Tag Archives: Asus

At $270, ASUS’s New Chromebook Has No Business Being This Good

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The budget laptop category has a long reputation for disappointing displays, short battery life, and builds that feel provisional rather than considered. Most sub-$300 machines get you to the internet and not much further before something creaks or slows down. It’s a price bracket that tends to ask buyers to accept tradeoffs that shouldn’t really be necessary in 2026, and ChromeOS devices have historically been no exception.

The ASUS Chromebook CM15 and Chromebook CM32 Detachable take a different approach to that bracket. Both run on the MediaTek Kompanio 540 processor with up to 8 GB of LPDDR5X memory, pass 24 MIL-STD-810H military-grade durability tests, and come with a three-month Google AI Pro trial bundled in. They aren’t trimmed-down machines trying to look complete. They’re designed to cover the full range of what most people actually do on a laptop.

Designer: ASUS

The CM15 is the larger of the two, a 15.6-inch clamshell with an FHD anti-glare panel, a 180-degree lay-flat hinge, and a chassis that weighs 3.26 lbs and comes in four colors: Pure Grey, Fabric Blue, Cream Pink, and Misty Green. Each has a washi-paper-inspired texture that gives it a bit more character than the usual matte plastic. The port selection includes HDMI alongside two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C ports and a USB Type-A, and ASUS specifically flags HDMI as an unusual inclusion at this price point.

The CM32 Detachable is smaller and considerably more flexible, at 1.41 lbs without the keyboard attached. Its 12.1-inch, 2.5K 120 Hz touchscreen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass, and it comes with a magnetically attached stand, a detachable keyboard with 1.35 mm key travel, and a wirelessly charged stylus shaped like a traditional ballpoint pen. The whole system connects and disconnects cleanly without any of the fussiness that detachable keyboards often carry.

Both devices boot in under ten seconds, handle background updates automatically, and run Android apps from Google Play, which in practice means Netflix, Adobe Lightroom, Zoom, and Microsoft 365 are all accessible out of the box. The Google AI Pro trial includes NotebookLM and Gemini integration across Gmail and Docs, adding genuine productivity value without requiring a separate subscription to access.

Where the two models diverge is in their use case and price. The CM15 starts at $269.99 and suits anyone who wants a wide screen with a full-size keyboard for daily tasks at home or school. The CM32 at $579.00 is the pick for people who need the flexibility of a tablet one moment and a laptop the next, particularly given the stylus and the 120 Hz display. The CM15 body is also made with 30% recycled plastics and sustainable packaging, a commitment that extends the value of the machine beyond its shelf life.

The post At $270, ASUS’s New Chromebook Has No Business Being This Good first appeared on Yanko Design.

ASUS ROG Raikiri II Pro adapts to every game with switchable triggers and 8,000Hz input speed

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When the ROG Raikiri Pro controller burst onto the scene at CES 2023, the gamepad was ahead of its time courtesy of a dedicated 1.3-inch mini OLED display. Now, after nearly three years, Asus has revealed the next version of the controller with improved features and upgrades to entice gamers who are always on the lookout for the endgame accessories.

This comes on the back of Asus ROG’s 20th anniversary celebration, wherein other products, including the triple-mode gaming monitor and Gjallar Gaming soundbar, were also announced by the brand.

Designer: Asus

Unlike its predecessor, the new ROG Raikiri II Pro shifts its focus from flashy extras to competitive performance and precision. Built primarily for PC gamers, the controller delivers an impressive 8,000Hz polling rate in wired mode for ultra-low input latency, while ASUS’ SpeedNova wireless technology is designed to provide a fast and stable 2.4GHz connection with improved power efficiency. The controller also supports Bluetooth and USB-C connectivity, allowing players to switch between multiple gaming setups with ease.

ASUS has also redesigned the controls to improve responsiveness during long gaming sessions. Every primary input, including the D-pad, ABXY buttons, shoulder buttons, and rear paddles, now uses micro switches that deliver crisp tactile feedback with faster actuation. The controller also introduces dual-mode triggers, letting users instantly swap between short-travel micro-switch triggers for competitive shooters and full-range TMR sensor triggers for racing titles or games that benefit from precise analog control. Combined with anti-drift TMR thumbsticks, the Raikiri II Pro controller offers consistent accuracy and longer durability than traditional analog sticks.

Customization remains one of the controller’s biggest strengths. Through ASUS Gear Link software, users can remap buttons, adjust stick sensitivity, fine-tune trigger dead zones, modify vibration levels, and create multiple profiles for different genres. RGB lighting, onboard profile storage, and interchangeable thumbstick caps further allow players to personalize both the aesthetics and feel of the controller. ASUS also bundles a charging dock and a protective carrying case that can recharge the controller while stored, making it easier to keep the accessory ready for travel or daily gaming.

