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HP Omen 45L (2024) review: a pricey but seriously powerful gaming PC
1:45 pm | June 26, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers | Tags: , | Comments: Off

HP Omen 45L: One-minute review

If you're considering a new machine then the latest take on the HP Omen 45L does enough to be mentioned in the same breath as some of the best gaming PCs out there. As far as prebuilt rigs from trusted manufacturers go, HP's latest effort maintains a straightforward approach with its design ethos and performance potential, albeit at a price which may be a little hard to swallow. 

Speaking of the design, there's a toolless approach to upgrading as both side and front panels can be removed without the need for a screwdriver, with ample room for tinkering. There's a total of four 120mm fans and a 360mm AIO for enhanced airflow, and this gaming PC largely delivers near-silent operation even when under stress. 

Pricing starts at $1,779.99 (about £1,415 / AU$2,689) for a configuration that gets you an Intel Core i7-14700K CPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and an Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti GPU. Yeah, it's far from the cheapest given that more humbly specced hardware, and this extends to higher-end configurations, such as our review unit. This came equipped with an RTX 4090 and Intel Core i9-13900K with 64GB of DDR5 RAM, but costs a mammoth $3,399.99 (about £2,673 / AU$5,136). 

As you may expect, that large price tag comes with staggering performance. It's been nearly two years since the components inside the machine were first released, but they're showing no signs of slowing down. Make no mistake, this is a leading 1440p and 4K machine with excellent performance that should last you an incredibly long time. Then, when future RTX 5000 series graphics cards (or RDNA 4 lower down the GPU spectrum, if the rumors are right) hit the scene, it shouldn't be taxing to swap in a beefy upgrade. 

HP Omen 45L: Price and availability

  • How much does it cost? Starts from $1,779.99 (about £1,415 / AU$2,689) 
  • When is it available? It's on sale now 
  • Where can you get it? In the US, UK and Australia 

The HP Omen 45L starts at the mid-range with a base configuration featuring an Intel Core i7-14700K CPU coupled with either an RTX 4060 Ti or RTX 4070 GPU depending on the region you're buying in. This machine is priced at $1,779.99 (about £1,415 / AU$2,689) which is a touch high factoring in the 1440p GPU in question. 

My review unit featured the Intel Core i9-13900K, the previous-generation Raptor Lake processor, with 64GB of Kingston Fury DDR5 RAM and an Nvidia RTX 4090. Unsurprisingly, the latter comes at a premium. If you're buying brand-new directly from HP or certain other retailers, you may find this build available around the $4,507.99 mark (about £3,538 / AU$6,798), which is at the very upper-end of the spectrum. 

Simply put, there are cheaper RTX 4090 PCs out there, but this top configuration is priced at around the going market rate from a trusted manufacturer. It's about on a par with the recently released Corsair One i500, which is famed for its compact footprint and sleek chassis, at the cost of easy upgradability. 

  • Price: 3 / 5 

HP Omen 45L: Specs

Here are the specs for the HP Omen 45L at a glance. 

HP Omen 45L: Design

HP Omen 45L side panel

(Image credit: Future)
  • Stylish overall look with space to upgrade 
  • Toolless design to open things up, but there are drawbacks 
  • Front and rear I/O leave a lot to be desired

The design of the HP Omen 45L is fairly standard fare for the company's lineup. In short, this means an illuminated square badge on the front, a triple front fan setup, and what's been described as a "toolless" upgrade path. The rig looks great with its fully metal frame and tempered glass panels, with enough space to be able to reach in and make changes where desired. 

However, said toolless design, meaning the front and side panels can easily pop out, can become a bit of a hindrance. My particular review unit has been around the circuit for some time and came in the box with the front and side panel popped off. It took a bit of effort to slide things back in, with a little flex on the front. It's possible this could have happenend in transit, but it's something to be aware of. 

What I'm not a fan of is the front and rear port panels which leave a fair amount to be desired. The former is top mounted and clean enough, sure, but the port selection is lacking. There's no USB 3.2 or USB-C, which means you're stuck with older USB 2.0 for your peripherals. The rear is better: here you get two USB-C ports, and three USB-A ports as well as Ethernet and 3.5mm jacks. There should be enough here to be getting on with but it's far from top of the class connectivity. 

  • Design: 4 / 5

HP Omen 45L: Performance

HP Omen 45L rear I/O

(Image credit: Future)
  • Excellent gaming performance 
  • Strong productivity chops with this CPU and GPU combo 
  • Included NVMe SSD is strong, but SATA HDD is fairly pointless

The performance of the HP Omen 45L is impressive, but that's not surprising when factoring in the combination of the Intel Core i9-13900K and Nvidia RTX 4090 with 64GB of DDR5-5200 RAM.

You have more than enough power under the hood to fuel today's games at max settings in 1440p and 4K with room to spare. That's made all the better when you can take advantage of Nvidia DLSS 3's Frame Generation to make the most out of the high refresh rates on the best gaming monitors. 

HP Omen 45L benchmarks

Here's how the HP Omen 45L performed in our suite of industry-standard benchmarks and demanding games. 

Geekbench 6:
2,853 (single)
18,523 (multi)

PCMark10: 9,302 (overall)
Essentials - 10,631
Productivity - 11,226
Digital Content Creation - 18,300

Cinebench R23:
Single - 2,181
Multi - 28,910

CrossMark: 2,135 (overall)
Productivity - 1,959
Creativity - 2,480
Responsiveness - 1,765

3DMark:
Night Raid - 89,961
Fire Strike - 41,073
Time Spy - 29,874
Port Royal - 25,501

CrystalDiskMark:
Read - 6,893MB/s
Write - 5,267MB/s

Red Dead Redemption II:
1080p: 169fps (Low); 165fps (Ultra)
1440p: 165fps (Low); 154fps (Ultra)

Total War: Three Kingdoms:
1080p: 503fps (Low) ; 240fps (Ultra)
1440p: 444fps (Low); 154 fps (Ultra)

Cyberpunk 2077:
1080p: 163fps (Low); 146fps (High)
1440p: 161fps (Low) ; 114fps (High)
RT Ultra + DLSS : (1440p) 143fps; (1080p) 212fps

Dubbed by the manufacturer as the "Omen Cryo Chamber," the cooling solution does a respectable job of keeping the core temperatures reasonable with the 360mm AIO and four 120mm case fans inside. What was notable was the lack of noise from the machine when under stress from heavy benchmarking, which is usually where these company-made gaming PCs start to struggle. With the Omen 45L, even moderate to heavy gaming is quiet.

We've gone into detail extensively about the RTX 4090 over the years and it remains a powerhouse. There's nothing on the market now that can make it sweat as the card's 24GB GDDR6X VRAM is seemingly endless for even the most demanding of software. To say the Intel Core i9-13900K is a bottleneck isn't exactly fair, but that's what's ultimately holding things back (but not to much of an extent).

That's because you can expect frame rate averages of well over 100fps in all the demanding games on the market such as Red Dead Redemption II, Cyberpunk 2077, and more CPU-bound titles such as Total War: Three Kingdoms, and that's running natively (with no DLSS). This is echoed in 3DMark's range of tests as well as in CrossMark as mentioned above.

HP says the Omen has a WD Black PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD but doesn't specify which one. In my testing with CrystalDiskMark, I logged sequential performance of 6,893MB/s and 5,267MB/s reads and writes respectively. That's on par with the quoted performance for the WD Black SN850, which is a rival to the best SSDs, despite being usurped by more powerful Gen 5.0 options in recent years.

What's odd to me is the 2TB 7200 RPM SATA HDD included with the HP Omen 45L. It's not just HP that goes for a hard disk as a secondary drive, as Alienware tends to as well, but I would rather have had a larger primary NVMe SSD instead of a fairly mediocre storage drive. Not only does it take up space in the case, but with sequential rates of around 300MB/s apiece, you can't really use it for gaming.

Lastly, there's the Omen Gaming Hub which comes included as a one-stop-shop for customizing your rig's lighting, overclocking your components, balancing power options, and optimizing games. While seasoned PC gamers are largely going to ignore this app, those new to PC gaming may find some use for it. The Hub is easy to understand, colorful, and powerful, but unnecessary for those who know what they're doing.

  • Performance: 4 / 5

Should you buy the HP Omen 45L?

HP Omen 45L side panel opened

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if... 

Don't buy it if... 

  • First reviewed June 2024
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (GU605) review: a sleek Intel gaming laptop with creator appeal
9:30 am | June 21, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 : Two-minute review

Thinner and lighter than it looks, the ROG Zephyrus G16 packs some serious hardware in a stylish 16-inch frame. While there are multiple configurations available, the G16 that was sent to me for this review features an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU paired up with a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 that can boost up to 100W. Sadly the 16GB of LPDDR5X 7467MHz RAM is soldered in and not upgradeable, and 32GB is only available on the Ultra 9 with RTX 4070/4080/4090 configuration for a significantly higher price. The 16-inch IPS screen has a 16:10 ratio, with a 2.5K (2560 x 1600) resolution, up to 500 nit brightness, a 3ms response time and a 240Hz G-Sync compatible refresh rate. You also get a 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD, Wi-Fi 6 and a large 90Wh battery. 

The G16 has two USB-C ports (one on each side), and while both support PD spec 100W charging and DisplayPort output, the left one is Thunderbolt 4 spec (40Gbps) and the right is USB 3.2 Gen 2 spec (10Gbps). You also get USB-A 3.2 ports on both the left and right, as well as HDMI 2.1, an SD card slot, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The G16 includes an array of customizable RGB lighting in the keyboard backlight, as well as “slash lighting” option that runs across the back of the display. 

