike anything you’ve seen before.

Of course, a lot of this comes from that new silicon, which copies a lot of Panther Lake’s homework, including that monster integrated GPU with XeSS 3 support to deliver some blistering frame rates (more on those later) while being much more power efficient than any AMD-filled handheld I’ve tested.

But the secret sauce here is MSI’s DNA — learning from previous Claws and dramatically upgrading the design, vastly improving airflow to keep it cool, bringing a gorgeous new display, tweaking the ergonomics and tactility of the vibration, and making it even easier to upgrade.

The Asus Xbox Ally X20 isn’t just another special edition handheld

We’ve already seen a ton of new handheld gaming PCs here at Computex 2026. Instead of going that route, Asus has decided to commemorate the 20th anniversary of its Republic of Gamers (ROG) subbrand with a special edition of the ROG Xbox Ally X.

Dubbed the ROG Xbox Ally X20, this new device uses (mostly) the same hardware as last year’s Xbox-themed handheld. You still get the powerful performance of AMD’s Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chip, 24GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD.

While not technically a new device, Asus has made some fundamental changes under the hood and has also given the handheld a regal makeover, with hints of gold throughout its design.

The best of Computex 2026

Our best of Computex 2026 round-up is live! There, we detail the 17 products that impressed us the most during our time at the convention.

From Nvidia’s biggest chip release in the last 20 years, Intel revolutionizing handheld gaming, mind-blowing monitors, and actual value-for-money laptops to take on the MacBook Neo, we’ve fallen in love with so much tech here in Taipei!

Computex 2026 is fully underway, and besides asking Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang about RTX Spark, I just tested the laptops of the future from Team Green!

But that's not all, as Intel's having a ball dunking on AMD with its Arc G3 gaming handheld chip in the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, we've been going hands-on with every Windows laptop that's facing off with the MacBook Neo (including the new Dell Xps 13), and much more.

Follow along with us for live updates from the ground, and keep us bookmarked throughout the week. You're going to want to see what we're up to!

Read the latest from Computex

• Nvidia RTX Spark is here, and it's going to 'reinvent the pc' — here's everything you need to know about this all-new laptop chip
• I spoke to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang about RTX Spark — he is ‘willing to work’ on an RTX gaming handheld, N2X and N3X are already planned and the chip is 'more like R2D2’ than a laptop CPU
• All 8 laptops launching with Nvidia RTX Spark this fall — and what they can do
• I just tested the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ — Intel Arc G3 is a breakthrough for handheld gaming, but at what cost?
• I gamed for 250 hours on AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE — it’s a $549 nightmare for Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti
• I thought Asus' massive 32-inch OLED would be my favorite Computex 2026 monitor — but I found one that was even better
• I just held the most beautiful laptop, but I’m not sure Vincent van Gogh would be happy with his name connected to AI
• I tested the Acer Predator Atlas 8, and played a game Intel told me not to — the numbers are staggering

LIVE UPDATES

Our first in-person look at RTX Spark

The big news of the conference so far is, of course, the RTX Spark and we've just got our first look at actual devices running Nvidia's chips from MSI.

They look even better in person than they did during Jensen's keynote yesterday. Hopefully, we'll be able to go hands-on with laptops, desktops and mini PCs running Nvidia RTX Spark chips soon.

• Read more: Nvidia RTX Spark is here, and it's going to 'reinvent the pc' — here's everything you need to know about this all-new laptop chip

8 laptops confirmed to launch in the fall with RTX Spark

Nvidia's RTX Spark chip is already slated to appear in a bunch of laptops arriving this fall, including a new Surface Laptop from Microsoft. Following on from the laptops, expect to see it appearing in mini PCs and small form-factor from the likes of Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus, MSI, Acer and Gigabyte.

Powered by the new chip, these laptops are poised to deliver a thin-and-light form factor coupled with elite battery life and enough power for desktop-class AI development and heavy video editing. They'll also be pretty good when it comes to gaming, too.

The only question is what will the pricing be for these new machines?

• Read more: All 8 laptops launching with Nvidia RTX Spark this fall — and what they can do

Reporting from the show floor!

Computex is the biggest computing industry event of the year, and in among the flagship keynotes it's always fun to roam the halls and see what's on offer.

So far this year, we've spied a holographic PC that uses AI to answer your questions, a custom-built GTA VI PC that could be outdated before the game itself actually arrives and the forthcoming Wireless Touchpad Keyboard from sustainable laptop company Framework.

Intel Arc G3 steps up against AMD

Intel Arc G3 and G3 Extreme are really bringing the heat with a monstrous integrated GPU and XeSS 3, seemingly delivering some of the best handheld gaming experiences you can get.

We've checked out the Acer Predator Atlas 8 and the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ here at Computex already, and both have impressed us with their smooth performance.

This is a huge win for Intel, which has, up until now, played second fiddle to AMD and its near-dominance over the handheld space.

MacBook Neo has competition from Dell

We just got to go hands-on with Dell's new XPS laptop line but one device in particular stood out: the new Dell XPS 13. Thin, light and affordable, you know where this is going. We have another MacBook Neo competitor in our midst.

The Dell XPS 13 does have a few nice extras you don't get on the Neo, like a backlit keyboard, a touchscreen and two full-featured USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 ports with one on each side. Stay tuned for our full hands-on but so far, I'm quite impressed.

A mesmerizing laptop

Laptops tend to look similar, which is why the Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Vincent van Gogh Edition stands out. Adorned with the troubled artist's work on the lid, it’s certainly a conversation starter. The fact that it’s built around a Prestige 14 Flip AI+ means you’re getting quite the workhorse here, too.

But what about the price? It’s the one question nobody can really answer, given how RAMageddon has put the whole computing market in flux.

To hazard a guess, given that the current Prestige sells for $1,299 and this is a more powerful special-edition machine, we bet it could be around $2,499. Of course, we'll have to wait and see what the actual price is.

Could Microsoft be building the most exciting RTX Spark laptop?

Microsoft will be facing down the MacBook Pro with the Surface Laptop Ultra later this year, it's one of the first eight laptops to arrive with Nvidia's RTX Spark on board and it could be seriously impressive.

Microsoft claims this will be most powerful Surface it's ever built and there are a few specs we are already pretty confident about. For starters, it has a 15-inch mini-LED PixelSense Ultra display that can reportedly reach 2,000 nits of peak HDR brightness. There's also a full set of ports, including HDMI, USB-C, USB-A, an SD card reader, and a headphone jack.

The Surface Laptop Ultra will also reportedly have “all-day” battery life and you can expect it to come in Platinum and Nightfall finishes.

• Read more: Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Ultra packs an Nvidia Spark chip — and it could be a MacBook Pro killer

Asus' new laptops could include a MacBook Neo rival

Asus has revealed its new laptop family at Computex and while we already know about the RTX Spark-equipped ProArt machines, but another device has caught my eye.

Asus is launching the new Zenbook 14 with base-level specs that include a Snapdragon X1-26-100 processor with 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage. Depending on the ongoing RAM crisis, Asus may be able to price this laptop to compete with the MacBook Neo.

For those that want a bit more power, the Zenbook 14 will also come with AMD and Intel configurations too.

MSI debuts 'Triple Mode' monitor

This right here is the MSI MPG OLED 322URDX36. It's the first 31.5-inch, 4K 360Hz gaming monitor on the market to feature the 'Triple Mode' configuration technology.

It lets gamers switch freely between 4K 360Hz, 2K 520Hz, and FHD 680Hz based on their preferences — meeting the specific performance demands of various game genres.

The monitor rocks a peak HDR brightness of 1,500 nits and integrates an AI Care Sensor that "leverages accurate human detection to provide real-time OLED panel protection without compromising user privacy." Whatever that means.

RTX Spark put to the test

We've had an opportunity to put Nvidia's RTX Spark to the test when it comes to video editing, gaming and AI and the results are...impressive. Now, the obvious caveat here is that we don't know what these machines are going to cost once they do arrive — but it should serve to make Apple and its MacBook Pro a little more than nervous.

Here's what my colleague Jason had to say after he'd spent some time with Nvidia's new chip: "With Microsoft in tow, working in lockstep to rebuild Windows 11 for Nvidia's agentic vision for the future of computing, these are going to be some truly mighty notebooks that may very well revolutionize the Windows laptop and truly stand on their own as the future of computing."

• Read the full story: I just tested Nvidia RTX Spark laptops for video editing, gaming and AI — and the MacBook Pro is in trouble

Asus went all-in on OLED monitors at Computex 2026, and we got our first hands-on look at some of them.

Over the past few years, the company has tried to make OLED the default choice, whether you're a competitive esports player or someone building a work-and-gaming setup. Asus wanted to cast the widest net possible, and mostly to great effect.

I spent a good chunk of my time checking out Asus' gaming monitors at Computex 2026, but I found only one worth spending my time with. Read on to find out what it was!

The 32-inch ROG Swift OLED is everything you'd want from a flagship monitor

I've seen a lot of OLED gaming monitors over the past couple of years, and at this point, it's honestly difficult to get excited about yet another 32-inch 4K OLED display. But Asus' ROG Swift OLED PG32UCWM (yes, the name is a mouthful) brings a few genuinely interesting upgrades.

As expected, you're looking at a 32-inch 4K OLED panel. The monitor uses Tandem RGB Stripe OLED technology. The Tandem OLED part means there's a dual-layer OLED stack designed to improve brightness, while the RGB Stripe pixel structure means the underlying panel ditches the traditional white sub-pixel entirely and relies solely on red, green, and blue sub-pixels.

The result, Asus says, is noticeably sharper text, which has long been one of the biggest complaints about such monitors, along with better color reproduction compared to previous OLED generations. Asus even had a digital microscope connected to the display to show the sub-pixel layout.

The monitor runs natively at 4K and 240Hz, but it can also switch into a Full HD mode capable of reaching 480Hz. As you'd expect, it also supports Dolby Vision, while Asus claims a response time of just 0.03ms. Connectivity is equally impressive, with DisplayPort 2.1 offering full 80 Gbps bandwidth, alongside HDMI 2.1 and USB-C with 90W PD.

One of the more interesting details wasn't the display itself but the internals powering it. The rear of the monitor still carries the usual ROG industrial design language, but Asus has also integrated GaN-based power delivery technology into the monitor's power system.

According to the company, using GaN improves power efficiency and reduces heat generation, which is increasingly important when driving a tandem OLED panel at such high resolutions and refresh rates.

Asus also confirmed that a 27-inch version is coming later this year. Unfortunately, the company still isn't talking about pricing just yet.

This 540Hz OLED monitor is where things get interesting

Another arguably more interesting monitor from a technology perspective was the ROG Strix OLED XG259QWPG Ace. Asus is calling it the world's first OLED esports monitor, and honestly, there is a pretty good reason for that claim.

Until now, most 500Hz+ monitors have relied on LCD technology (TN or IPS panels). Asus is taking a different approach by using a Tandem WOLED panel in the ROG Strix OLED XG259QWPG Ace. As you'd expect, the move to Tandem OLED brings a number of benefits, including up to 15% higher peak brightness, 25% larger color volume, and up to 60% longer OLED lifespan compared to previous-generation WOLED panels.

The monitor itself features a 24.5-inch display and can reach an eye-watering 540Hz refresh rate with a 0.02ms response time. It's pretty clear that this monitor is aimed at professional esports players and competitive gamers. Asus is also using its GaN tech here to help improve efficiency and keep temperatures under control.

The company has even added measurement markings directly onto the stand and base, allowing players to consistently position the monitor exactly how they like it, something professional esports players will probably appreciate more than anyone else.

I also got to see the ROG Strix OLED XG259QWPG Ace side by side with a traditional high-refresh-rate gaming monitor that wasn't OLED, and the difference was immediately noticeable. The OLED panel delivered noticeably better color reproduction, especially when viewed from off angles.

Outlook

Computex is always packed with monitors, gaming gear, and other ridiculous hardware. And with the event now officially underway, there's still plenty more weird and wonderful tech to check out.

I'll be spending the next few days getting hands-on with even more peripherals and displays to find the coolest gadgets at Computex 2026, so stay tuned!

More from Tom's Guide

• I just tested the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ — it leaves ROG Xbox Ally in the dust with breakthrough Intel Arc G3 power
• I tested the Acer Predator Atlas 8, and played a game Intel told me not to
• I just tried the new Alienware 34 280Hz QD-OLED — and my favorite gaming monitor is better than ever

We’ve already seen a ton of new handheld gaming PCs here at Computex 2026 but, instead of going that route, Asus has decided to commemorate the 20th anniversary of its Republic of Gamers (ROG) subbrand with a special edition of the ROG Xbox Ally X.

Dubbed the ROG Xbox Ally X20, this new device uses (mostly) the same hardware as last year’s Xbox-themed handheld. You still get the powerful performance of AMD’s Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chip with 24GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. While not technically an entirely new device, Asus has made some fundamental changes under the hood and has also given the handheld a regal makeover with hints of gold throughout its design.

Asus definitely could have stopped there and called it a day. However, given the recent launch of its new ROG XREAL R1 AR glasses, the company decided to give them the same ROG 20th anniversary treatment too. They’re the same glasses more or less but since they’re intended to be used alongside the ROG Xbox Ally X20, they won’t ship with Asus’ ROG Control Dock.

After going hands-on with the new ROG Xbox Ally X20 and ROG Xreal R1 Edition 20 here in Taipei, I’m quite impressed by how all the little changes Asus made to its handheld make for an even better experience. However, are they enough to justify a bundle that will likely cost a hefty sum once it releases later this year? Find out in my full hands-on review.

Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 specs

Fit for an anniversary

Just like Microsoft did with its 20th anniversary Xbox Controller, Asus has also given the ROG Xbox Ally X20 a transparent front shell. It looks even better in person and when seeing it side by side with the original Xbox Ally X, this small tweak really makes the upgraded handheld stand out. If that wasn’t enough though, the View, Command Center, Menu and Library buttons now feature gold accents.

In another nod to the Xbox brand, the Xbox button to the left of ROG Xbox Ally X20’s side buttons now lights up green too. Within Asus’ Armory Crate software, you can also tweak its brightness and lighting effects as well. Seeing the Xbox button pulse green was especially cool while trying out the new handheld.

On the top edge of the ROG Xbox Ally X20, you still get two USB-C ports — one USB 4 one and one USB 3.2 one — along with a power button and a 3.5mm headphone jack. If you look closely though, you might notice an extra cooling vent between the main two on the left and right side. Asus reworked the cooling for the ROG Xbox Ally X20 to improve airflow which is why we now have four instead of three vents like on the Xbox Ally X.

Around back is where the ROG 20th Anniversary design changes are the most apparent on the Xbox Ally X20. In addition to a gold badge underneath the right fan, the diagonal line with “Republic of Gamers” written out is now gold too with the letters in a vibrant red. The top half of the back panel is transparent too which lets you see how Asus went to the extra trouble of making the ROG Xbox Ally X20’s fans and heatsink gold too.

Besides these aesthetic changes, the handheld’s grips are now wrapped in a grippy, rubber-like plastic too just like on the Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller. This is another one of those small but very noticeable differences with the Xbox Ally X20. The upgraded handheld felt even better to hold in my hands, speaking of which…..

Upgrades you can feel

As I’ve mentioned, small but noticeable improvements with a touch of gold throughout seems to be the big theme of the ROG Xbox Ally X20. This is also the case with the handheld’s bumpers and triggers.

Asus actually moved the position of the bumper buttons on the device’s motherboard to make them easier and more comfortable to press. While they used to sit on the top edge, they’re now positioned diagonally on the left and right side of the motherboard. This is a small change I know, but having tested the bumpers on both the Xbox Ally X and the ROG Xbox Ally X20 side by side, this tweak is noticeable.

The shape and feel of the ROG Xbox Ally X20’s ABXY buttons are different too and they now feature a slightly more rounded profile. As you might have guessed, this is another nod back to the Xbox controller. One area where Asus is pushing ahead of Xbox though is with the joysticks on this handheld.

Although a lot of people kept asking about Hall Effect joysticks coming to its handhelds, Asus wasn’t quite happy with the tradeoffs that would come with adopting them. So instead, the company went with TMR joysticks on the ROG Xbox Ally X20. In my testing, they were incredibly smooth and responsive which makes me hope this will become the norm with PC gaming handhelds going forward.

Now you might have realized I skipped over the microSD card slot before when discussing the ports on the back of the ROG Xbox Ally X20. Well, that was intentional. You see, this is actually a microSD Express card slot like the one found on the Nintendo Switch 2. While you can upgrade the handheld’s internal storage, if you don’t want to open it up, you can always pop in a microSD Express card to get some more storage space and thanks to its faster speeds, you shouldn’t have any trouble playing even more demanding games off of it.

Transforming with a twist

Now this next upgrade is one that both fighting game and Xbox 360 fans will instantly appreciate. While a 4-way d-pad is perfect for platformers and retro games, it isn’t ideal for 2D fighting titles like Street Fighter. With the ROG Xbox Ally X20, Asus said why not both. So just like on the wireless controller that was released quite late in the Xbox 360 era, this handheld also has a transforming d-pad.

To switch between the two modes, you just pinch both sides of the d-pad, pull up and give it a quick turn. This lets you go from a 4-way to an 8-way d-pad that feels almost identical to the one on the Xbox Series controller in the best way possible.

In case you pull up but don’t quite turn the d-pad all the way, you won’t be able to press it down at all which lets you know you did something wrong. Likewise, the d-pad spins all the way around, so you aren’t stuck going in one direction or the other.

The OLED we’ve been waiting for

Back when my colleague Jason England wrote his ROG Xbox Ally X review, one of his biggest gripes was that it didn’t have an OLED display. Well, Asus must have been listening as the ROG Xbox Ally X20 does and it’s a full-featured one at that. The handheld’s OLED features HDR 1000, comes equipped with VRR thanks to AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and can reach a max peak brightness of 1,400 Nits.

While we’ll have to get one into our testing lab to see for sure, in person, I noticed a stark difference between the brightness of the Xbox Ally X and the ROG Xbox Ally X20 with the two handhelds next to each other. When playing Control and Chronos: The New Dawn, the blacks were quite deep and the colors really popped. However, it wasn’t until I saw the driving game Assetto Corsa running on two devices side by side — one with HDR on and one with it off — that it really hit me.

Speaking of small but noticeable improvements once again, Asus actually managed to fit a larger 7.4-inch OLED screen here without increasing the overall size of the handheld. On the original Xbox Ally X, the bottom and top bezels were the same size. That isn’t the case with the ROG Xbox Ally X20 as Asus shrunk the top bezel to make room for the bigger display, making it smaller than the bezels on either side.

Personally, this was a huge improvement and quite noticeable during my hands on time with the device. For the most part when playing games on a handheld like this, you’re looking up at the top of the device and not the bottom, so the screen feels a lot larger even though the panel is still technically the same size.

Even better together

Now I know most people haven’t tried gaming while wearing a pair of the best smart glasses but if you haven’t yet, it’s an awesome experience. Instead of a 7-inch display — or 7.4-inch one here — by plugging in a single USB-C cable, you instantly get a massive, movie theater-like screen right in front of you.

Asus and I must be on the same page which is why the company plans on releasing the ROG Xbox Ally X20 in a bundle with a special edition pair of its ROG Xreal R1 smart glasses. They’re mostly the same minus the dock and like the handheld, they have some gold accents on the sides.

For those unfamiliar, using these — or any other AR glasses — with the ROG Xbox Ally X20 is about as plug and play of an experience as you can get. You just plug in the glasses on one of the top USB-C ports, put them on and you’re good to go. One cool use case a few of Asus’ staff and I discussed is wearing them while lying back in one of the best gaming chairs so you don’t run the risk of dropping a handheld on your face. I’ve played this way at home and trust me, it’s as comfortable as it is plain cool.

One neat difference here is that when you pair the ROG Xreal R1 X20 glasses with the ROG Xbox Ally X20 is that you don’t have to press the buttons on their sides to tweak picture settings. You absolutely can if you want to though. However, settings like screen size, transparency and even enabling real-time 3D conversion on the glasses are available right within Asus’ Armory Crate software.

I have to admit I stuck to making most of my adjustments on the glasses themselves as I’m quite familiar with Xreal’s AR glasses after I paired them with a portable mini PC for a truly unique setup. However, if this is your first time using them, it will probably be easier making adjustments right on the handheld itself.

This bundle won’t come cheap

Asus gave myself and the rest of the Tom’s Guide computing team a sneak peak at the ROG Xbox Ally X20 at its HQ here in Taipei, with more details likely to come at Gamescom this summer. While we don’t know the official price yet, the ROG Xbox Ally X20 and ROG Xreal R1 X20 will likely be available ahead of the holidays later this year.

The other big news we got out of Asus is that the two will come as a bundle. Given the original ROG Xbox Ally X costs $999 on its own and the ROG Xreal R1 glasses are available now for $849, I doubt this special edition bundle will cost less than $2,000. However, since you aren’t getting the ROG Control Dock with the glasses, that could bring down the price slightly.

We’ll have the full pricing and release details soon enough but after spending an afternoon with the ROG Xbox Ally X20 and the ROG Xreal R1 X20, Asus went above and beyond here for sure. Just changing the color of the handheld’s shell and some of its buttons definitely would have been enough. However, Asus’ engineers went back to the drawing board and made seemingly small but very noticeable changes to the Xbox Ally X.

Now I wouldn’t recommend rushing out to get this bundle if you already have an Xbox Ally X unless you’re a really big ROG fan. Personally though, these improvements and tweaks have me really excited for what Asus will eventually do with its followup to the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X.

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• Best graphics cards in 2026: I've tested every GPU to find the best bang for your buck
• I fixed my biggest gripe with the PS5 Pro with these unofficial cover plates and now it looks and feels more like a PC

The $849 Asus ROG Xreal R1 smart glasses (£749 in the UK) are finally here, and I’ve been testing them for a while. So why am I not scoring them? Well, life comes at you fast and I’ve been traveling over 10,000 miles to Google I/O and back.

That means while I am able to put these specs through their paces in a portable state, I’ve not been able to really test the biggest feature of them — the dock allowing for lightning fast 240Hz gameplay. That’s a world’s first for smart glasses…but it wasn’t available during the time I (and other tech journalists) have been testing them.

But there’s enough here that I can give you some in depth first impressions of using these for hours on end. Let’s get into it.

👎 Not quite ready for primetime

I’ll get this one sorted right off the bat. The hardware is finished, but the software isn’t quite done yet. This shouldn’t be something you face, but it is highly recommended that you get the firmware updated for both the glasses and dock before you properly try them out.

Out-of-the-box, the Frame Rate Boost mode that gives you 240Hz is not available, and with the update literally coming out mere days ago, I can’t in good conscience give you a scored review until I’ve put them properly through their paces.

Plus, it doesn’t help that I’m testing them while out here at Google I/O (far away from my gaming tower and the dock). The following is my experience of the portable setup — stand by for my time replacing my gaming monitors with this set of specs!

👍 Comfortable wearability

The aesthetic may be more Matrix than modern (it won’t be for everyone), but the end result is nice weight distribution across the glasses with pressure-absorbent nose pads that give you a nice wearability for hours on end.

It’s a larger pair of glasses on the face, but still comfortable enough for long flights, along with well-placed buttons for custom controls of the screen tweaks and the X1 chip-enabled feature set.

👍 Crispy picture, versatile customizability

It’s a 1080p picture, but with the prism display tech over bird bath, it’s an impressively sharp 1080p. That comes down to the clarity of the optics here, which does make plugging these into your phone for watching the finale of “The Boys” a nice experience.

On top of that, I’ve always said Xreal’s the way to go for a productivity focus, and these deliver when connected to a laptop — the 32:9 ultrawide panel activated entirely with the on-device chip (no software needed) is a nice touch.

For a better mix of a vivid color palette, something like the Viture Beast is a better pick here. However, Xreal is on the comeback with a customizable color palette. Still not as colorful, but getting closer!

👎 Some edge blurs and screen tearing at higher refresh rates

But while the Xreal One Pro image quality is well and truly here, that comes with some of the drawbacks I saw while testing these — namely the edge blurriness. These prisms are being stretched here by the micro OLEDs within them, and that means you’ll have to tweak the screen distance to be either smaller or further away from you.

Also, rather frustratingly, once connected to the dock, the buttons on the glasses themselves do nothing. While I can understand that in this deskbound situation, you’ll be more likely to use a dock to control them (and the joystick/button layout is easy enough to use), I did find myself often going for the glasses buttons to no avail.

And the big final part here is the screen tearing when using the dock. In all the games I played (particularly any with Nvidia’s DLSS turned on), it was a visible distraction of tears and artifacting that would pose a competitive disadvantage.

Of course, this is without the firmware update, so this could be swiftly resolved, but I’m only here to tell you the immediate experience I’ve had with them.

👎 $849 is a steep price

But that’s when I get to the big issue here — that is a hefty price tag. I know premium AR glasses will cost more, but $849 is a large chunk of change to say the least. You need to be either a serious PC player or a refresh rate purist to really want to spend this much.

Make no mistake about it. This is prime for a specific kind of audience, but even at that rate, you’re getting a crispy, colorful experience that’s more than enough at way cheaper prices. The Xreal 1S — for example — are a great pair of gaming glasses, and while they’re not 240Hz, you get more than enough of a silky frame rate for handheld play (honestly the place where you’d use the Xreal R1s most of the time anyway).

Outlook

Obviously, it’s too early to call on a lot of these features. Maybe the firmware update fixes the screen tearing and these could be the 240Hz wonder glasses that could replace your gaming monitor.

But in my first 10,000 miles, you can tell Asus and Xreal are onto something mightily interesting here, which is a bit of a diamond in the rough at the moment. Time will tell whether these issues are fixed (which you kind of hope they do for $849), and my full review once the full updates are applied will be coming early next week!

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• Snap CEO dunks on Ray-Ban Metas and teases Snap Specs as his 'alien vision' for the future of computing — sounds weird, but I’m on board
• I’ve worn smart glasses for over 5 years — here’s the best AR and AI glasses

Gaming is one of my favorite hobbies. When I’m not working, you’ll usually find me sinking hours into my most-loved RPGs. I am, then, very lucky that I get to play video games for a living. Well, that’s a bit of an exaggeration — I test many gaming peripherals, including the best controllers, which means I get to play video games and call it work.

The most recent controller I’ve tested has, no lie, blown me away. They honestly don’t get better than this. The Asus ROG Raikiri II is a powerful gamepad for Microsoft’s consoles, and it beats the first-party Xbox Elite Series 2 in every which way.

It’s comfortable and packs performance in spades, and with extensive customization to boot, it gives you the advantage sought after by competitive players. Why do I say it’s better than the Xbox Elite 2? That’s what I’m here to talk about, so you’ll have to continue reading.

Spoiler alert: it might have something to do with the Raikiri II’s TMR thumbsticks and triggers…

‘TMR’ stands for ‘This Mechanic Rocks’

One of the things that stops me from recommending the first-party Xbox Elite Series 2 outright is its omission of Hall Effect or TMR sticks. The Elite 2 uses traditional analog sticks, although its triggers feature Hall Effect sensors. The downside of analog sticks is that they’re susceptible to stick drift — and as any gamer will know, stick drift is truly awful. To ensure longevity, many third-party manufacturers now fit Hall Effect or TMR sensors into their sticks.

Because the Asus ROG Raikiri II packs TMR tech into its sticks as well as triggers, it upstages the Elite 2 without breaking a sweat. TMR is an up-and-coming technology, and not many controllers feature it yet. TMR stands for Tunnel Magneto Resistance, and it uses weak electromagnetic waves rather than strong ones, which means that minute adjustments and movements are picked up by the sensor. It can get very technical but all you need to know is that it essentially gives you a massive competitive advantage — something analog sticks simply cannot do.

The Raikiri II goes a step further by using TMR in its triggers instead of Hall Effect, and becomes the first controller (at the time of writing) to do so. The triggers’ sensitivity can be changed between short clicky presses (great for FPS titles) and long presses (excellent for racing games), and they can be further extensively customized by Asus Gear Link. Once you start using a controller with TMR, it’s extremely difficult to go back to a non-TMR (or non-Hall Effect) one.

Even better in practice

So, in theory, TMR is excellent, which in turn makes the Asus ROG Raikiri II outstanding on paper, but how does the controller hold up in real-world usage?

Phenomenally, if you ask me.

I’ve used it extensively to play Cyberpunk 2077 and F1 25 on our testing rig, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on an Xbox Series S. Being able to adjust each trigger’s sensitivity on the fly, via the locks on the back, is super handy.

In Cyberpunk 2077, I opted for short clicky presses as I didn’t want to press RT all the way down to rain gunfire down on NPCs, and my fingers didn’t feel fatigued either.