Alongside the controller, ASUS also introduced the ROG Gjallar Gaming Soundbar as another premium addition to its gaming ecosystem. The 2.1.2-channel setup supports Dolby Atmos and combines front-facing speakers, dedicated tweeters, upward-firing drivers, and a 65W wireless 6.5-inch subwoofer to create a more immersive soundstage. The company says the system is tuned to improve positional audio, helping players better identify in-game movement and environmental cues.

Like the Raikiri II Pro, the Gjallar supports ASUS Gear Link software, allowing users to customize audio settings and integrate it into a broader ROG gaming setup. The two new accessories showcase ASUS’s emphasis on high-performance gaming peripherals that prioritize responsiveness, customization, and immersion, while marking another milestone in the company’s two-decade journey as the Republic of Gamers brand!

The post ASUS ROG Raikiri II Pro adapts to every game with switchable triggers and 8,000Hz input speed first appeared on Yanko Design.

ASUS Zenbook A16 (UX3607OA ) Review: Big screen, Surprisingly Light

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PROS:


  • Exceptionally light for a 16-inch laptop

  • Beautiful 3K OLED display

  • Great battery life

  • Strong everyday performance

CONS:


  • Touchpad clicks feel firm

  • Only one color option

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The ASUS Zenbook A16 gets something surprisingly right. It makes a 16-inch laptop feel light, easy, and genuinely pleasant to carry, without losing the kind of performance most people actually need.

Big laptops usually ask for a compromise. You get the roomy screen, but you also get the extra weight, the larger footprint, and the feeling that you are carrying a little too much machine around every day. The ASUS Zenbook A16 UX3607 takes a different route, giving you a 16-inch canvas in a body that is startlingly light for the size, at around 1.3 kg, or 1.2 kg depending on the version.

What makes it stand out even more is that ASUS pairs that light build with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite platform, which still feels relatively rare. The result is a slim, polished laptop that makes a larger display feel easy, casual, and genuinely portable, while still delivering strong everyday performance. With a 16-inch 3K 120 Hz OLED panel and Snapdragon X2 Elite hardware in the latest refresh, it is clearly built for people who want comfort, battery life, and speed in one very travel-friendly package.

Designer: ASUS

I spent about a month with the laptop, including three international trips. That gave me a good sense of how it felt not just at a desk, but in transit, in hotel rooms, and in the kind of everyday situations where a large laptop usually starts to feel less convenient. Over that time, the Zenbook A16 made a strong case for itself as a big-screen machine that does not ask you to live around it.

Aesthetics

The Zenbook A16 has a clean, minimal design, but it does not feel cold. That is an important distinction because a lot of slim laptops, especially larger ones, can come across as a little sterile. This one feels softer and more inviting, with a look that is polished without being severe.

A lot of that comes down to ASUS’ patented Ceraluminum finish. ASUS gives the chassis a surface that feels less harsh than typical metal, which helps the laptop look warmer and more tactile in person. It still feels premium, but in a more relaxed and approachable way.

The details are subtle, but they give the laptop some character. A silver ASUS Zenbook logo sits centered on the lid, adding just enough contrast without disturbing the clean look. Open it up, and the full-sized backlit keyboard in a darker greige finish brings a bit of depth to the interior, while the stylized “A” above the right side of the keyboard adds a small touch of personality.

The color helps too. The review unit I received came in Zabriskie Beige, which was the only color option for this variant. It suits the Zenbook A16 especially well, giving it a softer and more distinctive look than the usual sea of silver laptops.

Ergonomics

What I liked most about the Zenbook A16 was how easy it was to live with. On paper, the dimensions and weight are impressive for a 16-inch laptop at 35.35 × 24.24 × 1.65 cm and around 1.3 kg (2.87lbs), but what stayed with me more was the overall feel of using it. It never felt awkward or demanding, which is not something I can say about every large laptop.

The lid is a good example of that. I could open it easily with one hand, and the hinge felt smooth and well-balanced. It is a small thing, but details like that shape your impression of a laptop very quickly. In this case, it made the Zenbook A16 feel immediately more comfortable and better resolved.

I also really liked the texture of the chassis. The Ceraluminum finish has a smooth, pebble-like texture that feels warm and pleasant under the hands. It helps the Zenbook A16 stand apart from the colder, more clinical feel that metal laptops often have. That tactile quality gives the laptop a more relaxed and welcoming character in everyday use.