Performance is excellent, and the G16 has the cooling capacity to let the Intel Ultra 7 CPU sustain high performance. Even with the GPU joining in, heat dissipation isn’t an issue in most scenarios. The RTX 4060 GPU means you will need to turn the details down for most intensive games if you want to take advantage of the high refresh rate – especially at the native resolution. Dropping back to 1080p makes it easy to keep the details high, but still achieve 120+ fps. The laptop scales back performance on battery or USB-C, but it’s still plenty good enough for plugging into a dock at work, without needing to bring along the monster 200W PSU. 

The 2560 x 1600 display is vibrant and bright, while G-Sync, the 240Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time makes for very smooth gaming. Moreover, the 100 DCI-P3 color reproduction will satisfy creators as well. The 90Wh battery is on the larger side and can be charged to 50% in 30 minutes, but the G16 isn’t too keen to run efficiently when unplugged. In silent mode (and half screen brightness) it struggles to last 4.5 hours for productivity tasks on default settings.

The keyboard is well spaced with deep 1.7mm travel, and the trackpad is large and accurate. The 1080p webcam quality is nothing special but gets the job done, and is equipped with IR that works well for facial recognition. The speakers provide better than expected sound considering the form factor.

Asus Zephyrus G16 displaying Red Dead Redemption II home screen

(Image credit: Future)

Asus ROG Zephyrus G16: Price and availability

  • How much does it cost? from $2,899 / £2,299 / AU$3,299
  • Where is it available? Available in different configurations in most markets

Asus gives a price tag of $2,899 / £2,299 / AU$3,299 for the base configuration of the G16, but what hardware is included at that price varies across different markets. 

It's hard to judge the value of the G16, as the base spec (in some regions) isn't overly appealing, and opting for higher-specced models can make the G16 much more expensive and reduces the overall value. I tested a G16 with the bang for buck RTX 4060, but you can opt for a lesser RTX 4050, or bump up to an RTX 4070, RTX 4080 or RTX 4090. While the other options are appealing, the RTX 4060 is well suited to the G16 form factor.

Depending on your location, the specific configurations available vary and can include an OLED or IPS screen, and Intel Core Ultra 7 or 9 CPUs. For example, the G16 tested is available in Australia with an RRP of AU$3,499 (RTX 4060) but, at the time of writing, isn’t available in the USA or the UK. In comparison, the higher end Core i9, RTX 4090 model costs $3,499 / £3,999 / AU$6,999.

Asus also announced a new ROG Zephyrus G16 (GA605) at Computex on June 3, 2024, which will be available later in the year. The new model brings increased AI focus with an AMD CPU and Copilot+ support, but is unlikely to improve gaming performance by a significant amount. The good news is that the new model should help drive down prices of the current Zephyrus G16 (GU605) and make it an even better deal. 

  • Value score:  4 / 5

Asus Zephyrus G16 keyboard side angle

(Image credit: Future)

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 review: Specs

Availability varies widely depending on your location, but overall the G16 has a large number of configurations that include AMD and Intel CPUS, and GPUs from the RTX 4050 all the way through to the mighty RTX 4090. 

The specs listed below are for the G16 model tested for this review.

Asus Zephyrus G16 right-hand side ports

(Image credit: Future)
  • Specs score: 4 / 5

Asus Zephyrus G16 left-hand side ports

(Image credit: Future)

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 review: Design

  • Balanced hardware
  • Customizable lighting
  • Surprisingly portable

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 is sold as a gaming machine that can also fly under the radar and make for a capable workstation. At 35.4 x 24.6 x 1.62 – 1.72 cm (13.94 x 9.69 x 0.64 – 0.68 inches) and 1.85kg (4.08 lbs) the G16 is pretty slim for a 16-inch, discrete GPU-sporting laptop. It’s worth noting that while Asus claims the thickness is up to 1.72cm, I measured the laptop at up to 1.79cm at the thickest point and 2.1cm off the table when including the feet. On the plus side, the width, depth and weight are accurate.

The G16 chassis is CNC-machined (a computerized manufacturing process) from aluminum, then anodized, which makes it stiff and robust without adding to the weight. Overall, the G16 is very portable, but keep in mind it does come with a monster 200W PSU that is needed for full performance. That said, the 100W USB-C charging is relatively capable (more on that later), so the G16 does well plugged into a dock.

I tested the mid-range model featuring a Intel Ultra 7 155H CPU and a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 8GB GPU that features a 100W TGP. The 16GB (2x8GB) of DDR5 is low profile, so soldered to the board and sadly not upgradeable. My G16 also had a 1TB Pcie 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD, which is upgradable if needed down the track. The problem here is that if you want 32GB of RAM, then you need to opt for the higher-end Ultra 9 185H-powered G16, with either RTX 4070/4080/4090 and an OLED screen. This is a shame, because 32GB of RAM is well suited to the Ultra 7 and RTX 4060 variants – especially for use as a high-powered workstation. Whereas the RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 GPUs are overkill for the cooling capacity of the laptop, and as they are capped at 115W TGP, don’t offer a huge amount of additional gaming performance considering in relation to the price increase. 

On the plus side, the cooling setup is great – and fresh air is drawn in from below and vented out the rear of the laptop, meaning there are no vents on the sides aimed at your hand.

The G16 has a 16-inch 16:10 ratio (2560 x 1600) IPS panel with a very fast 240Hz  G-Sync compatible refresh rate and a solid 3ms GTG response time for smooth gaming at high or low frame rates. The display has up to a 500 nit brightness and covers 100% of the DCI-P3 gamut, so has vibrant, accurate colors. While I wish the OLED was also available on the RTX 4060 variant, the IPS panel is a good match for the laptop overall. 

Wireless connectivity is good, with Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax, triple band 2x2 antennas) and Bluetooth 5.3. The selection of ports is also excellent, and we really appreciate having USB-C PD 100W charging and DisplayPort capable USB-C ports on both sides of the laptop – again making the G16 well suited to use with a dock or USB-C charging.  The full complement of fast USB-C and USB-A ports, HDMI 2.1, SD card slot and 3.5mm audio jack mean the G16 is very versatile without needing to carry any extra dongles.

Asus Zephyrus G16

(Image credit: Future)

The G16 has a Windows Hello-ready 1080p IR webcam with an array of three microphones and noise-canceling tech. It’s a perfectly serviceable setup and better than lower-end laptops, giving about average performance for the price point the RTX 4060 G16 is targeting, but it would be a touch underwhelming on the much more expensive configurations. A fingerprint reader would have been a nice addition rather than the “Premium Glass” power button. The upwards and downwards firing speakers are quite good (for a laptop) and the Asus woofer setup gives noticeable kick to lower frequencies.

The G16 has a large RGB backlit keyboard with 1.7mm keyboard that opts to do without a numpad in favor of larger keys. The keyboard is very pleasant to type on, and we had no trouble with extended work sessions or gaming. The trackpad is also very large, and the premium feeling surface was very accurate – even with clammy hands. I just wish it included the fantastic light-up numpad in the trackpad as featured on some other Asus models. 

The keyboard RGB lighting has a reasonable amount of customization and can be turned white to blend in. The rear of the laptop screen has what Asus calls Slash Lighting – a strip of LEDs that can be used to create customized lighting that can run through 15 different animations, match sounds or give notifications. The latter is not very useful when using the laptop (as you can’t see the lights) and isn't very bright. While I liked the concept, the Slash Lighting could have done with more options for customization.

  • Design score: 4 / 5

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 review: Performance

  • Excellent RTX 4060 performance
  • High sustained CPU wattage
  • Impressive cooling system
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16: Benchmarks

Here's how the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark: Speed Way: 2,602; Port Royal: 5,912; Time Spy Extreme: 5,058; Fire Strike Ultra: 6,222.
GeekBench 6.2: 2,324 (single-core); 13,546 (multi-core)
Cinebench R24: 996 (multi-core); 102 (single-core)
PCMark 10: 7,690
CrystalDiskMark 8 NVMe: 5,046 MB/s (read); 3,638 MB/s (write)
Red Dead Redemption II: (Ultra 1080p) 65 fps
Cyberpunk 2077: 1080p, (Ultra) 51 fps; QHD, (Ultra) 39 fps
F1 2023: 1080p (Ultra): 50 fps
PCMark 10 Battery Life: 4 hours and 45 minutes
1080p video playback battery life: 6 hours and 27 minutes

As a thinner and lighter laptop, the G16 faces some minor cooling restrictions that mean it doesn’t run the GPU or CPU as hard as possible. When using the 200W AC adaptor, the Intel Ultra 7 155H is limited to 80W (down from 115W) and the RTX 4060 has a 100W TGP (Total Graphics Power, reduced from a possible 140W). These limits tend to have very little impact on gaming performance, as the CPU isn’t running at full load, and the 100W GPU TGP is plenty to reach the point of diminishing returns on RTX 4060 performance vs power use.

The overall result is a gaming laptop that gives performance just as good as most other RTX 4060-based machines, but in a thinner and lighter form factor. The G16 will happily run any modern game at high frame rates, but you will need to turn down the details (or reduce the resolution) if you want to push beyond 100 fps or try to make use of the full 240Hz screen refresh rate. Intense games such as Cyberpunk 2077 will push the RTX 4060 to its limits, but turning on Nvidia DLSS can give a big boost – taking frame rates from 51 fps to 83 fps at 1080p Ultra settings. With a bit of tweaking it's possible to get reasonable quality results at over 100 fps, but a higher-end GPU would be needed to go much further without major reductions to quality.

