To cover COMPUTEX 2026, I found myself staying in the Grand Hilai Taipei, a 5-star hotel right beside the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center (TaiNEX), the historical home of the annual conference. I can’t help but think of The Grand Budapest Hotel, a Wes Anderson flick about a similarly decadent hotel. But it’s not the plush hotel rooms, the hospitable staff, or the Romanesque public sauna that has me thinking of the iconic 2014 film. Rather, it’s the man of the hour himself, NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang, the king of today’s AI.

In The Grand Budapest Hotel, Ralph Fiennes plays Monsieur Gustave, the eponymous hotel’s flamboyant concierge. Always the life of the party, Gustave blends seamlessly into the hotel’s luxurious pink decor as he cavorts willy-nilly with the elder clientele. While the film flings Gustave around a thrilling chase for a deceased friend’s inheritance, the film’s subtext is one of politics, mistrust, and war. Around the hotel, the world haplessly descends into the geopolitical turmoil that brought about the Second World War. And yet, Gustave remains indifferent, content as he is to be atop his lofty pulpit while luxuriating in L’Air de Panache.

The amicable Gustave as he lures you in.

Jensen Huang, clad in his trademark leather jacket, is our story’s Monsieur Gustave. Much like Gustave, Huang revels in the fanfare around him. In COMPUTEX, he’s a hero adored by the masses. Wherever he goes, fans bend over backwards to take a selfie. His merchandise (and yes, it exists), touting AI-generated versions of him, is constantly sold out. It’s a stark contrast to the world and all its doom-and-gloom for a future bloated with AI.

The silence behind the applause

Before the official start of COMPUTEX, Huang conducted his own keynote speech for NVIDIA. If you’ve been to one of his keynotes in the past, you’ll hardly recognize what it’s become. There’s no more talks of realistic graphics or faster gaming performance. It’s all about AI.

Most of his time was dedicated to Vera Rubin, a multi-rack AI supercomputer destined to power the future’s data centers. Amid the drone of technical jargon (almost bordering on technobabble), I was quietly asking myself what I was doing here. Meanwhile, beside me, an enthusiastic woman clapped with as much fervor as if Huang was the second coming of Christ himself. Even if Huang could hear her individual applause (and he most certainly didn’t), he couldn’t have seen her Googling frantically what a multi-rack AI supercomputer was.

NVIDIA’s Vera Rubin

After what felt like forever on the Vera Rubin, Huang finally talked about a consumer-ready product: the new RTX Spark laptops. Admittedly, my interest was piqued. After all, it’s supposed to be the next evolution of PCs. Cue: more applause.

Although, the subtext here is as loud as the clamor. Though it’s certainly impressive that a single RTX Spark notebook can deliver 1 petaflop of AI performance and 192GB of unified memory, this next big thing is not for you and me. No one wanted to talk about the price of these things; not a single OEM, not even Huang himself.

All the hype is on productivity and profitability. It will make more work and more money… but not for you. If anything, you’ll probably end up worse.

The price of progress

Building a PC these days can bankrupt you just as easily as visiting an American hospital. A decent stick of RAM is no longer as accessible as it was a few years ago. And it’s all thanks to AI.

Touting them as humanity’s next evolution, the world’s biggest tech companies want you, a regular consumer, to believe that the technology is coming to your home. But first, they need acres of real estate for data centers. Several states in America have already relegated land to put up these centers, much to the chagrin of their residents. Despite assurances that newer ones can more effectively balance the load on the grid, these same data centers need a lot of space, power, and water. All three of which are coming from the communities surrounding them. At the time of this writing, some state governments are pushing back against the incoming infrastructure, perhaps realizing the mistake of unimpeded data center developments. The outside world is slowly turning on AI, but it’s not a global crackdown.

These stickers are getting more expensive.

And that’s before the effect of these data centers on regular consumer technology. Besides all that land, they need a horde of silicon. That’s why NVIDIA has stopped positioning itself as a GPU company, and that’s why all the chips just disappeared. All those data centers are buying up the world’s stock of chips. It’s all a matter of supply and demand at that point; scarcity drives prices up, and we’re left to pick up the pieces. The GPU that was supposed to go to your new PC is now inside a data center somewhere in the States.

Even if you don’t live near a data center, you’re still not safe. Companies, especially in the Western world, believe that AI can replace human workers, leading to mass layoffs. To be clear, while AI can help with productivity when used as a tool, a full replacement isn’t the most feasible option yet. In fact, according to Fortune, AI is just a convenient scapegoat when companies simply want to cut labor expenses by any means necessary.