I opted for clicky presses in Expedition 33 too, as all I had to do to execute a Gradient Counter at the right moment was simply tap RT. Not only did this help me time my parries perfectly, but it also felt very satisfying as the short travel distance makes RT and LT feel like mouse clicks.

And those TMR sticks are something else too. Like I said earlier, TMR uses weak electromagnetic waves and even the most minute of movements is registered. With a sniper rifle equipped, I adjusted my aim ever so slightly in Cyberpunk 2077 to take out a specific NPC standing next to multiple others.

The extra-sensitive TMR sticks also had a chance to shine in F1 25 as they helped me make very slight changes to my car’s direction, especially when I was right behind another car and needed to overtake.

But is the price right?

Given that the Asus ROG Raikiri II utilizes the latest tech, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that it costs a premium. The Raikiri II retails for $189 / £180 at Amazon which is quite a bit, but it’s also $10 cheaper than the first-party Xbox Elite Series 2. In my opinion, the TMR thumbsticks and triggers alone do more than enough to justify that price tag. Why would you spend almost the same on the Elite 2 when you can get the superior Raikiri II?

Alongside the fantastic triggers and sticks, you’re also getting 50 hours of battery life — 10 more than the Elite 2. There’s more customization potential too, and the Raikiri II even comes with a charging dock to neatly display your controller. I really can’t think of a better Xbox controller, and the Raikiri II has really made me question why anyone would pay full price for the Elite 2.

But what do you think? Have you tried the Raikiri II? Or are you happy with the Elite Series 2? Or do you use a third-party controller that isn’t the Raikiri II? Let me know in the comments below!

More from Tom's Guide

• ‘The Xbox Elite 2 better watch its back’: I just tested the Asus ROG Raikiri II and it puts every other competitive controller to shame
• So long Hall Effect — I'm only using controllers with TMR sensors from now on
• I’ve finally found a PS5 controller that’s better than the DualSense — and no, it’s not the DualSense Edge

The surprise Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) and Xreal collaboration has finally arrived after being unveiled at CES 2026 earlier this year. The new ROG Xreal R1 AR glasses are high-end smart glasses built for gaming and could be some of the best smart glasses overall.

The new glasses feature a 240Hz refresh rate with micro-OLED displays that deliver a huge 171-inch virtual screen. This screen is projected at a 57 degree field of view, one of the largest we've seen in AR glasses yet. The glasses are supposed to have a near-instant 0.01ms response rate as well, so lag won't be something you'll need to worry about.

Asus says the R1 "reaches its peak potential" when paired with the ROG Ally handheld console (or the more recent ROG Xbox Ally X).

My colleague Jason England got a chance to test out the ROG Xreal R1 at CES this year and called them the best AR glasses he's ever tried. "The screen quality is super impressive, the 240Hz refresh rate is oh-so buttery smooth, and the comfortable wearability plus useful features like dynamic electrochromic lenses make them a tasty proposition for the enthusiasts," he said at the time.

Just like with other Xreal glasses such as the Xreal Ones and Xreal One Pros, when using the R1s, the glasses have an "Anchor mode" which lets you pin the display to a fixed position for stable viewing. You can adjust the brightness, screen size aspect ratio, and more even while gaming.

One big thing that sets the R1s apart from Xreal's existing AR glasses is that they're sold with a Control Dock. It acts like a separate brain for the glasses and enables their higher 240Hz refresh rate. This gives you access to the Asus DisplayWidget Center, which lets you customize the virtual screens via keyboard and mouse.

The ROG Xreal R1s also feature the Xreal X1 spatial computing chip which delivers 3DoF support. This enables spatial interactions and even on-device 2D-to-3D conversion.

Finally, like other Xreal specs, these come with Sound by Bose speakers that are supposed to deliver a three-dimensional "soundstage."

The ROG Xreal R1 is not cheap though and will set you back $849 which includes the Control Dock and the glasses. These are not sold separately. Though Xreal told us that the glasses will work with any device with USB-C and the dock should pair with other AR glasses.

Starting today (May 15), you can pre-order the specs at Best Buy. If you prefer you can pre-order via the official Xreal store on May 17 starting at Noon Pacific.

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• How to tell if someone is filming you wearing smart glasses — the signs to watch out for
• 'Pull the rug out': Mark Gurman explains Apple’s plan to launch smart glasses and stop Meta’s momentum

The best controllers can give you a competitive advantage that makes your opponents weep — and equally, they can be excellent for single-player titles. In a crowded market, the Asus ROG Raikiri II is a cut above the rest, thanks to its impressive TMR thumbsticks and triggers, which are, in one word, glorious. Ergonomically designed, the Raikiri II is the ideal controller for those who play for long hours.

With long battery life and extensive customization available through user-friendly (and web-based) software to boot, the Raikiri II is a very easy-to-love gamepad. It isn’t without its shortcomings, of course, as the accompanying charging dock feels a little plasticky, and the controller doesn’t come cheap.

Should either of those drawbacks keep you from buying it? I don’t believe so. For the complete breakdown, read my full Asus ROG Raikiri II review.

Asus ROG Raikiri II review: Specs

Asus ROG Raikiri II review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A wireless Xbox controller with 1,000Hz polling, and TMR thumbsticks and triggers
• Who is it for? Competitive gamers or even casual players who want best-in-class performance
• How much does it cost? The Asus ROG Raikiri II is available for $189 / £180
• What do we like? The ergonomic design, phenomenal gaming performance thanks to TMR sticks and triggers, long battery life, and extensive customization
• What don’t we like? The cheap-feeling charging dock and the premium price tag

Asus ROG Raikiri II review: The ups

From its comfortable design and extensive customization via Asus Gear Link to its powerful TMR sticks and triggers, the Asus ROG Raikiri II is a phenomenal controller.

Comfortable and ergonomic

If a controller isn’t comfortable and doesn’t let you play games all day long, you shouldn’t spend any amount of money on it, no matter how much. Thankfully, the Asus ROG Raikiri II wins full points from me in the design and comfort department.

The Raikiri II looks a lot like the first-party Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 ($199), and by that I mean it sports a rounded and contoured shape, one that fits naturally in your hands. Officially licensed by Microsoft, the Raikiri II packs asymmetrical thumbsticks, ABXY face buttons, and, of course, an X-shaped home button.

As soon as I took the controller out of the box, I was impressed by its design and chunky grips. Measuring 6.1 x 4.13 x 2.55 inches, the Raikiri II feels perfect for my medium-sized hands, and even those with bigger hands shouldn’t find this controller uncomfortable. It weighs 12.16oz, so it’s the same weight as the Xbox Elite 2. Though I’ve gotten used to the lighter weight of the Turtle Beach Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded ($209, 9.3oz), I’ve still enjoyed using the Raikiri II. It feels sturdy and substantial, and having used it for a six-hour gaming session, I can confirm it’s superbly comfortable.

Also aiding the Raikiri II’s ergonomics are the well-placed micro-switch back buttons. Unlike on the GameSir Cyclone 2 ($49), where the rear buttons felt slightly obtrusive, the buttons on the Raikiri II are placed lower on the grips, so my fingers didn’t keep unintentionally hitting them. Overall, the Raikiri II is worth its salt.

Phenomenal gaming performance

Analog thumbsticks are soooo 2010s — it’s all about TMR and Hall Effect now, and the Asus ROG Raikiri II employs the latest tech to deliver powerful gaming performance. Much like the Razer Raiju V3 Pro ($219), the Raikiri II utilizes Tunnel Magneto Resistance (TMR) in its thumbsticks and triggers — the latter makes this the first controller with TMR triggers that I’ve tested, and I’ll get into the performance shortly.

If you want an in-depth insight into how this technology works, read our explainer on TMR. In short, TMR achieves greater precision than Hall Effect because it uses weak electromagnetic waves, which allow the sensors to detect minute adjustments and movements, making TMR controllers unbeatable for competitive gaming. Sounds excellent on paper, right? It’s even better in practice.

TMR thumbsticks

I tested the Raikiri II by playing Forza Horizon 5, F1 25, and Cyberpunk 2077 on our gaming rig, as well as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on a friend’s Xbox Series S. Regardless of the game I played, I was thoroughly impressed with the gamepad’s performance, and its TMR sticks and triggers were an utter delight to use.

I’ll talk about the thumbsticks first, which showed their prowess in racing games. Turning tight corners was a walk in the park in F1 25, as I could make minute adjustments to my car’s direction. I was also able to execute split-second overtakes when I was within touching distance of the racer ahead of me, and this gave me a competitive edge as I overtook them with ease.

Jumping into Cyberpunk 2077 further emphasized the joysticks’ accuracy. I grabbed my sniper rifle and perched on a rooftop, and spotted a group of NPCs to take out. I then aimed my sniper at them and made minuscule adjustments to the right thumbsticks, taking them out one by one. What’s great about the sticks is that they come to a complete stop when you drag and let them go — something you can’t always do with analog sticks — which helped me aim at enemies one after another, and they never saw it coming.

TMR triggers

TMR triggers are similar to Hall Effect ones, as you can adjust the sensitivity of both. Via two switches around the back, the Raikiri II’s TMR Dual Mode triggers can be switched between short-travel, micro-switch, clicky ones, and full travel long presses (like on any other controller). Each mode is well-suited to specific game genres. For instance, in Forza Horizon 5 and F1 25 — so racing games — I opted for the triggers’ full travel distance as it gave me more control over throttle and braking, and I could manage my speed better.

On the other hand, in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Cyberpunk 2077 — so RPGs and FPS titles — I appreciated the triggers’ short-travel, clicky mode. When I needed to execute a Gradient Counter in Expedition 33, all I had to do was tap RT instead of pressing it all the way down, which helped me time it perfectly. The clicky presses feel like mouse clicks, and they gave me a competitive advantage in Cyberpunk 2077, too — and raining gunfire down on enemies didn’t feel as fatiguing.

Clicky face buttons

Last but not least, the Raikiri II’s micro-switch face and four back buttons are excellent too. Again, these feel like mouse clicks, and they register inputs instantaneously. I much prefer them over the spongy feel of the first-party Xbox controller’s face buttons. Combined with the 1,000Hz polling rate, I didn’t experience any latency issues or input lag.

Extensive customization

The Asus ROG Raikiri II is extensively customizable, too, and all you need to do to personalize it is access Asus Gear Link in a browser on a laptop. I really appreciate not having to download third-party software or bloatware onto my machine. Asus Gear Link sports a user-friendly interface, and there are no intrusive pop-ups.

Within Asus Gear Link, you can adjust each trigger’s start and end points if you’re using them in long-press mode, adjust the sticks’ response range based on a curve (or choose one of three presets), customize the back buttons, customize the level of vibration, and make adjustments to the RGB lighting. If your triggers are giving you a bit of trouble, you can calibrate them, too.

Long battery life

If it’s a long-lasting controller you’re after, the Asus ROG Raikiri II won’t give you much to complain about, as it boasts excellent battery life. Asus claims that with RGB and vibration turned off and over a 2.4GHz connection, the Raikiri II can last for 50 hours, which is outstanding. I know it doesn’t sound like a lot, but when you look at how the competition is lagging, you’ll appreciate it more.

For context, the first-party Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 lasts up to 40 hours; the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro ($199) has a 20-hour battery life; and so does the Turtle Beach Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded. Compared to all four alternatives, the Raikiri II is the longest-lasting gamepad.

Unlike its competitors, the Raikiri II comes with a charging dock so that you can display and charge your controller at the same time, and the case has a USB-C port for charging too — in case you want to give it some juice while traveling. Very cool, very useful.

Asus ROG Raikiri II review: The downs

There isn’t a lot wrong with the Asus ROG Raikiri II, but it’s important to note that its charging dock feels a little cheap, and the controller costs a premium.

Cheap-feeling charging dock

I love it when manufacturers include charging docks with their controllers, as they help me display my gamepads and lend a cleaner look to my setup. I loved the one that came with the GameSir G7 Pro ($79), and I so desperately wish the Turtle Beach Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded came with one too, as I use that controller nearly every day. Happily, Asus has included a charging dock in the Raikiri II’s box… but I’m not entirely happy with it.

You see, while the charging dock is sleek and good-looking, it feels a little cheap, and not something I’d expect from a gamepad that costs a premium (more on that next). It’s quite plasticky, and it doesn’t feel too sturdy, as the rubberized grip at the bottom doesn’t feel too grippy. Given that, it’s prone to getting knocked about, which is disappointing.

A little expensive

There’s no sugarcoating this: the Asus ROG Raikiri II will cost you a pretty penny. Such is the nature of many competitive controllers. The Raikiri II retails for $189 / £180 at Amazon, so it’s not too different from other serious gamepads I’ve tested. Naturally, the Raikiri II’s most prominent rival is the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, which has a retail price of $199. Then you’ve got the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro, which also costs $199.

I don’t think this is necessarily a drawback — but it’s something to consider before you pull the trigger. The thing is, there are plenty of budget options available today, which might make it difficult to justify the Raikiri II’s high price point. The GameSir G7 Pro, for instance, carries many of the Raikiri’s features (barring TMR triggers) and costs $79. Oh, and there’s the PB Tails Metal Crush Defender ($109). There’s no dearth of alternatives, so unless you’re sold on the Raikiri II’s design, it’s worth considering the cheaper alternatives.

Asus ROG Raikiri II review: Verdict

Competitive controllers don’t always come cheap, but the Asus ROG Raikiri II makes a compelling case as to why it’s worth the investment. By swapping traditional analog components for TMR in both its thumbsticks and triggers, the Raikiri II offers an extreme level of precision in all genres — RPGs, FPS, racing, you name it.

Ergonomically, it’s extremely comfortable and doesn’t give you much to complain about. Throw extensive customization and long battery life into the mix, and you’ve got yourself a winning combination. While the $189 price tag is a bit steep and the included charging dock feels surprisingly plasticky for such a premium product, these feel like minor issues, especially when you consider all the other goodies you’re getting.

For serious PC and Xbox players, and even casual gamers, there’s no better third-party controller on the market right now. The Raikiri II is a phenomenal, high-performance powerhouse that gets nearly everything right.

The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo is one of the wildest gaming laptops I’ve tested. That’s because it takes the Asus ZenBook Duo’s basic dual-hinge design and crams in powerful components to make it a true gaming beast. I’m still not sure whether a dual-screen gaming laptop is necessary, but hot damn, is this thing impressive.

The main question is: Does a gaming laptop really need two displays? Probably not, but I applaud Asus for creating this magnificent machine. Granted, it costs a pretty penny, with a starting price of $4,500, but that’s expected given its raw computing power and premium design. This gaming laptop is built to turn heads.

Here are my thoughts on the Asus Zephyrus Duo and what happened when we ran two games on it simultaneously.

Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo: Specs

Dual-screen design

The ROG Zephyrus Duo is generally chunkier than the best gaming laptops of the modern day. This makes sense given how it has two displays and a detachable Bluetooth keyboard. That said, it’s not unreasonably thick or large, though you’ll certainly feel its weight if you’re carrying it around.

The displays are connected by a hinge that can bend back a full 320 degrees. This allows for several modes. Dual Screen places one screen on top of the other in a horizontal orientation, while Laptop mode places the included keyboard on top of the bottom display. Book mode orients the displays vertically, while Tent places the displays on either side. Lastly, Sharing mode is where you lay the laptop open and flat on a desk.

Thanks to the CNC-milled aluminum chassis, the ROG Zephyrus Duo feels durable, which you want from a premium product like this. The wide kickstand on the laptop’s bottom lets you achieve your preferred viewing angle. It also keeps the laptop stable on whatever surface you place it on.

Lovely displays

The ROG Zephyrus Duo’s 16-inch OLED displays deliver bright and colorful images. When playing Cyberpunk 2077, I was impressed by the contrast between shadowy alleys and bright neon signs. While colors aren’t generally oversaturated, their naturalistic hues make games appear more realistic.

Both displays are identical, so you won’t have to worry about one looking better than the other. Each offers sharp 3K resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio. And as I’ll detail further below, this setup is also fantastic for productivity, as it’s simple to move items across the two screens to place wherever you want.

Productivity beast

The ROG Zephyrus Duo is a gaming laptop, but I was really impressed by how well it functions as a productivity machine. If you’re used to working with a dual-screen setup like I am, you’ll feel right at home here.

My favorite mode is Dual Screen, with the kickstand keeping the Zephyrus Duo in place. With this setup, I keep websites and apps on the top display and Slack and email on the bottom display. This way, I have access to everything I need without constantly switching tabs in the same window. Thanks to those 16-inch canvases, I have more than enough space to work.

Speaking of the keyboard, it’s generally good to type on because it’s spacious and has thick key caps. Travel distance is somewhat shallow, and the whole thing tends to slide around if you move your hands too much. The touchpad is smooth, responsive, and large enough to accurately capture your gestures.

Overall, it’s a good keyboard peripheral, but you might want to pair it with a wireless keyboard if you’re not happy with how it performs.

Powerful gaming performance

The ROG Zephyrus Duo I received is an absolute monster, thanks to its Intel Core Ultra 9 386H CPU, Nvidia RTX 5090 GPU, and 32GB of RAM. With specs like that, you won’t be surprised to know that games run like an absolute dream.

I tested Cyberpunk 2077 on default settings without DLSS 4 enabled, and the game generally ran around 60 frames per second, only dipping down into the mid-50s during heavy action scenes. That’s impressive considering how demanding this game can be on systems, which says a lot about the Zephyrus Duo’s gaming prowess.

In our gaming benchmark test, which involves running a title’s in-game benchmark tool with graphics set to max and resolution set to 1080p, every game we tested ran at buttery-smooth frame rates.

The most noticeable example is the graphically demanding Cyberpunk 2077, which averaged 50 frames per second at those settings. This is even more impressive when you consider that we didn’t have the frame-boosting DLSS 4 enabled.

If it wasn’t clear already, this machine can game!

Can it run two games?

Since this is a dual-screen gaming laptop, we tried running two games simultaneously to see if it was possible. The short answer is yes, but there are several caveats. The games in question were Assassin’s Creed: Shadows and Cyberpunk 2077. We ran each title’s respective in-game benchmark tool at the aforementioned settings.

As our lead tester described to me, unlike single-game benchmarks, the frame rates for both games change dramatically depending on what the benchmark is running. Performance in the games increases or drops based on what’s happening on the screen.

To get this setup to work, you have to start each game, move one to the other screen in windowed mode, make one game full screen, select a monitor in each game’s settings, and finally tap the screen or game you want to control.

We saw the numbers above at the full 1800p resolution, with AC Shadows on the top screen and Cyberpunk 2077 on the bottom. Since you can’t play both games on the same controller, we used an Xbox controller for one screen and a keyboard for the other.

I wanted to detail this entire process to show that, while technically possible, it’s more trouble than it’s worth—especially when the frame rates are so low. I can only imagine what the results would be like with a less powerful GPU.

Bottom line

The best part of my job is testing unusual tech, and the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo certainly fits that bill. Thanks to its dual hinge design and powerful specs, there are few gaming laptops like it. Of course, that uniqueness comes with a steep price.

But if you have the cash for it, you’ll find an excellent gaming machine that’s also fantastic for everyday work. If nothing else, the ROG Zephyrus Duo is one of the most distinctive gaming laptops of the year. That alone makes it worthwhile.

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So I posted my Asus Zenbook A14 and A16 review yesterday and gave them four stars — in particular because of that price-to-performance ratio. Snapdragon X2 Elite and Elite Extreme really shined at the costs set for them, and really made for formidable competition to the M5 MacBook Air. It generated a wave of Editor’s Choice awards (including one from me), but then something odd happened.

A few hours after the embargo, Asus sent an update saying Best Buy made an “error” in its “pricing information,” and had increased the A14 by $200 and the A16 by $100.

Everybody had based their reviews based on these initial prices, and hours later, these laptops (in particular the A14) were switched from a potential MacBook killer to just another premium laptop. These have now moved from a “must buy” to “wait for a sale.”

Luckily, as a writer, I can go back and adjust the score with new context (which I did). But YouTubers aren’t so lucky, and keen to figure out what happened here, I went investigating because something feels amiss.

The end-of-day email grenade

If you’ve ever worked in corporate America (or the U.K. for that matter), you’ll know about the nightmare scenario of a 5:30pm email — the info drop that comes just as you’re supposed to clock off.

Normally, it’s something you pretend you didn’t read and head straight for the exit (sorry, boss), but this changed the dimension of my review entirely. It was from Asus, and rather than just summarize it, I’ll give you the text verbatim:

"We were just notified by Best Buy that an error was made on their end when sharing pricing information for the new Zenbook A series and other Zenbook launches internally and publicly on their website. The correct prices for all models are listed below (and updated in the attached press release):

• ASUS Zenbook A16: $1,699.99 (previously listed at $1,599.99)
• ASUS Zenbook A14: $1,349.99 (previously listed at $1,149.99)
• ASUS Zenbook S16: $1,899.99 (previously listed as $1,599.99)
• ASUS Zenbook S14: $1,999.99 (previously listed as $1,899.99)
• ASUS Zenbook 14: $1,349.99 (previously listed as $999.99)

Best Buy is updating their website to reflect these prices as soon as possible."

Asus apologised for the “late notice regarding this matter,” and as that price hike puts the A14 and A16 further out the MacBook Air’s radar in terms of competing, I’ve changed my review accordingly.

But there’s something I don’t get about this — something that bugs me…

A peek behind the curtains

Time for a bit of inside baseball about the process of reviewing laptops. We get advance sight of upcoming launches and offered a chance to test them for a full review. Alongside it comes a reviewer’s guide and embargoed press releases with the details that we need to evaluate them.

For the week running up to this embargo lifting, these prices were clear as day. They were even present a little earlier than the embargo on Best Buy, as Videocardz reported.

And in the statement, Asus (the company who makes the laptop and sets the MSRP) is saying that Best Buy (the company who takes that MSRP and decides the retail price) got it wrong? Something doesn’t add up about this.

Context: These versions of the A14 and A16 are exclusive to Best Buy — this relationship usually means Asus recommends a price based on parts, labor and profit margin, and the retailer with the exclusive has final say on the price.

Before this job, I worked in product PR and marketing for just over a decade, and the golden rule is to always sign things off before they go out. You check it, and you recheck it again and again. It can be a real pain to do so, but every fact needs to be completely accurate.

Asus will have seen these releases in the run up to the embargo lifting, including the pricing information. But it’s only now that the company is “just notified by Best Buy” about wrong pricing? Once again, it’s just not adding up.

Asus and Best Buy respond

I reached out to both Asus and Best Buy for comment on this, to clarify the confusion around this situation.

"Best Buy determines pricing on their exclusive configurations. The pricing reflected in our press materials was based on information shared with us prior to launch. We were notified of the pricing update after embargo lifted and our assets had already been distributed," an Asus rep told Tom's Guide.

"Once we were notified of the change, we worked to update reviewers and press as quickly as possible."

Best Buy corroborated this by confirming to Tom's Guide that a "system error" occurred. Asus admitted the timing was "poor" and apologized for the inconsistent pricing. While this explains the who, it still leaves the how unanswered: how a price discrepancy this large (up to 35%) could sit on a major retailer’s website for a week without being caught by the manufacturer’s own PR and marketing teams.

What I think may be happening here

Which leads me to the ultimate question: what happened? While the replies do shed some light, it doesn’t negate that pricing was fully visible for a while. So one of two theories may be true in my opinion:

• This was a legitimate breakdown in Asus’ chain of communication that meant these retailer prices went unchecked.
• Asus shared its recommended MSRP, which Best Buy followed — then raised it after the embargo.

If you’re seeing the coverage elsewhere, people have already made their minds up that Asus/Best Buy waited until after reviews pour out to hike the price, and I have been burnt by other companies like this in the past. But the replies I received suggest otherwise, so you'll have to decide what you think is true here.

But let’s take a look at the track record, because Asus has been one of the more prominent companies being hit very hard by RAMageddon. The company did warn of price increases at the beginning of the year, and the end result (for some of my Asus reviews at least) has been that their laptops could’ve been great…if they were priced right for what you get.

Let me be clear — this isn’t me being accusatory of anything! The responses from Asus and Best Buy do line up, so it could be a legitimate error. But the more you look into this and think about it, it starts to raise questions about internal validation for pricing before a major global launch.

And who knows? Maybe this will become less of a problem when the cracks in the RAM price crisis start to widen.

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The laptop Asus really wanted to call the Zenbook Air (if it weren’t for an “easily spooked” legal team) is back in two sizes — the Zenbook A14 and A16 with Snapdragon X2 Elite upgrades under the hood. It’s clear that they have the M5 MacBook Airs in their sights, so do they take the fight to Apple and win? Not anymore.

The A14 was primed to take on the 13-inch M5 MacBook Air, and at the original price of just $50 more than Apple's laptop, the competition was tight. Now the cost has been hiked to $1,349 ($250 more), the Cupertino crew can breathe a sigh of relief as the smaller Air remains untouched atop the throne.

Then we turn our attention to the Zenbook A16 sporting Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme. Now don’t get me wrong — this is a beast. As I found out testing this chip last year, and going hands-on with this 16-inch monster, the snappiness of general productivity and workhorse nature of speeding through intense tasks is impressive. Plus, you’re getting all of that in the lightest big laptop I’ve ever held with a mouthwatering screen.

But with great power comes less than great battery life, and in the face of the 15-inch M5 Air, this falters quite sizably while being significantly more expensive. Add to that a price bump of $100 to $1,699, and it's clearly competing more with the M5 MacBook Pro.

Like I said when I reviewed the first-generation model last year: to beat the MacBook Air, you must become the MacBook Air. For 24 hours, that margin had narrowed, but after an "error was made on [Best Buy's] end when sharing pricing information," it's becoming a little more clear cut that the A14 is a miss for Asus again, but the A16 has a fighting chance in its own right. Let me explain.

Asus Zenbook A14 & A16: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Zenbook A14 and A16 are super-thin and light 14-inch and 16-inch laptops.
• Who is it for? This is for those who are always on the go and need a machine that keeps up with them.
• What does it cost? This laptop starts at $1,349 for the Snapdragon X2 Elite A14, and $1,699 for the X2 Elite Extreme-armed A16. In the U.K, you can buy the A14 for £1,599 and the A16 for £2,099.
• What’s good about it? Same as last year, these are gorgeously upmarket, thin and light systems that pack impressive performance and stamina (the latter specific to the 14-inch model).
• What’s not so good? Tiny speakers on both of them. The battery life on the A16 takes a big dip when putting a same-size battery in it compared to the A14, and expecting it to run the monster X2 Elite Extreme chip. Pair that with far higher prices, and they become tricky machines to compete with the Airs.

Asus Zenbook A14 & A16: Specs

Asus Zenbook A14 & A16: The ups

Just like last year, the Zenbook A-series is one of the best hardware expressions of a Snapdragon laptop — thin, light and impressively performant both on and off the charger.

Same gorgeously svelte design

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” It’s a mantra that Apple’s maintaining with its MacBook Air design, and Asus is standing firm too — just making it significantly larger with a 16-inch model in tow too:

What’s probably most impressive looking at these numbers here is that even though the Zenbooks have bigger, better screens (more on those later), the dimensions are barely bigger and they are quite a bit lighter too.

But none of these stats tells the story of the ceraluminum material used to build these machines. Just like the name says, it’s what happens when you fuse ceramic and aluminum, and the result is a fingerprint-resistant deck that feels almost like paper to the touch.

It’s a nice embrace for your wrists to lie upon as you type away, which, by the way, those keyboards feel nice with a nice tactile response to each press. Pair it with gigantic touchpads on both the A14 and A16, and all the ports you’d need (shout-out to the full-size SD card slot on the 16-inch), and you’re golden design-wise.

However, with the new higher price tag, there is one design issue that becomes a problem. The flex of the system and how much that lid can bend. For all the premium feel of the surface materials, this doesn't translate well into durability confidence.

Light of my life

With instant-on, the moment you open these up, you’re greeted by glorious OLED across the board. It’s a flash flood of color, whatever you work on, watch, or play.

The 14-inch FHD OLED panel breathes more life into your day-to-day compared to the LCD panels you see on the Air — making up for the lower resolution by bringing more vibrancy to everything you’re doing. Meanwhile, that massive 16-inch 2880 x 1800-pixel display feels buttery smooth at 120Hz, ultra bright and mightily gorgeous as colors melt off the screen.

Whether you’re binge watching, dealing with a workload that requires color accuracy or even gaming (more on that in a second), these are great screens.

Unleashing a beast

Let’s get to it. These are the fastest Windows laptops I’ve ever tested, and X2 Elite well and truly takes the fight to Apple M5, while the X2 Elite Extreme breezes past it in some key areas — performing somewhere between M5 and M5 Pro.