The Zephyrus G16 is available in configurations equipped with high-end RTX 4080 or 4090 GPUs. While these models will give improved performance, the GPUs are capped at 115W, and so won’t give the same result as the same GPU in a thicker gaming laptop using a higher TGP.

Asus Zephyrus G16 underside

(Image credit: Future)

The G16 is positioned as a gaming machine that is also a very capable creator or productivity workstation. Thanks to the high-power cooling system, the G16 can run the CPU at the full 80W TPD (Thermal Design Power) most of the time, and even under extended heavy load can sustain 70W. This means performance in CPU-heavy tasks that is as good as, or better than, most productivity-only focused laptops. 

On battery, Asus limits the CPU and GPU to 40W. If plugged in via 100W USB-C (such as a charger or dock), the G16 uses the same power limits. For most productivity work this doesn’t have much of an impact, but sustained CPU or GPU heavy workloads do suffer a little. For example, I saw about a 10% reduction in PCMark10 score on USB-C or battery vs AC. But in sustained Cinebench24 testing or long encodes, CPU performance can be up to 30% lower if not plugged in with the AC adapter. GPU-heavy loads suffer similar reductions if using the RTX 4060.

I would have preferred to see the G16 use smarter power profiles when on battery or USB-C that could route more than 40W to the CPU or GPU, depending on the total load. For example, if the RTX 4060 is not in use, making 70W available to the CPU would give near identical performance on USB-C or battery compared to the AC PSU. While it’s reasonable that gaming needs the AC PSU plugged in, plugging into a 100W PD dock (or using a power bank if away from the wall socket) is very common for productivity work. While performance is still good, it could have been even better.

At full tilt, the G16 does have to vent a lot of heat (I pulled 160W from the AC PSU when running flat out), requiring the fans to run at a dull roar. Scaling back the performance settings gives relatively quiet usage with less than a 15% hit to performance or game frame rates. The G16 has a large rear vent, which can reach a toasty 50ºC / 122ºF. The underside of the laptop peaks at 46ºC / 115ºF, whereas the keyboard is a warm but not uncomfortable 37ºC / 98ºF, and the trackpad a cool 24.1ºC / 75ºF.

  • Performance score: 4 / 5

Asus Zephyrus G16 keyboard

(Image credit: Future)

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 review: Battery life

  • 4 hours and 45 minutes of use when unplugged
  • 6 hours and 27 minutes of video playback

The G16 has a large 90Wh battery but the power-hungry hardware takes a toll even on efficiency mode. I could manage 4 hours 45 minutes of work unplugged, or about an hour of gaming. If playing video with the screen brightness set to 50%, I could make it 6 hours and 27 minutes before needing to charge. This is a below-average result and, as a comparison, the Alienware m16 R2 with the same 90Wh battery (but a Ultra 9 CPU) can reach over 8 hours of video playback or light office use, and the Gigabyte Aorus 16X manages similar. At the time of writing, Asus does not give any battery life figures on the G16 product page, but I'm hopeful that a future software update will improve power management and help extend the battery life.

If charging from the AC PSU, the G16 can hit 50% in just 30 minutes, making quick top-ups easy. Charge speed drops as you approach 80% and a full charge takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes. I saw up to 93W of power when using a 100W USB-C charger, and total charge times around 1.5 hours. 

  • Battery life score: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16?

Buy it if...

You want solid gaming performance in a very portable package
The G16 is all about being slimmer than most gaming machines, which makes it ideal for those who need portability without sacrificing too much performance. 

You want a workstation as well as a gaming machine
The design and spec of the G16 makes for a great gaming laptop, but it’s even better if you need a powerful laptop for productivity or creative needs. 

You want to stand out but also blend in when needed
The G16 has plenty of customizable RGB lighting options to satisfy your inner gamer, but can also quickly tone it down to hide in plain sight. 

Don't buy it if...

You want bang-for-buck gaming
The Zephyrus G16 is a standout premium option but, for pure gaming, the FPS per dollar lags behind chunkier dedicated gaming laptops.

You want an unplugged productivity laptop
Over 4 hours on battery is useful, but if you want to make it through a work day without a charger, the G16 is not the right choice. 

You want to be able to upgrade your laptop in the future
The slim nature of the G16 means it uses low profile RAM soldered to the motherboard, limiting future upgrades to just the SSD. 

Also consider

If this Asus Zephyrus G16 review has you considering other options, here are some other gaming laptops you can take a look at.

How I tested the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16

  • I tested the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 for two weeks
  • I used it both on a desk, and put it in a backpack for travel
  • I used it for gaming, as well as office productivity work and video editing

I ran the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 through our usual comprehensive array of benchmarks, as well as using it for actual day-to-day work.

I used a range of synthetic gaming and productivity benchmarks, real-world gaming benchmarks, and battery and power testing.

I used the TechRadar movie test for assessing battery life during video playback, as well as productivity battery benchmarks. I logged power use in a variety of scenarios, including when charging from USB-C. I also tested charging the G16 with a power bank. 

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed May 2024]

Asus TUF Gaming A16/A14: a premium look for an affordable price
5:40 pm | June 5, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Comments: Off

Asus's TUF brand has always been its affordable line and the Asus TUF Gaming A16 refresh and the newly revealed A14 continues the tradition. However, the stark difference here is the aesthetics, which have essentially been overhauled to look far more premium.

Not only that, but the addition of the A14 means there's another, more portable option to the gaming laptop lineup. Of course, performance is the most important aspect of any laptop and I wasn't able to run benchmarks to officially test that out during my hands-on. But with those specs, it should be able to handle any PC title you throw its way - including AAA games.

Asus TUF Gaming A16/A14: price and availability

Both the Asus TUF Gaming A16 and Asus TUF Gaming A14 are expected to ship on July 22, 2024 in the US, UK, and Australia.

The TUF Gaming A16 launches with a starting price of $1,799.99 / £1,799.99 / AU$2,299 while the TUF Gaming A14 launches priced at $1,399.99 / £1,299 / (around AU$2,400).

Asus TUF Gaming A16/A14: specs

Here are the specs for the Asus TUF Gaming A16/A14 at a glance. 

Asus TUF Gaming A16/A14: design

Asus TUF Gaming A16

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Asus TUF Gaming A14

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What impressed me the most about the upcoming Asus TUF Gaming A16 and A14 models is how much more attractive they are compared to previous iterations of the TUF series. The A16 has a sleeker and more premium-looking design that defies its relatively lower price tag, and the A14 is compact and much more lightweight than you'd expect from a gaming laptop. It also features an aluminum lid and bottom cover, making the smaller model even more durable.

I like the added touch of the power light, shaped in a cute flower-like pattern. It complements the revamped look of the laptop in a simple yet non-obtrusive way. My only real complaint is that I wish we could get more colors, but considering it's a more budget-minded line the decision not to makes sense.

The A16 has a full keyboard with a numpad, taking advantage of the extra space. Both versions have well-sized and spaced-out keys that make error-free typing much easier and large touchpads perfect for navigating while gaming. The A14 in particular has a beautiful glass touchpad, which feels silky smooth.

Both also have great port selections including USB Type-A and Type-C ports, combo jacks, HMDI ports, SD readers, and the A16 even has an ethernet port. It's refreshing to have a gaming laptop with the full breathe of ports and slots available, and for the smaller one to be as close as possible.

What also impressed me was the A16's improved bezels, a full width heatsink hidden in that thinner frame, and even a pop up screw to pop out the chassis and make repairs and upgrades that much easier.

Asus TUF Gaming A16/A14: performance

Asus TUF Gaming A16

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Asus TUF Gaming A14

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black gaming laptop

(Image credit: Future)

The Asus TUF Gaming A16 and A14 are outfitted with the latest AMD Ryzen 9 CPUs, as well as up to a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU. Past benchmark results inform us that both gaming laptops should perform well with the best PC games, including more demanding AAA titles. However, I wasn't able to benchmark these laptops during my time with them, meaning this is all still speculation. 

The A16 and A14 screens are both QHD+ 2.5K resolution with 400 nits of brightness, sport a 165Hz refresh rate, and a 3ms response time, which ensures a smooth and stutter-free experience for most gamers. 

Asus TUF Gaming A16/A14: early verdict

black gaming laptop

(Image credit: Future)

Out of the gaming laptops featured in the Asus Computex 2024 event, the TUF Gaming A16 and A14 impressed me the most by far. Asus is overhauling its affordable line, giving it a cleaner and prettier look. I especially love the A14, with its small and thinner frame that has plenty of power.

The pricing for both is pretty solid, with the A14 being quite more affordable. The A16 is a bit steep but, compared to other laptops with similar specs it's far more reasonable. Hopefully, as manufacturers lean more into AI processors, we continue to see budget and near budget machines being pushed out as there's still a market for them.

Acer Orion X: everything compact gaming PCs should be
12:49 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming PCs | Comments: Off

I’ve long been a fan of Acer’s excellent Orion gaming desktop line, and here at Computex 2024 in Taipei, Taiwan, I think Acer has just outdone itself. The Predator Orion X is a more compact - but no less powerful - version of Acer’s staple gaming PC, with a slick new design and some impressive specs.

With a 15.4-liter chassis and a total package weight of less than 9 kilograms, this is one of the smallest (if not the smallest) gaming desktops Acer has ever made. It measures just 25.6 x 17.8 x 33.5cm, but that small form factor case doesn’t sacrifice performance to save space; instead, the internals of this PC are smartly designed to make maximum use of the available room inside the case.

The Acer Orion X desktop gaming PC at Computex 2024.