And yet, the party goes on. Huang is adamant that you are on the ground floor of a revolution that will change the world. But, sorry, bucko; that elevator is going up without you.

The mask falls

As tempting as it is to pick on a single target, the NVIDIA CEO wasn’t the only Monsieur Gustave gallivanting around COMPUTEX. Qualcomm’s Cristiano Amon had his own keynote speech to herald the annual conference. But, opposed to decadence of Huang’s optimism, Amon lets his mask fall just a tiny bit.

To his credit, Amon didn’t extol Qualcomm’s developments exclusively. Rather, he spoke of the overall effects of AI on our world. It’s, of course, the usual optimistic accoutrements of harder, better, faster, stronger for society. Eventually, his excitement gets the best of him and lets slip some shadier effects.

“6G will turn us all into walking cameras,” he said, talking about how AI will affect connectivity.

Now, to be fair, radio frequency sensing isn’t new technology. It’s already been possible to detect objects using only radio signals. 6G, bolstered by AI, will expand this to cover a much wider area for more possible uses.

Amon himself admits that it was a controversial statement. But perhaps, he doesn’t know (or care) about any potential invasions of privacy. He remains ever-so-confident that the use of 6G for surveillance will ultimately help with public safety and infrastructure.

All I can think of is The Dark Knight‘s Lucius Fox doing the moral thing and shutting off Batman’s mass surveillance system after finding the Joker.

It’s a tiny slip, but it speak volumes. Your privacy is a sacrifice that they’re willing to take.

As if that’s not enough, Amon signs off on his diatribe with a succinct “resistance is futile,” talking to those who still oppose AI.

An odd way to start off a celebration of AI, isn’t it? Traditionally, that phrase is one oft used by villainous characters, but that’s just par for the course in today’s AI-infested world. Peter Thiel, one of the moguls of AI, infamously named his company Palantir, the same malevolent surveillance tool used by Sauron in The Lord of the Rings. For some, masks don’t really exist.

The other concierge

Speaking as someone who keeps his finger on the pulse of AI more on the Western side of the world, it’s strange to see a different side of the coin. Huang and Amon are icons. You can’t last two seconds without seeing a single mention of AI somewhere on the show floor. There’s a palpable electricity when talking about the potential of AI.

And to be fair, when I talked to a few developers and engineers, I can feel the optimism. One talked about a voice assistant that would suggest better gift ideas for her spouse based on their history. Another one passionately talked about how much gaming has been better with DLSS 4.5. They truly believe that AI can work to their (and our) benefit, and I believe them. Underneath the smarminess of tech billionaires are ordinary people who found ways to better society. That’s where the conversation about AI should start.

But that’s not what the people want. The people want the parties, the glitz and the glamor. And all these billionaires desperately want to be the next Steve Jobs, the next Great Gatsby. And everyone else wants someone to hate.

In Taiwan, it’s not easy to hate a Monsieur Gustave that wants to make you feel welcome. It’s much easier to come for a monster taking your land, your jobs, and your money.

In Taiwan, Monsieur Gustave can have his parties, his adoring friends, and his fancy leather jacket. But in the rest of the world, he finds in himself the caretaker of an entirely different hotel, The Shining’s Overlook Hotel. Beneath Monsieur Gustave is Jack Torrance, and he’s always been the caretaker.

“Here’s Jensen!”

The other concierge.

Within two months, TECNO separately launched the SPARK 50 Pro and SPARK 50 5G.

Clearly, the uprising brand aims to target consumers who want to buy a shiny new smartphone within their means. This also meant budget buyers might get confused which to get between the two.

Interested yet still confused? Read more to know which SPARK is your GadgetMatch.

Design

While design is (and will always be) subjective, the design of the TECNO SPARK 50 Pro and SPARK 50 5G are on two different sides of the coin.

The newer SPARK 50 Pro is offered in stronger color choices — from Midnight Blue to the Dynamic Orange I own. Albeit, there are the less flashy Ink Black, Titanium Grey, and Cloud White shades.

On the other hand, the SPARK 50 5G has classier colorways: Champagne Gold, Mint Green and Fantasy Purple. That’s alongside the subdued Ink Black and Titanium Grey options.

Personally, the SPARK 50 5G’s clean-looking horizontal camera bar design was the clear giveaway. While the SPARK 50 Pro is a bit slimmer at 7.8mm, the SPARK 50 5G is still comfortable to hold despite being thicker at 8.18mm.