M5 may have the edge in snappy single-core performance (something that, in my own side-by-side testing of opening apps, is the difference of maybe half a second in load times), but multitasking and media processing are where this starts to take the lead. And while they do fall behind the MacBook in the read/write speeds, they edge ahead in the GPU department, too.

And speaking of that GPU, that’s where we get into gaming. Now, of course, Intel Panther Lake and AMD Strix Halo are in the lead here with their x86 computational wares and software integration boosting frame rates (like Intel’s XeSS multi-frame generation).

That being said, though, the GPU upgrades on X2 Elite and the improvements made to emulation happening in the background do make some great things possible! Matching the testing I did over at Qualcomm’s campus, Cyberpunk 2077 can run on the A16 system at over 75 FPS. For the A14, that’s more like 52 FPS average, but that’s still an impressive feat!

Put simply, its focus is productivity, but these can just so happen to game rather well!

Asus Zenbook A14 & A16: The downs

So the competitive gap has narrowed between Asus and Apple in many ways, but there’s one where it’s widened for the worse.

Battery woes (for the A16)

The Zenbook A14 has not gone through our lab testing. But in my general usage impressions, I’ve seen it last around twice as long on one charge as the Zenbook A16.

When it comes to getting bigger, everything else needs to be in proportion. If you upgraded to a pick-up truck, having the gas tank of a Honda Civic in there would be a terrible idea. And that is why when I got the lab test results back for the Zenbook A16, I was honestly gutted.

Because Asus had thought about almost everything — giving the big one the big engine, the better screen, a full-size SD card slot, and an ocean of a touchpad. But with it having exactly the same battery as its smaller brother, it’s not a stamina champ.

Keen to look into it further, I downloaded HWinfo — a great app if something feels a little off about your system to see if something is working a little too hard (or not hard enough) — and the picture became clear.

Running a Geekbench test on both and monitoring the average battery discharge rate over the test, I found the following:

• Zenbook A14: 8.9 watts
• Zenbook A16: 15.6 watts

If you’re going to do a bigger laptop with a more power-hungry chip, everything needs to be in proportion. And yes, just over 10 hours in our test will be enough for casual work, but you can burn through that much faster when you throw something more intense at it.

Pricing is a problem (again)

Like I said up above, myself and everyone else who reviewed the Zenbook A14 and A16 were hit with either a 5:30pm email (or a 10:30pm email for those of us living in the U.K.) about how Asus were "notified by Best Buy" about a pricing error.

This has led to a $200 increase on the A14 and a $100 bump on the A16 — putting them even further out of the MacBook Air's domain to compete.

At a time when value for money is everything, I understand that runs in direct opposition to the RAM crisis pressures being faced by companies to balance their books. But the original score was given based on the previous price, and it must be updated now that I'm looking at it through a new, pricier lens.

Asus Zenbook A14 & A16: Bottom line

As the Asus Zenbook A14 was put on the right track to take on the MacBook Air last year, this year’s A14 and A16 march forward when it comes to performance, but while the A16 shows up strongly with pro level performance in a skinny body, the A14 takes a step back in value for money.

For great ultra-portable all-rounders, Apple stays, and if you’re loyal to Microsoft’s OS and want that same experience, the Zenbook A14 is a good (if expensive) alternative. Meanwhile, the A16 sets a new precedent for a thin and light pro machine that bridges the gap between MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, but the stamina suffers because of it.

And with adjusted pricing showing the gap widening in bang for buck between Apple and Asus, what was a shoe-in for two of my favorite systems of the year has left me feeling indifferent.

I'm no stranger to weird or niche products. Weird: the other day, I dunked a $100 keyboard underwater and dropped soda on it because the brand claimed it was waterproof. Niche: I spent two weeks shooting exclusively in black-and-white on a monochrome camera. Yeah, I've seen my fair share of the good, the bad, the ugly, and the strange.

But none have been as niche in appeal as the Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless, a pair of open earbuds designed specifically for gaming. Now, if you're familiar with open earbuds, you'll know that they're designed for people who want to remain aware of their surroundings while listening to music — so they're aimed at those who work out or run. Why do gamers who 99% of the time play indoors require open earbuds, then?

Unless you're playing Pokémon Go (if that's still a thing), I can't see many use cases for open earbuds designed for gaming. Sure, they're comfortable and don't exert pressure on your ear canals, but are poor bass and treble worth the trade-off? Having ditched my usual over-ear headphones for Cetra Open Wireless for a week, I'm conflicted and mostly unconvinced. Here's why.

Comfortable for hours

One of the biggest selling points of open earbuds is that they're extremely comfortable and they don't fall off your ears. This is also true in the case of the Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless. Each earbud weighs 0.38oz and features an ear hook each that wraps over the top of your ear. Instead of sitting inside your ears like in-ear buds do, the speakers that house the drivers rest just outside your ear opening. You don't feel pressure in your ear canal this way, which helps prevent build-up of bacteria and sweat, and also ensures you're comfortable for hours.

I would certainly know, as I wore the Cetra Open Wireless for eight hours straight and didn't feel any discomfort at all. Another advantage of using open ears is that you can still hear everything happening around you. I never once missed the doorbell ringing and I could also have a conversation with my partner without having to remove the Cetra Open Wireless.

But while open ears are great for when you're outdoors, I'm not entirely sure they're a must-have for gamers who spend most of their time indoors. If you game and work out (not at the same time, of course), then it makes sense — you don't need to have two separate pairs. But if you want earbuds for gaming only, why wouldn't you just buy an over-ear headset, which is better in every regard when it comes to sound quality?

Underwhelming bass, overwhelming treble

The Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless sound fantastic for all genres of games on paper. They're fitted with 14mm carbon-coated diaphragm drivers that cover a frequency response range of 20Hz to 20KHz — so the entirety of the human hearing spectrum. Their user-friendly companion app lets you make extensive adjustments to the equalizer too.

So what's wrong with them, in real-world use? Well, the bass is underwhelming and the treble is overwhelming, for starters, and those are two of the most important aspects of a soundstage that shouldn't be compromised on if you want a truly immersive gaming experience. What I mean by this is that loud explosions in combat sequences in, say, Control and Cyberpunk 2077, lack the oomph that makes it feel like you're engulfed in them.

The treble being overzealous, on the other hand, means that high pitched sounds cut through the soundscape. In my testing, the shrill sounds of bullets ricocheting against steel beams and walls cut through the rest of the soundstage, making it feel a little unpleasant. This, combined with the lackluster low frequencies, meant that the soundscape felt a bit too thin to me. My immersion couldn't be broken because I never felt immersed in the first place.

For the complete sound quality breakdown, read my full Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless review.

Worth the premium?

So, with poor bass, subpar treble, and a niche appeal, are the Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless worth the money? I'm not entirely convinced. They retail for a whopping $229 at Amazon, and when you can get some of the best headsets for the same money or even less, why would you buy them? If you want open earbuds specifically, then sure, as they're your only realistic option.

But if you aren't fussed about open earbuds — I personally hadn't even considered them for gaming until I tested the Cetra Open Wireless — there are so many options out there. Both the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset and the Asus ROG Delta II cost the same as the Cetra Open Wireless and are better in nearly every regard that counts. Then you've got the in-ear SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds that are $30 cheaper and, again, deliver simply phenomenal sound quality.

After having ditched my Razer BlackShark V3 Pro for the Cetra Open Wireless, I am convinced of one thing if nothing else: I'll be sticking with my Razer over-ears.

More from Tom's Guide

• I just tested the world’s first open-ear wireless buds for gaming — here’s my verdict on the Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless
• I tested Reddit’s favorite gaming headsets and there’s a clear winner (but not the one I expected)
• Best gaming headsets in 2026 — our expert picks

The best gaming headsets can make or break your immersion, and they should be comfortable enough that you can play all day long. Well, the Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless do one of those things. At the time of writing, they’re the world’s first and only open earbuds designed for gaming, and thanks to their ear hook design, you can wear them all day long without breaking a sweat.

For stealth-based and dialogue-heavy games, the Cetra Open Wireless are almost perfect, as you can hear footsteps and spoken words loudly and clearly. They also pack good mic performance and long battery life. But are they worth nearly $230? I’m not entirely convinced, especially because they have a niche appeal and both the bass and treble performance proves poor.

To find out if these are right for you, read my full Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless review.

Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless review: Specs

Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A pair of open-ear wireless earbuds designed specifically for gaming
• Who is it for? Anyone who wants to remain aware of their surroundings while playing
• How much does it cost? These are expensive buds, retailing for $229
• What do we like? The comfortable design, performance in stealth-based games, good mic, long battery life, and user-friendly software
• What don’t we like? The underwhelming bass, overzealous treble, niche appeal, and premium price

Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless review: The ups

The Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless are extremely comfortable and great for dialogue-heavy and stealth-based games. They boast long battery life too, and customization is easy via the user-friendly app.

All-day comfort

If you’re familiar with open earbuds, you’ll know that they’re preferred by runners and people who work out as, a) they help them remain aware of their surroundings, and b) they don’t fall off and are very comfortable. The Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless are open earbuds designed for gaming, and boy are they comfy.

Each bud features an ear hook that wraps over the top of your ear, and the actual speaker housing the drivers rests just outside your ear opening. This means that, unlike in-ear earbuds, you don’t feel any pressure in your ear canal, enabling you to wear them all day long. I wore the Cetra Open Wireless for an eight-hour gaming session and never once felt like removing them.

This is also thanks to the earbuds’ light weight, as each weighs just 0.38oz. Though that’s a little heavier than, say, the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds (0.18oz, $199), the weight distribution is fantastic and my ears never felt like they were being weighed down. Oh, and the Cetra Open Wireless are lighter than the PlayStation Pulse Explore (0.48oz, $199) too.

Multi-platform compatibility

If you want a pair of gaming earbuds that’s compatible with nearly every console and smart device you own, the Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless buds are for you. Thanks to Bluetooth and a 2.4GHz dongle, they’re compatible with PS5, Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch, Steam Deck, macOS, PC, iOS and Android.

The Cetra Open Wireless also feature simultaneous multipoint connectivity. With the 2.4GHz dongle plugged into my PS5 Slim, I paired the earbuds with my Google Pixel 10 Pro XL at the same time, and I was able to listen to music on my phone while playing games (hence the ‘simultaneous part, as standard multipoint would only allow you to do one at a time). Multipoint connectivity is something I desperately missed on the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds, while simultaneous multipoint is something we loved on the premium SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite ($599), so I’m really pleased the Cetra Open Wireless feature both.

Great for footsteps and dialogue

The Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless are excellent earbuds if you play a lot of dialogue-heavy games or stealth-based games that require you to listen out for footsteps. They utilize 14mm carbon-coated diaphragm drivers to cover a frequency response range of 20Hz-20KHz — so the entire spectrum of human hearing. With the 2.4GHz dongle plugged into my PS5 Slim, I played a range of games, including Control, Cyberpunk 2077, and Baldur’s Gate 3.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is chock-full of dialogue: in-depth conversations with your party as well as idle chatter from NPCs. Through the Cetra Open Wireless, I could hear every single word loud and clear, as the soundstage’s mids packed plenty of detail and depth. Words never bled into one another, and I could also make out the emotion in certain character’s voices — as their voices quivered when they were upset or overwhelmed, for instance.

It was a similar case in Control, where I could feel Jesse Faden’s apprehension and anxieties in her voice as she traversed the shifting floors of the Oldest House. When NPCs in Control spoke devoid of any emotion to convey a sort of emptiness, I could feel that too, and even when there were multiple voices speaking at once, they never overlapped one another to the point that I couldn’t understand them.

For stealth-based gameplay, the Cetra Open Wireless are fantastic, as I found while playing Cyberpunk 2077. When I was infiltrating heavily guarded enemy bases, I could hear footsteps loudly and clearly. This helped me pinpoint exactly where NPCs were positioned so I could strategize accordingly and take them down without being noticed. I also appreciated being able to hear NPCs speaking with each other even when the techno, synthwave soundtrack was playing loudly, and it never once compromised my character.

One of the biggest advantages of using open earbuds is that you can still hear those around you, so I never once missed the doorbell, and I could still have conversations with my partner without having to remove the Cetra Open Wireless.

Decent mic performance

If you play online and need your friends or rivals to hear you loudly and clearly, you’ll be pleased to know that the Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless boast good mic performance. The omnidirectional mics feature AI-powered noise canceling which means that only your voice is isolated and all background noise is cut out.

I tested the Cetra Open Wireless’ mic performance out in two ways. I first recorded myself speaking with nothing else playing in the background. As you can hear in the clip above, my voice sounds clear and textured.

I then recorded myself speaking with an episode of Schitt’s Creek playing in the background at 90% volume. In the clip above, the Cetra Open Wireless’ AI noise canceling mics do a good job of isolating my voice. While you can hear a little bit of the sitcom creeping in, it doesn’t overpower my voice.

User-friendly app

To customize the Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless, you’ll need to download the Gear Link app on your Android or iOS smartphone. The app sports a clear interface and offers plenty of customization options. You can remap the touch gestures and commands, customize the equalizer or choose an EQ preset, make extensive adjustments to the colors and effects of the RGB lighting, and of course, update the firmware.

Gear Link is a delight to use, and reminds me of other apps I’ve used for earbuds designed for music. And truth be told, I’m just glad I don’t have to deal with Asus’ Armoury Crate bloatware, which is a pain to use but often required for tweaking the brand’s other gear.

Long battery life

Last but not least, the Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless boast strong battery life. Asus says that the earbuds can last up to 16 hours before having to go back in their case, and the case provides an additional 32 hours of battery life — so 48 hours in total. Having used the earbuds for nearly 24 hours, I can confirm that they do indeed last for 16 hours. That’s amazing.

The Cetra Open Wireless’ rivals pale in comparison when it comes to battery life. The SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds are rated for 10 hours (30 hours with charging case) while the PlayStation Pulse Explore last a measly 5 hours (10 hours with charging case). Over-ear headphones, like the Asus ROG Delta II (110 hours, $229) and the Alienware Pro Wireless (70 hours, $229), naturally last longer as there’s more room for bigger battery packs, so the Cetra Open Wireless do well in that regard.

Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless review: The downs

Alas, the Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless aren’t perfect, as they’re designed for a niche audience, the bass is underwhelming while the treble is overwhelming, and they cost a premium.

Niche appeal

The Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless earbuds clearly have a very niche market. They’re the world’s first open earbuds designed specifically for gaming. Most gamers, including myself, use either over-ear headphones or in-ear buds for gaming, like the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro ($249) or the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds. Who, exactly, are the Cetra Open Wireless for? The trade-offs are losing out on active or even passive noise cancellation and powerful bass (more on that shortly) — all the things that make your favorite games immersive and more enjoyable.

Open earbuds are usually meant for runners or gym goers who want to be aware of their surroundings or maintain some level of situational awareness so as not to get run over by a bike. You’re not going to be gaming when you’re walking, right? Unless you’re dabbling in some Pokémon Go, if that’s still relevant. I suppose if you’re a gamer and a runner, the Cetra Open Wireless negate the need for having two separate pairs of open-ears.

But at this price, it’s hard to recommend them outright purely for playing games indoors, especially when other headsets and earbuds offer better value for money.

Underwhelming bass and overzealous treble

While in-game dialogues and footsteps in the mid-range sound great through the Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless, I’m not convinced by every other aspect of the soundstage. The earbuds deliver underwhelming bass and overzealous treble. I don’t know about you, but I love feeling a thump in my chest and ears whenever a loud explosion takes place in a video game, as it helps with my immersion, and in horror games too. Strip that away and you’ve got a soundstage that feels lackluster and hollow — that’s what the Cetra Open Wireless sound like to me.

Regardless of the game I played, I found the bass lacking while the treble felt way too emphasized. For instance, Control is a horror game that relies on low frequencies to ensure The Hiss sound terrifying, but the earbuds just didn’t pack the oomph needed to convey the terror. The creaking sounds of the Oldest House felt more clinical and less haunting, which for a horror game, isn’t good news.

Similarly, the soundstage felt devoid of any weight to it in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 too. A game in which every battle is soundtracked by powerful orchestral melodies suddenly felt thin and nowhere near as impactful. While the Cetra Open Wireless ensure that the mids are crisp, complex tracks sound tinny or muddy, and more fatiguing than epic. Also, the sound effects for counter-attacks and finishers are layered with heavy sub-bass distortion which I simply couldn’t appreciate through the Cetra Open Wireless.

Lastly, the treble. On the Cetra Open Wireless, the high-pitched sounds of bullets ricocheting off steel pillars in Cyberpunk 2077 felt too pronounced and like they were piercing through the soundstage. Combined with explosions not being very loud or bassy, it didn’t make for a very enjoyable experience.

Costs a premium

Another drawback of the Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless is the price tag. These open earbuds cost a whopping $229 at Amazon, and is the price justified? I’m not entirely convinced. When you can get either equally as good or even better earbuds and headphones for the same price or less, the Cetra Open Wireless feel like an easy way to burn your hard-earned money.

Of course, if you want open earbuds specifically for gaming, this is realistically the only pair you can buy. But even so, they don’t provide the best sound quality, and in my opinion, it’s worth considering other over-ear headsets and in-ear buds. The Asus ROG Delta II ($229) and the Alienware Pro Wireless ($229) are my top picks for over-ears in this price range, while the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds ($199) are excellent in-ears.

Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless review: Verdict

If you spend a lot of time playing first-person shooters and other stealth-based games, and need a pair of comfortable earbuds, then the Asus ROG Cetra Open Wireless are sure to please you. They’re extremely comfy, and they make footsteps sound detailed and textured. Good mic performance, long battery life, and easy customization make them a winner.

But is all of that worth $229? The Cetra Open Wireless will appeal to a niche audience, as there aren’t any other open gaming earbuds out there, at the time of writing. That’s not even the biggest drawback, though. Unfortunately, bass through these earbuds lacks the oomph you’d expect, and the treble cuts through the rest of the soundscape.

You can get better value for your money elsewhere, as long as you’re open to considering over-ear headsets or in-ear earbuds. Personally, I’ll be sticking with my headphones.

Oh, Asus TUF Gaming A14. Why do you hurt me so? You started so strong two years ago and even managed to be my personal favorite gaming laptop I’d tried over the past few years. Then there was a modest upgrade to RTX 5060 with a price bump — I let it slide mostly. But now, we’re through the looking glass with the 2026 model. It’s a classic situation of “appearances can be deceiving.”

Because after correctly predicting the rise of integrated graphics in laptops, this year’s A14 got my mind spinning with the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 chipset: the mid-ranger to the chip you find in the ROG Flow Z13 that still packs that same massive 40-core GPU. The benefits of this, of course, are lofty levels of performance paired with the power efficiency of not having to run an entire separate dedicated graphics card.

The stage was set and I was ready to have my mind changed with this Strix Halo glow up. And did it happen? …No. Asus is outside of my window with a boombox playing Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes,” and I’m hiding beneath the window sill.

Now let me be clear, that’s not because this is a terrible laptop. For all intents and purposes, it’s a decent machine. The switch to this all-in-one monster chip has done wonders for its prosumer productivity side of things. But I can’t ignore that $2,199 price tag — a massive $500 bump over last year’s model, which just so happens to play games better, handle high temperatures better, and have a longer battery life.

It’s the right laptop at the wrong price, and definitely at the wrong time as RAMageddon has made me feel pretty confident about my break up. When the going gets TUF, save yourself some cash and go for last year’s model.

Asus TUF Gaming A14: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? This is a mid-range 14-inch gaming laptop
• Who is it for? It’s ideal for portable PC gamers who want a solid 1080p/1440p system that isn’t awkward to carry around.
• What does it cost? You can pick one up for $2,199.
• What’s good about it? The switch to Strix Halo has vastly improved productivity speeds (especially in content creation), and you’re getting that same sleek body, QHD+ panel and ergonomics.
• What’s not so good? Gaming, battery life and heat management fall behind its older (cheaper) sibling, price has increased by a massive $500, and AMD’s still making it awkward to actually have the GPU perform well out the box.

Asus TUF Gaming A14: Specs

Asus TUF Gaming A14: The ups

Let’s start with the positives. Because to Asus’ credit, Strix Halo is a productivity speed boost and even though the hardware remains unchanged, it’s still pretty top notch in the gaming laptop space.

Same great display and design with some tweaks

Credit to Asus — they’ve kept the things I like about this system in the looks and works. Build quality feels familiarly premium to the touch with a metallic top and bottom, the keyboard feels great to type on and that re-engineered ventilation is there to take air in through the top deck and out the bottom.

Then there’s the QHD+ panel that is decently bright and respectably color accurate with some vividity for those key flash floods of color like speeding through Mexico in “Forza Horizon 5.”

Would I have loved OLED? Absolutely. Is this more than good enough for the task at hand? For sure.

Productivity boosts

If there’s one big good thing that can be said about the new Strix Halo internals, it’s that it does nicely equalize the general performance with gaming prowess. You can seriously get some stuff done quickly here.

Whether it's the snappiness of opening up a web browser, stretching the multitasking of many tabs, or processing advanced photo edits, this didn’t hang one iota. And with that massive GPU, local AI processing is also a breeze too — comfortably holding a 14-billion parameter model without any hitches or slowdown in its processing time. Nice!

Asus TUF Gaming A14: The downs

Value for money’s out the window and AMD’s hiding the main reason you’d buy this laptop behind a few settings screens. It’s gutting to someone who really wanted this to succeed.

Price-to-performance is way off

So you’ve felt just how fast this can be in your day-to-day creativity. Let’s move over to gaming and…well…I’ll let the numbers speak for themselves.

I’ll forgive it for ray tracing, as the RDNA 3.5 architecture was never really at its strongest in this crucible, and on a laptop screen, it’s not necessarily the biggest deal breaker to miss out on some shinier objects and reflections.

But when you take the $2,199 price of this “mid-range” gaming system and face it with last year’s A14 and the cheaper Lenovo LOQ 15, you start to see you get a bit short changed — both when you’ve got VRAM set to default (0.5 GB) and when you max it out (24 GB as tested here).

But it gets worse, as thermal management and battery life have taken a dip here too.

Now I know some of these pricing woes come down to the RAM price crisis, and there’s no two ways around how much that sucks. But if anything, that should make us more aware of better value for money in gaming laptops, and honestly? Even the more premium ROG Zephyrus G14 is better value.

Just AMD things

And speaking of the video memory thing, why on Earth is it that after over a year into the Strix Halo era, we’re still being left with the default slither of memory dedicated to the GPU? I know that most of us know this already, and dip into the AMD settings to tinker.

But for an experiment, I gave this to my non-techie friend and told him to play games for a day. The report the next day was simple: he went back to his PS5 after an hour because the TUF A14 was so choppy.

If he didn't know that VRAM allocation is set to 512MB (that’s megabytes…with an M) by default, then what does that say for anyone else who buys it? Change this for Strix Halo gaming laptops now — it’s a difference of literally 20-30% in performance as I found.

Asus TUF Gaming A14: Verdict

The Asus TUF Gaming A14 has a serious identity crisis that makes it hard to trust. On the face of it, it’s a good laptop. But I can’t look past that huge price tag and the subsequent downgrade in gaming performance and battery life that you get.

It’s like charging you more for less — the laptop equivalent of Chili’s shrinkflation. I hope that in the future, we remember this laptop is supposed to be the affordable arm of the ROG Zephyrus G14. The hatchback you walk out the dealership with when you’re lured in by the supercar.

But at the moment, it’s in no man’s land.

Never in my journalism career did I think I would be submerging a keyboard underwater, but it's my job to check every single feature of a product when I'm reviewing it — yes, including throwing liquids at it.

Keyboards aren't always the most durable, especially if they're membrane ones. Your best bet is getting a mechanical keyboard whose switches can be replaced if you've got butter fingers.

Even so, I'd still recommend being careful with your drinks and liquids when you're working at your desk. Keyboards don't usually have IP ratings in the same way that the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers or wireless earbuds do, and this week was the first time I actually saw a board carrying an IP rating. Not just any IP rating. IP57. Yep, the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is IP57-rated.

The K3 Gen II is a well-built, sturdy keyboard that uses optical-mechanical switches. Its switches are an utter delight to type and (casually) game on, and I even received my best type test score on it yet. But its biggest selling point, to me, is the IP57 waterproof rating, something I've never seen on a keyboard before. Here's how I tested it — and how it managed to survive.

What does IP57 mean?

If you're familiar with speakers and earbuds, you'll have seen them having IP ratings. "IP" stands for Ingress Protection, and it classifies how resistant electrical devices are to solids (dust) and liquids (usually water). IP ratings have two numbers: the first indicates solid protection and is measured on a scale of 1-6, while the second indicates water protection and is measured on a scale of 1-8. The higher the numbers, the better the protection.

The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is IP57-rated, which means it has level 5 protection against dust and debris, and level 7 protection against water. It also means that the keyboard can withstand immersion in water up to 1 metre depth for 30 minutes. This is an excellent rating for a keyboard, and while I can't imagine many users will be dunking it underwater for that long, it's good to know that it can withstand water spills if you accidentally knock over a glass.

Putting it through the wringer

Like I said earlier, it is my job to test a manufacturer's claims to the best of my abilities, and as and when I can, so of course I had to test the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II's IP57 waterproofing. And how did I do that, you ask? The first thing I did was splash water droplets on it. An easy test, really, and one that many other mechanical keyboards I've tested have passed with flying colors.

So I put the K3 Gen II through a harder test: submerging it in water. I filled up our office's kitchen sink and once it was full, I put the keyboard in, left it there for 15 minutes, and then plugged it into my computer. And it worked!

I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting it to, but every key still worked just as well as it did when I first unboxed the keyboard. I also got some strange looks from others working in my building who didn't know I was doing that. I even left the tap running on full force and the water fell directly on top of the keyboard — it remained unscathed.

My final test involved me dropping some lemon soda onto the keyboard, which feels like the most likely scenario to happen because we all like a cool drink when we're gaming for hours, right?

The lemon soda I used would make anyone's fingers sticky, and I was expecting the same to happen to the K3 Gen II. Lo and behold, the keyboard was absolutely fine, and even after drying it completely, it didn't feel too sticky or unusable. Great success!

What else is good about it?

There are a few things to like about the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II. First of all, its optical-mechanical switches are highly responsive and easy to actuate, making them great for gaming and productivity alike. In fact, they're so good to type on that I got my highest type test score (105 words per minute) and accuracy (96.5%) on this keyboard!

In addition to that, the keyboard is built very well. The ABS plastic used in its construction feels high quality and premium, which is fantastic for a keyboard that costs $99 / £95. And of course, I love the IP57 waterproofing which, as you can see, works as intended.

But the K3 Gen II isn't perfect as it has significant drawbacks — hence why I rated it 3 out of 5 stars. While the keyboard is lovely to type on, the sticky ABS keycaps take away from that experience, as my fingers felt like they were sticking when I was lifting them.

The USB-A wired connectivity and janky companion software are also disappointing, as is the keyboard's divisive design. I'm not an anime fan so perhaps I'm not the target audience, but personally, I don't understand the obsession with a Vocaloid that takes the form of a 16-year-old girl.

Of course, if you can look past these, then the K3 Gen II is excellent. It's personally not for me, but I'll take those optical-mechanical switches any day.

More from Tom's Guide

• The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II has the best switches in its class, but its design and dodgy software are a tough sell
• Best mechanical keyboards in 2026
• The Asus TUF Gaming H1 Gen II is a good headset that could have been great — here’s what I’d change

Asus is a big name in the computing world, and it makes some of the best mechanical keyboards out there. Alas, the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II isn’t one of them. Don’t get me wrong: there are quite a few things to love about the keyboard. It’s built extremely well, and its optical-mechanical switches are some of the best I’ve tested. They’re highly responsive in both typing and casual gaming, making the K3 Gen II a versatile keyboard.

But those are pretty much the only things to like about the K3 Gen II. Its divisive anime-themed design is a tough sell, and so are its sticky ABS keycaps and frustrating companion software. If you can overlook these faults, perhaps you won’t mind the keyboard, but they’re too significant for me to overlook.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II review.

ASUS TUF Gaming K3 Gen II review: Specs

Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 96% layout keyboard with optical-mechanical switches
• Who is it for? Anyone who wants a sub-$100 keyboard that’s good for typing and casual gaming
• How much does it cost? The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is available for $99 / £95
• What do we like? The solid build, superb typing experience, good gaming performance, and waterproofing
• What don’t we like? The divisive design (of the anime edition), sticky ABS keycaps, frustrating customization, and lack of wireless connectivity

Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II review: The ups

From its solid build quality and IP57 waterproofing, to its lovely typing experience and gaming performance, there’s a lot to like about the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II.