The keyboard was another highlight for me. The keys are very comfortable to type on, and that became more obvious the longer I used it. Whether I was writing, replying to emails, or working through longer stretches of text, it felt like a laptop that stayed out of the way in the best sense.

The touchpad is generously sized, which suits the scale of the laptop, but I did find that it needed a bit more force than I expected to click. It was not a major issue, and I got used to it, but it did stand out at first. On a laptop that otherwise feels so easy and light in use, that slightly firmer click felt a little less effortless than the rest of the experience.

This reads well already. If you want, I can do one very light polish pass to make it sound a touch more natural and less repetitive without changing your meaning. For example, I would probably trim phrases like “what stayed with me more” and “made a difference” just to make the rhythm feel a little cleaner.

Performance

The review unit I received is the ASUS Zenbook A16 UX3607 with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite processor, paired with 48GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. That is a fairly premium configuration, and in everyday use, it felt quick, quiet, and consistently easy to rely on. It handled the usual multitasking of writing, research, email, an unruly number of browser tabs, streaming music, watching video, and light photo and video editing without ever feeling like it was running out of breath.

The Zenbook A16 (2026) runs Windows 11 and is part of the Copilot+ PC category. That places it firmly in Microsoft’s new AI PC push, though in daily use, the more noticeable benefit is still the machine’s general speed and efficiency. It feels modern and responsive in a very straightforward way, without constantly calling attention to the AI angle.

Although compatibility has clearly improved from Snapdragon X1 to X2, I still think it is something some buyers will worry about. Snapdragon X2 Elite gives the laptop much of its efficiency and responsiveness, but it also means this is still an ARM-based Windows machine. For general use, that was not a problem for me, but if your workflow depends on niche programs or you are into gaming, it is still worth checking that everything you need works properly before buying.

The display is one of the best parts of the Zenbook A16. The unit I tested comes with the touch-screen version of the 16-inch 3K OLED panel, and it gives the laptop a richness that you notice right away, whether you are working, streaming, or simply scrolling through photos. The 120 Hz refresh rate gives everything a welcome smoothness, while 500 nits of typical brightness, up to 1100 nits in HDR, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio help the screen look vivid, punchy, and properly premium.

Audio is another pleasant surprise. The six-speaker array sounds full and clear, and Dolby Atmos support helps give movies, music, and even casual video watching a little more scale and dimension. I also liked that MyASUS lets you switch between sound modes like Dynamic, Game, Movie, Music, and Voice, or create up to three custom Dolby Atmos equalizer settings, which makes it easier to tune the sound to whatever you are doing.

Battery life was also a strong point for me. I kept the laptop in balanced mode, and it easily lasted a full workday with eight hours or more of continuous use, which made it easy to trust when I was out and about. The included 130W charger is fast and still easy enough to carry, so the overall setup remained travel-friendly.

I also appreciated the port selection. ASUS includes two USB4 ports, a USB-A port, HDMI, a headphone jack, and an SD card slot, which makes the Zenbook A16 feel practical in a way many thin premium laptops no longer do. The SD card slot in particular is one of those small features that ends up being genuinely useful more often than you expect.

Sustainability

Sustainability is not the first thing the Zenbook A16 draws attention to, but it is part of the story. ASUS says its Ceraluminum material is made using pure water and electricity, without added organic compounds, strong acids, or heavy metals. That gives the finish a bit more substance than a purely cosmetic talking point.

There is also a more practical side to this. Battery replacements are doable, which is a plus, but the storage is not removable or serviceable. That makes the Zenbook A16 a somewhat mixed story on sustainability, with thoughtful material choices but limited repairability.

Value

The touch-screen version I tested is the Best Buy model, priced at $1,699.99. That puts the Zenbook A16 firmly in premium laptop territory, so it is not a machine that gets by on novelty alone. At this price, it needs to justify itself through the full experience, not just one or two standout specs.

I think it mostly does. You are getting a very light 16-inch laptop with a beautiful OLED display, strong battery life, a high-spec configuration, and a design that feels thoughtful in both look and feel. Still, $1,700 is enough money that buyers are right to think carefully about software compatibility and long-term flexibility before deciding it is the right fit.

Verdict

The Zenbook A16 ended up winning me over in a quiet way. It is not the kind of laptop that shouts for attention, but the longer I used it, the more I appreciated how thoughtfully it fits into everyday life. The light weight, the large and beautiful display, the warm feel of the Ceraluminum finish, and the overall ease of using it all added up to something that felt genuinely enjoyable.