Furthermore, the Champagne Gold unit I rock looks more premium and doesn’t try to be in with the unnecessary “orange” trend.

Editor’s Choice: SPARK 50 5G

Durability

Usually, design and durability coincide with one another. But, that’s not always the case.

Despite the SPARK 50 5G having an aviation-grade body, it only has an IP64 rating. It can withstand dust particles but, only water splashes and light sprays. Good to note though that it is MIL-STD-810H compliant.

Meanwhile, the less premium-looking SPARK 50 Pro actually boasts the sturdier IP68 and IP69 water and resistance ratings. This means it can withstand dust, water immersion, and even stronger, high-pressure sprays.

This makes the SPARK 50 Pro one of the few phones to have an IP rating previously limited to flagships and higher-end midrangers.

Editor’s Choice: SPARK 50 Pro

Audiovisual

Both the SPARK 50 Pro and SPARK 50 5G share a 6.78-inch IPS LCD display. Both are also 720p in resolution and refresh rate maxes out at 120Hz.

Obviously, these phones don’t have the best in class displays. But, for such segment and price, having such display tech alongside a punch-hole cutout (instead of a raindrop notch) means a lot.

Stereo speakers are also powered by DTS sound. Undoubtedly, these two phones are like identical twins in this segment.

The only thing that the SPARK 50 5G has the upper-hand is none other than its inclusion of 3.5mm audio jack that the SPARK 50 Pro lacks. Still beneficial for people who fully rely on wired audio.

Editor’s Choice: SPARK 50 5G

Performance

While the front part is harder to distinguish from one another, each inner core is what separates these phones apart.

The TECNO SPARK 50 5G is powered by the MediaTek’s Dimensity 6400 SoC.

Of course, it’s not the most powerful out there. But, for its league, it’s a capable chipset that can multitask and run most game titles. Even 5G support never forgotten.

Meanwhile, the SPARK 50 Pro, despite having that “Pro” superlative, only runs the Dimensity G100 Ultimate. CPU speeds are obviously lower. Worse? It’s only limited to 4G speeds.

On the positive note, it gives better camera support.

Memory sizes are available in 4,6, and 8GB with storage options in either 128 or 256GB. Fortunately, these phones still have a dedicated microSD slot.

Editor’s Choice: SPARK 50 5G

Camera

With the camera talk already mentioned, most would think that the 50MP main rear camera of the SPARK 50 Pro and SPARK 50 5G are just the same. Well, they’re not.

Photography duties of the SPARK 50 Pro are mainly handled by Sony’s LYTIA 600 (or LYT-600) image sensor. For reference, that’s the same image sensor found on most modern midrangers.

The SPARK 50 5G uses an older Sony Exmor sensor. Aperture slightly differ at f/1.9 and f/1.8 respectively.

For further context, here’s how the two smartphones produce photos.

To compensate for that, the SPARK 50 5G tends to over-sharpen and color boost its photo output over SPARK 50 Pro’s natural image rendering.

The SPARK 50 Pro also has a better-looking bokeh falloff than its 5G counterpart.

Editor’s Choice: SPARK 50 Pro

Power

Finally, the highlight of both phones: battery capacity.

ICYMI, the TECNO SPARK 50 Pro has two versions: a single-cell 5600mAh model and a bigger 6000mAh dual-cell version.

The SPARK 50 5G takes it up a notch with an even bigger 6500mAh capacity.

Although that is only a 500mAh (or 900mAh) discrepancy, that battery boost still means a lot for an every day user.

Charging-wise, the SPARK 50 Pro has a faster 60W speed over the regular 45W charging in the 5G version.

IMHO, I would still choose a bigger battery over faster charging speeds. Still, it’s great to have both in a single package.

Editor’s Choice: SPARK 50 5G

Which afforda-phone SPARKs more joy?

If we are going to tally the scores, the clear afforda-phone winner is none other than the TECNO SPARK 50 5G.

It ticks 4 out of 6 boxes — from that classier design to its beastly battery despite that thin chassis. Even better, a 5G-capable chipset and 3.5mm audio jack inclusion that the “Pro” variant simply lacks.

However, that doesn’t mean the SPARK 50 Pro is lackluster.

If you value the cameras and durability more than anything else, the TECNO SPARK 50 Pro is clearly the one you should get.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to how much of your hard-earned savings you are willing to let go.