Solid build quality

The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is a solid and well-built keyboard, and it hasn’t given me much to complain about in this department. It’s made entirely of ABS plastic which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it feels top-notch. There’s no flex in the body as it doesn’t twist when held by its sides, and the keys don’t dip too far into the PCB either. This is nice to see in a sub-$100 keyboard as it’s something I’ve experienced with the likes of the McHose x Unbox Therapy UT98 ($139) and the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K ($114).

As a wired-only keyboard, the K3 Gen II is fitted with a non-detachable cable which also feels high-quality. The keyboard itself features a gasket-mount design which bolsters its structural integrity. Several layers of sound-dampening foam have also been stuffed into its internals to negate any metallic pings and unwanted or unpleasant sounds while typing.

Overall, the K3 Gen II is excellent when it comes to build quality, and if you want a sturdy keyboard that doesn’t break the bank, this is it.

Great for typing

I’ve been known to type upwards of 10,000 words a week — it’s the nature of my job. To do that, I need a reliable keyboard that’s a joy to type on. The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is just that. It’s a sheer delight to type on, thanks to its responsive optical-mechanical switches. Compared to traditional mechanical switches found in the likes of the Epomaker Cypher96 ($89), the Royal Kludge S98 ($99), optical-mechanical switches have a faster and more sensitive trigger response. This basically means that you don’t need to press the switches as far down or apply as much force to activate them.

Optical-mechanical switches generally have a longer lifespan so you can keep using them for years. Asus claims that the K3 Gen II’s switches have a 100-million keystroke lifespan — which is difficult to measure and test for me so I’ll have to take Asus’ word for it. They sound great on paper but are they any good in real-world usage? They are indeed. Like I said, I’ve found the switches extremely responsive with all of my commands being executed instantaneously, and my fingers haven’t felt fatigued either.

As soon as I took the K3 Gen II out of its box, I took a typing test at 10fastfingers.com to see how it fared against other mechanical keyboards I’d tested right before it. As you can see from the table above, I got my best type speed and accuracy on a mech deck so far, which is phenomenal. Now whenever someone asks me which keyboard I’ve had the most fun typing on, I’ll say, “The Hatsune Miku keyboard!” There’s a sentence that wasn’t on my 2026 bingo card.

Good gaming performance

The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is advertised as a gaming keyboard (it’s in the name, after all). However, Asus doesn’t specify the keyboard’s polling rate so I can’t make direct comparisons to other similarly-priced keyboards. But of course, on-paper specs aren’t always everything, so I put the K3 Gen II through its paces by playing Cyberpunk 2077 and Counter-Strike 2 on our MSI gaming rig.

In both games, I found the optical-mechanical switches highly responsive, just as I did for productivity. Like I said, these respond faster than standard mechanical switches and are perfect for situations that require a high degree of latency, such as FPS games, as they use light technology to detect keystrokes. The lack of metal components also means that optical switches are more durable, making them ideal for those who game on their PC for years and years.

Similar to many other gaming keyboards, the K3 Gen II features N-key rollover which enables multiple inputs to be registered simultaneously. This means that you can execute multiple actions at the same time, such as ducking, drawing your last used weapon and changing your character’s direction all at once. This gives you a competitive advantage especially in online matches in Counter-Strike 2.

Even though Asus doesn’t specify the K3 Gen II’s polling rate, I didn’t notice any latency issues or input lag in my testing. Each command was promptly registered, and I thoroughly enjoyed gaming on this keyboard. Of course, if you’re a competitive gamer or esports player, it’s worth investing in a similarly-priced Hall Effect keyboard instead, such as the Epomaker HE68 ($59), the Epomaker HE65 Mag ($99) or — if you can extend your budget — the Keychron K2 HE ($130).

It’s waterproof!

Here’s something you don’t see everyday: the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is waterproof and protected against dust. Having tested over 80 keyboards in just under two years, this is the first time I’ve seen a keyboard with an IP rating. The K3 Gen II is IP57-rated. Measured on a scale of 1-6, the first number, 5, means that it has limited protection against dust, while the second number measured on a scale of 1-8, 7, means it can be submerged in meter-deep water for 30 minutes. Many earbuds and speakers are IP57-rated, and it’s surprising to see a keyboard being rated the same as the… Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro!

The IP57 rating means the keyboard should be able to withstand drink spills or if you’re working in very dusty conditions. Of course, I had to put the waterproofing to the test. I waited to do so until I’d done all my other testing lest the keyboard got wrecked and I wasn’t able to use it after.

I dropped a glass of water on it and it was fine. I then kept it submerged in a sink full of water for 15 minutes and every single key still worked! I then spilt lemon soda on the K3 Gen II and would you look at that, it still worked. This is incredible and some of the most fun I’ve had testing a keyboard! This level of waterproofing is good to have if you spill your drink on your keyboard (we’ve all been there before).

Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II review: The downs

Unfortunately, the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II has significant flaws that are hard to ignore, such as the divisive design, frustrating companion software, and sticky keycaps.

Divisive design

I’m no stranger to keyboards sporting funky or weird designs. This is coming from someone who has tested the GravaStar Mercury V75 Pro HE ($239), the MelGeek CYBER01 ($149) and the GravaStar Mercury K1 Lite ($89). The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II comes in two designs: all-black or a Hatsune Miku Edition. Both the black and Hatsune Miku Edition cost the same as they’re available for $99 / £95 at Amazon.

I tested the Hatsune Miku Edition and, I have to say, I’m not a huge fan. I didn’t even know who Hatsune Miku was until I tested the Asus TUF Gaming H3 Gen II gaming headset, and even after learning about her, I wasn’t fond of the design. Turns out it’s a Vocaloid software voicebank represented by a 16-year-old girl with long, turquoise twintails.

The K3 Gen II is a colorful keyboard, sporting a light teal green case and a combination of pink and white keycaps. It’s too colorful for my liking — I usually prefer more inconspicuous designs. I’m also not a fan of the fact that any time I need to press the enter key on the number pad, I have to touch her silhouette. It’s just a bit unsettling and uncomfortable to me, personally. If you’re a fan of anime and Hatsune Miku in particular, you might like this keyboard. Me? I’ll be sticking with the black model instead.

Sticky keycaps

While the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is a good productivity keyboard and I’ve enjoyed typing on it, I need to caveat this by saying that its keycaps leave a lot to be desired. They’re made of ABS so they’re less durable and resistant than PBT keycaps used by the likes of the Epomaker DynaTab75 ($89) and the NuPhy Node75 ($99).

ABS keycaps aren’t inherently bad, and they can sometimes be lovely to touch — such as on the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max ($229). But on the K3 Gen II, they don’t feel as nice. In my testing, I also found them sticky. By that, I mean that my fingers felt like they were sticking to the keycaps for just a millisecond when I lifted them — and that’s something I haven’t experienced with other keyboards before. I thought it was due to my fingers being oily, so I washed them and tried again, and the same happened.

Given the K3 Gen II’s $99 price tag, I was expecting the inclusion of PBT keycaps. The keyboard faces fierce competition from the likes of Keychron, NuPhy and Epomaker, and most of these brands’ keyboards feature double-shot PBT keycaps for either the same money or cheaper. I’d recommend grabbing the Epomaker Cypher96 ($89), the Royal Kludge S98 ($99) or the Keychron K10 V2 ($84) if you’re bothered by ABS keycaps.

Frustrating customization

The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is highly customizable, but to customize it, you’ll need to download Armoury Crate which… isn’t the most user-friendly software out there. I hated it the first time I tested it with the Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 ($179), and my feelings remain unchanged after having tested it with the K3 Gen II. Not only is the installation process long (and requires you to restart your laptop not once but twice), but after you’ve downloaded it, you’re bombarded with pop-ups and what can only be described as bloatware.

Armoury Crate enables you to remap the K3 Gen II’s keys, record macros, select and customize RGB effects, and update its firmware. The user-experience is, in my opinion, far from ideal. When I swapped between the lighting and keymap tabs, I was greeted with unnecessary pop-ups asking me to create an Asus account — even after I ticked the box to never show the message again. I much prefer apps like Keychron Launcher for, well, Keychron keyboards. It’s far more user-friendly than Armoury Crate and runs via a web-app, so no need to install bloatware.

Wired only

To top it all off, the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is a wired-only keyboard, which means that there’s no Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless connectivity. This is less of a con and more of a pre-purchase condition, as some users might prefer having tri-mode connectivity often found on the likes of the aforementioned Epomaker Cypher96 and the Royal Kludge S98.

But it’s important to note that the K3 Gen II doesn’t feature an onboard cable management system, and its cable can’t be disconnected. Oh, and if you’re using the keyboard with modern macOS machines — as I did with my MacBook Air M2 — you’ll need to buy a USB-A to USB-C adapter. Again, this is something to consider before you buy the K3 Gen II, and if you aren’t going to move the keyboard about and it’s going to be sitting on your desk anyway, this shouldn’t be much of an issue.

Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II review: Verdict

The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is a fine keyboard. Its optical-mechanical switches are highly responsive and fit for both all-day typing and casual gaming. It’s built very well and is even IP57-rated waterproof and protected against dirt and dust, which means that you don’t need to worry about spilling your drink on it.

But the K3 Gen II is far from perfect. Its sticky ABS keycaps take away from the otherwise wonderful typing experience, and its divisive anime-themed design is a tough sell for me. The wired-only design means you can’t use it wirelessly, and customization via companion software is very frustrating.

If these are flaws you can look past, then get the K3 Gen II by all means. But if you want more bang for your buck, Keychron and Epomaker have you spoilt for choice.

While its $900 price tag will likely bring a frown to the typical gamer’s face, Asus has gone all-out with its new ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI, making it today’s top gun router. With the power to be the best router for attacking space stations, stealing inner city cars or tending your digital farm, it combines more than 2.5 Gbps of real-world throughput with game-boosting features and artificial intelligence.

Is it the right router at the right time? Read on to see if this is the best gaming router for your gaming PC or even the best Wi-Fi router for your whole home.

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI: Design

While other router makers cherish small devices with internal antennas, Asus goes against the grain with the ROG Rapture GT-BE 19000AI. The black and white router is not only huge at 13.6 x 13.6 x 8.4 inches but looks like a cross between a mechanical spider and a hat rack, with eight protruding antennas. Passively cooled, its short legs allow cool air to enter underneath but it doesn’t have a fan which is why it tends to run hot.

In addition to a window to peek inside the router – including the longitude and latitude for Asus’s Taichung City, Taiwan location – the top has individual lights for the basics as well as the ability to show three spectral patterns. They are chosen in the app and thankfully can be turned off. It lacks the TP-Link BE550’s info screen, although a red pattern shows when it’s offline.

One of the most capable home routers available, the GT-BE19000AI can move 12 data streams and tops out at max theoretical transfer rate of 18.669 Gbps. Its BE19000 rating combines ultra-wide 320MHz data channels, Multi-Link Operations and 4K Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM). The latest firmware update adds AFC Automated Frequency Control for smoother operations.

It’s powered by three Broadcom chips: the BCM6726 (for 2.4 and 5GHz data), BCM67263 (for 6GHz) and the BCM4916’s 2.6GHz quad-core processor. It taps into 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage and has a dedicated AI engine. The Synaptics SL1680 system on chip delivers 7.9 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) of neural processing, about the output of a desktop PC. With 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage space, it runs machine learning models locally and works with Portainer containerized apps.

With both 2.5 and 10 Gbps WAN input ports, the GT-BE19000AI can handle multiple data sources and pairs well with gigabit data plans. In addition to a high-speed 10 Gbps gaming port, the router has three 2.5 Gbps and one 1 Gbps downstream port. There’re USB 2.0 and 3.2 ports for putting the contents of a connected drive on your network at up to 5 Gbps and can connect a mobile phone’s Internet connection during a blackout.

The router has keys to use Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) for quick connections as well as for turning the lights off. There’s an on-off button.

Along with an included subscription to Asus’s AIProtection security software, the GT-BE19000AI has age-based child protection web screening and can block ads and tracking. Its three-year warranty is expected for a high-end router and its manual has lots of links to explanations and tips.

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI: Performance

Using Keysight’s IxChariot networking benchmark to simulate 10 data-hungry users and the HP Envy X360 notebook next to the GT-BE19000AI, it moved 2.867 Gbps wirelessly. A wired 15-foot connection yielded 3.519 Gbps.

Using Wi-Fi, the router delivered 2.580 Gbps of real-world throughput at 15 feet, a 27% advantage over the TP-Link Archer GE650 at 2.019 Gbps. Perfect for the data hungry home, it’s plenty for gaming and 8K videos with some bandwidth left over for email and Spotify.

With 50 feet separating the router and test system, the data flow broke the gigabit per second barrier at 1.006 Gbps – 45% better than the Netgear Nighthawk RS700S. The throughput dropped to 528.3 Mbps at 75 feet, well ahead of the RT-BE96U’s 402.1 Mbps.

The router finished by moving 49.1 Mbps at 90 feet versus the RS700S’s 40.6 Mbps. Its 120-foot range was among the best but left a few spots in my 3,500 square foot home uncovered.

Over three weeks of daily use, I sent emails, listened to music, watched videos and, of course, exercised my fingers with a few games. The GT-BE19000AI never let me or my family down and its light show became oddly hypnotic.

It’s a power hog at 26.0 watts, which fell to 19.3 watts with no data flowing. If it’s used for 8 hours a day but left on 24/7 it could cost $33 a year, assuming you pay the national average of 17.5 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity. That’s $10 more annually than the Archer GE650.

The GT-BE19000AI ran between warm and hot at 115 degrees Fahrenheit at the top vent. Others were closer to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI: Setup

Creating a functioning GT-BE19000AI LAN was straight-forward with an easy app-based setup. It came ready to roll with a braided Cat 7 Ethernet cable and thoughtful QR code underneath for connecting to my phone. The package included a sheet of reflective stickers.

Unfortunately, I had to redo the Wi-Fi network settings after installing a firmware update. Had I known, I would have saved the settings and ported them over. It took 11 minutes to complete.

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI: Configuration

The Asus Router app’s functional home screen puts everything in your face. It shows the IP address, network name and links to the gaming goodies, like the AI-based balance loading.

The Router Assistant and Wi-Fi Insight helps mask the complexity of a modern configuration with simple choices. The Settings section integrates the router into an Asus AIMesh network, uses it with a VPN and sets up the parental controls. There’s a heavy-duty diagnostics section for seeing data traffic based on Wi-Fi band.

A connected browser shows the router’s Dashboard with a cornucopia of information and choices that’s so data dense I needed to zoom the browser to 33% to take it all in on a UHD screen; be ready to squint. In addition to LAN status and which physical ports are active, it shows data movement and traffic.

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI: Gaming

The GT-BE19000AI provides lots of gaming help, like the AI Game Boost to provide your rig with the top data priority it deserves. It can use GTNet’s server acceleration network.

The app’s Mobile Game Mode shows current Ping and all-important variations as well as preset options for optimizing Xbox and Switch consoles. There’re settings for individual games like League of Legends and OverWatch as well.

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI: Verdict

Thinking of the Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI as the fastest and best equipped gaming router around only tells part of the story. Sure, it excels with blazing 2.5 Gbps Wi-Fi throughput, the hottest wired ports and an AI boost for games. It’s also top shelf for filling a home with wireless data.

Getting it might gobble up a week’s take home pay but with all that going for it, the $900 router can bring a smile to the face of even the most jaded gamer. Bar none, the Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI is the best gaming router right now.

Yes, the MacBook Neo has leapt into a lot of hearts and minds as the best budget laptop you can get. And yes, other laptop makers are out here calling it a tablet — completely missing the point of it. But that doesn’t mean the competition isn’t responding. In fact, it’s happening quietly beneath the radar with companies dropping prices.

But this isn’t just dropping prices on random laptops to look like they’re offering something to compete with the Neo. These are three laptops that I’ve personally tested and love for their bang for buck, which are sure to make those laptop engineers at Cupertino nervous.

So if you’re feeling the value notebook vibes and want to see what else is out there beyond Apple’s offering to make a well-thought out decision, here are my personal picks from months of daily driving that I believe are every bit a match for the Neo’s prowess.

Asus Zenbook A14

I first went hands-on with the Asus Zenbook A14 at CES last year and fell in love with it. Then when the pricing was revealed for my final review, that love affair fell away slightly, as the initial plan to compete with the MacBook Air fell apart by making this at least $100 more. Fast forward a year, and you can now get this for $699.

So if we were in the business of re-reviewing laptops, this would be an easy 4.5 stars for that insanely good value for money. Thin dimensions and a featherweight construction from ceraluminum (the surface feels like paper, it’s so cool) give way to:

• A gorgeous 2K OLED panel
• Snapdragon X Plus performance that steps up to the A18 Pro in the Neo with faster multi-core speeds, zippier graphics and faster data transfer speeds (it’s an actual laptop chip after all)
• And an 18+ hour battery life in my testing.

Throw in nice ergonomics with a generous touchpad and great keyboard, and you’re onto an ultraportable winner with a low price tag.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514

The idea of a Chromebook Plus laptop has been through a bit of a spirit journey of sorts, as nobody could figure out how to make a premium Google laptop. Making the build and specs uber premium at a sky high price tag didn’t work, and neither did throwing in 12 months of free Google AI Pro.

But Acer stumbled on the answer with the Chromebook Plus Spin 514: focus on the fundamentals and throw the MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 chipset in for a peak pairing of performance and power efficiency. This Arm chip has been the bang-for-buck comeback of ChromeOS, and in my time daily driving it, you can feel that in the serious zippiness of app opening and multitasking.

Add in an unmistakably premium build quality, another gorgeous OLED display (always surprising you can get this at such low prices) and a 15-hour battery life, and you’re onto a winner. But one catch: this is ChromeOS. You’re not going to get the vast amount of apps to choose from that you’d get on the MacBook Neo or a Windows laptop.

However, for the casual productivity purposes you’d pick up a Neo for, Google’s OS offers more than enough of the essentials to get through your day-to-day.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x

Back at MWC last year, Lenovo brought a whole lot of awesome ultra-expensive prototypes and laptops to the party. But out of everything there, the often-forgotten budget system in the corner caught my eye the most.

The IdeaPad Slim 3X brings that Lenovo experience in the finite attention to ergonomics (a beautiful-feeling keyboard), zippy performance with Snapdragon X and a super long 16-hour battery life.

That’s not to say it’s all the way there in terms of competing with the MacBook Neo — the display is rather underwhelming and you can feel some of that cheapness in the build quality.

But on balance, this is a stellar budget machine that is at an impressively low price of entry.

More from Tom's Guide

• I ditched the MacBook Air for a MacBook Neo for 48 hours — and I'm shocked
• 'I am completely blown away by it,' Ex-Windows Chief calls MacBook Neo ‘paradigm-shifting'
• Apple's $599 MacBook Neo can actually play Cyberpunk 2077, new tests show

The hits keep coming for PC and laptop makers as RAMaggeddon, and now the U.S.-Iran war, disrupts everything from supply chains to component costs. Apple and the MacBook Neo may be the beneficiaries, thanks to a disappearing market of budget-friendly computers.

Nikkei Asia is reporting that many of the major PC makers like Asus, HP and Lenovo are being forced to raise prices thanks to astronomical memory prices. Plus, the unwarranted U.S. attacks on Iran are actively affecting the oil industry which will cause shipping and manufacturing prices to increase as well.

"There is only so much PC companies can do to absorb the costs and we have to pass on the surging costs to consumers,” an unnamed gaming PC executive told Nikkei Asia.

Yep, AI is the problem

I’m getting tired of saying the same thing over and over, so I’ll just cut to the chase. The demand for AI compute is getting out of hand — with DRAM demand accounting for 50% of the globe’s memory consumption in 2025.

That has left PC and smartphone makers scrambling for supply, and that demand is driving the prices up to lofty numbers. Acer’s Chairman Jason Chen has said the cost of memory and storage chips had risen “between 50 to 100%,” and companies would have to “reflect” this in their prices to us.

And over the course of this year so far, we’ve had:

• A roughly 20% increase in Asus prices
• Dell jumping by around 20-25%
• Lenovo warning that prices will start to go up this month
• HP confirming its prices will rise
• And Acer flagging price increases of 10-20%

And we’re only in March?! I’m tired, boss, and so are the companies. “I am very pessimistic about the PC industry this year,” a gaming PC company executive told Nikkei Asia. “January was my final call for friends to buy PCs this year before facing more expensive price tags."

Ditching the budget end

Most interestingly in this report, the writers spoke to an executive at ELAN Microelectronics — a company that makes the controller chips for touchpads across laptops from brands like Lenovo and Dell. Basically, a critical part of the manufacturing process that can be the eyes and ears of what’s happening on the ground.

“We are seeing laptop builders shift to prioritize…higher-end commercial notebooks rather than entry-level products to boost revenue and make better use of the limited memory supply,” the executive commented. “Overall shipment volumes are still declining but the value per unit is increasing.”

You see, companies started stockpiling memory chips in the third quarter of last year, which has quickly started to run out.

Advantage, Apple MacBook Neo

Apple recently announced the new $599 MacBook Neo, an attempt by the Cupertino company to directly compete with budget-friendly Chromebooks and low-end Windows notebooks. Whether Apple read the tea leaves or is launching at the most opportune time, the company is going to benefit massively.

As Nikkei reports, many PC manufacturers are turning away from their cheapest offerings in favor of premium laptops and PCs to make the most of the RAM they have available. It’s a matter of survival as the companies attempt to recoup more profit from higher-priced laptops over reducing specs and memory in cheap sets.

Even Apple has been forced to raise prices on its higher-end MacBooks. The just-announced MacBook Pro M5 Pro starts at $200 more than the previous generation. Additionally, Apple just discontinued the six-month-old 512GB MacBook Pro M5 in favor of a starting model with 1TB of storage.

It’s so dire that one PC maker declined to even make an estimate for 2026 due to the memory shortage and rising prices.

Meanwhile, Apple locked the Neo to 8GB of RAM and 256 or 512GB storage. These aren’t spectacular numbers, but they are more than adequate for the target audience.

More from Tom's Guide

• The RAM crisis is out of control: Here's the most alarming tech products affected (so far)
• Your computer is slow because the RAM is full — 7 ways to free it up
• I edit video for a living — and this is how much RAM you need in 2026

When it comes to Windows creator laptops, it’s been my mission to hunt down the ultimate MacBook Pro alternative. As someone who creates regularly on Apple systems, this is always a good frame of reference to have, because if you want to aim for the King, you'd best not miss.

Well, that’s where I introduce you to the Asus ProArt GoPro Edition (PX13), a GoProified edition of the 13-inch 2-in-1 monster the company started making a year ago. And with a jump to Strix Halo, a fresh, durable design and ergonomics that feel like a match made in heaven for any creative, this is one helluva fighter for the throne.

With AMD’s Ryzen AI Max 395+ chipset, this chews through any complex Photoshop or Premiere Pro workload with the greatest of ease, while being a beast with AAA games too. A creator laptop that just so happens to be a serious gamer too? Who knew that was possible!? (Not Apple).

The svelte construction means this whole heap of power is easy to stash in your backpack, suitably durable for outdoor work, and with a wink to GoPro in the aesthetics, it brings the utilitarian personality on big.

And in terms of getting stuff done, you have that gorgeous OLED panel with impressive color accuracy (but still just 60Hz), the built-in DialPad is as good as ever for precision control in creative apps, and moving away from using a dedicated Nvidia GPU to the integrated all-in-one AMD chip has given battery life a serious boost.

Now, yes, let’s address that $2,999 price tag. It’s a lot — limiting it only for the pro creatives out there. But to come close to a spec set like this in the likes of a MacBook Pro (especially that high 128GB of shared system memory for running AI locally), you can spend close to $5,000.

So while this won’t be for the regular folks (if you are getting into content creation for the first time, I’ve had no trouble daily-driving the MacBook Pro M5), if you are looking to take things to the next level in video, photo or music production, and you don’t want to drop a totally bonkers amount of cash, this is a great, more palatable option.

Asus ProArt GoPro Edition: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? This is a 13-inch creator laptop.
• Who is it for? It's for what we call prosumers — power users who get mightily creative with the likes of Adobe Creative Suite and other advanced apps.
• What does it cost? You can pick one up for $2,999.
• What do we like? Asus is really hitting its stride in making the ideal Windows alternative to the MacBook Pro. AMD’s Strix Halo chip is a monster here, paired with a ton of system memory for AI-intensive tasks, the OLED screen is gorgeous and the ergonomics are tip-top for getting stuff done.
• What don’t we like? So this is a pricey beast, the battery life is good, but doesn’t match what you can get from a MacBook Pro, and not having a full-size SD card slot and a refresh rate still locked at 60Hz feels like a big miss for creators (especially with slow-mo footage).

Asus ProArt GoPro Edition: Specs

Asus ProArt GoPro Edition: The ups

Transitions are never easy — even for me, hopping between Windows and macOS on the regular. But if there’s one thing that Asus nails here, it’s making that leap for creators a cinch for anyone looking to make the jump from a MacBook Pro.

Sleek stylings

And it starts with an uber premium, utilitarian body that feels great in the hand and sports impressive ergonomic touches all over the shop.

From the sharp-looking GoPro touches like the etched lines across the lid and around the side to the hinge that feels sturdy yet easy to open with one finger, you know you’re in for a treat from the first touch.

Then there’s the keyboard, which has a gorgeous tactile impact on each key press, and a decent-sized touchpad that dominates the bottom of this 13-inch deck with a nice snappy click to it. Plus, the DialPad makes a return here, which, alongside the stylus on that touchscreen display, allows for super precise edits.

Ports are well placed, it looks the business, and after watching laptops get bigger and bigger, it’s always a joy to go back to a 13-inch model — especially when it’s military standard tested for impressive durability on outdoor shoots.

Power packed

Previously, dedicated graphics were the name of the game for the PX13, but with Strix Halo, Asus is able to have its cake and eat it too with both peak performance and impressive battery life.

In the realm of creator laptops, these numbers are crazy good — every bit a match in GPU-intensive processes to the MacBook Pro lineage. I’ve handled complex 4K video edits in Premiere Pro with After Effects graphics and dabbled with massive compositions in Ableton Live.

And given that ludicrous 128GB of shared system memory (in this RAM price crisis economy!?), I’ve also been able to dip into running some local AI as well. Put simply, whatever you throw at it, this will handle it. The multitasking capabilities are insane!

Oh, and did I mention that this is a monster for gaming too? Many creator laptops forget about that bit, but the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395’s GPU capably handles all the latest AAA titles better than certain RTX 40-series dedicated cards.

Since this has the same chip as the ROG Flow Z13 KJP edition, I'll let Darragh take you through its gaming chops.

Then, for those days when you are away from the plug, so long as you manage your workload, you can eke out a full day of usage from this.

Granted, it’s not as capable in terms of stamina as the MacBook Pro, but this is still strong in the grand scheme of things.

A mesmerizing display

Then we turn our attention to that 3K OLED panel up front, which is a pure flash flood of color with accuracy that inspires confidence in your work color balancing.

Unfortunately, it still only runs at 60Hz, and it's a bit on the dim side (typical with single-layer OLED). But for creating, this sharp, vivid panel is an absolute joy to use with zero latency on the touch response. Whether you’re binge-watching in tent mode or getting stuff done, this is a bright, capable screen for all jobs.

Asus ProArt GoPro Edition: The downs

That’s not to say the transition has been completely flawless, though. There is one standard creator requirement that this doesn’t quite cut the mustard on.

Still no full-size SD card slot?

I was hoping this would be a thing of the past. I get that there are certain cameras (especially GoPro models) that use Micro SD. But the vast majority of the camera landscape uses full-size SD cards.

Is this me over-complaining? Possibly. There is always USB-4 to connect them for fast transfers. But to ignore this generic standard for most pro creators is a miss in my books.

You can leave StoryCube at the door

With the ProArt GoPro edition, you get some decent software bundled in, like CapCut and GoPro Cloud integration with 12 months of Premium+. But being honest, that’s where the nice freebies start and stop.

Asus has a couple of other exclusive apps like StoryCube and MuseTree, which are essentially AI content management and idea brainstorming systems, respectively.

But I found that the natural language search of StoryCube was a bit unreliable, and the workflow of MuseTree just felt a bit off, feeling more like a glorified AI art generator rather than actually something to inspire me.

Asus ProArt GoPro Edition: Verdict

So where does that leave the Asus ProArt GoPro edition? Well, in the spirit of the name, it feels like the ProArt PX13 has finally gone pro. It’s a sleek, stylish laptop that achieves a feeling like it's worth the lofty price tag attached to it.

The move to Strix Halo has liberated this 13-inch machine from bad battery life and turned it into a serious portable creation station. And looking past the lack of a full-size SD card slot and the weird StoryCube and MusTree apps, this has the chops to really power through your workload.