(Image credit: Future)

The interior of the chassis is neatly split into three zones: one for the CPU and mainboard, one for the graphics card, and one for the fans and AIO radiator. 

Don’t be fooled by the cramped design, though - this is no Corsair One, where space-saving comes at the cost of easy upgradability. Acer designed the Orion X with PC DIY in mind, so accessing these three zones is actually incredibly simple.

Hot swap

On the front of the Orion X, there are three chunky release levers. Pull one, and off pops the corresponding zone panel, making upgrading or repairing a component a cinch. When you’re done, the panels slot back into place easily with no tools required. You can optionally cover the front of the case with a transparent panel, too.

I like that the industrial aesthetic of the Orion X’s exterior makes these release levers blend seamlessly into its visual design. The style might not be for everyone, but I personally love it; the use of RGB here is relatively understated, and the large ‘ZONE 2’ printed on the side evokes a certain genre of sci-fi dystopia that I’ve been known to enjoy.

The Acer Orion X desktop gaming PC at Computex 2024.

(Image credit: Future)

It gets better, though. On the front panel of the Orion X, a small flap opens up to reveal a slot containing a swappable M.2 SSD enclosure. Not only is it extra storage in general, which is never a bad thing, but it’s a boon for PC gamers who like to take their games on the go with them. 

This alleviates the need for a portable SSD or a USB converter - you can simply take one of the best SSDs and slap a whole PC’s worth of games into this system in an instant. It’s potentially very handy if you’re buying the Orion X as an upgrade to an existing system, too; just extract your old SSD and drop it straight in here.

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The Acer Orion X desktop gaming PC at Computex 2024.

(Image credit: Future)
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The Acer Orion X desktop gaming PC at Computex 2024.

(Image credit: Future)

The tiny interior does mean that you may be limited in some areas when it comes to switching out certain components, but it's likely you'll never need to. 

After all, the RTX 4090 is pretty future-proof. The only possible issue I can see here is if the AIO cooler fails, you'll need to specifically buy another one that fits perfectly - there's no room for a tower air cooler here.

Power under the hood

Despite its small size, the Acer Predator Orion X is packing a seriously respectable spec sheet. Acer has managed to cram a twin-fan RTX 4090 card of its own design inside this PC, so gaming performance is just about as good as it can get. With 32GB of DDR5 RAM (upgradable up to 64GB) and a 2TB PCIe SSD as standard, the GPU is well-supported.

One slightly odd choice here is the CPU, which is an Intel Core i9-13900KS. It’s a very powerful chip, no doubt about that, but I was surprised to find that the Orion X doesn’t use the newer i9-14900K, especially considering that chip has been on the market for months at this point. But then again, the 14th-gen desktop chips were merely a refresh of the 13th-gen Raptor Lake microarchitecture, and we noted in our review that the generational performance gains were next to unnoticeable, so perhaps this was just a smart move from Acer to help keep the price down.

The Acer Orion X desktop gaming PC at Computex 2024.

(Image credit: Future)

Speaking of price: the Orion X was actually announced at last year’s Computex, and has already been available to buy in the UK for a few months, albeit a less powerful model sporting an RTX 4080 instead of Nvidia’s flagship 4090 GPU. We don’t have official pricing for this new iteration, but given the current £3,299 price (around US$4,210 / AU$6,330), we can reasonably expect it to be less than £4,000 in the UK.

As for when it’ll arrive on the other side of the Atlantic, that’s not quite clear at this point. While researching, I found some Acer documentation that suggested it was originally slated for launch in the US in September of 2023, but that evidently didn’t happen, so we might be waiting a little longer for an American release. I certainly hope Acer gets its act together and gives us a proper global release soon, because this is one of the best compact PCs I’ve seen in ages.

MSI Vector 17 HX: an outdated design can’t stop a powerhouse laptop
11:55 am |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Comments: Off

MSI Vector 17 HX: Two-minute review

While the MSI Vector 17 HX isn't going to win any awards for its physical design, this portable has all the performance necessary to stand with some of the best gaming laptops on the market.

Priced at $2,299 / £2,399 / AU$3,099 for a version sporting an RTX 4070 graphics card, it's more costly than many of its rivals. And when you consider that alongside the build quality comprises here (which we'll discuss in more depth later), sadly this means this MSI notebook doesn't quite achieve top marks - but it's still a decent machine. 

That's because the MSI Vector 17 HX still largely justifies its higher-than-average price tag by including an excellent Intel Core i9-13900HX CPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a superfast Gen 4.0 NVMe SSD so you've got a wealth of power at your fingertips. The bottleneck, therefore, becomes the GPU, given the laptop's native 2,560 x 1,600 resolution 16:10 display. So, while we were sent the RTX 4070 variant for review, you may want to consider the RTX 4080 model for a power boost.

The 17-inch display unfortunately lacks any kind of HDR support which is a real shame. The IPS LED screen is bright enough at 500 nits, but looks a little washed out, especially when factoring in that some of its competitors are utilizing mini-LED and even OLED. Fortunately, with its 240Hz refresh rate, it's fast enough for you not to necessarily mind all that much. 

Speaking of that refresh rate, though, you won't necessarily be able to hit frame rates that can fully take advantage of it, given the 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM on board the mobile RTX 4070 - especially at 1440p. However, if you're smart with your settings sliders in 1080p, you can expect framerates of around 100fps. 1440p hovers around the 60fps mark, although DLSS 3's Frame Generation will be able to provide a shot in the arm, at least where it's supported. 

Furthermore, the MSI Vector 17 HX doesn't buck the trend of gaming laptops having less-than-stellar battery lives. Its four-cell 99Wh battery pack is decent enough for powering around four hours of light use, but gaming is more limited to about an hour and a half. You'll need to keep the 330W charger close by, or keep the rig perennially plugged in as a dedicated replacement for one of the best gaming PCs. 

MSI Vector 17 HX: Price and availability

Screen of the MSI Vector 17 HX

(Image credit: Future)
  • How much does it cost? $2,299 / £2,399 / AU$3,099 
  • When is it available? It's on sale now 
  • Where can you get it? In the US, UK and Australia 

The MSI Vector 17 HX is available from $2,299 / £2,399 / AU$3,099 for the RTX 4070 model. The peppier version sporting the more powerful RTX 4080 GPU is available for $2,799 / £2,899 / AU$3,399. That positions this gaming laptop in the upper mid-range, pitting it against weighty competition from premium manufacturers. 

Price-wise, that's a similar entry point to the Razer Blade 16 and the HP Omen 17 which are far from the cheapest options on the market. With its high asking price, the MSI Vector 17 HX is considerably pricier than other 17-inch RTX 4070 gaming laptops such as the Asus ROG Strix G17, MSI Sword 17 HX, and the Acer Nitro 17. It's not the cheapest RTX 4070 laptop, that's for sure. 

  • Price: 3 / 5

MSI Vector 17 HX: Specs

Here are the specs for the MSI Vector 17 HX at a glance. 

MSI Vector 17 HX: Design

MSI Vector 17 HX's RGB keyboard

(Image credit: Future)
  • Bulky plastic chassis 
  • Large and fast display 
  • Weighty at 6.6lbs / 3kg 

In terms of its build, the MSI Vector 17 HX is on the bulkier side even as far as mid-range laptops go. It's a deliberate and old-fashioned design with its plastic construction and thick-angled hinges that won't be for everyone, but it's at least distinct. You won't find a carefully machine-crafted aluminum chassis here, but it's serviceable enough. 

You'll feel the weight of this gaming laptop at 6.6lbs / 3kg, as the MSI Vector 17 HX is a touch heavier than some of the other 17-inch models we already mentioned above. It's still sleek enough to be portable, but its display size and heft may not be ideal if you're thinking of something for everyday use at work or school. 

Our review unit had a QHD+ resolution (2,560 x 1,600) screen at 240Hz, however, some variants may feature a 165Hz Full HD display depending on configuration and asking price. There's no support for HDR here, which is a shame, and the screen has a peak brightness of 500 nits; by no means the brightest or most vivid display, but it's good enough for gaming, and fast enough, certainly.

The keyboard on the Vector 17 HX is colorful and full of personality with its multi-zone RGB lightning and decals on each key, even if it doesn't offer the best typing experience. This extends to the trackpad as well - while functional, it feels a little cheap, but you'll likely be using one of the best gaming mice instead, so it's not too big a deal. 

A high point is the excellent port selection. You'll find a total of three USB-C ports, two USB 3.2 ports, HDMI 2.1, and Ethernet. They're spread out on both sides and the back of the machine, so you should be fully catered for when using this gaming laptop as a full-on desktop replacement, hooked up to the best gaming keyboard and best gaming monitor. 

  • Design: 3 / 5

MSI Vector 17 HX: Performance

Closed lid of the MSI Vector 17 HX

(Image credit: Future)

The performance of the MSI Vector 17 HX is solid thanks to the excellent Intel Core i9-13900HX CPU combined with the respectable RTX 4070, but it's actually the GPU which will be your biggest bottleneck. That's because Nvidia's mobile mid-range graphics card only features 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM on a 128-bit memory bus. 

MSI Vector 17 HX benchmarks

Here's how the MSI Vector 17 HX performed in our suite of industry-standard benchmarks and game tests.