What stayed with me most was how little friction there was to living with it. I liked being able to carry a 16-inch laptop without feeling weighed down, and I liked that it still felt polished and comfortable once I opened it up and got to work. The comfortable keyboard, strong battery life, good speakers, and practical port selection all helped make it feel like a machine designed by people who had actually thought about daily use.

It is not perfect, and I would still tell buyers to think carefully about software compatibility if they rely on niche programs or want a laptop for gaming. The firmer touchpad click also stood out on a machine that otherwise feels so easygoing. Even so, I came away with a lot of affection for the Zenbook A16, because it manages to feel both special and easy at the same time.

At $1,700, it is a serious purchase. But for someone who wants a premium laptop with a big OLED screen, long battery life, and a design that feels lighter and warmer than most, I think the Zenbook A16 makes a strong case for itself. It is one of those laptops that feels nicer the longer you live with it, and that may be its best quality.

The post ASUS Zenbook A16 (UX3607OA ) Review: Big screen, Surprisingly Light first appeared on Yanko Design.

ASUS ProArt Just Closed the Gap Between a Laptop and a Workstation

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Creative professionals have been carrying a compromise for years. The laptop powerful enough for serious work tends to be too heavy or too loud, and the one thin and light enough for a day bag can’t handle the work. Purpose-built workstations solve the performance side but solve nothing about portability. The gap between the two has been a persistent frustration, not a deliberate choice most people would make.

ASUS is addressing that directly at Computex 2026, where the ProArt P16, ProArt P14, and ProArt Mini PC were unveiled as the first ASUS devices powered by NVIDIA’s RTX Spark superchip. The same ARM-based chip combining a 20-core Grace CPU with a Blackwell RTX GPU and up to 128GB of unified memory runs across all three products, making the performance difference between a laptop and a desktop largely a matter of form factor rather than capability.

Designer: ASUS

The ProArt P16 and P14 are the portable entries, and they arrive 13% thinner and 16% lighter than the previous P16 generation. The P16 weighs 1.77kg at 12.9mm, and the P14 comes in at 1.48kg and 13.9mm. Both are CNC-manufactured in Nano Black and Neo White finishes, and carry 99.9Wh batteries for all-day runtime, a detail that matters when the work is intensive enough to drain power quickly. The machines don’t sacrifice weight for performance or performance for weight.

The display on both laptops is ASUS Lumina Pro OLED, calibrated to Delta E < 1 color accuracy, Pantone Validated, and certified for VESA DisplayHDR True Black 1000. Peak HDR brightness reaches 1,600 nits, which is more than three times what the previous ProArt generation could manage. A 120Hz variable refresh rate, 0.2ms response time, and an anti-reflection coating that cuts glare by 65% complete a panel that keeps color decisions accurate regardless of the lighting conditions a shoot or edit session happens to land in.

Under the hood, RTX Spark’s 1 petaflop of AI compute and unified memory pool change what locally processed work looks like. Rendering a 90GB-plus 3D scene, editing 12K 4:2:2 video, generating 4K AI video, or running a 120-billion-parameter language model locally are tasks that previously needed significantly bigger machines. Adobe is rebuilding Photoshop and Premiere specifically for RTX Spark to deliver 2x faster AI and graphics performance, and a three-month Creative Cloud subscription ships with the ProArt laptops.

The ProArt Mini PC extends the same logic to the desk. At 150 × 150 × 51mm, it fits anywhere a small speaker would and carries up to 128GB of unified memory, 10GbE wired networking, M.2 PCIe Gen 5 expansion, and up to 140W of thermal headroom for sustained demanding workloads. A single RTX Spark-powered box of that size, running AI renders or local large language models around the clock, is a genuinely different proposition for a small studio or home setup than what was available previously.

All three products sit within a broader ASUS ProArt ecosystem that integrates displays, peripherals, creator apps, and AI workflow software into a connected end-to-end experience. ProArt P16, P14, and Mini PC are expected to be available in fall 2026 in select regions, with additional configurations announced closer to launch.

The post ASUS ProArt Just Closed the Gap Between a Laptop and a Workstation first appeared on Yanko Design.

ASUS Just Returned to Tablets, and It’s Coming for the iPad

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Android tablets have had a complicated few years. The iPad solidified its lead at the premium end, and Android alternatives often competed on price rather than experience, producing devices that were acceptable but rarely compelling. Demand for something that genuinely rivaled the best tablets in the room, not on price alone, but on the quality of the thing itself, has been there for a while. It just hasn’t always been answered.

ASUS steps back into the conversation with the Pad, an Android 16 tablet announced at Computex 2026. The company stepped away from the tablet category for several years, and this is its return, built around a 12.2-inch dual-layer OLED display and a chassis light enough and slim enough to suggest that sitting on the couch with it for three hours isn’t something to plan around.

