4 minute read
ASUS kicked off its CES with a Republic of Gamers presentation that delivered an impressive amount of new and high-powered kit.
From monitors to laptops, phones, and even a new motherboard design, there was plenty of new stuff announced from ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) at CES that will have an impact above and beyond the gaming community.
There's an eight-minute highlight video on the new ROG lineup below, but here’s some detail ahead of that, starting with three new high-spec OLED monitors.
OLED Monitors
The ROG Swift OLED PG39WCDM, ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP and ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDP are billed as visual gamechangers, and the company has a point.
The PG39WCDM is a 39-inch ultrawide (3440 x 1440) 240 Hz 800R curved OLED gaming monitor; the PG32UCDP is the world's first dual-mode gaming monitor with a Frame Rate Boost feature that allows users to switch from 4K 240 Hz up to FHD 480 Hz at any time; and the PG27AQDP is the world's first 480Hz OLED gaming monitor (presumably based on the LG Display panel we mentioned last week).
The new Swift displays achieve a 30% peak brightness enhancement and a 20% improvement in viewing angle over their predecessors. A custom heatsink not only reduces operating temperatures but also safeguards against burn-in, ensuring display longevity. With a 1300-nit peak brightness and DisplayHDR True Black 400 compliance, the ROG Swift OLED delivers excellent visuals. A 0.03 ms response time, with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro compliance, should provide smooth visuals with low latency, and exclusive Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB) technology enables even crisper and clearer motion in fast-paced games.
The PG39WCDM with built-in Smart KVM allows users to control two devices seamlessly with a keyboard and mouse, and USB 3.2 connectivity enables rapid file transfers. Alongside these features, the monitor includes the ROG VESA wall-mount kit for easy wall or partition mounting. With its 800R panel curvature, it is also billed as the most curved monitor available.
Extensive connectivity options, including DisplayPort 1.4 with Display Stream Compression (DSC), HDMI (v2.1), and USB-C with 90 W Power Delivery, make the ROG Swift OLEDs a versatile hub for gaming setups. All three new models come with ROG Gaming Artificial Intelligence technology with Dynamic shadow boost, Dynamic cross-hair, Variable Overdrive 2.0, and Dynamic GameVisual (in selected models).
Not content with that, there are also some rather interesting new monitor accessories in the shape of the ROG Aura Monitor Light Bar ALB01 and ROG Ergo Monitor Arm AAS01, which revolutionize gaming setups. The Light Bar offers three modes — front light for eye care, backlight for Aura Sync setup, and a combination for immersive viewing, and can accommodate both curved and flat monitors. The Ergo Monitor Arm can support 39-inch monitors and beyond up to the maximum recommended weight of 11.5 kg. At the same time, a mechanical spring arm mechanism allows smooth, effortless adjustments through a wide range of movements.
Laptops
The new ROG Zephyrus G14 and G16 are billed as gaming laptops but are actually a good fit for a wider audience of creators and designers too. The G14 is built around an AMD Ryzen 9 8940H processor, and the G16 up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 185H. Both laptops are equipped with NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs (the G14 can be configured up to an RTX 4070; the G16 up to the 4090), and feature a variety of ROG Intelligent Cooling solutions for optimal performance.
They also feature a redesigned premium aluminum chassis in Eclipse Gray and Platinum White. The G14 measures just 1.59 cm thin and weighs 1.5 kg, while the 1.49 cm-thin G16 weighs in at just 1.85 kg. There’s a signature Slash Lighting LED bar on the chassis, while they are also the first laptops to feature ROG Nebula Display OLED panels. The Zephyrus G14 features a 3K 120 Hz panel, and the Zephyrus G16 has a 2.5K 240 Hz display. Both feature a 16:10 aspect ratio, VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification, and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. They also pack six-speaker Hi-Res Audio Dolby Atmos technology and built-in HD cameras.
The ROG Strix SCAR 16 and SCAR 18 laptops are powered by the Intel Core i9 processor 14900HX and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 laptop GPU. A thermal design, including Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal on CPU and GPU, with Tri-Fan technology and full-surround vents, ensures optimal cooling. The Mini LED 2.5K (2560x1600) 240Hz ROG Nebula HDR displays — including ROG’s first 18-inch Mini LED display — have up to a 90% screen-to-body ratio and also feature quad-speaker Dolby Atmos audio. They also have a ‘gamer-friendly’ keyboard, Thunderbolt 4, 2.5 Gbps LAN, WiFi 6E, and a 90 Wh battery with 100 W USB-C charging.
The ROG Strix G16 and G18, meanwhile, offer a slightly dialled-down gaming experience with the Intel Core i9 processor 14900HX and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 laptop GPU. Their 16-inch and 18-inch 2.5K (2560x1600) 240Hz ROG Nebula displays feature Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos.
The BTF ecosystem
There’s more too. At Computex 2023, ASUS unveiled a new hidden-connector solution called BTF (Back to the Future), which reduces the number and visibility of internal cables in the front, providing a super-clean DIY experience. This has led to the creation of the ROG Advanced BTF ecosystem, featuring the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero BTF motherboard, the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 BTF graphics card, and the ROG Hyperion BTF chassis.
Let's take the Maximus Z790 Hero BTF motherboard as an example (and it kicks off the highlight video below). All connectors are concealed on the underside, offering an unparalleled level of cable management for PC DIY enthusiasts. The motherboard introduces other innovative features, including the Q-LED diagnostic display in the top right corner, providing real-time feedback on power delivery issues and memory module installation before boot.
Also noteworthy in the motherboard's design is the PCIe Slot Q-Release Slim, a more straightforward solution for unlocking graphics cards. Users can effortlessly tilt and pull their card to automatically remove it from the slot, streamlining upgrades and maintenance without needing button presses. The motherboard also hosts a graphics card high-power slot, specifically designed for compatibility with graphics cards using the PCIe high-power connector, such as the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 BTF.
The ROG NUC and more
Following the recent deal between ASUS and Intel to take over Intel's Next Unit of Computing (NUC) business, CES sees the debut of the first-ever ROG NUC. Small form factor PCs are a small (literally) but significant market, and the ROG NUC delivers a lot of power in a 270 x 180 x 50mm form factor.
At its core, the ROG NUC harnesses the power of Intel Core Ultra 7 or Core Ultra 9 processors. The Performance Hybrid Architecture ensures seamless multitasking with additional e-cores, while Intel Thread Director and Intel Smart Cache optimize workloads for a smooth gaming experience. Paired with NVIDIA RTX 4060 or RTX 4070 Discrete Graphics, the ROG NUC can output stunning visuals on up to four 4K-enabled display outputs.
And rounding out what is an impressive new lineup, there’s also a brand-new ROG Phone 8 with more sophisticated cooling than ever, including the Rapid-Cooling Conductor that conducts heat directly from the SoC to the back cover. Then there’s the ROG Carnyx microphone, the ROG Keris II Ace mouse with the ROG Polling Rate Booster, the ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova headphones, the ROG Falchion RX Low Profile keyboard, and that, we think, is it from the company… Well, its ROG games division at least.
Tags: Post & VFX
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