Geekbench 6:
Single - 2,915
Multi - 17,669
3DMark:
Night Raid - 71,732
Fire Strike - 27,029
Time Spy - 12,850
Port Royal - 7,471
PCMark 10: 8,180
Cyberpunk 2077:
1080p - 132fps (Low) ; 86fps (Ultra)
1440p - 102fps (Low) ; 72fps (Ultra)
RT Ultra - 75fps (1080p) ; 73fps (1440p)
Total War: Three Kingdoms:
1080p - 334fps Low ; 96fps Ultra
1440p - 221fps Low ; 59fps Ultra
Red Dead Redemption II:
1080p - 162fps (Low) ; 88fps (Ultra)
1440p - 121fps (Low) ; 67fps (Ultra)
CrystalDiskMark:
Read: 7,024MB/s
Write: 5,203MB/s
Cinebench R24:
Single-core - 2,100
Multi-core - 27,484
TechRadar Battery Test: 1 hour 38 minutes

1080p appears to be the sweet spot for this particular variant of the MSI Vector 17 HX, as seen with the gaming benchmarks. Specifically with GPU-heavy games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Cyberpunk 2077, you're getting nowhere near the 240Hz refresh rate unless you drop down to Full HD.

This is reflected in the benchmarks for Total War: Three Kingdoms, a CPU-heavy title, which can exceed the maximum refresh rate with the graphical settings reduced. Ray tracing is possible, but won't quite excel in the way that a mobile RTX 4080 or RTX 4090 can (with 12GB and 16GB GDDR6 VRAM respectively). In Cyberpunk 2077 at RT Ultra, you're getting around 70 to 80fps here.

The 13th-gen Core i9 is a powerhouse CPU and this is evident in the stress-testing conducted. Geekbench 6 delivers confident scores of 2,720 and 17,308 for single-core and multi-core respectively, with Cinebench R23 providing superb results of 1,941 and 25,624 respectively. There's nothing this processor won't be able to do, and it offers a whole load of grunt, despite lacking a dedicated NPU (as seen with its Meteor Lake successor).

The Gen 4.0 NVMe SSD inside of the MSI Vector 17 HX is excellent. Despite this tech being replaced by Gen 5.0 models, you won't need anything faster than the tested sequential rates of 6,442MB/s reads and 4,873MB/s writes respectively. Modern PC games are starting to utilize the DirectStorage API for near-instant loading times and ultra textures. Interestingly, there's a Gen 5.0 port available for even faster storage. 

The screen natively supports 1600p resolution with its 16:10 aspect ratio, and while you shouldn't experience frame rate drops that are too jarring, you'll need to be mindful of the limitations of the RTX 4070's VRAM. Even 8GB for the desktop version is starting to struggle nowadays in this resolution, and that uses far faster GDDR6X memory. We recommend utilizing Nvidia DLSS 3 Frame Generation where possible for a boost.

  • Performance: 4 / 5

MSI Vector 17 HX: Battery life

Sideways view of the MSI Vector 17 HX with the screen at a 90-degree angle

(Image credit: Future)
  • Lasts around four hours with media playback and browsing 
  • Can game for around an hour and a half on battery

The MSI Vector 17 HX features a four-cell 90Wh battery which is average-sized given the 17-inch chassis of this gaming laptop. In practice, you can expect up to four hours of web browsing and media playback when prioritizing efficiency over performance. You'll need to keep the charging cable handy if you're planning on working all day or enjoying a few longer movies back to back, though. 

Gaming on battery power is expectedly poor. We got around an hour and a half from a full charge with Cyberpunk 2077. The mobile RTX 4070 has a TDP of 115W, making it more power-efficient than more powerful discrete graphics, but the battery is still a major concern. It's not a problem unique to the MSI Vector 17 HX, but it's worth noting all the same. 

Fortunately, the power cable connects at the back of the device instead of the side, delivering a constant feed of 330W. We'd recommend using a dedicated laptop riser on your gaming desk and doing a little cable management to be more comfortable. As something to carry around with you every day, this machine isn't up to the task, but that's the cost of performance like this. 

  • Battery: 2 / 5

Should you buy the MSI Vector 17 HX?

Buy it if...

You want a big-screen gaming laptop

The MSI Vector 17 HX has a sharp screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio. It may not be the brightest or most vivid display on the market, but its size and fast refresh rate make it worthwhile.

You want a notebook that's a powerful performer

The MSI Vector 17 HX packs in some beefy components including a powerful CPU and a seriously impressive SSD, alongside a solid choice of GPU.

You want a gaming laptop that excels in 1080p

The RTX 4070M features 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM which is ideal for speedy frame rates in Full HD and indeed FHD+ (1200p resolution) for the 16:10 aspect ratio.

Don't buy it if... 

You want the best value for money 

Simply put, the MSI Vector 17 HX is on the expensive side for an RTX 4070-powered gaming laptop, and you can save a bundle by opting for a competitor instead. 

You want a gaming laptop that motors in 1440p 

While this machine's native 1600p screen is impressive in some ways, it's held back by the more limited VRAM of the RTX 4070M, which means it can't quite hit the frame rates we'd like to see at 1440p (or 1600p, of course).

MSI Vector 17 HX: Also consider

HP Omen 16
The HP Omen 16 is more affordable than the MSI Vector 17 HX, offering a similar level of performance, albeit in a slightly more compact 16-inch form factor, and with a slower display.

Read the full HP Omen 16 review

  • First reviewed June 2024
Hands-on: the Zotac Zone is the newest challenger in the handheld PC gaming arena, but it needs some work
7:48 pm | June 4, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers | Tags: | Comments: Off

Another month, another rival to Valve's popular Steam Deck gaming handheld. Yes, now PC gaming brand Zotac has thrown its proverbial hat into the ring, revealing its own handheld PC at Computex 2024 in Taipei, Taiwan.

The Zotac Zone (yes, I know Zotac formats it as ZONE, but I don't want to feel like I'm yelling at you!) will feel immediately familiar to anyone who has used any of the mainstream handheld PCs currently on the market. The MSI Claw, Lenovo Legion Go, and Asus's shiny new ROG Ally X all have their own strengths and weaknesses, but at the end of the day, they're broadly similar devices, and the Zone is no exception.

The physical design is immediately reminiscent of the Steam Deck, since it features a pair of small square trackpads beneath the analog sticks, something notably absent from most of the Deck's existing rivals (the Legion Go has a single pad on the right-hand side). However, the controller layout and general feel of the device is a lot closer to the ROG Ally - and having used my own Ally extensively, I can say that this could be a real competitor.

Screen queen

The Zotac Zone handheld gaming PC on the Zotac stand at Computex 2024.

(Image credit: Future)

The star of the show here - and the thing I noticed first about the Zone - is the 7-inch AMOLED touch display. With a resolution of 1080p, 120Hz refresh rate, and impressive maximum brightness of 800 nits (more than most other PC handhelds), it's a stand-out feature that looks absolutely bloody gorgeous.

That's truly not hyperbole: I played Horizon Zero Dawn and Street Fighter 6 on this thing, and both games looked fantastic. Colors are vibrant and shadows are deep, with no visual artifacts and excellent sharpness. It's no exaggeration to say this is one of the best displays I've seen on a gaming handheld. It's worth bearing in mind, however, that this is a MIPI panel, which means it doesn't support Variable Refresh Rate in games.

The Zotac Zone handheld gaming PC on the Zotac stand at Computex 2024.

(Image credit: Future)

Behind that glorious screen is an AMD Ryzen 7 8840U processor, which delivered solid performance during my hands-on testing. The RDNA 3 integrated graphics perform admirably - and while I wasn't able to properly test framerates, playing on the Zone felt smooth and responsive at 1080p with graphics set to Low or Medium. The Ryzen APU is supported by 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a 512GB SSD.

The 8840U is a bit different from the AMD Z1 and Z1 Extreme chips found in several other handhelds (including the Ally and Legion Go), but it has the same number of cores and the same operating frequency. It's just a slightly newer architecture: Hawk Point as opposed to the Z1's Phoenix Point. The main difference here is an improved XDNA processor for better performance with AI workloads, which may come in handy for AI-powered game features like AMD FSR.

Trigger happy

One unique feature I quite liked was the adjustable trigger system. On the back of the unit, both main triggers have a small switch that lets you swap the trigger sensitivity between two stages - basically switching between a normal full press to register input and a hair-trigger response.

It's a neat function that could come in handy for shooters, since the triggers have quite a lot of travel in regular mode, and it's good that the two switches can be toggled independently - I could see myself using the hair-trigger mode on the left trigger for quicker aim-down-sight reactions but sticking with the regular input for actually firing my weapon, so as to avoid misfires.

The Zotac Zone handheld gaming PC on the Zotac stand at Computex 2024.

(Image credit: Future)

Another possible first for gaming handhelds is the inclusion of what looks like a small front-facing webcam to the left of the display. Zotac didn't have any information about this on the event floor, however, and early test units of the Lenovo Legion Go also featured a camera that never made it to the final release, so don't get your hopes up.

I didn't get an exact figure for the weight, but the Zone weighs about the same as the newly-announced ROG Ally X - which is to say, heavier than the more compact Steam Deck, but lighter than the chunky Legion Go. Despite this, it's still quite large, measuring 31cm across, so this might not be the best choice for gamers with smaller hands. There's a small kickstand at the back, which is useful if you want to hook it up to a larger screen via the Thunderbolt 4 port and play using a separate controller.

AMOLED you finish, but...

Unfortunately, no fancy trigger systems nor gorgeous AMOLED screens can hide the fact that some parts of the Zotac Zone feel a little... cheap. Zotac assured me that the unit I was testing was a relatively early beta model, so there's every chance my qualms will be addressed before the product makes it to a full release, but I'd be remiss not to mention the issues here.

Firstly, the D-pad felt very flimsy, and the analog sticks were a bit loose for my liking - some people might not be bothered by the latter, but I definitely prefer the more resistive feeling of the ROG Ally's twin sticks. The additional two rear finger bumpers are also lacking in satisfaction, with a feeble click to them. On the bright side, the triggers, main bumpers, and face buttons all feel solid.