Designer: ASUS

The display is the obvious starting point, because the choice of dual-layer OLED is a meaningful one. Where a conventional OLED pushes through a single emission layer, the tandem structure stacks two of them. The result is better brightness, longer panel life, and improved power efficiency without demanding that any of those things trade off against each other. At a 2.8K resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and full DCI-P3 coverage, the screen is built for content that benefits from all of that.

The body that carries it measures just 6.5mm thick and weighs 523g, built from a magnalium chassis with a fiberglass back. Those proportions bring the Pad well within the range of a device someone would actually carry in a bag or hold over a long flight without a second thought. Four speakers tuned with Dolby Atmos back up the display with audio that punches harder than the form factor suggests.

A MediaTek Dimensity 8300 chip handles the performance side, paired with 8GB of LPDDR5x RAM and storage in 128GB or 256GB configurations. A micro TF slot extends that to 1TB, keeping the device practical for anyone loading it with locally stored video or large files. The 9,000mAh battery charges to 50% in 30 minutes at 45W, and Wi-Fi 6E keeps the streaming side of things moving.

Software runs Android 16 with a handful of genuinely useful additions. ASUS GlideX handles cross-device connectivity, letting the tablet function as a secondary screen or swap files with a nearby laptop. Google Gemini integrates directly into the experience for AI assistance, while Circle to Search lets users search from anything visible on screen without disrupting what they’re doing. Face Login handles security without a passcode step.

Accessory support rounds out what the Pad can do when the watching stops. ASUS Pen 2.0 enables handwriting and sketching, and Bluetooth keyboard support turns the tablet into something closer to a light laptop for longer text work. A protective case with a multi-angle origami stand ships in the box, meaning the setup is functional out of the packaging without anything additional to buy. Availability and pricing haven’t been confirmed yet, but the ASUS Pad is shaping up as a considered answer to a market that doesn’t always reward patience.

The post ASUS Just Returned to Tablets, and It’s Coming for the iPad first appeared on Yanko Design.

ROG Just Gave the Ally Its First OLED and a 171-Inch AR Screen

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Handheld gaming PCs have become serious pieces of hardware over the past few years, and the display has quietly become the most contested spec on the spec sheet. Early handhelds shipped with IPS panels as a matter of course, but expectations have shifted. Owners of these devices spend long hours staring at a relatively small screen, and the quality of that screen now shapes how the whole experience is judged.

ROG is marking 20 years as a brand with an anniversary bundle that puts its most significant Ally upgrade to date front and center. The ROG XBOX Ally X20 is a special-edition take on the Ally X, built around a translucent black chassis with a gold internal structure and a 7.4-inch OLED display, the first of its kind on an Ally, paired in the box with a set of AR gaming glasses.

Designer: ASUS

The jump from IPS to OLED on the Ally is hard to overstate for anyone who’s spent time with both panel types. The Nebula HDR Display delivers 1,400 nits of peak brightness, a 0.2ms response time, a 120Hz refresh rate with FreeSync Premium Pro, and support for Dolby Vision. VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification rounds it out, and Corning DXC glass with an anti-reflective coating cuts glare by 65%.

Under the hood, the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor carries the same horsepower as the Ally X, backed by 24GB of RAM and an 80Wh battery. New TMR joysticks deliver better precision and tracking. Auto SR upscaling handles frame-quality boosts at lower power costs, and Xbox Mode offers a clean, console-like interface for navigating a library that spans Xbox, PC Game Pass, and Steam.

The design is the most conspicuous part of the X20’s identity. The translucent black body lets the gold-accented internal frame show through, making the engineering itself part of the aesthetic. It’s a specific kind of flex that ROG’s anniversary context earns credibility for. Rubberized coating on the rear handgrips keeps the feel practical rather than purely decorative, which matters for a device meant to hold through long gaming sessions.

The bundle’s second piece is the ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 Gaming AR Glasses, and they’re the part that makes this package genuinely different from simply selling a revised Ally X. These aren’t the kind of smart glasses that surface notifications or track fitness. They’re designed specifically for gaming, using dual Sony Micro-OLED displays to generate a virtual screen sized for long sessions away from a TV or monitor.

That virtual screen projects to 171 inches when viewed from 4 meters, covering 95% of the focused field of view. A 240Hz refresh rate and a 0.01ms response time keep fast-paced gameplay clean without smearing or lag. Native 3DoF head tracking anchors the display to your gaze, while Anchor Mode locks it in a fixed position for those who prefer to play without the screen following their movements.