As someone who daily drives a MacBook Pro for all my video, music, and graphic design work, a few weeks with this have shown me that there is a world outside of Apple where I can get things done.

When I first heard of the Asus ROG Flow Z13 Kojima edition back at CES 2026, honestly, I didn't bat an eyelid. But upon checking out this Chiral beast of a machine — the Death Stranding references are all over this 2-in-1 gaming tablet — during the show, my interest was certainly piqued.

Now that I have this 2-in-1 sitting in front of me, I'm excitedly in awe of this collaboration between Asus and iconic game director Hideo Kojima. You know, the guy behind the renowned Metal Gear franchise, and most recently, Game of the Year nominee Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.

Mix in the pristine, brutalist future tech themes of that game with the best 2-in-1 laptop for gaming, and you've got yourself one gorgeous creation, kitted out in sleek black, white and gold hues. Is it as expensive as you think it is? You know it, but will Kojima fans (a.k.a. gamers) be satisfied? Let's get into it.

Sam Porter Bridges would be proud

Based on the philosophy of "for Ludens who dare" (Ludens being Kojima Production's mascot) from Asus and Kojima, along with the strong artistic style of Yoji Shinkawa, Kojima Productions Art Director, the Asus ROG Flow Z13-KJP edition is the best kind of combination between worlds: an ultraportable (and powerful) gaming system united with a game that has you use optimized tech for traveling.

Seriously, the ROG Flow Z13-KJP looks like it fell out of a (epically long) Kojima cutscene, and that alone says a lot about its design. From the sharp, gold-infused chassis with small hints of text showcasing warnings like "Ensure lock is tight," similar to the futuristic delivery equipment found in the game, to turning on the 2-in-1 to be greeted by a Ludens logo and music theme, this has Kojima Productions written all over it.

From a practical point of view, this is the very same Asus ROG Flow Z13 (2025) we reviewed last year. Same 13-inch 2.5K (2560 x 1600) Mini-LED display with a 180Hz refresh rate, chiclet keyboard cover with RGB lighting, port array, etc. But it's the final touches that make this Kojima-inspired 2-in-1 a treat, and it's still subtle enough to be an (understandably gorgeous-looking) everyday device.

Even the chunky charging bring comes with a Ludens logo slapped on, you can also expect more stickers that come in the box to add even more Death Stranding-esque design to the 2-in-1.

Then, there's the ultra-sleek, all-white (with gold linings) customized carrying case designed to carry the Z13-KJP, and I absolutely adore that it brings one of Sam Porter-Bridges' (the protagonist of Death Stranding, played by Norman Reedus) many cases into reality.

It's a solid, sturdy case with the look and feel of a premium piece of equipment for transporting important cargo, with its insides lined with foam cutouts that take the shape of the Z13-KJP itself. It tucks the gaming tablet away beautifully, but I'd use this to store files and documents, too, while putting it on display in my office.

Would I actually use this case to carry the ROG Flow Z13-KJP while I'm out and about? Look, as much as I would love to strap it onto one of my arms or legs like Sam himself, I highly doubt it. Not when I can easily slip this compact gaming tablet into my backpack instead. Still, it's a special case I very much dig.

From the Chiral crystal etchings (the materials found in the game) to the attractive color tones on the (excellent-feeling) keyboard itself, this is the quintessential PC gaming machine that Kojima fans will adore, and others will admire (as many in my office have).

For Ludens who dare (pay this much)

Considering the ROG Flow Z13-KJP delivers the highest configuration of Asus' 2-in-1 gaming tablet, along with the unique Death Stranding touches, you can imagine just how pricey this machine will be.

Did you guess £3,599? Congrats, you're right on the money. And apologies to your wallet in advance, as that's one steep price tag. Right now, I have yet to hear of an official U.S. price, but converting this cost puts it at around $4,800. Plus, throw in RAMageddon and U.S. tariffs, and this special edition gaming tablet will drain your funds.

However, it's worth noting that a normal ROG Flow Z13 with the same specs is priced at $3,299, which is already an incredibly high price. But with the Kojima touches, you can expect that price to shoot up even further.

But that's the thing; it's a "special edition" product made to be more of a collector's item, and a stunning one at that. Asus is no stranger to pumping out unique models of its lineup of products, like the ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5080 Doom Edition graphics card, the ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker Special Edition and even the Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition back in 2022, which celebrated the 25th anniversary of Asus laptops on the Mir Space Station.

At the very least, the ROG Flow Z13-KJP comes with a free copy of Death Stranding 2 via a redeemable game code in Asus' Armoury Crate. That doesn't launch on PC until March 19, though, so no, I didn't get a chance to play the sequel on this machine.

With the starting price of the regular ROG Flow Z13 being $2,099, that's already pricey enough. But that doesn't come with the high-end specs of the Kojima counterpart, so you are paying a hefty premium for a top-of-the-line gaming 2-in-1 that can play just about anything (with the right settings). Speaking of...

Made for Death Stranding (and beyond)

Okay, but can it actually play games? If you've seen our Asus ROG Flow Z13 review, you'll know just how impressive the 2-in-1 gaming tablet can be for playing the latest titles. With the Z13-KJP edition, though, you're getting the highest configuration this device can go up to.

That includes an AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU with strong Radeon 8060S integrated graphics, an insane 128GB of DDR5X RAM and 1TB for storage. The chip alone rocks 16 CPU cores, along with 40 graphics cores, and that incredible amount of RAM (in this economy?) will bring optimal performance for gaming and productivity.

Putting it through the Geekbench 6 benchmark, it achieved a 2,965 single-core score and an 18,475 multi-core result. That's an impressive outcome, even compared to the ROG Flow Z13 with an AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 APU.

When put against the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H (with its own iGPU now onboard) in the Dell XPS 14 (2026), it even beat that! But the powerful Intel Core Ultra X9 388H in the Asus Zenbook Duo (2026) was still hard to beat in single-core performance... but not in multi-core.

So, a beast of a 2-in-1 gaming machine it is, and when put into action, it reflected those numbers. Of course, it would almost be a crime if I didn't try one specific game first on this: Death Stranding.

I was easily getting highs of 173 FPS at 1080p resolution, and bumping this up to 1440p still gave me an excellent 140 FPS. That's thanks to AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) tech for frame generation and resolution scaling, which the APU uses to its advantage.

For something a tad more recent, I checked out the fast-paced Ninja Gaiden 4. Impressively, I was hitting a rock-solid 55 FPS, and that was at 1600p resolution with high settings! No sudden dips, either, but of course, for increased frame rates, I could easily drop the resolution down to 1080p.

Otherwise, here are the gaming benchmarks you can expect on the ROG Flow Z13-KJP:

Impressive, right? It won't reach the highs of 4K gaming, and it still struggles to deal with ray tracing in titles. But for a 13-inch gaming tablet to deliver smooth frame rates at high settings is a triumph, and I'm sure Death Stranding 2 will perform just as well on this 2-in-1.

Take note: Asus has (again) shipped the ROG Flow Z13-KJP with just 4GB of memory to the GPU by default in settings. So, to make the most of your games and get better frame rates, make sure to head into the AMD app and bump this up to 16GB.

Is it worth it?

Do you enjoy the aesthetic of Death Stranding, and are enthralled by the designs of Kojima Productions? Well, Asus made it tangible with the ROG Flow Z13-KJP. And it helps that this is one mighty machine for on-the-go gaming (and productivity, too).

It's a beautiful combination of form and function, with the stylish themes of Death Stranding (and Kojima Productions as a whole) tying closely with the practicality of Asus's 2-in-1 portable gaming beast.

Anyone who's a fan of Kojima's works will give this gaming tablet a second glance, but at $3,000+ / £3,599, that's a hard sell for even a die-hard supporter. It's a niche product made to be a collector's item, but it also comes with the premium gaming chops to play the latest titles. Still, it's not for everyone, but I'm very happy it still exists.

I will say, though, if my wallet allowed me, this would certainly scratch my itch.

More from Tom's Guide

• Nvidia DLSS 4.5 is a cheat code for gaming laptops — here's what I found testing it on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI
• I tested Intel XeSS 3 vs Nvidia DLSS 4: my laptop tests made me rethink the future of integrated graphics
• Forget Nvidia: Integrated graphics could be the future for gaming laptops — here’s why

Gaming laptop deals are getting harder and harder to come by — probably because of the RAM price crisis we find ourselves in.

But I’ve just found huge savings on my two favorite OLED gaming notebooks that are the perfect high-performance upgrades for any players out there. Right now, you can get the 2025 Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 with RTX 5070 Ti for $500 off, and the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI with the same GPU for $350 off at Best Buy.

Make no mistake about it. These are massive savings, and after spending months testing these laptops (and loving them a lot), I can’t recommend them enough for gaming on-the-go.

The ultraportable monster

Every year, the Asus Zephyrus G14 just gets better and better. I almost missed my flight back from Barcelona because I turned my Starbucks table into the ultimate gaming station because of it!

From the outside, you wouldn’t really think this is a gaming laptop — if anything, its premium aluminum body screams “MacBook Pro.” In fact, it’s the only gaming notebook that my fiancée has looked at and said, “Nice laptop.” Every single other model, she rolls her eyes at the blazing RGB.

Asus has also paid real attention to sound ergonomics here, with a top-notch keyboard and massive touchpad. But of course, you’re here for the games, and that RTX 5070 Ti absolutely shines. DLSS 4.5 is the AI trick up the sleeve to bring unmatched smoothness.

Cyberpunk 2077 at full-res ray-tracing ultra with all the DLSS trickery on (ray reconstruction, multi-frame gen) can take full advantage of that mesmerizing OLED panel at a buttery smooth 120 FPS.

And whatever game you’re playing, be it blasting through the colorful streets of Mexico in Forza Horizon 5, or the deep, dark depths of the isolated Romanian village in Resident Evil Village, the stunning color and contrast ratio of this Pantone-validated display shines.

Throw in AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, a spacious 32GB of RAM (in this economy!?), and a 1TB SSD, and you’re onto a winner that’s not just good for gaming but a serious workhorse for power user productivity too.

The big one

But what if a small size doesn’t matter to you? What if you want a big-screen gaming experience? That’s where I introduce the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI — another go-to daily driver that I got addicted to fast in the months I tested it.

The S stands for slim, and while this is indeed a bigger laptop, that doesn’t compromise the thinness. This is a slender system in the hands, and with that extra space, Acer’s able to run this at a higher wattage.

That’s super ideal for running DLSS 4.5 and really ramping up that frame rate to make the most of that 240Hz refresh rate (double that of the Zephyrus G14, though the resolution is slightly lower at 2560 x 1600).

And as every frame matters in competitive multiplayer (plus a bigger panel too), I’d recommend this one to anyone who wants to be at their best in online shooters. Aside from the RTX 5070 Ti, you’ll find an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD — pretty similar to Asus’ offering.

If ergonomics are your thing, I’d point you to the G14, as the keyboard does feel better. However, if you can get over the ever-so-slight sponginess of the keys, you get a bigger board with a number pad here, and a far bigger touchpad that comes in clutch for creative work.

Buy now because prices will go up

Yes, both of these have 32GB of RAM. Yes, we are in a RAM price crisis. These deals exist because of the available stock, but once Best Buy sells through them, you can expect these prices to slowly but surely creep up.

The likes of Acer and Asus do have plans to bypass the rising prices by going to smaller RAM manufacturers, as I found out when talking to an Acer exec. But this will take time, and the best advice I can give anyone on the fence about buying a gaming laptop is to buy now before things get worse.

And out of all the deals I’ve seen, these two offer the best bang for your buck.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested Intel XeSS 3 vs Nvidia DLSS 4: my laptop tests made me rethink the future of integrated graphics
• Nvidia says all RTX 50-series GPUs will 'continue to ship,' but stock and supply tell a different story
• ‘Chaotic’ RAM pricing won’t kill PC gaming, a CEO told me — and history backs him up

The year of the laptop has its first big launch, and it’s the Asus Zenbook Duo cooly saying “allow me to reintroduce myself” with a fresh redesign and a monster of an engine lying under the hood.

And for sure, in terms of the laptop itself, there’s a lot to write home about here. The Zenbook Duo has gone through quite a glow up with the ceraluminum finish that feels great to the touch, and the new hinge mechanism that folds into itself and creates a more seamless transition between the two panels (no more lip here).

Speaking of those panels, the two OLED displays here are simply mesmerizing — brighter than last generation and more vivid with color to boot. Throw in better battery distribution between the two parts for a more even weighting, a sturdier kickstand and a keyboard deck with improved ergonomics and you’re well onto something special here.

But the real big feature here is that Intel Core Ultra X9 388H powering the system. In terms of what it can do, think the power of Dodge Charger with the efficiency of a Toyota Prius. In our benchmarking, the CPU side of things is certainly strong — especially in multi-threaded tasks like loading multiple tabs or encoding software.

Then you get to that integrated GPU packing 12 Xe3 cores and the performance while gaming or working on graphics-intensive tasks is a shocking step up over last year. I’m talking Cyberpunk 2077 flowing at nearly 70 FPS in 1080p.

And Intel did say this was the performance of Arrow Lake meeting the power efficiency of Lunar Lake…I think they undersold that as the battery life takes a massive leap here up to 14 hours in our testing. I called this chip Team Blue’s fightback moment — turns out they took it seriously.

It’s just a shame about that price. Not the biggest surprise it’s gone up, Asus did warn about this days before CES 2026, but at $2,299 ($500 over the price of the top-spec model last year) that’s quite a sting to the wallet that I can only guess is due to the RAM price crisis fallout.

Asus Zenbook Duo (2026): Cheat Sheet

• Who is it for? The Zenbook Duo is for those who don’t want to compromise too much on their multi-monitor setup when they’re out and about.
• What does it cost? You can pick one up for $2,299/£2,099. Pre-orders go live some time in Q1.
• What do we like? The design overhaul is a real sharpening up of the looks and feels here — looking a whole lot better and ergonomically feeling better to get stuff done on. The upgraded OLED displays are a joy and Intel Core Ultra X9 388H is the key that unlocks some shocking performance and power efficiency gains from Team Blue.
• What don’t we like? Shame about the big price increase — $500 more for this than the Zenbook Duo launched last year.

Asus Zenbook Duo (2026): Specs

Asus Zenbook Duo (2026): The ups

So let’s get into it. This is not just an important next-gen device for Asus, but it’s a big moment for Intel too. And as you can guess by the score I’ve given this device, the Zenbook Duo nails it by finding just the right balance.

Intel’s got its swagger back

Now, to the headline here. Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (codenamed Panther Lake) is Team Blue’s comeback moment, and based on what I’ve seen testing the Zenbook Duo, they nailed it. However, it’s worth putting this into context, as it can be easy to get wrapped up in the hype of it all.

The Core Ultra X9 388H has been quickly marketed in comparison to AMD’s Gorgon Point chipsets, which unsurprisingly, it beats handily. But its closest kin, performance and price-wise, is actually that Ryzen AI Max monster of a chip you find in the Asus ROG Flow Z13 (codenamed Strix Halo).

Through that lens, you can see these chips trading blows — especially on CPU speeds. But it’s clear that AMD’s setup is a little stronger on a silicon level. While we don’t have Snapdragon X2 Elite laptops yet, I do have my benchmarks from the testing event last year and added the M5 MacBook Pro in here to show how Arm manages to take a lead on single- and multi-threaded tasks.

Then we turn our attention to the GPU. Arm chips don’t really stand up to what x86 silicon is capable of, and while compatibility is being worked on for gaming on Snapdragon, Intel and AMD still have the lead. And Core Ultra X9 388H is a step behind Strix Halo, but well ahead of AMD’s mid-range.

Plus there’s XeSS tech courtesy of those 12 Xe3 cores on the integrated GPU. That unlocks some impressive AI trickery, and while we’re waiting for the new drivers to provide multi-frame generation to supported titles, the current model tears through AAA games with ease.

So impressive gains, but AMD is still ahead. That’s only half the story, though. Where it really comes into its own is how it’s able to do all of this with power efficiency unlike anything I’ve seen in x86 laptops — making this dual-screen laptop stretch out much further by being much more economical with the wattage than a single-screen AMD system.

On the sliding scale between performance and power efficiency, the ROG Flow Z13’s Strix Halo chip showed what happens when you start to move that dial back towards efficiency, but it’s still a hungry chip for the battery juice. You can see that in the thermals, as the Flow reaches 95 degrees under some pressure, and the Zenbook Duo is a whole 10 degrees less.

Intel’s Core Ultra X9 388H makes the choice to further move that dial, compromise a little on raw performance, and make up for some of those gaming performance losses with AI. And to me daily-driving these laptops, that’s a better balance — still matching something like an RTX 4050 gaming laptop, while offering more worry-free stamina and just enough horsepower under the hood.

Redesign brings dual-screen to the mainstream(ish)

Over the past couple of years, the Asus Zenbook Duo has been one redesign away from being something that really takes the idea of a dual-screen laptop into the mainstream. And low and behold, it’s happened!

The new ceraluminum finish feels premium to the touch and is impressively finger-print resistant, but the main win here comes with that new hideaway hinge design.

On Zenbook Duos of old, the upper display would fold down behind the other screen, which made it a little wobbly and created an awkward-looking chin.

Now, the hinge folds back on itself and stows away to make the fully extended form a fully flat panel. Pair it with a sturdier hinge and you’ve got a far more seamless experience with much thinner bezels around that gorgeous display too (more on that later).

Of course, a dual screen laptop is always going to add extra thickness to the whole thing, but this is still easily stashed into a backpack.

And finally, that keyboard deck feels a lot better under the fingers. The touchpad is larger and smoother with edge gestures to control brightness, volume and scrub videos, while the keys themselves have a much nicer tactile depth (and the Bluetooth connection lasts much longer on the battery).

Though it is worth noting that dual screen laptops are still quite an unknown thing in small towns like mine. I’m sure in big cities with more tech-savvy people you’d go unnoticed, but you will get some odd looks pulling this out in the local pub.

A feast for the eyes (and surprisingly, the ears)

Now onto the star (well…stars) of the show. Those OLED displays are bright, vibrant and commanding of your attention. Flowing at a buttery smooth 120Hz and touting solid color accuracy for getting the creative pro work done, while also having a nice immersive HDR-ey depth for gaming.

But low key, the most surprising upgrade for me has to be the speakers. In past generations, the speaker system was just…there. Perfectly fine for Windows dings and some casual watching of YouTube clips, but really light on bass.

And while these aren’t MacBook Pro levels of loud and bassy, Asus has made some significant strides forward here with some nicer levels of warmth alongside good definition of the highs and mids.

Asus Zenbook Duo (2026): The downs

Asus has fixed just about all of my previous gripes with the Zenbook Duo, but with that comes quite the price tag.

RAMageddon comes for us all

In my time talking to Intel, it seemed clear that most laptop makers were sitting on “around 9-12 months of inventory.” That made me pretty optimistic that maybe (at least for the next chunk of the year) laptops won’t be hit as significantly by the RAM price crisis.

However, Asus did say price increases were coming. I just didn’t expect the price rise to be so sharp. In the tech reviewing space, companies always want to put their best foot forward with the best spec. This spec is $500 more than last year’s top spec… Do you feel the $500 more?

That Intel Core Ultra X9 is a bit of a breakthrough for Team Blue and for Asus, but if you’re already on a model from last year, I’d want to make sure you don’t waste your money. The improvements here are great, but not worth paying the additional uplift in getting in.

As for everybody else reading this, that comes down to whether you’ve dragged out the life cycle of your laptop and are in the market for an upgrade. Looking for that balance between performance and power efficiency after years on the same notebook? This could be the dark horse choice for you.

Asus Zenbook Duo (2026): Verdict

I don’t want the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H to overshadow that this is a great dual-screen notebook that brings the idea of two panels on the go much more into the mainstream.

The Zenbook Duo has gone through a thoughtful glow up, given two glorious OLED panels and ergonomic uplifts that make it a thoroughbred of a productivity machine.

But Panther Lake is the key that brings all of this together nicely with a chip that provides both the horsepower and stamina to bring this back in line with what you’d expect from single-screen systems. Price aside, this is a belter.

2026 is going to be the year of the laptop, and I just got my first taste of it with the new Asus Vivobook 14 — sporting AMD’s new Ryzen AI 400 series processor. And in short, even the boring notebooks are turning out to be pretty great.

I’m getting serious flashbacks to the Dell 14 Plus when using it. I mean, if laptops had personalities, the Vivobook 14 would be the kind to own exactly one pair of jeans and get way too excited telling you about a trip to buy granola. And with the energy of a calendar reminder, Asus has worked quietly on the fundamentals that make this a solid all-rounder.

The AMD Ryzen AI 7 445 processor here is enough to keep up with the general day-to-day while offering decent all-day battery life.

The display’s a bit dull (don’t expect to get work related to color accuracy done on here), but it’s bright and gets the job done. The keyboard feels nice to type on with plenty of travel, and the larger touchpad now packs edge gestures to control volume and brightness — all with value for money at its core.

But if you’re looking for any sizzle or a premium design, this isn’t the one. It’s a very cookie-cutter slab of plastic that will blend in anywhere, complete with a webcam that is more potato than prime shooter.

That being said, that’s the point of it. This isn’t meant to be the supercar you walk into the dealership to look at; it’s the boring station wagon you walk out with the keys to. And Asus putting its efforts into the ways you’ll use it makes this a dull but competent option for anybody looking for a general productivity system.

Asus Vivobook 14 (2026): Cheat Sheet

• What is it? It is a laptop. Nothing more. Nothing less.
• Who is it for? This one's for the general productivity crowd. It’s not going to set any benchmark tables alight, but it has the fundamentals to get stuff done.
• What does it cost? At the time of writing, we know the UK pricing is £749.
• What do we like? The usability fundamentals of this laptop are solid. The keyboard feels great, and the touchpad is smooth with edge gestures to boot. A decent port array gives you a nice amount of connectivity, and for the basics, that AMD Ryzen AI 7 445 processor is zippy.
• What don’t we like? That display is dull, the design is dull, and the webcam is dull. You can feel the budget nature of this system in certain areas.

Asus Vivobook 14 (2026): Specs

Asus Vivobook 14 (2026): The ups

The Asus Vivobook 14 is the laptop equivalent of sensible shoes — you’ll never love them, but your feet will thank you.

Sensible design and ergonomics

The Vivobook 14 may not pass the vibe check, but that’s on purpose. This is a sensible design that focuses on what matters — a durable construction that is military-standard tested (do quite like the blue colorway), with ergonomics that feel good to get stuff done with.

That keyboard is a joy to type on. With 1.7mm of key depth and a nice tactile bump at the bottom of every press, you’ll have no problem typing your heart away into long-form content, such as this review I’m writing up right now.

And the touchpad gets an upgrade, too. It’s roughly 20% larger and feels oh-so smooth, alongside edge gestures that I first fell in love with way back on the Huawei MateBook Pro. Controlling the brightness and volume with swipes along the left and right edges is always pretty slick.

Pack it all into a shell that seems to ensure it can do a good job at cooling without needing to sound like a jet engine under pressure, and you’ve got a decent workhorse.

Gorgon Point gets to the point

So I’ll be honest. When I first looked at the benchmark results for the AMD Ryzen AI 7 445 chip, I was a little disappointed.

The lineup has deepened this year with a focus being placed on affordability, and while the Ryzen AI 7 450 is the natural equivalent to last year’s 350, but with a slightly higher clock speed, the 445 in here is a trimmed-down version with fewer cores and a lower speed.

To you, that means you’re getting enough for your basic productivity needs and some light gaming, but there are some interesting things to write home about.

First, it does still come with that higher memory bandwidth, which provides impressively fast loading times for zippy app opens/document loads. Second, that lower wattage going to the chip does mean you won’t be feeling any noticeably bad heat or thermal pressure when under load.

And third, that also means you’re getting rather good battery life. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not Snapdragon-levels of it, but from 100% at 8 a.m., I did my standard work day of multiple Chrome tabs, a little bit of basic Photoshopping, some video over lunch and Spotify for background ambience, and by 5 p.m. I was at 32%. Not bad, Asus. Not bad — especially for that £749 price tag.

Asus Vivobook 14 (2026): The downs

This is a budget laptop after all — so there were always going to be compromises.

Performance will underwhelm (if you want to do more)

Whenever a retail assistant asks a potential laptop buyer what they want to do with it, the answer is usually “well…everything.” Of course, that’s an open-ended answer to a rather daft question, but it cuts to the core of something.

A lot of people will be just fine with the performance the Asus Vivobook 14 offers, but what you want to do with a notebook evolves over time, and if it evolves in performance demands, you’ll hit that ceiling pretty quickly.

Make no mistake about it, this is solely a great cheap laptop for casual productivity. If you want to have the confidence that it can keep up with something a little more demanding down the road, I’d invest a little more money in looking for something with a little more overhead.

Keeping it dull

I could roast the design being the equivalent of the guy who gets amped up about khakis because of the dimensions of the pockets, but that’s unnecessary. You’ve seen it — you know what you’re getting.

What I mean is you can tell some of the compromises made across other parts of the system. The display is bright, but color reproduction is much more on the faded side. The speakers do have decent clarity without distortion, but they lack any real bass.

And the webcam… On paper, it’s a full HD shooter, but the end result feels anything but. The colors are oversaturated, and it quickly falls apart in anything other than bright direct light. There is Windows Hello support, though, thanks to the IR sensor, so at least there’s that.

Asus Vivobook 14 (2026): Verdict

Design-wise, it’s a firm handshake with eye contact. Nothing more. And that’s more than enough for what most folks need out of a system. Something simple that can get your daily essentials done.

And on that scale, the Vivobook 14 does well. It’s a solid, affordable daily driver that makes compromises in the right places while putting emphasis on what matters — a laptop that can keep up with your standard day-to-day.

In a new video from Hardware Unboxed (via PC Gamer), the YouTube channel claims that the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti will be discontinued.

Asus confirmed this report, telling Hardware Unboxed that it has placed the graphics card into its EoL (End of Life) product list. The YouTube channel also claims that, according to its investigation, some retailers in Australia are unable to secure the RTX 5070 Ti from manufacturers. As you might have guessed, this is due to the ongoing RAM crisis.

While this might seem arbitrary, there is a method to the madness. According to a report from HEKPC (via Wccftech), Nvidia is realigning production of its entire gaming stack and will discontinue several GPUs with 16GB of VRAM.

Editor's note: Nvidia reportedly gave German website Hardwareluxx a statement, saying: "Demand for GeForce RTX GPUs is strong, and memory supply is constrained. We continue to ship all GeForce SKUs and are working closely with our suppliers to maximize memory availability."This statement, if accurate, would contradict what Asus reportedly said about the RTX 5070 Ti.

So long, 16GB

“If a model like the RTX 5060 Ti has both 8GB and 16GB versions, Nvidia will focus on supplying the 8GB version,” says the HEKPC report. “When two different models, such as the RTX 5060 8GB and RTX 5060 Ti 8GB, share the same memory capacity, the higher-tier model (the RTX 5060 Ti) will be prioritized for supply.”

So if the RTX 5060 Ti, RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080 are all 16GB models, then Nvidia will prioritize the highest-tier model. In this case, the RTX 5080 will get priority.

This report claims that Nvidia hasn’t decided on the fate of the RTX 5070 12GB GPU, but it’s possible that its memory allocation could be allocated to the RTX 5080. As for the RTX 5090 and RTX 5090 D v2, these graphics cards will reportedly not be affected. That said, they might be harder to find since their supply won’t be as plentiful.

In short, Nvidia will reportedly stop manufacturing the RTX 5060 8GB, RTX 5060 Ti 16GB and RTX 5070 Ti 16GB. The company will focus on the 8GB versions of those cards, along with higher-tier GPUs than the RTX 5070 Ti.

It’s a shame that the RTX 5070 Ti is now a victim of RAMageddon. As we said in our Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti review, it was the Goldilocks GPU in Nvidia’s entire 50-series, with just the right amount of blistering performance, versatility across games at 1440p and 1080p, and a true showcase of DLSS 4 AI trickery with buttery 4K smoothness.

Now, thanks to the memory crisis, folks will either have to fork over an obscene amount of cash for higher-end cards or make do with their current GPU. Since I don’t have $5,000 for an RTX 5090, I’m firmly in the latter camp.

We’ve reached out to Asus and Nvidia for comment, so we’ll update this article if and when we hear back from these companies. Stay tuned!

More from Tom's Guide

• RAMageddon is finally coming for your smartphones and laptops, according to new report
• The 'RAM Rationing' of 2026 could lead to some awkward moments of irony for the likes of Google and Apple
• 'This is going to be a challenging year': Framework just raised the price of its desktops by up to $460 due to RAM crisis

Note: This article includes the personal comments of Sascha Krohn, Asus' Director of Technical Marketing, not a statement/opinion of Asus as a whole.