The Zotac Zone handheld gaming PC on the Zotac stand at Computex 2024.

(Image credit: Future)

It's also worth noting that just like every other Windows-based gaming handheld, the OS is poorly suited to this device format. Even with a touchscreen and trackpad, the small display and lack of a physical keyboard make navigating Windows 11 rather cumbersome. I can't really blame Zotac for that, though - it's a frustration of Microsoft's making, and I've already given them the solution...

The factor that may truly prove to be the Zone's downfall, though, is the price. While Zotac hasn't officially confirmed pricing, Spanish tech site Geeknetic has reported that the launch price is expected to be around $800 (about £625 / AU$1200). That's rather expensive considering the specs here; the ROG Ally X is expected to be around the same price, but packs more memory and storage, while the Steam Deck is significantly cheaper than both.

Still, I'm excited to see the Zone hit the market so I can properly test it out. Competition breeds innovation, as they say; more PC gaming handhelds can't be a bad thing. But the competition is really starting to heat up now, so Zotac will need to bring its A-game if it wants to capture a segment of this emerging market.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G16: a solid but mostly standard refresh
5:30 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Comments: Off

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G16, part of Asus's lineup of the best gaming laptops, is mostly another refresh of the Zephyrus G16 but with the added AMD NPU. The other models featuring the Intel Core Ultra 9 have already launched earlier this year, with this new one made to give buyers more options.

Like with most other NPU-equipped laptops and PCs, the biggest question is whether they'll hold up as the next evolution of processors. Plenty of manufacturers seem to believe so and have been investing accordingly. As they slowly trickle out, we'll see how well founded these investments are.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G16: price and availability

The AMD NPU version of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 has been revealed in time for Computex 2024, though we don't have an official release date or pricing yet.

Currently, the Intel versions are available for purchase through the Asus online shop and most major retailers, starting at $2,899.99 (around £799 / AU$1,599). As you can see, the pricing of this gaming laptop is quite premium, as you're paying both for its thin and light frame and that it houses the AI processor.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G16: specs

Here are the specs for the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 at a glance. 

Asus ROG Zephyrus G16: design

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black gaming laptop

(Image credit: Future)
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black gaming laptop

(Image credit: Future)

For a gaming laptop, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 is quite lightweight and could easily be one of the best thin and light gaming laptops on the market. Though the available color is uninspired, it sports a unique design feature like much of the line's previous iterations. 

In this case, it's an LED light that runs diagonally across the top case, adding some much-needed flair to an otherwise bland-looking laptop. I can't imagine how badly this aesthetic gimmick bleeds through battery power, so hopefully, there's a simple way to turn it off when one needs to conserve energy.

It features a solid port selection that includes two USB Type-C ports, two USB Type-A ports, one combo jack, one SD card reader slot, and one HDMI port. Unfortunately, it's missing an ethernet port, which is odd considering that playing PC games online requires a stable connection that can't be replicated using Wi-Fi.

The display is a 2.5K OLED and sports HDR True Black 500, meaning you'll get a gorgeously clear and sharp picture quality every time. The keyboard features nice-sized keys that are well-suited for a wide range of hand types, and the touchpad is large, so you'll have plenty of space to maneuver.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G16: performance

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black gaming laptop

(Image credit: Future)
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black gaming laptop

(Image credit: Future)

On paper, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 refresh has some impressive specs, like an Nvidia RTX 4000-series GPU, next-gen AMD NPU, and a display with a 240Hz refresh rate and 0.2ms response time. With these components, it should be one of the fastest laptops out there, able to handle the massive AI workload that it's sure to be put through.

Of course, I wasn't able to benchmark the ROG Zephyrus G16 myself, so I can't say for sure exactly how it compares to current laptops on the market. It uses an AMD NPU instead of a Qualcomm SnapDragon chip, meaning that the battery life will most likely run as well as the average gaming laptop – Which is to say, not very long.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G16: early verdict

black gaming laptop

(Image credit: Future)

The AMD refresh version of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 is a solid gaming laptop with a thin and light chassis and a fun visual gimmick. Though it's clearly well-balanced and would serve most gamers well, there's nothing particularly impressive about it either. It's a mostly standard refresh except for the NPU addition. 

Those needing an update should consider investing in this one, but if you have a laptop, then there's nothing you're missing out on in particular. I am curious to see how well the NPU coupled with the RTX 4000-series GPUs will perform - whether the difference between an AI processor and a normal one is that great.

Acer Predator Triton 17 X: a premium gaming laptop that packs a punch
2:59 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

Acer Predator Triton 17 X: Two-minute review

There's an argument to be made for packing in as much power as possible when it comes to the best gaming laptops, and that's the space the Acer Predator Triton 17 X occupies. For the most part, it forgoes being the sleekest and smallest of its kind to go all-in on pushing boundaries for those with deep enough pockets to take the plunge. 

Priced at $3,599.99 / £3,299.99 / AU$7,999, the Acer Predator Triton 17 X isn't a budget pick by any means, but that's the cost of packing in enough horsepower to give even the best gaming PCs a run for their money. While the mobile RTX 4090 doesn't exactly rival what its desktop counterpart can do, the performance margin is within an acceptable ballpark range; you can think of it as similar to an RTX 4080 desktop GPU.  

Where this rig stands out from competitors is with its display. The Triton 17 X features a staggering 250Hz refresh rate with a 1600p resolution screen. That 16:10 aspect ratio means you get more real-estate for gaming, and the results are impressive. Fortunately, the components inside this Predator laptop mean you'll be able to push even the latest and most demanding games to superfast frame rates. 

No corners have been cut with the quality-of-life features here, either. This laptop is armed with a six-speaker setup, an excellent keyboard, and a healthy port selection, so even when you're not gaming, you'll have a good experience. Just keep in mind that the Triton 17 X is not the most practical notebook with its 3kg / 6.6lbs heft, so it might not be your daily runner to work or school on the side. 

Compounding this is the majorly disappointing battery life. The Acer Predator Triton 17 X lasts around two hours at best when enjoying media playback or browsing the web, and about an hour when getting stuck into one of the latest games. You'll want the charger nearby, but if you can overlook these issues then there's a stellar machine underneath it all. 

Acer Predator Triton 17 X: Price and availability

MSI Triton 17 X screen

(Image credit: Future)
  • How much does it cost? $3,599.99 / £3,299.99 / AU$7,999
  • When is it available? It's out now
  • Where can you get it? In the US, UK and Australia

The Acer Predator Triton 17 X is one of the pricier gaming laptops on the market, coming in above the $3,000 / £3,000 mark (and at AU$8,000). Considering the hardware inside, that shouldn't come as a huge surprise, though. Acer isn't pulling any punches from the choice of CPU and GPU, through to the display, RAM, and storage. Simply put, it's far from a cheap gaming laptop, but if you want to be on the bleeding edge and have the cash to splash then it could be worthwhile. 

As a frame of reference, the price of entry for the Predator Triton 17 X puts it in league with other top-end offerings such as the Origin EON 16SL when fully specced out, or the Alienware M16 and Razer Blade 16 (2023) in higher configurations. You aren't getting the best value for money on the market, nor the strongest price-to-performance ratio, but in terms of sheer raw power, the Triton 17 X has it in spades. 

  • Price: 3 / 5

Acer Predator Triton 17 X: Design

Design of the MSI Triton 17 X

(Image credit: Future)
  • Stunning 250Hz mini-LED display 
  • Packed with ports 
  • A bit heavy at 3kg / 6.6lbs
Acer Predator Triton 17 X: Specs

Here's what's inside the Acer Predator Triton 17 X supplied to TechRadar. 

CPU: Intel Core i9-13900HX
GPU: Nvidia RTX 4090
RAM: 64GB LPDDR5
Storage: 2TB NVMe Gen 4.0
Display: WQXGA (2560 x 1600) 16:10 IPS 250Hz
Ports: 2x USB 3.2, 2x USB-C, 2.5Gb Ethernet, 3.5mm audio jack, microSD card slot
Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth 5.1
Weight: 3kg / 6.6lbs
Dimensions: ‎‎28 x 38.04 x 2.19cm (LxWxH)

The most notable thing about the Acer Predator Triton 17 X at first glance is the display which is certainly a leading model as far as gaming laptops go. This portable powerhouse packs in a 16:10 WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600 resolution) screen meaning more real-estate is available for gaming than 16:9 can offer. It's bolstered by a 250Hz refresh rate and is Nvidia G-sync compatible, so there's no screen tearing. 

It's not the first laptop to feature a mini-LED display, but it is an excellent example of the panel tech in action. While not quite as vivid as OLED, it is considerably brighter, and the 1,000 local dimming zones do a solid job of standing in with similar black levels. Considering the hardware inside, an RTX 4090 mobile GPU backed up by an Intel 13th-gen Core i9 processor, you'll be able to take advantage of that high refresh rate, too. 

Acer's design philosophy for this machine is "excellent in excess" and that's clearly demonstrated with the hardware packed into a portable form factor. Mind you, this rig weighs in at 3kg / 6.6lbs making it one of the heavier models on the market. With a 17-inch screen, it's fairly large as well, and while technically portable, the 17 X is unlikely to be something you'll commonly be slinging into a bag. It's more of an out-and-out desktop replacement. 