The ROG XBOX Ally X20 isn’t the kind of hardware upgrade that quietly adds a spec or two. OLED on the Ally for the first time, combined with AR glasses that project a room-filling virtual display and wrapped in a translucent anniversary design, makes for a more complete idea than a typical limited-edition product usually delivers. A holiday 2026 release means the wait still has some time left.

The post ROG Just Gave the Ally Its First OLED and a 171-Inch AR Screen first appeared on Yanko Design.

ROG Just Gave the Ally Its First OLED and a 171-Inch AR Screen

Posted on by

Handheld gaming PCs have become serious pieces of hardware over the past few years, and the display has quietly become the most contested spec on the spec sheet. Early handhelds shipped with IPS panels as a matter of course, but expectations have shifted. Owners of these devices spend long hours staring at a relatively small screen, and the quality of that screen now shapes how the whole experience is judged.

ROG is marking 20 years as a brand with an anniversary bundle that puts its most significant Ally upgrade to date front and center. The ROG XBOX Ally X20 is a special-edition take on the Ally X, built around a translucent black chassis with a gold internal structure and a 7.4-inch OLED display, the first of its kind on an Ally, paired in the box with a set of AR gaming glasses.

Designer: ASUS

The jump from IPS to OLED on the Ally is hard to overstate for anyone who’s spent time with both panel types. The Nebula HDR Display delivers 1,400 nits of peak brightness, a 0.2ms response time, a 120Hz refresh rate with FreeSync Premium Pro, and support for Dolby Vision. VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification rounds it out, and Corning DXC glass with an anti-reflective coating cuts glare by 65%.

Under the hood, the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor carries the same horsepower as the Ally X, backed by 24GB of RAM and an 80Wh battery. New TMR joysticks deliver better precision and tracking. Auto SR upscaling handles frame-quality boosts at lower power costs, and Xbox Mode offers a clean, console-like interface for navigating a library that spans Xbox, PC Game Pass, and Steam.

The design is the most conspicuous part of the X20’s identity. The translucent black body lets the gold-accented internal frame show through, making the engineering itself part of the aesthetic. It’s a specific kind of flex that ROG’s anniversary context earns credibility for. Rubberized coating on the rear handgrips keeps the feel practical rather than purely decorative, which matters for a device meant to hold through long gaming sessions.

The bundle’s second piece is the ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 Gaming AR Glasses, and they’re the part that makes this package genuinely different from simply selling a revised Ally X. These aren’t the kind of smart glasses that surface notifications or track fitness. They’re designed specifically for gaming, using dual Sony Micro-OLED displays to generate a virtual screen sized for long sessions away from a TV or monitor.

That virtual screen projects to 171 inches when viewed from 4 meters, covering 95% of the focused field of view. A 240Hz refresh rate and a 0.01ms response time keep fast-paced gameplay clean without smearing or lag. Native 3DoF head tracking anchors the display to your gaze, while Anchor Mode locks it in a fixed position for those who prefer to play without the screen following their movements.

The ROG XBOX Ally X20 isn’t the kind of hardware upgrade that quietly adds a spec or two. OLED on the Ally for the first time, combined with AR glasses that project a room-filling virtual display and wrapped in a translucent anniversary design, makes for a more complete idea than a typical limited-edition product usually delivers. A holiday 2026 release means the wait still has some time left.

The post ROG Just Gave the Ally Its First OLED and a 171-Inch AR Screen first appeared on Yanko Design.

ROG Just Made Gaming Peripherals You’d Actually Put on Display

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Gaming peripherals have gradually crossed from purely functional tools into design objects that enthusiasts keep, display, and collect alongside their builds. Limited-edition anniversary hardware has become part of that culture, giving manufacturers a chance to honor their history while reminding the community why certain names still carry weight. Making those commemorative pieces feel genuinely worthy of the occasion, however, is always the trickier part.

ROG, short for ASUS’ Republic of Gamers brand, is marking 20 years of gaming innovation with an anniversary lineup centered on a gold-and-black design identity it calls the Edition 20 colorway. Three peripheral additions sit at the heart of it, namely the Azoth Extreme Edition 20 keyboard, the Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 mouse, and the Keycap Mystery Box Edition 20, each making the case that high-performance hardware and collector-worthy design don’t have to live separately.

Designer: ASUS

The Azoth Extreme Edition 20 is a 75% gaming keyboard that wears the anniversary theme without being heavy-handed about it. Translucent keycaps reveal the mechanics below, and a detachable 24K-gold-plated nameplate at the front makes the occasion official without being excessive. The extended silicone wrist rest adds completeness to the package, anchored by a gold-toned aluminum-alloy base that ties everything together without introducing anything out of place.