It's set to be an exciting year for laptops, with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chips bringing newfound performance and Nvidia DLSS 4.5 pushing gaming to new heights. But the ongoing RAM price crisis is here to spoil the fun.

With prices already skyrocketing on RAM sticks, along with manufacturers like Framework raising the cost of its PCs, it's only a matter of time before we see laptop makers charge more for their products — and that goes for phones, consoles and more.

Now, many have been questioning when we'll start to see RAM prices go back to normal. With Micron claiming the RAM crisis won't improve until 2028, it's looking like the shortage will be drawn out. That said, there is still a glimmer of hope, seeing as Intel says there's about "9 to 12 months" of stock before we see price hikes.

As for Asus, it has a different take. Speaking with Sascha Krohn, Asus' Director of Technical Marketing, he believes the memory shortage should "start to normalize" by 2027, but there may be a battle between brands on who will start to lower prices first.

If predictions ring true, it could only be a year until RAM comes back down in cost, but there are other factors at play.

How long will RAMageddon last?

"It's really hard to say," Krohn starts off. "I think, like memory vendors or like the actual memory chip manufacturers, they never run their factories at 100% capacity. They try to always run their fabs at maximum capacity because, you know, for the best price, you want to use all the resources you have, but they usually have some idle capacity that they can also use to then adjust, right?

"They can bring additional manufacturing lines online or reactivate maybe some older ones to have extra capacities. So if there's an increase in demand, they can increase their supply. But there's only so much flexibility there. And I think the demand right now for memory is so high, and we all know where it comes from."

If you're not aware, the RAM crisis kicked off due to a higher demand for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) for AI data centers, all to power services like ChatGPT and Gemini. Consumer memory supply is dwindling, but it's all needed for all the upcoming tech.

Krohn continues: "My personal gut feeling is that it's going to be relatively long. I think prices are not going to come down very soon. I saw that some people expect prices to already drop in the middle of 2026 or towards the end of 2026. That's the most optimistic I heard. And then the most pessimistic is like 2028 or maybe even beyond 2028.

"I think it's probably going to be something in between. So my personal gut feeling is that it's probably going to be 2027 when we see memory prices start to normalize."

Of course, it's understandable that it's basically impossible to predict just when we'll finally see prices come down from their new heights, but there's also the matter of when companies themselves will start to lower prices.

A battle of dropping prices first

Even when the memory crisis starts to even out and prices start to drop, Krohn brings up an important point about what companies will do once costs plummet. If the price is right for a brand, it may be a tad longer before the cost of tech from manufacturers drops, too.

"I think as long as that demand is going to continue like this, the memory price situation will probably continue like this. And if past situations have taught us anything, it's that even once the supply constraint is no longer there, it still takes a while until prices go back to what they would naturally be," Krohn details.

We've seen costs rise well above the asking price when Nvidia's RTX 50-series GPUs launched, and even today, prices generally stick above retail price for each GPU, especially from third-party brands. Now, the same could possibly happen with RAM.

"There's a lot of hesitation in lowering prices, right? Everybody who's selling something, obviously, if you could sell it for a high price last week, why would you sell it for a lower price this week, right? And nobody wants to be the first one to lower prices. So it usually takes like a couple of months or even quarters for prices to slowly go down again."

It's a matter of who pulls the trigger first, and once one company drops its price, the rest are sure to follow. But even if the memory shortage ends by 2027, it could be a few months longer until costs start to normalize again.

Outlook

There are a ton of devices we're looking forward to from Asus and more, namely the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo and even the new Death Stranding-inspired Asus ROG Flow Z13 we saw during CES 2026. But it appears that those after a new PC or upgrade will be paying a hefty chunk of change this year.

Fortunately, we may have a bit of wiggle room before prices start to rise on laptops, phones, gaming consoles and more, according to Asus. Once costs start to jump, though, it will be a matter of when RAMageddon starts to ease and when companies start to drop their prices again.

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The RAM crisis will be a key topic this year, as it's already setting the tone of the tech we can expect and the price we'll have to pay for it all. No, it's not something anyone is looking forward to (except for those doubling down on AI), but when will costs soar?

Well, as it turns out, we may have a bit of wiggle room. With Intel saying that laptop makers have "about 9 to 12 months" of stock before new prices may be set, it'll be some time before we see the impact of the memory shortage hit upcoming products.

Yes, we've already seen RAM stick prices go up right before our very eyes (this 32GB T-Force Delta RGB DDR5 spiked at over $650 compared to a sub-$100 cost earlier in 2025), while customizable PC maker Framework recently raised the price of its desktops. But for other manufacturers like Asus, it may take a little longer until we see these costs shift.

After speaking with Sascha Krohn, Asus' Director of Technical Marketing, it's become clear that "a lot of people are going to be surprised" when the RAM crisis will affect the price of laptops, phones, gaming consoles and more — especially at retailers.

How long will it take before the RAM crisis hits everything?

"I think something that a lot of people aren't aware of — like end users, and I think also media — is how long it takes for that shockwave to travel through the supply chain until it actually affects the price of devices that you see in Best Buy, Walmart or Amazon," Krohn explains.

If anything, that's good news for the devices we saw at CES 2026. As with all manufacturers, all-new devices are planned well in advance before they come to shelves. Because of this, companies like Asus make sure there are enough components in stock to deliver the supply they aim to sell.

Krohn continues: "It takes a couple of months. So I think a lot of people are going to be surprised when they see that, 'Oh, memory prices went up, but oh, laptop prices and phone prices and also gaming console prices didn't really go up yet.'"

This isn't to say that costs won't go up, though, as Krohn is very much aware of how the memory shortage will affect the industry. "I think that is still going to happen. It just takes more time until that travels down the supply chain until it reaches the retail stores and e-tail stores."

Explaining the supply chain

Just because the price of RAM already started to skyrocket back in late 2025 doesn't mean this will immediately affect all the devices that require memory. This brings some pricing security for PC makers like Asus and, most importantly, for buyers. Krohn explains the process.

"Basically, we have a team dedicated to making sure that in August 2026, we have exactly this much memory because that's what we forecast we're going to need, and then we do some deals with memory vendors," Krohn explains.

"In August 2026, we'll need this much. In July, we'll need this much. In June, we need this much. So that kind of helps us to protect ourselves a little bit from memory prices going up and down."

Now, the allocated memory for upcoming laptops that have been planned in advance means those prices shouldn't shift drastically, but this won't last forever. Manufacturers are scrambling to get as much RAM as they can from a dwindling supply, and it doesn't help that one of the largest consumer RAM suppliers, Micron, states, "there's just not enough supply to go around."

Krohn goes into this further: "But at the same time, you never know exactly how much memory you're going to need, right? So you can never really forecast 100% accurately. So there is still going to be a big impact on the day memory prices are still going to impact devices."

Calm before RAMageddon

So, as Asus puts it on the RAM shortage, "just a heads up for everybody who's reading this, that is something that is still going to happen. But on the plus side, the way that we allocate memory and plan for memory, it helps to even it out a little bit.

"It's not going to be a sudden shock, but it's going to be a bit more steady. But yeah, I do expect memory prices to go up, and that is definitely something that nobody's really looking forward to... except for memory vendors."

There's a big impact coming to all the devices we're anticipating throughout 2026 and beyond, but not quite in the immediate future, as Krohn explains. With Intel Core Ultra Series 3 and Snapdragon X2 Elite chips set to arrive soon, we're already looking forward to a big year for laptops, but more than ever, price will become a huge factor.

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• 'Basically a photograph interacting with you at 500 frames per second': Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang shares his vision of the future of PC gaming, and how the company plans to tackle GPU pricing crisis
• I didn't expect Asus and Kojima to make the most beautiful ROG Flow Z13 I've ever seen — looking like something straight out of Death Stranding
• I just tested the redesigned Asus Zenbook Duo — my favorite 2-in-1 just got even better by fixing 3 key gripes

Asus pulled out all the stops with its lineup of next-gen gaming laptops at CES 2026, with its bonkers dual-screen Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo and a Death Stranding-inspired ROG Flow Z13. But one key device surprisingly didn't make an appearance: the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 with Panther Lake.

In many ways, this is Asus' flagship machine that's one of the best laptops around, and while there were updated machines with RTX 50-series, the leaked integrated model was canned. Well, sort of, as we got a chance to see the ROG Zephyrus G14 with an Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chip during a hands-on demo in December, and there was no discrete GPU in sight.

Sporting an Intel Core Ultra X9 388H with integrated Intel Arc B390 graphics, this would be the first Zephyrus G14 without a GPU. As with the current Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025), these laptops usually come with graphics cards now up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080. However, with the power to game on an Intel Panther Lake chip, Asus was looking to shift gears.

For now, though, this wasn't meant to be. The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 with an Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chip mysteriously vanished despite an upcoming reveal, but we now have some insight behind its apparent cancellation.

What happened?

During the lead-up to CES 2026, we got a preview of the ROG Zephyrus G14 with Intel Arc B390 power during an Asus hands-on event in December. Because of this, we were anticipating its big reveal during the CES showcase.

However, at the last-minute, Asus pulled the laptop from the show. It was briefly seen at Intel's demo booth, but was reportedly later removed from the area and wasn't seen again (as told by French outlet Les Numériques).

Many believe the ROG Zephyrus G14 was cancelled or at least postponed due to supply chain issues, with Asus later confirming a "change in strategy" for the laptop. Due to this, it is now looking to be cancelled.

After hearing about the Intel Core Ultra X9 G14's cancellation, we started asking around and found other companies confirming a struggle to nail down supply. So our own Jason England put the question to Intel themselves in an interview that will be published soon.

"A perfect combination of industry-level component shortages, significantly increased demand because of how good the chips are and also ramping up production, you're getting mixed signals depending on where the different partners are," Nish Neelalojanan, Senior Director of Product Management at Intel, commented.

"Good news is there are plenty of X9 designs available. So as a gamer, you will be able to go buy an X9 system from your favorite retailers. There will be availability."

While we will see laptops equipped with an Intel Core Ultra X9 chip for integrated graphics gaming performance, it won't be from the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 right now. But perhaps this wouldn't have been the best fit after all.

Not the right fit?

During an interview with Asus, I asked whether we'd see integrated graphics on laptops, with Asus' Director of Technical Marketing Sascha Krohn stating: "I would say we're definitely getting into the territory where that becomes a possibility." However, the timing may not be right for the ROG Zephyrus G14.

It's clear that gaming on an Intel Core Ultra Series X9 or X7 processor has seen significant improvements in integrated graphics, being able to play the likes of Battlefield 6 at over 140 FPS at max settings without a discrete GPU. However, it still doesn't reach the heights of an RTX 50-series GPU, and the ROG Zephyrus G14 is known for its top-level performance in a compact design.

Asus may have changed plans to make sure its flagship gaming laptop still offered plenty of power to run the latest PC games at a high level of settings, but as Intel states, demand for the chip would mean a very limited supply for the G14, too.

However, this doesn't take away from the perks of an Intel Panther Lake chip being used in a laptop that isn't just made for gaming, but also for productivity, too. After testing Intel Panther Lake, we've seen major gains in power efficiency, and this should result in machines with gaming performance that have a much longer battery life.

At the very least, we will be seeing an Asus TUF Gaming A14 with an AMD Strix Halo chip, giving us powerful integrated graphics in the company's more budget lineup of laptops.

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At the close of CES day four, we named the 27 best gadgets at this year's show. But that doesn't mean we're packing up and going home. There's a lot more interesting tech from our fourth day walking the show floor to tell you about.

The smart home space is always a big draw in Las Vegas and there's been no shortage of announcements this year. We found a mind-reading headset, the first Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme laptop, and the return of IKEA's viral 'donut lamp'.

If you missed our day three round-up, you can find it here, and don't forget to keep checking our CES 2026 live blog for the very latest updates. Without further ado, here are seven of the best new gadgets from day four.

IKEA 'donut lamp'

The mighty IKEA turned up at CES with a load of new tech, including some very cheap Bluetooth speakers. But we were excited to see the new version of the IKEA Varmblixt — more commonly known as the 'donut lamp'.

Created in collaboration with Dutch artist and designer Sabine Marcelis, the new and improved Varmblixt lamp will now be able to change color and dim. It can also be controlled remotely and will transition gently between a range of custom hues.

Available both as a wall light and a table lamp, the updated IKEA Varmblixt will cost $99 and be available from April 2026.

HyperX Neurable

The HyperX Neurable gaming headset is not like the rest of the best gaming headsets, it uses EEG sensors along with AI to effectively read your brain to help you focus. Contact strips built directly into the earcups will pick up the noise of your brain and narrow it down to the focus, stress and cognitive load signals it needs to look for when it comes to improving focus.

My colleague Jason England tried it for himself and said it put him through a mindful breathing and focus exercise with a visualizer of dots floating in a sphere. The headphones will track when your brain has been boosted to just the right level, while simultaneously relaxing your body. In Jason's case, he said it made him feel like time had slowed down. Like a real-life version of the Dead Eye mode in Red Dead Redemption 2. Cool.

Navee E-Wagon 4X

Who doesn't need a rideable, electric-powered cart in their life? The Navee E-Wagon 4X is designed to haul everything from camping gear to camera and video equipment, while you sit up front and steer.

It's available today and priced at $2,099, so although it's not cheap, it'll come in clutch for anyone who needs to regularly lug lots of gear. Power comes from a 3000W motor and a detachable 36V rechargeable battery, which charges up in four hours. You'll reach a top speed of 10mph and the max carrying capacity is 1,300 pounds, while the total storage volume is 183 liters.

Here's what our writer Dan thought of the Navee when he took it for a spin.

Withings BodyScan 2

The original Body Scan from Withings is our top pick when it comes to the best smart scales, so getting hands on with the follow-up has been a CES highlight. It's very simple to use and took just 90 seconds to give my colleague Dan Bracaglia a full health breakdown. The scale measures 60 biomarkers, that get combined into categories like heart age, vascular age, muscle-to-fat balance, visceral fat score and more.

Moreover, this is the first smart scale to include notifications if signs of potential hypertension are detected in a user. This feature is by no means a diagnostic tool, but it could prove to be a lifesaver nonetheless. This new flagship smart scale is estimated to ship in the summer of 2026 for $599.

Segway Myon e-bike

Segway is better known for scooters than bikes, but the Segway Myon is the company's latest attempt at a city-based e-bike for commuters. Starting price is $1,999, and you get a 500W rear hub motor and a range of up to 80 miles on a single charge.

Rideability seems on point and my colleague Mike Prospero got to test it out on Segway's track. There's an electronic shifter on the right handlebar above a small rocker switch that lets you adjust the level of pedal assistance. Below that is a thumb lever for the Myon's throttle.

Similar to the company's electric scooters, the Myon comes with Apple FindMy, as well as remote locking, and GPS and a Lost Mode (where you can remotely track the bike) if you sign up for a subscription.

Razer Project AVA

Razer has turned our heads with a few new innovations at CES this year but this one may just take the cake. The Project AVA AI desk companion is designed to live alongside you and while Razer's CES demo used xAI’s Grok engine, it's platform agnostic, so you could use ChatGPT or Claude if you preferred.

It’s brought to life as an animated 5.5-inch 3D hologram, and Razer says it uses human-like vision and audio sensing for full contextual awareness. My colleague Tony Polanco's demo featured a spunky girl named Kira, but other companions will also be available.

Although Razer is predominantly known for gaming, and Tony's demo included asking it for the right loadout for an FPS session, you can just as easily use it for everyday purposes like organizing your schedule. Neither a release date (beyond “calendar year 2026”) or a price has been revealed yet. But you can read Tony's thoughts on Project AVA here.

Asus Zenbook A16

We've had a glut of laptops to drool over at CES 2026, but the team in Las Vegas was particularly interested in the Asus Zenbook A16 because it's the first laptop to arrive sporting the all-powerful Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme chip.

The Asus Zenbook A16 impressed my computing colleague Darragh Murphy with its slick design and incredible build. Being 0.54 inches thin and weighing an ultra-lightweight 2.65 pounds, not only is that one of the thinnest 16-inch laptops around, but it's even lighter than many 13-inch laptops. Oh, and there's a 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED display with an impressive 120Hz refresh rate.

Our best laptops list is set to receive some major updates this year.

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After months of anticipation, I finally got my hands on the first laptop equipped with a Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme CPU. That's Qualcomm's most powerful chip to date, and Asus has delivered such a slim, lightweight notebook to handle its performance.

Over at CES 2026, I got the chance to check out the all-new Asus Zenbook A16 — a 16-inch laptop featuring a dazzling OLED display and weighing as little as 2.65 pounds. To put that into perspective, you'll find the smaller MacBook Air M4 weighs 2.7 pounds. But it isn't just design where this Zenbook shines.

Sporting the all-powerful Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme, the Zenbook A16 is already primed to topple many of the best laptops we tested in 2025, both in performance and power efficiency. It takes what we enjoyed on last year's Asus Zenbook A14 with Snapdragon X power, from its gorgeous OLED display and insane battery life, but gives it an edge with Qualcomm's latest flagship processor.

During my brief time with the Asus Zenbook A16, I could already tell that this could be a laptop to beat in 2026. How so? Well, the benchmarks I've seen don't lie.

Asus Zenbook A16: Specs

Thinner, lighter, faster

The Asus Zenbook A16 is quite the stunner, with a full ceraluminum design that give its that premium appeal that works in an office, coffee shop — wherever you place it. But what truly impressed me was picking up.

Being 0.54 inches thin and weighing an ultra-lightweight 2.65 pounds, not only is that one of the thinnest 16-inch laptops around, but it's even lighter than 13-inch laptops. I mean, take that, 16-inch MacBook Pro (coming in at 0.6 inches and 4.7 pounds).

It's not like Asus sacrificed other premium features for this design, either. You're still getting a 16-inch 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED display with an impressive 120Hz refresh rate and crazy fast 0.2ms response time. That's a display even gaming laptops would be jealous of, and technically, this isn't one!

But the real kicker here is that Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme CPU with 18 cores and 80 TOPS for AI power. While I couldn't benchmark the laptop, I have previously benchmarked the chip, and it already beats the likes of the MacBook Pro M5, and even the M4 Pro, when it comes to multi-core performance.

That's one powerful processor, and having that in a laptop that's thinner and lighter? It's a very welcome combination. Plus, the X2 Elite Extreme has gaming chops, which will put that OLED display to good use.

Another perk from the chip is the Zenbook A16's battery life, which is claimed to be up to a whopping 21 hours. That isn't just speculation, as we've already seen the Zenbook A14 with a Snapdragon processor reach over 18 hours. It's already looking to be one of the best laptops for battery life.

Being a 16-inch laptop, it would have been nice to see the Zenbook A16 fully utilize its space by having a keyboard with a number pad, but at the same time, it makes the machine look and feel more compact.

Throw in its 48GB of DDR5X memory, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, and this laptop ticks all the right boxes for power users on the move.

Outlook

Of course, once we get the Asus Zenbook A16 in our testing labs, we'll find out if it reaches the high bar it's setting on paper. But even from my hands-on time with the laptop, it's already one to keep an eye out for once it arrives later in 2026.

It already has to contend with the new Dell XPS 14, and its price will show just how premium this laptop will be. But in any case, I'm looking forward to seeing how far Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme pushes next-gen performance.

With mighty Intel Core Ultra Series 3 CPUs also heading to laptops this year, it's clear we're set to see a leap in mobile computing in 2026 — and we're very much here for it.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best of CES 2026 Awards: The top 25 new gadgets
• Dell XPS is back! I went hands-on with the new XPS 14 — and it's the best kind of apology
• I just saw Alienware's new ultra-slim gaming laptop at CES 2026 — and it's nearly as thin as a MacBook Air

Gaming has been a massive talking point at CES 2026, and Asus is one of the laptop giants at the forefront of it all. Not just because it's revealed it's bonkers dual-screen Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo or gamer-ready ROG Xreal R1 AR glasses, but also due to it's selection of devices boasting the latest CPUs.

In case you missed it, Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors have finally been announced, with the Core Ultra X9 and X7 chips in laptops offering incredible gaming performance. As in, playing Battlefield 6 at over 140 FPS with onboard multi-frame generation on Asus' new redesigned Zenbook Duo. That's without a discrete GPU, but Intel isn't the only company giving it's CPUs a significant upgrade to its graphics.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme will give laptops the ability to play the latest PC games closer to 100 FPS, while the AMD Strix Halo in the newly announced Asus TUF Gaming A14 and ProArt PX13 offering near-RTX 4070 levels of gaming performance. It's clear integrated graphics is becoming key in 2026, and Asus is incorporating all these chips in its latest lineup of devices.

The question is, will integrated graphics takeover gaming laptops? I decided to ask Sascha Krohn, Asus' Director of Technical Marketing, and even he says, "being able to play Cyberpunk on integrated graphics and it actually looks like Cyberpunk and not Lego Cyberpunk, is really impressive."

But it goes deeper than that, and I even got Asus' take on the RAM crisis and whether we'll see an Asus ROG VR headset after all (since Meta essentially canceled the once-confirmed headset).

Integrated graphics on laptops the future of PC gaming?

"I would say we're definitely getting into the territory where that becomes a possibility. I think that's something that, in the past, you couldn't really do, but I think now we're getting to the point where, and just the fact that you're asking the question — you're not the only one — it shows that if you follow this trend, it is probably going to happen. And it's just a matter of time.

"Are we there right now? I'm not sure if we're already there right now. It's going to be very interesting in the end how the market reacts, like how end users react to this.

"We have a lot of laptops that don't have a dedicated GPU that are not gaming laptops, but people are playing games on them. We don't have any specific data like survey data on how much time do people spend playing games on those devices, but I would guess that people spend more and more time playing games on devices that aren't actually specific gaming devices. Especially with integrated GPUs improving gen-on-gen for the last couple of years.

"We have 120Hz OLED displays on consumer laptops now, which are amazing for playing games. And so if you're looking at casual games, I think that's something that's very feasible today already.

"The latest integrated graphics here are really impressive. I mean, being able to play Cyberpunk 2077 on integrated graphics and it actually looks like Cyberpunk and not Lego Cyberpunk is really impressive. And I think that's definitely making some people consider, 'hey, is that actually not good enough to to play?'

"And I think it really depends on who you ask, right? I think there's a lot of people who will say yes, this is good enough for me, this is totally fine. I don't need more. But calling that a dedicated gaming device is a whole other story, right?

"I think the expectations, once you call it gaming laptop, are probably higher. Gaming laptops are not going to go away anytime soon, even in the long term. And dedicated GPUs are going to still be around for many years. How many people are going to go for dedicated GPUs and how many people are going to go for integrated GPUs, that's something that everybody has a different take on.

"It also depends how you define it, right? Like AMD Strix Halo is really impressive, but at the same time, it feels a little weird calling it an integrated GPU because, um, it isn't... How do you define integrated GPU?

"Historically it was it's built into the die itself. Now if you have a separate die on the same package and you basically just take a discrete GPU and just put it on the same package as the CPU, does that count as integrated GPU? But I think ultimately yes, there's going to be chiplet designs where you have the CPU and the GPU on the same package, and I think that's that's the trend, that's the direction."

Do you think Asus will struggle with the ongoing RAM crisis?

"That is a very big concern I think for everyone in the industry. And especially for our customers as well. Everything that worries our customers obviously worries us as well.

"Luckily enough, even though there's a big trend from the silicon vendors to use LPDDR memory because of the power savings and the increased battery life, so there's a big push there to use on-board memory, we do have still a lot of devices where we have SO-DIMM slots where you can upgrade the memory.

"So our Vivobook series, for example, and our gaming series, the ones that are not focusing on super slim and light, they do still have SO-DIMM slots so you can still upgrade the memory. I think that's something that, in this economy, is going to be very interesting for a lot of people. There's going to be a bigger focus on that, being able to upgrade the memory so you can buy it with maybe 8GB single channel only, and you just upgrade to a second 8GB, have 16GB dual channel, or you replace it.

"And depending on what the memory situation is going to be in the future, you can then adjust based on that. So I think that kind of flexibility is going to be more interesting in 2026. People will focus more on having memory slots; that's going to be a more important spec when they buy a new laptop than it was in 2025, I think.

"I think something that a lot of people aren't aware of — like end users and I think also media — is the amount of time it takes, if the day price changes drastically, for that shockwave to travel through the supply chain until it actually affects the price of devices that you see in Best Buy or Walmart or somewhere else.

"So it takes a couple of months. I think a lot of people are going to be surprised when they see that, "Oh memory prices went up, but oh, laptop prices and phone prices and and also gaming console prices didn't really go up yet." But I think that is still going to happen. It just takes more time until that travels down the supply chain until it reaches the retail stores and e-tail stores.

"So, yeah, just a heads up for everybody who's reading this, that is something that is still going to happen. But on the plus side, the way that we allocate memory and plan for memory, it helps to even it out a little bit. So it's not like going to be a sudden shock, but it's going to be a bit more steady. I do expect memory prices to go up and that is definitely something that nobody's really looking forward to."

Is Asus still looking into VR headsets after Meta apparently canceled Asus' third-party headset?

"I think that was made by our phone division, so I'm not too familiar with that to be honest. I did have it on my radar, I did know about it.

"Yeah, I'm disappointed as well. I'm a big AR/VR enthusiast, so yeah, sad to hear. I hope that it's something that we're still going to pursue, even if that's not going to happen in how it was originally meant to happen apparently.

"We are definitely still pursuing AR and VR in the sense that we have new AR glasses that we're launching here in a partnership with Xreal.

"What I like what Valve have said is that they made [the Steam Frame] a very modular design and they want to create this kind of like infrastructure around it. So third-party enablement is something that Valve has been really good at in the past. And that's something that I'm really excited about.

"And I hope that's something that we can also work together with Valve on. But I haven't heard anything about when it comes to us doing a VR headset, like coming to market in 2026. We're not showing anything or announcing anything here at CES. I do hope that we are going to do a VR device as well, absolutely."

More from Tom's Guide

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• I tried gaming on an Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chip — and it kicks off a new era of PC gaming
• Qualcomm announces Snapdragon X2 Plus CPUs at CES 2026 — and it promises an ‘epic’ upgrade

I wanted to love the 2025 Asus TUF Gaming A14, but it’s complicated. For the small uplift in performance courtesy of that RTX 5060, there was a significant price hike and power efficiency took a hit because of it. What was my personal favorite gaming laptop had become a let down, and I moved onto the Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 10.

But at CES 2026, Asus pulled out a boombox outside my window and serenaded me with a new generation Tuf A14 that ditches the Nvidia altogether and gives me AMD Strix Halo. You know the one — that chip that blew my mind in the Asus ROG Flow Z13.

Can it win back my heart? I can’t say for sure until we’ve got it in the lab, but I’m ready to open my bedroom window and listen to what this system has to say… OK this “Say Anything” metaphor has gone on for too long! Let’s just get into it.

Asus TUF Gaming A14 (2026) specs

When the going gets TUF, the TUF goes integrated

At first glance, you’re getting the same great-looking system — with the same sleek lightweight chassis that feels durable and premium to the touch, the same 14-inch 2.5K IPS panel with 165Hz refresh rate, and the same great keyboard and glass trackpad. All-in-all, the same notebook that captured my heart back in 2024.

But the real glow-up is happening on the inside, courtesy of new AMD Ryzen AI Max+ chips. With these, Team Red wanted to bring that same beefy 40-core GPU you find in the AI Max+ 395 to mid-range laptops like this. That means one of two chips available to you:

• AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392: 12 cores/24 threads on the CPU
• AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388: 8 cores/16 threads on the CPU

Both are still capable of that 60 Teraflops of RDNA 3.5 GPU performance, which as I’ve seen in testing the 395 is near-RTX 4070 levels of gaming performance (1.6x faster gaming performance than M5 MacBook Pro in Cyberpunk 2077) — all on integrated graphics consuming a lot less power than a dedicated Nvidia card.

That is an insane premise for a system that is (hopefully) kept at the mid-range prices Asus has in mind for the machine.

Outlook

Integrated graphics are key to 2026 being the year of the laptop. Here I was thinking I’d moved on — the TUF Gaming A14 had its time in the sun as my significant other, but I was doing better with the Legion.

But Asus is back with flowers, saying “I’ve changed,” and I’m so stoked to give the new A14 a proper test when it launches soon.

More from Tom's Guide

• I’m calling it now: Asus’ new Zephyrus G14 shows where gaming laptops are headed
• I went hands-on with the redesigned MSI Stealth 16 AI+ — it’s actually stealthy now, and gunning for the MacBook Pro
• Intel Panther Lake vs Snapdragon X2 Elite vs AMD Gorgon Point — one chip is already pulling ahead in 2026's CPU war

Update: See our top 9 gadgets of CES 2026 from day 3!