While you're likely to plug in one of the best gaming keyboards and best gaming mice, the Acer Predator Triton 17 X features a solid keyboard and trackpad for casual web browsing and typing. It offers pleasant multi-zone RGB lighting which looks the part when playing in darker environments. The trackpad isn't as nice as some of the glass ones you'll find on a similarly priced Razer Blade, but it gets the job done. Again, a dedicated mouse will do the trick better.

No expense was spared on the connectivity front here, either. There are two USB-C ports, two USB 3.2 ports, 2.5Gb Ethernet, an SD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack. You'll have no shortage of options for either work or play, and it's good that the manufacturer chose function over form in this respect, as some thinner laptops can sacrifice port selection to achieve their svelte nature. 

  • Design: 4 / 5

Acer Predator Triton 17 X: Performance

Keyboad of the Triton 17 X

(Image credit: Future)
  • Unparalleled 1080p and 1440p gaming performance 
  • Silky smooth refresh rate 
  • Gets very hot and loud

You won't be surprised to learn that a gaming laptop powered by the Intel Core i9-13900HX and Nvidia RTX 4090 with 64GB of LPDDR5 RAM absolutely mowed through our suite of benchmarks and games. The display for the laptop tops out at 250Hz, and you'll have all the horsepower necessary to achieve those kind of frame rates in 1080p, and drive very smooth gameplay at 1440p as well.

Acer Predator Triton 17 X benchmarks

Here's how the Acer Predator Triton 17 X got on in our game testing. 

Total War: Three Kingdoms (1080p) - 364fps (Low); 140fps (Ultra)
Total War: Three Kingdoms (1440p) - 290fps (Low) ; 92fps (Ultra)
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p) - 118fps (Low); 107fps (Ultra)
Cyberpunk 2077 (1440p) - 129fps (Low); 89fps (Ultra)
Cyberpunk 2077 RT Ultra - 85fps (1080p); 83fps (1440p)
Red Dead Redemption 2 (1080p) - 147fps (Low) ; 128fps (Ultra)
Red Dead Redemption 2 (1440p) - 108fps (Low); 86fps (Ultra)
Geekbench 6:
Single - 2,720
Multi - 17,308
3DMark:
Night Raid - 72,575
Fire Strike - 31,498
Time Spy - 16,866
Port Royal - 11,261
PCMark10: 8,069
CrystalDiskMark: Read - 6,441.97; Write - 4,872.65
Cinebench R23:
Single - 1,941
Multi - 25,624
TechRadar battery test: 1 hour 8 minutes

It's comparable to what the MSI Titan 18 HX can do, albeit without the 4K resolution, not that you'll necessarily need 4K in such a small display anyway. It wasn't uncommon for the demanding games tested, such as Cyberpunk 2077 or Red Dead Redemption 2, to exceed 100fps when maxed out in 1440p. Even CPU-bound titles such as Total War: Three Kingdoms were no sweat for the 13900HX, as this game could exceed a lightning-fast 300fps.

Synthetic figures are equally strong as evidenced by 3DMark's range of GPU benchmarks alongside PCMark 10. Acer hasn't skimped on the choice of Gen 4.0 NVMe SSD either, with a strong performance of 6,441MB/s for reads and 4,872MB/s for writes. All told it's a very encouraging package showcasing the prowess of the hardware, but not without a few drawbacks.

While the RTX 4090M is roughly equivalent to the desktop RTX 4080 with its 16GB GDDR6 VRAM and lower power draw, the combination of CPU and GPU here does result in excess heat and loudness. It wasn't uncommon for the rig to reach upwards of 90 degrees when under stress, with the fans drowning out the otherwise impressive six-speaker surround setup. This could be counteracted by employing the use of one of the best gaming headsets, but it's worth noting all the same.

Using the HDMI 2.1 port, you'll be able to hook up the Acer Predator Triton 17 X to one of the best gaming monitors for that big screen experience should the 17-inch display not be enough for you. You may also want to invest in a dedicated laptop riser to keep the fans of the machine elevated to aid cooling, too. 

  • Performance: 4 / 5

Acer Predator Triton 17 X: Battery life

Closed lid of the MSI Triton 17 X

(Image credit: Future)
  • Lasts around two hours when web browsing or for media playback
  • About an hour of gaming on battery power  

What's most disappointing about the Acer Predator Triton 17 X is the battery life which just about manages two hours on a single charge with media playback or casual browsing. When gaming, you can expect about an hour or so, give or take, so you'll need to keep a charger handy if you want to have a full session of gaming for the evening.

Keeping the Acer Predator Triton 17 X plugged in at all times isn't ideal in terms of its portability factor, obviously, but as we already observed, it's a little too large and bulky for that anyway. The battery life is a shame considering there's a 99.98Wh four-cell power pack inside, but it's not too big a shock when factoring in that there's 175W of power drawn by the RTX 4090M GPU alone.

Simply put, if you're after excellent battery life for a portable machine then the Acer Predator 17 X won't be for you. Instead, we recommend considering one of the best Ultrabooks, even if you won't get anywhere near the same level of processing power.

  • Battery: 2 / 5

Should you buy the Acer Predator Triton 17 X?

Buy it if... 

You want a no-compromise gaming experience 

The Acer Predator Triton 17 X packs a punch with its RTX 4090 GPU and 13th-gen Core i9 CPU backed with a staggering 64GB of RAM. All that power translates to commonly getting over 100fps in 1440p with maxed out details. 

You want an out-and-out desktop replacement 

With its powerful hardware and generous port selection, you'll be able to hook up the Triton 17 X to an external monitor for a big screen gaming experience. 

You're in the market for a productivity powerhouse 

While the Acer Predator Triton 17 X is geared towards gamers, its 250Hz refresh rate and cutting-edge hardware make it a good choice for creatives who need all the VRAM and raw performance grunt they can get.

Don't buy it if... 

You want the best value for money 

There's no getting around the eye-watering MSRP of the Acer Predator Triton 17 X at $3,599.99 / £3,299.99 / AU$7,999. If you're on a tighter budget, you'll clearly want to consider a more mid-range model instead.

You want a laptop with a good battery life 

Despite its 99.98Wh battery, you can expect only around an hour of gaming when not plugged in. Media playback doubles that to around two hours based on our battery test (conducted at 50% battery with half max brightness). Whatever the case, don't expect much longevity with the Triton 17 X.

Also consider

  • First reviewed June 2024
Asus ROG Ally X: an impressive array of community inspired improvements
8:01 am |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming PCs | Comments: Off

The Asus ROG Ally X's existence has been well known for quite some time now, but now it's been officially revealed in its entirety. Now that the cat is completely out of the bag, we know what specs it's rocking, as well as its pricing and launch date.

But how does it measure up in terms of performance, build quality, and more? I was able to briefly get my hands on the PC gaming handheld and try it out for a bit, seeing if it truly felt like a new model worth releasing. Thankfully, there are plenty of quality-of-life changes both externally and under the hood to justify its existence.

Asus ROG Ally X: price and availability

The Asus ROG Ally X will launch on July 22, 2024, and it will be available in the US, UK, Australia, and other regions.

Currently it's available for pre-order exclusively through Best Buy in the US and Curry’s in the UK for a retail price of $799.99 / £799. In Australia, you can pre-order it from JB Hi-Fi for AU$1,599. The pricing for the ROG Ally X is a bit steeper than the original model, though the latter is still available for purchase and cheaper than ever.

Asus ROG Ally X: specs

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broken down PC gaming handheld on white table

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broken down PC gaming handheld on white table

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broken down PC gaming handheld on white table

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broken down PC gaming handheld on white table

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broken down PC gaming handheld on white table

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Here are the specs for the Asus ROG Ally X at a glance. 

Asus ROG Ally X: design

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PC gaming handheld on white table

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PC gaming handheld on white table

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back of PC gaming handheld on white table

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back of PC gaming handheld on white table

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There have been several changes to the Asus ROG Ally X's design, both externally and internally, which was inspired by users who gave precious feedback and modders posting videos of them revamping the original ROG Ally for upgrades. 

The chassis has been enlarged, allowing for more space for an upgraded motherboard, more memory and storage, and a larger battery, among other changes. Since the chassis is larger, it's much better fitted for those with larger hands, especially as the button layout has also been adjusted to prevent accidental presses. 

The joysticks have been completely overhauled to be stiffer and with 5 million rotation cycles, and just by testing them out on a few games, I could immediately feel the difference. They're also larger and the rubber grip feels more comfortable, perfect for longer gaming sessions that leave your hands sweaty. Its D-pad is more precise and just better designed as well, making it much easier to navigate menus in and out of games.

Internally, the larger chassis means that the fans are superior - though they're smaller, they push out more hot air. As a result, the vents no longer push out extremely hot air from the top as you reach over to access the top controls. This also means that Asus was able to update the components, taking a page from all those DIY videos showing buyers modifying for the same reason. It also means you can add upgrades more easily without tearing apart the entire outer casing.

Asus ROG Ally X: performance

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PC gaming handheld on white table

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PC gaming handheld on white table

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PC gaming handheld on white table

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PC gaming handheld on white table

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Though I couldn't run any proper benchmarks to test out exactly what the Asus ROG Ally X is capable of, gameplay performance is still just as smooth and nearly as stutter-free as before. The processor hasn't been upgraded for this model, nor has the display, meaning it's more or less the same experience.

The difference, however, is how all those design improvements enhance the gameplay experience. The joysticks and D-pad make navigating through game worlds much smoother, and the adjusted button layout, coupled with the slightly larger system, takes out all the frustration of accidental presses and a too-small chassis that the original system had.

Having more RAM to work with is a boon for more intensive AAA titles that the ROG Ally previously struggled with at times, and the included storage is the perfect amount to install quite a library of the best PC games. 