Beneath that exterior, an adjustable gasket mount toggles between Hard and Soft typing modes, useful for anyone who games and types for long hours in the same session. The custom ROG NX Edition 20 mechanical switches are transparent, factory pre-lubed, and hot-swappable, while an OLED touchscreen with a three-way control knob handles quick adjustments. In 2.4GHz wireless mode, battery life stretches to up to 1,600 hours.

The Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 shares the same design language and makes a natural companion to the keyboard. Built on the pro-tested shape of the Harpe II Ace, it houses a 24K-gold-plated metal interior frame inside a crystal-clear shell, with an RGB light guide plate illuminating the components within. A display case ships with the mouse in the box, which feels entirely appropriate given how it looks at rest.

The ROG AimPoint Pro 65K sensor delivers 65,000 dpi with less than 1% CPI deviation and 8,000Hz wireless polling through ROG SpeedNova technology. At 82g with glass mouse feet already included, it’s ready for competitive play immediately. Battery life holds at up to 90 hours over 2.4GHz RF and 98.5 hours in Bluetooth mode, both measured with the lighting switched off.

For those who aren’t swapping out their entire setup, the Keycap Mystery Box Edition 20 is the most accessible entry into the anniversary series. Each box holds a randomly selected keycap in one of seven designs inspired by iconic ROG peripherals and the ROG Fearless Eye logo, built through casting, high-pressure forming, hand-painted finishing, and structural assembly. The obsidian-inspired base and refined detailing make each piece genuinely display-worthy.

The ROG Claymore design is the one most worth watching for, as it includes two interlocking keycaps that reference the original keyboard’s modular layout. A Special Edition crystal-like ROG Logo keycap is also in the pool. Available as a single unit or a six-piece box with no duplicates, the Mystery Box turns 20 years of ROG hardware history into something you can keep in the palm of your hand.

The post ROG Just Made Gaming Peripherals You’d Actually Put on Display first appeared on Yanko Design.

ROG Just Made Gaming Peripherals You’d Actually Put on Display

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Gaming peripherals have gradually crossed from purely functional tools into design objects that enthusiasts keep, display, and collect alongside their builds. Limited-edition anniversary hardware has become part of that culture, giving manufacturers a chance to honor their history while reminding the community why certain names still carry weight. Making those commemorative pieces feel genuinely worthy of the occasion, however, is always the trickier part.

ROG, short for ASUS’ Republic of Gamers brand, is marking 20 years of gaming innovation with an anniversary lineup centered on a gold-and-black design identity it calls the Edition 20 colorway. Three peripheral additions sit at the heart of it, namely the Azoth Extreme Edition 20 keyboard, the Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 mouse, and the Keycap Mystery Box Edition 20, each making the case that high-performance hardware and collector-worthy design don’t have to live separately.

Designer: ASUS

The Azoth Extreme Edition 20 is a 75% gaming keyboard that wears the anniversary theme without being heavy-handed about it. Translucent keycaps reveal the mechanics below, and a detachable 24K-gold-plated nameplate at the front makes the occasion official without being excessive. The extended silicone wrist rest adds completeness to the package, anchored by a gold-toned aluminum-alloy base that ties everything together without introducing anything out of place.

Beneath that exterior, an adjustable gasket mount toggles between Hard and Soft typing modes, useful for anyone who games and types for long hours in the same session. The custom ROG NX Edition 20 mechanical switches are transparent, factory pre-lubed, and hot-swappable, while an OLED touchscreen with a three-way control knob handles quick adjustments. In 2.4GHz wireless mode, battery life stretches to up to 1,600 hours.

The Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 shares the same design language and makes a natural companion to the keyboard. Built on the pro-tested shape of the Harpe II Ace, it houses a 24K-gold-plated metal interior frame inside a crystal-clear shell, with an RGB light guide plate illuminating the components within. A display case ships with the mouse in the box, which feels entirely appropriate given how it looks at rest.

The ROG AimPoint Pro 65K sensor delivers 65,000 dpi with less than 1% CPI deviation and 8,000Hz wireless polling through ROG SpeedNova technology. At 82g with glass mouse feet already included, it’s ready for competitive play immediately. Battery life holds at up to 90 hours over 2.4GHz RF and 98.5 hours in Bluetooth mode, both measured with the lighting switched off.

For those who aren’t swapping out their entire setup, the Keycap Mystery Box Edition 20 is the most accessible entry into the anniversary series. Each box holds a randomly selected keycap in one of seven designs inspired by iconic ROG peripherals and the ROG Fearless Eye logo, built through casting, high-pressure forming, hand-painted finishing, and structural assembly. The obsidian-inspired base and refined detailing make each piece genuinely display-worthy.