We've wrapped day two at the Consumer Electronics Show 2026. And, after day one dazzled us with some truly spectacular new TVs, it's now all about the laptops. We saw new machines from MSI and Acer alongside the very nice-looking XPS 14 from Dell.

But it wasn't just laptops stealing our attention in Las Vegas. For the first time ever, Lego held a CES keynote. The reason? The iconic toy brand wanted to show off its first "smart brick" — a standard Lego brick with a tiny computer packed inside that can work with NFC-enabled smart tags. Cool!

Of course, it wouldn't be CES without some head-turning weird tech that may — or may not — actually make it on sale in 2026. Like the Ascentiz H1 Pro exoskeleton that our senior fitness writer Dan used to assist him in walking around the vast exhibition halls.

Make sure you check out our ongoing CES 2026 live blog for the very latest from the show, and here's our day 1 round-up of the 10 best new gadgets we saw.

Dell XPS 14

After abandoning the XPS line, Dell has admitted its mistake and brought these premium laptops back in a big way. The XPS 14 and 16 were both on show in Las Vegas and our Global Editor in Chief Mark Spoonauer spent some quality time with the CNC-machined aluminum XPS 14 that's just 14.6mm thin — in between the MacBook Air M4 (11.3mm) and MacBook Pro M5 (15.5mm).

There's a mesmerizing 2.8K OLED display with a variable refresh rate going all the way down to 1Hz to conserve battery life. The XPS 14 is powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors and built-in Arc graphics, so you should expect smooth performance. There's a range of CPU options, including a Core Ultra 5, Core Ultra 7, X7 and X9. And the RAM options go from 16GB to 32GB and a max of 64GB.

The only catch is that, with the price of RAM skyrocketing due to AI-driven demand, the price is going to be tough to hear. According to Dell, prices start at $2,049.

Intel Panther Lake

Intel's keynote took place during our second day of CES and the brand stepped up to show off its new Intel Core Ultra Series 3 laptop chips. Codenamed Panther Lake, they were first revealed back in October, but CES has given us our first look at them in action.

The big change is that Panther Lake is built on the new Intel 18A node and employs a "System of Chips" design featuring up to 16 cores and fabricated out of smaller "tiles," which can be moved and swapped to fine-tune performance and efficiency.

In addition, the GPU built into these new Core Ultra 3 chips introduces a new, more efficient Xᵉ3 graphics architecture and scales up to 12 Xᵉ cores and 12 Ray Tracing Units, delivering better performance and featuring an increased 16 MB L2 Cache in the high-end configuration.

There's also better multi-thread performance and a number of other tricks that my colleague Alex Wawro has detailed right here.

Strutt ev1 personal mobility vehicle

Let's get fun for a second. My colleague Mike Prospero took this "personal mobility vehicle" for a spin around the show floor and called it a cross between Professor X's wheelchair and a Tesla. I'll share the bad news up front: You can pre-order it for $5,299, but its regular price will run you $7,499. Ouch.

But here's what you get for your money, the Strutt's four motors power it at speeds of up to 7 mph (11.3 km/h), and it can carry a maximum payload of 350 lbs (160 kg). It'll glide up hills as steep as 13-degrees, and ride over curbs up to 2 inches in height. Finally, the 18.5Ah/592Wh removable battery is good for about 20 miles of range.

The cherry on top is that it's voice-controlled with built-in navigation. So you can sit there and just tell it where you want to go. If you want to know more, read Mike's hands-on with the Strutt ev1 here.

Hisense UR8 RGB Mini-LED TV

Day one of CES 2026 was dominated by LG and Samsung's new TV smarts but Hisense has also arrived at the party. This Chinese brand has constantly impressed us with its value for money and this year we got a good look at how it's embracing Mini-LED technology.

Hisense has upgraded its RGB Mini-LED architecture to include a fourth primary color. The addition of cyan — or sky blue, as Hisense calls it — is said to improve the color fidelity, and there are several models to choose from this year.

The Hisense UR9 and the Hisense UR8 are the brand’s first attempt to scale the tech down to smaller screen sizes. It was previously limited to a 116-inch display in the Hisense 116UX but these new sets will be available in sizes ranging from 55 to 100 inches.

Lego Smart Brick

This was a bit of a left-field reveal at CES, but we are totally here for it. The European toy brand Lego revealed its first-ever "smart brick" at a dedicated keynote that included a demo of how it'll work.

The company has fitted a tiny computer into a standard 2x4 Lego brick that's capable of detecting NFC-enabled tags inside new Lego tiles and minifigures. When the block detects one of these (or another smart brick) it will react dynamically.

Lego says it will make sets come to life with features like sound effects, lighting or movement.

Ascentiz H1 Pro exoskeleton

Exoskeletons aren't as strange a sight these days as you might expect. We saw one at last year's CES and they're back again for 2026. This year, senior fitness writer Dan Bracaglia strapped on the Ascentiz H1 Pro and called it the most comfortable exoskeleton he's tested.

Like other exoskeletons, the Ascentiz relies on AI to analyze a user’s stride, ensuring natural movement assistance. While Dan says it wasn't as powerful as exoskeletons from Hypershell and Arc'teryx, the range of movement was more comfortable.

Weighing just 4.4 pounds (sans battery), the H1 Pro is surprisingly unburdensome to wear. It also folds down into a neat little package that can easily be stored in a gym bag. So whether you're hiking around a massive trade show or want some help at the squat rack, this looks like a winner.

Ascentiz has a few different models in development, and you can find more information over at its fully-backed active Kickstarter campaign.

MSI Pro Max QD-OLED monitor

MSI always shows up in full force at CES with new laptops, graphics cards and gaming PCs, but this year, my colleague Anthony Spadafora said he was interested in the company's new Pro Max 271UPXW12G monitor.

This all-white QD-OLED display isn’t just another gaming or business monitor. Instead, it’s designed to work perfectly with your Mac; it features M-Color Mode for seamless color synchronization and even allows you to adjust brightness and volume directly from your MacBook shortcut keys.

So, if you're looking for an alternative to the $1,599 Apple Studio Display, this could well be it. Especially as Anthony thinks this could arrive with a sub $1,000 price point. You can read all his thoughts on it right here.

Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo

Asus has stepped up to CES 2026 with the world’s first dual-screen 16-inch gaming laptop. It's an OLED waterfall that seems like overkill in all the right ways.

Computing Editor Jason England took a look at the two 16-inch 3K OLED displays and proclaimed them: "drop-dead gorgeous, running at a buttery smooth 120Hz and sporting HDR support."

Both displays are attached onto a hinge that can bend back a full 320-degrees too and since this is a Zephyrus machine, the specs list is crazy good. There's an Intel Core Ultra Series 3 CPU, up to RTX 5090 laptop GPU, 64GB LPDDR5X RAM and a 2TB SSD — pumping 135W through that GPU. You also get plenty of I/O including Thunderbolt 4, and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity to boot.

You can check out more of Jason's thoughts on this beast of a laptop right here.

Alienware 16 Area-51 (2026)

I told you that day two of CES was going to be all about the laptops. My colleague Tony Polanco is a life-long gamer, so it's only right that he got to check out the new machines from Dell's gaming sub-brand, Alienware.

Later this year, we can expect an Alienware ultra-slim gaming laptop, coming in at just 0.66 inches (17mm) thin, which is cool. But Tony got to grips with the sturdy Alienware 16 Area-51 on the show floor.

It continues everything about last year's laptop that made it a favorite and levels up in one crucial area: the display. There's now a 240Hz OLED panel with lower latency as well as improved cooling. Tony thinks it has a good chance of being one of the best gaming laptops you can buy this year.

Unfortunately, we don’t yet have a concrete release date, but expect it sometime in the first quarter of this year. Alienware says it will share pricing closer to launch.

Nvidia's AI car tech

Nvidia is one of the biggest names in tech at the moment and the company hosted its own keynote at CES on day two. Unfortunately, we didn't get any new GeForce RTX graphics cards as the company was instead focusing on AI and robotics.

Aside from CEO Jensen Huang messing about with some Star Wars droids on stage, the most interesting development was the announcement of Nvidia Alpamay. This is a new open-source AI model for self-driving cars. Instead of being trained on data and driving reactively, this model is able to use reasoning at lightning-quick times to be proactive.

Nvidia showed it in action with a driving demo across San Francisco and it could just be the future of self-driving cars. Huang confirmed the model will be included with the 2025 Mercedes Benz CLA — already rated the world's safest car by the automotive bodies.

This new self-driving motor vehicle is heading to manufacturing and launching in the U.S. in Q1! Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.

 Eli Health Hormometer

Alongside laptops and AI, wellness tech is a big draw at CES and this at-home hormone test shows why. For just $8, you'll be able to test your cortisol levels and, from February, your testosterone and progesterone levels too. Before we go any further, it doesn't replace your doctor but it should give you some extra insight into things like your sleep and energy levels.

Once you've installed the Eli Health app on your phone, you take the saliva collection cartridge out of the sealed package and put it in your mouth for 60 seconds.

From there, you pull on a tab so that the results can start “developing,” similar to a Covid test. You’ll need to wait 20 minutes for this part but once it's done you use the app and your phone’s camera to snap a photo of the saliva stick, at which point the AI will analyze your results and give you a cortisol score.

The tests are $8 a piece, but you can get 8 tests for $99 or a 3-month supply for $225. Find out what my colleague Mark Spoonauer thought when he tried it for himself on the show floor.

Segway Navimow (2026)

It might be the middle of winter right now, but in just a few short months you're going to be looking for ways to keep your lawn looking fresh. And Segway has turned up to CES 2026 with the answer. The company revealed eight new robot lawn mowers covering five different series in the Navimow lineup.

These range in price from $999 to $2,999 for models suitable for home use. The most notable is the Navimow H2 Series, which has an impressive obstacle avoidance system that can detect objects as small as 1 centimeter.

There's also the Navimow i2 AWD series that uses a three-wheel drive system to climb up steeper slopes, along with the Navimo i215 LiDAR that generates detailed maps with its next-generation solid-state LiDAR. If you need to know more, we've got a full breakdown of the new robot mowers and their specs right here.

More from Tom's Guide

• Dell XPS is back! I went hands-on with the new XPS 14 — and it's the best kind of apology
• I saw Samsung’s 2026 flagship OLED and Micro RGB TVs side by side — here's the one I like more
• Nvidia G-Sync Pulsar is fueling the next generation of gaming monitors with a breakthrough 1,000Hz+ of perceived motion clarity — here’s how it works

Xreal’s been busy at CES this year, with the Xreal 1S glasses becoming the new best AR glasses for most folks — paired with the Neo Hub to become the best way to play Nintendo Switch 2.

But the company didn’t stop there, as I was blindsided by a collab between Xreal and Asus on the new ROG Xreal R1 AR Glasses.

Not only are they easily the best AR specs for gaming with a 240Hz refresh rate and the same 57-degree field of view (and optics) as the Xreal One Pro, but they also fix three key gripes I’ve had with AR glasses for years.

Steer into the design

There’s a lot of Wayfarer-inspired designs out there that all look a little larger than life to be really subtle.

Asus ROG design has leaned into this and given the R1s a unique aesthetic that looks fresh out of "The Matrix." They're gonna be divisive, but honestly I kind of dig it.

Plus, they’re nice and lightweight on the face, don’t drag the tops of your ears down, and the prisms are placed well for a full view of that 177-inch display without awkwardly moving them around for the right angle.

Built for gaming

Next is that generational leap in optics. On the face of it, they're very similar to the One Pros with a 57-degree field of view, but that’s where the similarities stop. First, there’s that 240Hz refresh rate, which means you could make the most out of those monstrous gaming laptops!

To go even further, Asus is building a dock that can convert HDMI and DisplayPort signals to the USB-C needed for the ROG glasses. Perfect for those who play across console and PC and need to switch between them.

And third, HDR is here. Ever had those moments where you download a HDR show and your laptop will say the content is “not supported” by your screen? Well that’s a thing of the past.

Super thoughtful too

In terms of working as good AR glasses, you’ve got the electrochromic lenses that do a great job at blocking out the peripherals of your surroundings. But on top of that, Asus and Xreal are making the most of that 3DoF tracking by dynamically reducing the electrochromic dimming if you look away.

That means if someone gets your attention, you can look away and see them much more clearly. It’s the smallest thing, but such a thoughtful addition.

Outlook

Let’s be honest, AR glasses can be used for many things. But the main reason you buy a pair is to play games.

The Asus ROG Xreal R1 are undoubtedly the best specs for this purpose — the screen quality is super impressive, the 240Hz refresh rate is oh-so buttery smooth, and the comfortable wearability plus useful features like dynamic electrochromic lenses make them a tasty proposition for the enthusiasts.

Of course, there’s the question of price, which I couldn’t get confirmed. Expect them to be pricey, but if you’re one for hunting down the best picture quality on-the-go, it’s money well-spent.

More from Tom's Guide

• Intel Panther Lake could power the future of handheld gaming — here's why AMD should be nervous
• Intel Panther Lake vs Snapdragon X2 Elite vs AMD Gorgon Point — one chip is already pulling ahead in 2026's CPU war
• I think 2026 will be a breakout year for laptops and a brutal one for buyers

Asus has come into CES 2026 swinging with the (frankly) bonkers ROG Zephyrus Duo — the world’s first dual-screen 16-inch gaming laptop that gives you a wall of OLED for all your gaming.

The Duos of old focused on offering a letterbox display on the keyboard deck that could be used as a secondary panel for Spotify playlists and a web browser showing a gameplay tutorial. But clearly copying the Zenbook Duo’s homework, Asus has taken the concept and turned it up to 11. Let’s look closer.

A premium build

Yes, that headline is a little provocative, but…I mean just look at it. Those two 16-inch 3K OLED displays are drop-dead gorgeous, running at a buttery smooth 120Hz and sporting HDR support.

Both displays are attached onto a hinge that can bend back a full 320-degrees too, and are protected by that CNC-milled aluminum chassis with a strong, wide kickstand to keep it all stable. The keyboard and touchpad feels good (no more squished touchpad because of the second panel), and it feels premium and powerful to the touch.

And yes, I checked: that super versatile hinge does unlock several gameplay modes, including (most importantly) tent mode. While that does make the idea of local multiplayer on a laptop an interesting possibility (especially if playing sports titles like EA Sports FC), split-screen games cannot be split across panels. It’s a small frustration that Asus will have to sort out with developers.

A monstrous spec list

For this to be a Zephyrus laptop, this machine needs the crazy good spec list. It should come as absolutely no surprise that Asus delivers on that front, with an Intel Core Ultra Series 3 CPU, up to RTX 5090 laptop GPU, 64GB LPDDR5X RAM and a 2TB SSD — pumping 135W through that GPU. You also get plenty of I/O including Thunderbolt 4, and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity to boot.

Cooling is maintained with a vapor chamber, graphite sheet and Liquid Metal to maintain optimal temperatures for sustained performance and reduced fan noise. And those ROG Nebula HDR OLED displays? They’re Pantone-verified and come packed with Nvidia G-Sync.

Everything has been considered here. Asus has taken the dual-screen laptop concept and thrown the kitchen sink at it to make the next-gen ROG Zephyrus Duo. And while I’m sure the price will be truly ludicrous, I can’t help but hold a soft spot for this as one of the coolest laptops I’ve seen so far this decade.

More from Tom's Guide

• Intel Panther Lake could power the future of handheld gaming — here's why AMD should be nervous
• Intel Panther Lake vs Snapdragon X2 Elite vs AMD Gorgon Point — one chip is already pulling ahead in 2026's CPU war
• I think 2026 will be a breakout year for laptops and a brutal one for buyers

The Asus ROG Flow Z13 didn’t need a glow up. It is already a Tom’s Guide Award winner for its sleek design and mighty gaming performance. But Kojima Productions gave it one anyway, and it’s one of the most striking 2-in-1s I’ve ever seen.

Every angle tells a new story, while giving away clues to that awesome performance inside, courtesy of that AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 chipset. Not only that, but the collab extends to a whole suite of peripherals and accessories, too, giving your desk a real “Death Stranding” makeover.

Nothing quite like it visually

Combining the Ludens of Kojima with the gaming motif of Asus ROG, this is a bold, challenging design that comes along once in a while in a sea of aluminum shells. The dynamic edges paired with the bold colors and use of angularity across this CNC-milled chassis paired with carbon fiber gives it a unique aesthetic on any desk.

“I wanted to create a gadget that belongs to Ludens, and I integrated that into this PC design,” artist Yoji Shinkawa commented. “Parts and designs are inspired by Ludens and has its essence.”

This leads to cheeky nods to Kojima Productions and “Death Stranding” over the ROG Flow Z13 — making it look like something you’d see Sam Porter-Bridges deliver across many hundreds of miles.

A bold digitized typeface identifying several key elements across the system like the battery and heat vent, and the keyboard keys reading both English and Japanese letters with WASD keys that are designed to stand out.

There’s nothing quite like this, not just because of those monstrous integrated graphics of AMD’s Strix Halo chip that could hang with the likes of the RTX 4070 dedicated GPU, but also the looks that are sure to catch your gaze.

Not just a new laptop

But this extends into a headset, gaming pad and mouse, too — all of which pack these same concept art sketches from Shinkawa and bring together the worlds of ROG and Kojima nicely.

There may be some times when you look at a Kojima game and think “wait…what’s going on?” but the beautiful artistry really makes sense on physical devices like these. Now if we could get something similar on the ROG Zephyrus G14…please!

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2026 may have seen its first big smartphone casualty as Asus has announced it will not be launching any new phones in 2026, although it promises this is not the end for phones like the Zenfone 12 Ultra and ROG Phone 9 Pro.

A report by Digitimes originally stated that Asus' Taiwanese distributors had claimed that they could no longer buy Asus phones, with their industry partners saying Asus had wound up its smartphone division as of the end of 2025.

Following the original news, Asus responded to clarify that while it won't be launching any phones this year, warranties, repairs and software support for existing models will continue as promised.

Asus' current phone line-up

Asus' most recent phone was the Thailand-only ROG Phone 9 FE in February 2025, but that was the same month that we saw the globally-launched Zenfone 12 Ultra. A month prior, the ROG Phone 9 series launched, using many similar components but with the gaming focus that you'd expect from a Republic of Gamers-branded device.

While now a year-and-a-half old, and no longer available directly from Asus, the Zenfone 10 remains one of the only truly compact Android phones in recent memory. We had hoped Asus would launch a direct follow-up to this phone, but its focus on the Ultra Zenfone models apparently meant no sequel. And now, the announcement of no 2026 updates makes the chance of a new mini Zenfone look even more remote.

A difficult climate

Asus as a whole is doing well enough, thanks to continued demand for its other products like its PC and laptop parts, or its excellent ROG Ally gaming handheld (even if it's raising its prices for the new year). But the Android phone market, while full of competitors, is dominated by a handful of brands. And despite the quality of its products, Asus ain't one of 'em.

It's possible that Asus only wants to take a breather from launching phones for a year, deciding that it wants to escape the annual refresh cycle to instead focus on more substantial but less frequent upgrades. But it's hard to deny that this could easily be the start of Asus exiting the smartphone business after just over a decade of operation.

You won't find any of Asus' phones on our best Android phones guide, but don't let that fool you into thinking that its phones are bad. The smartphone world will be poorer without Asus and its phones, and I can only hope this year without new phones is a temporary state of affairs for Asus, rather than a quiet exit.

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• iPhone 18 Pro Max rumors and leaks: Everything we know so far
• The coolest gadget of 2025 doesn’t just give me night vision, it makes me feel like I’m looking through a telescope

Asus has confirmed that price hikes on "select product portfolios" will come into effect on January 5, the day before CES 2026 gets underway in Las Vegas.

In a letter to partners published by TrendForce earlier this week, Asus acknowledged higher costs and supply volatility tied to AI-driven demand for RAM as the cause of the increased pricing.

As my colleague Jason England foresaw in November, the skyrocketing cost of RAM will significantly impact what we pay for tech in 2026. Asus didn't specify which products will receive the price hikes, revealing only that some "product combinations" and "configurations" will be affected.

"After carefully reviewing market conditions, supply stability, and our commitments to product quality, and while continuing to invest in technical R and D, Asus plans to implement strategic price adjustments for certain product combinations starting January 5, 2026," wrote Liao Yi-Xiang, General Manager, Systems Business Group at Asus in the letter.

"This adjustment is a necessary decision after absorbing and responding to cost pressure over an extended period."

Asus isn't the only computing behemoth raising prices right now. Dell and Framework are both raising prices, and many expect Lenovo and Acer to do the same. CES 2026, where Asus is expected to reveal several new products, kicks off next Tuesday (January 6) and the higher prices are almost certain to be a dominant talking point at the event.

TrendForce is predicting laptop shipments could fall by as much as 10.1% in 2026 due to the knock-on effect of these surging memory prices.

What should I do if I plan to buy a laptop this year?

Despite the bleak outlook for computing hardware prices at the start of 2026, there are some things that you can do to make the buying process easier. For starters, you can look at refurbished or second-hand laptops from the last couple of years. Many could be perfectly serviceable for your needs and save you some cash in the short term.

Secondly, prepare to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in to the deals events as and when they come around. Now is an excellent time to shop as the retailers will be looking to clear their shelves of stock left over from Black Friday and Christmas.

The best way to do that is, of course, to keep checking Tom's Guide as we will frequently call out the best deals we see on laptops, desktops and GPUs. Here are three that are worth considering:

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• Framework slams Dell: Won't 'gouge customers' amid RAM crisis while explaining its own 50% price hikes
• Apple Vision Pro production reportedly cut due to underwhelming sales — here's what we know

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I penned my first article for Tom’s Guide entitled ‘I’ve been building PCs for 20 years — now I’d just buy a gaming laptop instead’. Though it may not have quite set the interwebs fully on fire, it certainly got certain folks hot enough to burn their eyebrows off.

That was two-and-a-half years ago. A lifetime, I know. My current opinion on the ‘desktop vs laptop’ debate? They both massively have their merits depending on your budget/gaming habits/how much space you have in your home to commit to your hobby.

In terms of my favorite PC product/device/piece of tech in 2025 for the purposes of this article, I find myself very much in one camp. And it’s not one fans of the best gaming PCs will be overly smitten with. Enter the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025). What. A. Laptop. Actually, screw that. What. A. Piece of Technology. Full stop.

I paid an eye-watering sum for what we currently consider to be the best gaming laptop money can buy right now. Well, I say ‘paid’. What I actually mean is ‘bought on interest-free finance'… providing you pay said wallet-obliterating amount off within 12 months. Pray for my battered bank balance come May 2026.

Forget my perilous financial situation in spring of next year, though. All I know is that Current Me has derived more joy out of the latest Zephyrus G14 than pretty much any gaming device of the past five years.

Don’t get me wrong: I absolutely adore the fact I built the coolest gaming PC ever. Still, there’s no getting around the fact my RTX 5090-powered rig weighs roughly that of a svelte sumo wrestler. If I want to lug this mid-tower monster into my living room to enjoy playing my favorite Steam titles on one of the best TVs for gaming, I risk shattering my 40-year-old knees.

Pretty and performant

By contrast, the latest Zephyrus G14 is the perfect companion to my inner couch potato gamer. Weighing in at just 3.5 pounds, this gorgeous gaming laptop is perfect for… well, plunking directly on your lap for hours at a time.

The amount of great gaming memories I’ve amassed thanks to the G14 this year are borderline head-spinning. A spectacular third playthrough of Cyberpunk 2077 at the Zephyrus’ native 2.8K pixel count (2880 x 1800) with full path-tracing at frame rates that usually dovetail around 90 FPS. Hot. Damn. Thank you very much, Nvidia DLSS.

Team Green’s DLSS frame-gen tech has proven to be — and apologies for the cliché — an actual game-changer. Though my G14 sports a mighty respectable mobile RTX 5080, if it wasn’t for Nvidia's latest form of AI-bolstered super sampling, there’s no way I could play Doom: The Dark Ages or Indiana Jones and the Great Circle with path-tracing at comfortably PS5 Pro-beating frame rates if I was relying purely on my Zephyrus’ hardware grunt.

It’s also a fabulous looking laptop. That brazed metallic aesthetic is straight from a certain cyborg Arnie action franchise. Appropriate, seeing as I’m currently running and gunning my way through old school 16-bit throwback Terminator 2D: No Fate on Asus’ top-tier laptop.

Though it’s undeniably a head-turner, its carb-free 12.2 x 8.7 x 0.6 inch form factor inevitably leads to a couple of big old downsides.

Howdy does it get loud and toasty.

A gaming goliath

Boot up Alan Wake 2 on this puppy, and unless you’re wearing some of the best gaming headsets, your eardrums may well implode. And as for temperatures under heavy load, the area under the 2025’s Zephyrus’ sumptuous OLED screen gets so hot, you could comfortably cook an omelette on it.

Still, such downsides/sacrifices that come with high-end gaming laptops are hardly unique to the Zephyrus G14 2014. I can easily look past heat/fan noise issues when I sit my beloved 14-inch gaming device on a laptop tray with the excellent Sony Inzone H5 wrapped around my cranium.

Such is the quality of that pin-sharp 2.8K OLED screen, some of the best experiences I’ve actually had with the G14 don’t involve gaming at all. Thanks to its effortlessly inky black levels and surprisingly robust speakers, Asus’ stunning laptop also proves to be an astounding Netflix machine... or if you’re not a fan of the Big N, insert Disney Plus, Amazon Prime TV, Apple TV Plus at your pleasure.

Even though I own one of the best OLED TVs around — a 77-inch LG G3 — there always comes a lazy Sunday where I’d rather not drag my carcass out of bed. Under those circumstances, the Zephyrus G14 (2025) and its immaculately calibrated OLED display is the perfect tonic for my ‘doesn’t want to get out of bed’ soul.

Stream machine

Whether watching the best Netflix shows amped up to eye-arousing degrees thanks to the peerless black levels OLED brings to the table, or savoring every last second of Vince ‘Mr Breaking Bad’ Gilligan’s latest show ‘Pluribus’, the G14 is an incredible device to watch both silver and small screen content on.

And yes, I’m sure silver screen obsessive Quentin Tarantino will now file me in the same category as Paul “weak sauce” Dano. Myself and The Riddler can live with the scorn once you have the pleasure of watching the superbly creepy actor in Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’ on the G14’s sensational screen.

Circling back to gaming, it’s really the previously mentioned Nvidia DLSS 4 that makes the Asus ROG G14 (2025) such a compelling device for fans of the best Steam games. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was a mess when it first launched on PC, but thanks to diligent patches, it’s now a web-spinning wonder. With Nvidia frame-gen enabled, it’s easy to lock to around the Zephyrus G14’s max refresh rate of 120Hz with minimal graphical sacrifices.

The biggest compliment I can pay the greatest gaming laptop Asus has ever made? I’ve had precisely zero crashes since the day it arrived on my doorstep. Not a single Blue Screen of Death. Zero weird technical glitches. And not a single case of overheating that has stopped this elite laptop from functioning as its best.

Considering my RTX 5090-powered desktop gives me technical headaches at least once a month, there’s so much to be said for the latest Zephyrus G14’s near unflappable consistency.

With all of those gushing words out of the way, it’s no wonder the Asus Zephyrus G14 is my favorite PC product of the year. Brilliant to game, binge watch and type on (thanks to its superbly tactile keyboard), this laptop has made this dyed in the wool desktop acolyte do a complete 180°.

More from Tom's Guide

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• I finally bought my first gaming laptop — why the hell did I wait so long?
• I tested my fave new gaming laptop, and it’s not from Alienware, Asus or MSI

Gaming laptops have had quite the year in 2025. With Nvidia GeForce RTX 50-series mobile GPUs paving the way for substantial gains in gaming performance, Intel and AMD delivering the latest in CPU power and the improvements in OLED display tech reaching sky-high frame rates, the best gaming laptops got a whole lot more enticing.

Two fine examples of how far gaming laptops have come? The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) and Razer Blade 14 (2025). Every time I look for a sleek, ultraportable machine made for gaming that also powers through workloads, these are the laptops that come to mind.

Gorgeous, svelte designs packing astounding OLED displays that will make the likes of the MacBook Pro jealous, with the kind of performance that gamers need to play the latest AAA games with cranked up settings — all in portable, 14-inch packages. They're at the peak of their standards, but only one can belong on your desk (unless you've got the money, but I wouldn't say that's a wise investment).

Now, these laptops have been butting heads with each new iteration for years, and there's good reason behind this. Both are compact powerhouses that make for ideal laptops for work and play, but there are clear differences between these machines, too.