Another upgrade that has the potential to be game-changing is the battery life, as the capacity has been doubled to 80Wh. We'll have to test and see, but if the ROG Ally X could get six hours or more, that alone would be the best reason to invest in this system since not even the Steam Deck can do that.

It'll be interesting to see just how much the improved specs affect performance, which we'll be testing once we get our hands on the PC gaming handheld and take it for a more thorough spin ourselves.

Asus ROG Ally X: early verdict

PC gaming handheld on white table

(Image credit: Future)

So far, the Asus ROG Ally X seems quite promising. Though it only serves as an in-between for the eventual ROG Ally 2, it sports tons of quality-of-life changes and enhancements that address nearly every issue buyers of the original ROG Ally had. For those looking for a new PC gaming handheld that's not the Steam Deck, this could truly be a contender for a true Steam Deck rival.

However, the only drawback that could hold it back is that the processor hasn't been updated, meaning that performance will most likely not change too much from the original. And with that model's price going down while the ROG Ally X starts off quite pricey, this could end up being a major deciding factor in its success.

Corsair One i500 review: can a gaming PC evolve gamer culture by embracing old, forgotten ways?
4:00 pm | May 6, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming PCs | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

Corsair One i500: Two-minute review

The Corsair One i500 isn't necessarily the most powerful gaming PC out there, it's not very upgradeable, and in terms of style, it's the kind of product that will inspire some very strong opinions — including my own.

Its specs are such that it is an easy contender for the best gaming PC of 2024 just in terms of performance, and its price is absolutely in line with the kinds of gaming rigs I've seen running Core i9-14900K and RTX 4080 Super or RTX 4090 GPUs. 

Starting at $3,599.99 / £3,499.99 (about $5,220), this isn't a cheap gaming PC, but for what you're getting in terms of specs, you'd normally be getting a standard mid-tower PC case, usually in black, with large RGB fans with a tempered glass side showing off even more RGB trim, and you'd still be paying nearly $3,500 or more for the privilege. 

That is to say, most gaming PCs today lean so heavily on RGB to define their style, that 'style' isn't really even a factor when considering which one to buy. The cases might vary, they might have a wraparound glass panel to show off the insides more fully, but the fundamental design principle of 'show off the components', which are lit up like a carnival, remains the same no matter what PC you buy.

The Corsair One i500, meanwhile, doesn't even have Corsair iCue, the company's proprietary RGB control software. It does have RGB, namely in the two trim lines that flank the case's wooden front panel, but it's limited compared to other gaming PCs. Instead, the Corsair One i500 uses a wooden front panel and fabric side panels to define its aesthetic, along with the aluminum case underneath that comes in either black or silver. 

Depending on the case color, you'll get a different wooden front panel (a walnut color for the black case and a pine color for the silver), and both cost the same, so you won't have to pay a premium for one over the other. The PC also comes with a headphone hanger attachment that can fit onto either side of the case, and there are more than enough ports for whatever peripherals you have.

More than anything, this PC reminds me of the Atari 2600 from my childhood, equipped as it was with a wooden panel along the top edge like everything else was in the early 1980s. That quickly gave way to hard black plastic in later models and soon consoles and later PCs left behind natural textures for futuristic flash and forms that persist up to the present. It's in this milieu that the Corsair One i500 feels like something dropped into the gaming PC market out of a flying Delorean. After so many years of RGB and aggressive gamer aesthetic, it's still shocking how something as simple and retro as a wood panel on the front can feel so refreshing.

It's not all positive, though. If there is anything that can be considered a negative with this PC, it's its lack of easy upgradability. The small form factor case is going to limit what you can fit in it, but the GPU AIO cooler also means that any GPU upgrades in the future are not going to be as simple as dropping in a new graphics card in a few years. You can more easily upgrade the SSD and RAM, however.

But this isn't really a gaming PC for builders or tinkerers. This is much more a gaming PC for those who want the best without messing with the cables and components, but who also want their new gaming PC to reflect their significant investment. In that, the Corsair One i500 is unmatched.

Corsair One i500: Price & availability

A Corsair One i500 on a desk

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
  • How much is it? Starting at $3,599.99 / £3,499.99 (about $5,220)
  • When is it available? Available May 6, 2024
  • Where can you get it? You can get it in the US and the UK at launch, with Australia availability in June 2024.

The Corsair One i500 is available in the US and UK now, starting at $3,599.99 and £3,499.99, respectively. It will be available in Australia in June, but official pricing hasn't been released for the APAC region yet.

Both configurations available at launch come with an Intel Core i9-1400K processor and 2TB NVMe storage, and the base configuration comes with an Nvidia RTX 4080 Super and 32GB DDR5 RAM, while the max configuration comes with an Nvidia RTX 4090 and 64GB DDR5 RAM for $4,699.99 / £4,699.99.

This is more expensive than something like the current Alienware Aurora R16, which maxes out at an Intel Core i9-14900KF, RTX 4090, 64GB DDR5 RAM, and 2TB PCIe NVMe storage for $4,049.99 / £3,919. In Australia, the Aurora R16 maxes out at AU$5,772.80 for an Intel Core i9-14900KF, an Nvidia RTX 4080 Super, 64GB DDR5 RAM, and 2TB storage.

Other gaming PCs like the Acer Predator Orion 7000 and HP Omen 40L will sell for roughly the same as the Aurora R16, so the Corsair One i500 is going to be more expensive than the competition, but its competition also features much of the same style as every other gaming PC you've seen in a Best Buy or Curry's for the past decade. Whether the Corsair One i500's style is worth the extra premium will be up to you, but after all the gaming PCs I've reviewed over the years, I believe it's absolutely worth the premium.

  • Value: 4 / 5

Corsair One i500: Specs

A Corsair One i500 on a desk

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
  • Up to an RTX 4090 with AIO liquid cooling
  • Not easily upgradable
  • Specs: 4.5 / 5

Corsair One i500: Design

A Corsair One i500 on a desk

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
  • Gorgeous small form-factor case
  • Ample cooling fans
  • Fabric side panels might get grimey over time

A Corsair One i500 on a desk

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The Corsair One i500's biggest appeal is its style.

I haven't seen a wood-paneled gaming device since the Atari 2600, and that device was released when I was a toddler. That's been enough time, I think, for a wood-paneled device to be cool again, and given the state of PC gaming hardware for the past several years, seeing something new is more than just refreshing.

I can't say that the Corsair One i500 will transform PC gaming culture to move beyond its decade-old Decepticon-inspired PC cases with over-the-top RGB lighting, but I hope it inspires a new paradigm for what companies can do with a gaming PC. The market desperately needs it.

In terms of specific design notes, this is technically a small form factor gaming PC, though it is bigger than something like the Asus ROG G22CH. Taller than it is wide or deep, this is more like a gaming console than a traditional gaming PC. If you've been looking for a living room PC, this will fit right in with a living room aesthetic.

A Corsair One i500 on a desk

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

If you spend this much money on a gaming PC, you should hopefully be able to upgrade to an Nvidia 5000 series graphics card in a few years, but the small form factor case is going to limit what size GPU you can fit. 

On top of that, the graphics card in this case is unshrouded, relying on an AIO GPU cooler to manage heat dissipation. You could obviously take all of the fans and heatsink off of any future graphics card you buy and fit it into this PC, but understandably, this is a fairly advanced modification for a GPU.

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A Corsair One i500 on a desk

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A Corsair One i500 on a desk

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On top of the internals, there are a number of distinct design features that you won't really find anywhere else. 

First, the side panels are covered in a soft, breathable fabric. This creates a very cool look to the PC, but fabric in tech devices tend to discolor and gunk up over time, especially if they cover a fan blowing dust out of a PC case.

Still, the fabric panels are a beautiful design touch. Another very cool feature is the tap-to-activate light on the backside of the case, which you can tap to light up the backports while you're plugging in peripherals and other cables. It's a small touch, but given that the backside of a gaming PC can often be cast in shadow, having an easy way to illuminate the area in question is incredibly useful.

Taken all together, the Corsair One i500 is the coolest prebuilt gaming PC I've ever used, and it's all the more impressive given how far it stretches past the 'accepted' gamer aesthetic into something new. I'm sure a lot of people won't like the design of this PC, but I don't care. The fact that Corsair took the risk to make a dramatically different kind of PC earns five stars in my book.

  • Design: 5 / 5

Corsair One i500: Performance

  • Fantastic gaming 4K performance
  • You can probably get the same kind of performance for cheaper if you don't mind less appealing aesthetics

Now, as good as the Corsair One i500 looks, this is a gaming PC, so its performance matters as much as — if not more than — its aesthetics. In this regard, you won't be disappointed with this PC.

Its starting GPU, the RTX 4080 Super, is one of the best 4K graphics cards on the market, second only to the Nvidia RTX 4090, which is an optional upgrade for the Corsair One i500. So no matter which GPU you get, you'll be able to get 4K@60FPS on just about any title on the market, especially if you enable Nvidia's DLSS 3 in games like Cyberpunk 2077 and any game that features ray tracing.

The RTX 4090, however, is the only graphics card I've ever tested that can get you close to 60 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 with ray tracing maxed out without upscaling, so if you're looking to play 4K at native resolution, you do at least have the option of going with the RTX 4090.

Given the hardware here, this is also a very competent creative performer, so those who like to get some work done will like what's on offer here, but I wouldn't call this the best workstation PC going. This is a gaming PC through and through, and it's here that this PC excels.

  • Performance: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the Corsair One i500?

Buy the Corsair One i500 if...

Don't buy it if...

  • First reviewed May 2024
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