The ROG Claymore design is the one most worth watching for, as it includes two interlocking keycaps that reference the original keyboard’s modular layout. A Special Edition crystal-like ROG Logo keycap is also in the pool. Available as a single unit or a six-piece box with no duplicates, the Mystery Box turns 20 years of ROG hardware history into something you can keep in the palm of your hand.

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The $4,499 ASUS Gaming Laptop With Two Full Screens Will Make You Question Every Laptop You’ve Owned

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Dual-screen laptops have been ASUS’s long game. The Zenbook Duo spent several years proving that two displays could coexist for productivity users before the form factor felt genuinely mature. The ROG Zephyrus Duo carried that logic into gaming territory, though the 2022 original hedged its bets with a half-sized secondary panel perched above the keyboard. The 2026 GX651, which first appeared at CES earlier this year and got its US pricing confirmed at Computex this week, drops the hedge completely. Two full 16-inch OLED panels, same resolution, same refresh rate, same brightness ceiling.

The base configuration opens at $4,499, and the Computex backdrop gives that number useful framing. Nvidia and Microsoft were teasing ARM-based laptop chips a few booths over, and the rest of the gaming hall was running its annual RTX refresh cycle. None of that noise touched the Duo’s story, because its headline was a chassis decision rather than a silicon one. After six years and three generations, ASUS finally has a dual-screen gaming laptop that leads with the screens and lets everything else follow.

Brand: ASUS ROG

Dual-screen laptop on a showroom table; main keyboard visible and purple-pattern display on the lower screen, upper screen showing software UI.

Matching the displays across both panels is the design decision that signals intent. Both screens deliver 3K resolution at 2880 x 1800 pixels, both run at 120Hz with variable refresh rate support, and both hit 1,100 nits peak brightness in HDR with full DCI-P3 color coverage. The top panel gets G-Sync compatibility because it handles gaming duties, but the bottom screen doesn’t get downgraded to compensate. Previous Zephyrus Duo models gave you a flagship display up top and a secondary utility screen below, a hierarchy that made sense when the bottom panel was physically smaller. The GX651 treats parity as the baseline, which changes the relationship between the two surfaces entirely. One screen runs your game, the other runs Discord, Spotify, streaming software, browser tabs, whatever parallel workflow gaming actually requires in 2026.

The keyboard detaches completely and connects over Bluetooth when separated from the chassis, continuing the design language ASUS refined with the Zenbook Duo line over the past few years. Magnets hold it in place when docked, covering the lower display for traditional laptop mode, but the machine was engineered to run with both screens exposed. Pull the keyboard free and set it wherever makes ergonomic sense, angled on a stand or flat on the desk beside the laptop itself. The trackpad lives on the keyboard folio, so input travel is part of the design assumption. ASUS isn’t treating detachment as a party trick or an edge case. The entire thermal layout, the hinge mechanism, and the port placement assume you will use this machine with the keyboard removed.

Two-in-one laptop set in tent mode on a display table, screen glowing purple.

The silicon inside follows the screen-first brief rather than leading it. The base $4,499 configuration ships with an RTX 5070 Ti, while the top-end model pushes into RTX 5090 territory at a price ASUS hasn’t officially published yet but Gizmodo clocks at $5,500. Intel’s Panther Lake CPUs handle the processor side, with options ranging across the Core Ultra X series depending on configuration. All of that is competitive hardware in mid-2026 terms, but the specs themselves are table stakes. What matters is how ASUS packaged them. The cooling system has to manage thermals across a chassis that expects both displays to be running simultaneously under load, and the hinge assembly has to support the weight and structural integrity of two full glass OLED panels without compromising rigidity. Those are the engineering problems that define this product, and the GPU choice is downstream of solving them.

Open dual-screen laptop on a showroom table with purple backlit keyboard and a blue neon screen display on the main panel.

ASUS confirmed US availability at Computex after showing the hardware at CES in January, which means the company spent the better part of six months watching feedback, finalizing logistics, and preparing the supply chain for a machine that doesn’t fit neatly into any existing SKU category. At $4,499 the Zephyrus Duo GX651 costs meaningfully more than a conventional gaming laptop with identical silicon, and the delta is purely the dual-screen chassis. That premium is either justified or deal-breaking depending on whether you’ve spent the last several years wishing your gaming laptop had room for a second panel. ASUS is betting that enough buyers have been waiting for exactly this. Computex 2026 will be remembered for Nvidia’s ARM tease and the RTX 5090 mobile flood, but the Zephyrus Duo is the machine that asked a different question entirely and shipped with an answer.

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