For anyone considering buying an Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 or Razer Blade 14 before the RAM crisis makes laptop prices surge, but can't decide between the two, I'm here to help you make the right choice for your needs.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) vs Razer Blade 14 (2025): Specs

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) vs Razer Blade 14 (2025): Price

Being premium, lightweight machines boasting mighty internals for their size, it hardly comes as a surprise that these laptops are priced highly.

At their base price, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 with an RTX 5060 will set you back $1,799 at Best Buy, coming with an AMD Ryzen 9 270, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. On the other hand, the Razer Blade 14 with an RTX 5060 starts at $2,299 at Razer, sporting an AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.

That's a $500 difference between laptops that essentially share similar specs, including the 14-inch QHD+ (2880 x 1800) OLED displays with a 120Hz refresh rate that both notebooks come equipped with. Even though the Blade 14 comes with a higher performing processor over the Zephyrus G14, it's clear Asus offers the more affordable option.

But when there's a deal, the Razer Blade 14 finally drops to a price that catches the eye. The otherwise pricey gaming laptop has been seen at $1,449, well below what you can get the G14 for. Plus, Razer usually has a discount of some kind on its lineup of gaming laptops, so not exactly one for the

Similarly, though, I've seen the ROG Zephyrus G14 crash to around $1,299, and using some of my quick maths (which I've been told not to use at school, seeing as my answers, erm, weren't the numbers I wanted), even I can tell this is a hugely more favorable price.

It's the same case for the higher-spec models, although you'll find the Razer Blade 14 with an RTX 5070 has hit a low of $1,699 during the sales season, and that's a hefty $1,000 off. That's a great deal for this mighty beast, but at the same time, the Zephyrus G14 with an RTX 5070 Ti (the Blade 14 doesn't reach those heights) for $2,399 is actually more affordable when both are at full retail price, dropping to $1,999 at its lowest.

Razer offers decent discounts for its Blade 14, and when it drops, that's the time when you should buy. However, no matter what way you look at it, the Asus Zephyrus G14 has the value that's hard to ignore.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) vs Razer Blade 14 (2025): Design

Time and time again, Razer has nailed the design of its sleek, ultraportable Blade 14. I've always thought of Razer's fleet of laptops as the "MacBooks" of gaming laptops. To this day, this rings true. But over the years, Asus has refined the design of its Zephyrus G14 lineage, turning it into one of the best-looking laptops, period.

Both make for amazing portable machines for gaming and productivity, with MacBook Pro-esque flair that will be just as happy sitting on a desk in an office as they would be in a fine-tuned gaming setup at home. Plus, both are compact and light enough to slip into a laptop bag.

There's barely any difference between the two when it comes to size and weight, with the Zephyrus G14 coming in at 12.2 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches and weighing 3.5 pounds, while the Blade 14 comes in at 12.2 x 8.8 x 0.6 inches and weighs exactly the same. For the Blade 14 2025, in particular, Razer made it lighter and thinner to match its competition, and even revamped its internals to deliver a cooler laptop under pressure.

Each is super slick, but I'd prefer the Razer Blade 14 in its signature Black colorway over its Mercury. On the other hand, the ROG Zephyrus G14 shines in Moonlight White, more so than in Eclipse Gray. But hey, that's just my personal opinion.

No matter the laptop you choose, expect one of the swankiest laptops around; ones that are easy to carry around for travel and clean up quite nicely on any desk you put them on.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) vs Razer Blade 14 (2025): Display

One of the finest ways to cruise through Night City in Cyberpunk 2077, spot the jaw-dropping artistry of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and tear through demons in Doom: The Dark Ages is in glorious OLED. Fortunately, both the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 and Razer Blade 14 offer up OLED at its finest.

These offer (strangely) similar displays: 14-inch QHD+ (2880 x 1800) OLED panels with up to a 120Hz refresh rate and 0.2ms response time. And both knock it out of the park when it comes to color accuracy and smoothness, whether it be for single-player hits or fast-paced multiplayer games.

While both aren't the most ideal for esports levels of refresh rates (anything beyond 120Hz, really), it's still enough to gain smooth visuals across the board. What's more, the 0.2ms response times mean wicked-fast reaction to gain the upperhand (with headshots galore).

It isn't just for gaming, though, as these screens are well-sized and finely tuned for productivity and creative work, too. That includes photo and video editing, as the color reproduction these screens offer makes images pop.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) vs Razer Blade 14 (2025): Performance

The benchmarks say it all, sort of.

Our computing team has done the tests on the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 sporting an RTX 5080 and the Razer Blade 14 equipped with an RTX 5070. Immediately, there will be a clear winner here, considering the jump between the two GPUs.

However, it's important to note that these are the two most powerful configurations of each gaming laptop. Yes, the Razer Blade 14 can only go as high as an RTX 5070 with an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 365 CPU, while the Zephyrus G14 steps it up to an RTX 5080 with an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU.

Also take note: Razer's laptops are higher in price. So, think of the RTX 5070 Razer Blade 14 being closer in price to the RTX 5080 Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (as of writing, it's down to $2,549 at Best Buy, making it slightly more affordable than the Blade 14 at its full $2,699 price).

Regardless, each machine offers mighty performance with the internals they pack, and can handle AAA gaming and demanding creative apps without breaking much of a sweat. When it does come to gaming, though, the Zephyrus G14 pulls ahead.

As mentioned, these results are hardly shocking. The Blade 14 still offers strong performance, even when graphics are maxed out. And this only continues to soar to around 130 frames per second (FPS) thanks to Nvidia's DLSS 4 and multi-frame generation.

It's hard to deny the sheer might of the Zephyrus G14, though. With Cyberpunk 2077 with Ray Tracing at Ultra settings and seeing frame rates at nearly 50 FPS? That's a strong achievement, and it's only made better with DLSS 4 switched on, boosting to an eye-watering 150 FPS.

Then there's the AMD offerings, taking the place of the CPU in both gaming laptops — and doing a fine job at that. While Intel's Core Ultra 9 chips swoop in with higher results, as in the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, these compact machines still stand testament as being the strongest 14-inch notebooks out there.

Of course, seeing as the Zephyrus G14 comes equipped with the slightly higher-powered AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, it beats out the Razer Blade 14's HX 365 chip. Not by much, mind you, but enough to handle multitasking easier. The handbrake test also shows how much faster the Zephyrus G14 is over the Blade 14, though, being nearly a full minute. And both these models came with the same SSD.

Both are mighty compact machines, but when it comes to price to performance, the Zephyrus G14 takes the crown here.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) vs Razer Blade 14 (2025): Battery life

As with all gaming laptops, the Asus Zephyrus G14 and Razer Blade 14 were never meant to make it onto our list of the best laptops for battery life. That's to be expected, though, as you'll still get a few hours out of these machines for work and play.

Not quite a full workday, but enough to have them untethered to a cable for a few hours. In fact, in real-world testing, the Blade 14 could last nearly eight hours before shutting off, while the Zephyrus G14 could last between five and six hours.

However, when it comes to our Tom's Guide battery test, the Zephyrus G14 and Blade 14 offer similar results. When it comes to gaming, though, the Blade 14 takes a 30-minute advantage.

In the grand scheme of gaming on a laptop, battery life isn't exactly a priority. It goes without saying that plugging them in will deliver greater performance when playing highly graphically demanding games, so I wouldn't rely on these to get you through a long-haul flight while gaming.

But for work, these laptops will just about get you through the day. That said, not nearly as far as a MacBook or Dell XPS 13.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) vs Razer Blade 14 (2025): Verdict

The rivalry between the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 and Razer Blade 14 continues, and much like last year when I pitted the two together, the Zephyrus G14 comes out on top. Purely from the price and power you get out of the laptop, no matter the configuration, Asus offers the better deal.

But it's hard to deny the strengths of the Razer Blade 14, too. Look, it's a fine-looking machine with powerful specs in a compact chassis, and if that appeals to you more, then it won't disappoint.

When it comes to value for the power you get, especially in a time when prices are skyrocketing, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is the more affordable shout.

There's always next year for Razer to take its laptop up a notch, and, unless another strong contender enters the ring, the battle between these 14-inch powerhouses will rage on as each manufacturer continues to upgrade its laptops. For now, though, there's good reason the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 has made its mark as one of the best laptops of the year.

More from Tom's Guide

• RAM prices are exploding — here's why and everything you need to know about surviving RAMageddon
• The great CPU war of 2026 is already erupting — Intel Panther Lake vs. Snapdragon X2 Elite vs. AMD Gorgon Point
• AMD’s FSR Redstone is finally here to take on Nvidia’s DLSS 4 — here’s everything you need to know

Just when I thought we were through the sales madness of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it turns out monitors are still seeing the biggest discounts of the year. So, don't think you've missed the boat on making a huge saving on your next screen for your PC, PS5, Xbox or whatever you use — I'm still seeing up to 50% off top sellers.

It's one thing to see everything from cheap 1080p screens with high refresh rates to ultrawide 4K OLED displays hit bargain prices, but it's another when many are the best monitors and best gaming monitors we've tested.

Here's a fine example: this 25-inch Alienware AW2525HM with a 320Hz refresh rate is under $200 at Dell, which is a pretty insane price considering its superb color accuracy and, yes, incredibly high refresh rate. But then there's this 27-inch Acer Predator with 4K and 320Hz for 50% off at Best Buy, and that's just about the cheapest I've seen for a monitor of this caliber.

So, if you're in need of an all-new monitor for your PC setup (or console) to treat yourself for the holidays, I've found all the monitor deals to keep your wallet happy. Here are the sales to get your setup the monitor it deserves (for less).

Editor's picks

• Samsung 27" S32GD 1080p 120Hz: was $169 now $99 @ Best Buy
• Alienware 25" AW2525HM 1080p 320Hz: was $249 now $199 @ Best Buy
• LG 32" UltraGear 34G600A-B curved 1440p 160Hz: was $399 now $299 @ Amazon
• Acer 27" Predator 4K 160Hz / 1080p 320Hz: was $699 now $329 @ Best Buy
• MSI 27" MAG 271QP QD-OLED 1440p 280Hz: was $649 now $439 @ Newegg
• Sony 27" Inzone M9 II 4K 160Hz: was $949 now $698 @ Amazon
• Alienware 34" AW3425DW QD-OLED 1440p 240Hz: was $799 now $699 @ Best Buy
• Samsung 49" Odyssey QD-OLED G9 5K 240Hz: was $1,699 now $999 @ Best Buy

Best monitor deals US

Best monitor deals UK

Just a week or so after Intel’s new flagship Panther Lake chip leaked on Geekbench and had its benchmarks shared for all to see, it appears we’ll be able to get our hands on one as soon as early January.

While we expected a 2026 release for the new chips, Asus may have jumped the gun by kicking off an event with the subtitle “Ubiquitous AI. Incredible Possibilities.” On January 6, just hours after Intel’s event is expected to reveal the chips themselves as part of CES 2026.

Panther Lake, here we come

As Asus explains via its CES site, it “will showcase our latest solutions, including a full lineup of advanced AI PC products and other innovations — all designed to empower everyone, everywhere.”

“See how our vision, "Ubiquitous AI. Incredible Possibilities," drives AI transformation for the workspace, creators, and everyday life!”

As for how the new Core Ultra 9 386H chip will perform, there’s a 2.1 GHz base clock speed, while boosted clock speeds reach 4.724 GHz — lower than the anticipated 4.9Ghz.

It already beats Arrow Lake chips, with 9% faster single-thread speeds and 4% faster multi-thread speeds.

It’s also curious to see Asus touting AI-based laptops while the Core Ultra 9 386H is more of a gaming CPU that won’t pair with integrated graphics. Is Asus about to push further in that direction?

Whatever the answer, we really don’t have long to find out — we’ll be all over the coverage of Intel’s event on January 5, and the Asus one the next day.

A new challenger approaches

Of course, CES isn’t an all-Intel affair, because Snapdragon’s X2 Elite chips are a-coming, too.

Our own Jason England benchmarked Qualcomm’s latest and said the latest revision should have Intel, Apple and AMD sweating.

They’re expected to be a big focus at CES this year, suggesting we could be weeks away from a processor war the likes of which we’ve not seen in a while.

As for the numbers, the Oryon CPU prime core of the Snapdragon chip offers up to 39% speed increases on single core and 50% faster in multi-core than the last generation, while there’s 69% more memory bandwidth since RAM is on the chip itself.

Finally, its AI credentials are the new Hexagon AI engine, which is 78% faster in AI tasks, while the GPU is 2.3 times faster, too. There’s a whole new era of laptops coming, and it won’t be long until we see if they make the cut for the best laptops around.

More from Tom's Guide

• Brace yourself: PCs, laptops and phones may jump in price as early as December thanks to a '500%' RAM/SSD surge
• Intel Panther Lake could power the future of handheld gaming — here's why AMD should be nervous
• I’m shocked at how well Snapdragon X2 Elite can play games with Cyberpunk hitting over 75 FPS in my testing

As someone who travels from work to a home office, local events to tech expos abroad and from train to plane, I need a laptop that can handle my daily workloads without a hint of struggling while on the move. With this in mind, the Asus Chromebook CX15 doesn't cut it

But that's being unfair to this 15-inch budget machine. Not all laptops are meant to deliver peak speeds while playing the latest PC games or editing videos, and if they were, these machines would be a niche. That's where the Asus Chromebook CX15's true strength lies: its price.

For just $259/£249, this is a solid laptop that offers just enough power for scrolling through websites, answering emails, writing up documents and watching shows on. For my mother, who literally only uses a laptop to do these things, that's a steal.

The CX15 takes full advantage of what ChromeOS offers — a mainly web-based experience that's simple to use. But it also boasts a decently large 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) display, a spacious, comfy keyboard and an attractive, slimline design that's easy to carry around (and durable thanks to its MIL-STD 810H military grade protection).

With its affordability, though, sacrifices had to be made. For one, its performance trails behind modern Chromebooks we see today, and it can feel cheap to work on, thanks to its poor trackpad. Plus, it would be nice to see more ports, especially when the one USB-C port is being used by its charger.

All that being said, it's almost a given knowing what you're in for when you see that sub-$300 price. For those after an easy-to-use family computer to get stuff done, or students looking to jot down notes, the Asus Chromebook CX15 makes the case for being one of the best budget laptops, and more so, one of the best Chromebooks for kids. Even if it's nowhere near the strongest Chromebook around.

Asus Chromebook CX15: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A budget sub-$300 Chromebook with simple specs.
• Who is it for? For families or students looking for an affordable laptop to browse the web, answer emails, watch shows or catch up on study.
• How much does it cost? The Asus Chromebook CX15 is available for $269 at Amazon in the U.S. and £249 at Amazon in the U.K. It's also available at Best Buy, but Amazon's price is far better with an even better-specced model at 8GB of RAM. Plus, I've spotted it for just $219 during a sale.
• What do we like? Its charming design with a large, comfy keyboard (number pad included), the solid 15-inch 1080p display and extremely affordable price (even less on sale).
• What don’t we like? The bare minimum specs spell weak performance, the touchpad feels plasticky and it could use a few more ports.

Asus Chromebook CX15: Specs

Asus Chromebook CX15: The ups

I mean, as soon as I saw its $259/249 price, I knew the type of experience I'd get from this laptop. But the Asus Chromebook CX15 surprised with its ability to be a decent machine for simple, general use.

Value for the basics

Look, there's hardly much point spending upwards of $999 for a MacBook Air M4 or a Dell 14 Premium if all you'll use it for is browsing websites on Google Chrome or spinning up a document on Google Docs. Sure, you can, and you'll get a speedy experience, but that would be a waste of the laptop's potential and, more importantly, your hard-earned cash.

Following that sentiment, the Asus Chromebok CX15 excels. It comes with the simplicity of ChromeOS to get you up and running in no time, booting up Chrome with your account linked so you can head right back into your favorite websites (if you use Chrome as your main browser, that is).

But there's also Google Gemini for AI assistance, Photos to check out your latest snaps, Meet to set up video calls with colleagues or loved ones and all the usual suspects. Of course, the Play Store is also there to try out the latest apps.

It all works as intended, too. During my time exploring websites and watching shows, the Chromebook didn't crash or experience extreme lag while jumping from tab to tab, even with a show playing in the background (but there is some stutter, but more on that later).

If that's how you plan to mainly use a laptop, what more could you want for a bargain price? There is no way this Chromebook will be playing games (its 3DMark Wild Life benchmark recorded 8 frames per second), or handle the massive workloads of a professional using spreadsheets and creatives who need to edit. But at this price, I don't expect it to.

'Just right' appeal

You won't see many 15-inch laptops anymore, with many manufacturers moving to a 14-inch or 16-inch form factor (except for Apple and its 15-inch MacBook Air, keep it going). It's a shame, as it does strike the right balance between being a sizeable machine while still being portable enough to carry around.

The Asus Chromebook CX15 finds that middle ground, coming in at 14.15 x 9.14 x 0.79 inches and weighing 3.5 pounds. It's only a little bigger and heavier than the 15-inch MacBook Air (13.4 x 9.5 x 0.4 inches, 3.3 pounds), meaning it's easy enough to carry around and slip in a backpack.

But it also means there's enough room for a full-sized keyboard with a number pad included. That's a boon for those who often rely on a set of numbers on the right to punch in counts into spreadsheets and the like, but the keyboard itself is comfortable to type on.

They're quiet when typing away, with the Chiclet keyboard coming with a decent 1.35mm key travel. Asus states these keys are spill-resistant, too, but you can imagine I didn't want to test this out. But this just gives the Asus CX15 another point for being one of the best Chromebooks for kids.

That, along with its military-grade durability. This means it should be able to survive sudden shocks, drops, spills and all the grime that's thrown at it.

Better yet, it comes with all the clean style of a modern laptop. The CX15 comes in four colorways, including silver, blue, green and pink. That last one is the model I received, and I adore its subtle, chic appeal.

Decent views

With the Asus Chromebook CX15's sizeable design comes with a fine 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) display with a 16:9 aspect ratio. This won't be winning any awards, for its main purpose of showing websites in clear view and for binge-watching shows on, it does the job with alright colors.

As you'll find below, compared to other Chromebooks like the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, it doesn't reach the heights of color accuracy or brightness these bring to the table. But considering the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 and Acer Aspire Go 15 are slightly more expensive, the CX15 doesn't fare too badly.

In real-world testing, I found the CX15 was able to show clear, detailed images on the websites I visited, and its brightness was fine while using the Chromebook indoors. Of course, it would struggle a little more when used outdoors or with sunlight beaming on it.

When throwing on the latest episode of Vince Gilligan's absurdly thrilling "Pluribus," I did see slight graininess without that crisp look you get on higher-resolution, vivid displays. But it was still easily watchable — hardly something I'd complain about when catching up with all my favorite shows.

It won't be showing highly detailed visuals, but for little ones watching shows or those who don't mind if their displays aren't showing mind-blowing images, the CX15 is a fine machine for productivity and entertainment.

Asus Chromebook CX15: The downs

Considering the price of the Asus Chromebook CX15, this laptop has a few pitfalls that will throw some people off. Mainly, its the performance, but it would have also been nice to see more ports and attention to its cheap-feeling trackpad.

Performance: Bare minimum

Now onto the crux of the CX15's problems: performance. With its Intel Celeron N4500 processor, 4GB of DDR4X RAM and 64GB eMMC storage, these are eye-watering specs (in the bad sense). Unfortunately, this is reflected in our testing too, but at the very least, Chromebooks are meant to rely on their internet-based prowess.

Even when compared to other bargain laptops, like the Acer Aspire Go 15 and Acer Chromebook Plus 515, the Geekbench scores of the Chromebook CX15 are atrocious. I'd say this is the weakest-performing laptop I've reviewed this year, considering not one of its scores reached the usual quadruple digits.

That's why I'd see slight stalls when loading up pages on Google Chrome, especially when having a dozen tabs open. Nothing game-breaking, but since it was already causing some lag, pushing it past this limit wouldn't be wise. Even the WebXPRT benchmark, which measures the performance of web-based devices, isn't very strong.

Now, on paper, it looks like this machine can barely open up Minesweeper. But in reality, I was still browsing through multiple websites with a show on Apple TV playing in another tab. Is it wicked fast? Not in the slightest, but it can still dish out enough power to get basic tasks done.

Where'd my ports go?

Sporting one USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, a USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, one HDMI 1.4, a 3.5mm audio jack and...oh, that's it? Yes, and to make matters worse, the USB-C port is mainly used for charging the device (it lasts 7 hours and 26 minutes, so expect it to be plugged in every once in a while).

I appreciate any laptop that offers a 3.5mm audio jack for headphones, but only one port for a mouse, keyboard, USB stick and other peripherals? There should be more. And that's especially true, seeing as the whole right side of the CX15 is free for more ports to be fitted in.

Hollow clicks

This one may require one of the best mice to be attached, as the touchpad on the CX15 is simply too small (3 x 4.3 inches) and too cheap-feeling to be satisfying to use. Sure, I'm able to click around without issue, but the hollow feel of each click and how often I had to lift my finger to drag it back just to scroll further is a nuisance.

A small nuisance, in the grand scheme of it all, but an annoying one nevertheless.

Asus Chromebook CX15: Verdict

Is the Asus Chromebook CX15 a worthy investment? For the likes of me and my daily computing tasks, I'd say no. But that's because I require a speedy machine that can multitask without stress to manage my workload (and my streaming- and gaming-friendly entertainment habits).

But I have to pay more to achieve that. For those who only want a simple-to-use, affordable laptop that does the job of being able to easily run websites, read through emails, work through documents and stream the latest shows, then the Asus Chromebook CX15 is the value machine you're after.

Being just $259/£249 is a huge advantage for many, especially kids, students or families in need of a laptop for all to use. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better-looking laptop that's easy to carry around at this price.

One thing I do recommend is looking out for the model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB for storage, as with this model on Amazon. Some retailers may charge more for the less powerful 4GB version, and to make the most out of this machine, you'll want all the power you can get.

This is a budget laptop that isn't throwing any punches, but I quite like a peaceful, no-nonsense machine to browse the internet with, and the CX15 does just that.

Over the past six months, researchers at SecurityScored’s STRIKE team have identified a new WrtHug campaign that's been scanning for compromised devices. They’ve found 50,000 unique IPs globally that appear to have been affected by the malware campaign which targets end-of-life and outdated Asus router models. It then uses six vulnerabilities to hijack them and leaves vulnerable routers open for other hackers to use them for a variety of malicious activities.

Most of the identified and affected models that have been located were found in Taiwan, followed by Southeast Asia, Russia, Central Europe and the United States. The following Asus models are the ones currently being targets in this campaign:

• • ASUS Wireless Router 4G-AC55U
• • ASUS Wireless Router 4G-AC860U
• • ASUS Wireless Router DSL-AC68U
• • ASUS Wireless Router GT-AC5300
• • ASUS Wireless Router GT-AX11000
• • ASUS Wireless Router RT-AC1200HP
• • ASUS Wireless Router RT-AC1300GPLUS
• • ASUS Wireless Router RT-AC1300UHP

The attacks begin with an exploitation of a command injection flaw as well as other known vulnerabilities. The STRIKE team believes that the compromised routers might be used as operational relay box (ORB) networks in relay nodes to hide command-and-control (C2) operations but there are no further details in their report.

Asus issued security updates to address all six vulnerabilities used in the attacks, making it critical for router owners to update their firmware in a timely manner. Devices that are old enough to no longer be covered under support, should be replaced or have their remote access features disabled. Some of the flaws currently being exploited include:

• CVE-2023-39780 which is a major command injection flaw (also used in the AyySSHush campaign).
• CVE-2024-12912 which is an arbitrary command execution flaw.
• CVE-2025-2492 which is an improper authentication control flaw with a critical severity rating which can lead to unauthorized execution of functions. It can be triggered by a crafted request on routers that have Asus' AiCloud feature enabled.

How to keep your router safe

If you own an outdated router and especially one that's reached its end-of-life and is no longer supported, it's probably best to replace it right away with one of the best Wi-Fi routers instead. This way, your router will receive frequent software updates and security patches from their manufacturer.

However, regardless of your router model you should always apply all available security patches and firmware updates as soon as possible. Likewise, you also want to use a strong and unique password with at least 16 characters to secure your home network. To make things easier, you can always use one of the best password managers to generate one for you and then securely store it. Additionally, you can disable remote administration and reboot the device as this feature is often leveraged by hackers in their attacks.

It’s also a good idea to make sure that you’re using the best antivirus software on all of your devices as many of them offer additional security features such as a VPN that can help protect your privacy when you’re online.

By using a new router with frequent security updates, you're essentially adding an extra layer of protection for all of the devices on your home network. If you want the latest and greatest Wi-Fi tech and have the budget for it, one of the best Wi-Fi 7 routers will provide you with the best overall experience. However, if you don't mind not having access to the faster 6GHz band, one of the best Wi-Fi 6 routers will still be a major upgrade.

More from Tom's Guide

• Black Friday shoppers under attack from AI-powered scams — here's how to spot them before it's too late
• 1.3 billion leaked passwords exposed online in massive new collection — what to do now and how to check your passwords
• Critical Chrome zero-day flaw fixed by Google — update your browser right now

One year ago, I called the first Asus TUF Gaming A14 my personal favorite gaming laptop of the year. And with the 2025 model sporting an RTX 5060, that is still the case…ish. Look, can we talk for a second? Because gaming laptops are heading in the wrong direction.

Because yes, in terms of what you get, this is pound-for-pound one of the best ultraportable gaming machines I’ve used. The body still feels nice and premium, the CPU may have been downgraded but not enough to feel any overt hit to performance, the GPU unlocks all the DLSS 4 goodness including multi-frame gen.

But prices have been creeping up across the board. In the UK, the retail price is £1,599 — that’s £300 more than the RRP of last year’s model. Luckily, it’s regularly on sale for around the £1,300 mark, so this just feels like a number that Asus uses to make the actual price feel like a discount.

But in America? No such discount. That price has gone up by $200 to $1,699. To Asus’ credit, this doesn’t seem like an issue only this company is facing, as others have seen relatively mid-range models shoot up in cost like this.

That being said, it doesn’t make things any less frustrating to know that the gaming laptop market is moving in the wrong direction rather than staying still — especially at a time when we’re having to really look after the dollars and cents.

So when I say “ish,” I mean that fundamentally it’s a great laptop. But when the RTX 4060 model can be found for $1,199 nowadays, and the performance difference is definitely much more iterative when I faced it off against RTX 5060, those extra frames are definitely not worth an extra $500.

Asus TUF Gaming A14: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? This is a mid-range 14-inch gaming laptop
• Who is it for? It’s ideal for portable PC gamers who want a solid 1080p/1440p system without looking for something gigantic.
• What does it cost? Retail prices come in at $1,699 in the U.S., and £1,349 in UK (discounted from £1,599).
• What’s good about it? RTX 5060 power brings some nice iterative uplifts in performance over the 4060 of the 2024 model, while sporting that same slimline, sleek durable construction with great ergonomics I fell in love with last year.
• What’s not so good? There’s only one, and it’s a big one. Price hikes across the board.

Asus TUF Gaming A14: Specs

Asus TUF Gaming A14: The ups

Let’s start with the positives. Like I said, this was my favorite laptop of 2025, and my favorite just got that little bit better.

Mid-range gaming tune-up

What impressed me the most about the 2024 A14 is the solid mid-range performance paired with some pretty impressive power efficiency. With the move to RTX 5060, it’s more of the same but with an uplift to both of them.

Yes, moving to the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 CPU is technically a downgrade to the AI 9 HX 370 you found in last year’s grand debut of the A14. However, as you’ll see in CPU testing, the differences are pretty small (aside from creative pro work), and there is zero bottlenecking of that RTX 5060’s GPU prowess. Also, shoutout to the nice SSD speed bump too!

Moving on over to the GPU itself, in terms of raw performance, the uplifts are iterative between this and the 4060 in last year’s system. But as I’ll explain, that’s by design.

Because to catch you up, Nvidia is an AI company now with some gaming work on the side (which explains its $4.2T valuation). But Team Green has brought the two together with DLSS 4, multi-frame generation and a whole load of neural rendering tech that takes the RTX 5060 to a different level.

I understand the frustration with AI trickery when you’re buying a monster RTX 5090 or 5080 — at those prices, you understandably want these increases to be seen through actual rendering rather than inserting AI frames. But in something mid-range like this, it’s become a real value unlocker in what you can do with a gaming laptop.

Battery life is a different story, but not something you'll notice in day-to-day.

I have a theory for why this is the case, as Asus has been able to up the wattage going to these components (more on why later).

Same great display and design with some tweaks

And they’ve kept arguably my favorite elements of this 14-inch beauty — the looks and the works of it all. The TUF Gaming A14’s built quality feels premium to the touch with a metallic top and bottom. And on top of that, the ventilation has been re-engineered to take air in through the keyboard deck to keep those internals cool.