Knicks fans, rejoice; your long, long wait is finally over! The New York Knicks are once again the NBA Champions. As you’ve probably heard so many times by now, the last time that New York’s own was on top of the basketball pyramid was in 1973, 53 years ago.

Here’s a fun fact that you might not know, though: The last Knicks championship is tied to the history of the basketball in videogames. Did you know that the very first basketball video game was invented in 1973, the exact same year that the Knicks won their last championship?

But, of course, a lot of things have happened since then, and a lot of videogames have come and gone. Here are the most notable basketball games you might have played (or missed playing) in history:

NBA 2K

It would be pointless to start a list of basketball games without stating the obvious first. The NBA 2K series is the quintessential hooper sim today. When you think of the sport in videogames today, you can’t spend two seconds without thinking of the long-running franchise.

Now an annually releasing series, NBA 2K started in 1999 for the Sega Dreamcast. At the time, it was just another drop in a sea of ‘90s basketball games. Now, it’s an institution with constantly updating graphics and mechanics.

NBA Live

Around the time that NBA 2K first started, NBA Live was the king of the jungle. Up until 2018, it was another annually releasing series going alongside (and against) the behemoth known as 2K.

But it’s had a storied history as well. It started off as the NBA Playoffs series. The first one, 1989’s Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs, featured eight teams who were part of that year’s playoffs. This went on until 1993 when it evolved into NBA Showdown, one of the first games to feature every NBA team. In 1994, Showdown reinvented itself once again into NBA Live and turned into an annual series before its unfortunate cancellation in 2018.

NBA Street

If sports simulators aren’t your thing, NBA Street is an arcade-style series that has ups the fun with trick shots and streetball rules. It features three-on-three hooping with 29 teams and 5 players from each. Whereas NBA 2K and NBA Live helped gamers live out their dreams to become an NBA superstar, NBA Street was one for the gamers who just wanted a fun time.

The series spawned a few sequels since 2001 but eventually met its end in 2007. Now, however, you can continue the legacy in the recently launched NBA the Run, a spiritual successor created by developers of the original NBA Street games.

NBA Jam

“Boomshakalaka! He’s on fire!”

Even if you’ve never played NBA Jam before, you’ve probably heard its most iconic catchphrase. NBA Jam was so influential that it’s considered one of the most important games of the SNES and the arcade cabinet generation.

Besides impressive graphics for its time, it was a spectacle. Because it had no fouling system, you can physically bully people out of your way. You can catch fire if you’re too good at shooting, hence the “he’s on fire” line. You can jump to gravity-defying heights to make a dunk. Plus, the game features so many fun Easter eggs, including one that turns you into a literal tank on the court.

Double Dribble

Technically a sequel to Konami’s Super Basketball, 1986’s Double Dribble was a fairly straightforward simulator that attempted to feature realistic gameplay in a very two-dimensional time. For its time, the game was remarkable because it featured highly detailed animations for fancy moves like slam dunks.

However, the game came out before the rise of the NBA’s massive popularity in media. It doesn’t have a license to feature actual teams or players. Then again, haven’t you heard of the Boston Frogs or the New York Eagles?

One on One: Dr. J vs. Larry Bird

Contrasted to the above’s five-versus-five or three-versus-three formats, 1983’s One on One featured, as the title says, a mano-a-mano duel between Julius Erving and Larry Bird. With an isometric half-court layout, either player takes turns dunking or shooting over the other.

While one-versus-one modes are available in today’s games, One on One let players live out their fantasies as two of the biggest basketball stars at the time. It even let you shatter the backboard Though the game isn’t much of a talking point nowadays, it was so popular for its time that it helped establish Electronic Arts as a household name in gaming.

Atari’s Basketball

As the father of modern basketball games, 1978’s Basketball, built for the Atari, was the first game to feature the full-court format so popular today. Like One on One, Basketball features only two players. The game was so rudimentary that the two hoops were represented with two sticks, and the two players were different colored blobs.

However, in 1979, Atari released an updated version with detailed graphics. It was also controlled with a trackball, the first of its kind to do so. Though it didn’t have named superstars or teams, it’s clearly the predecessor of the games we all know and love.

Basketball!

And now, we’ve come to the beginning. Released on 1973, Basketball! is officially the first basketball video game in history. Since it’s on the Magnavox Odyssey, the very first home gaming console, that comes as no surprise.

Like Pong, which also found a home in the Magnavox Odyssey, Basketball! features two square dots (the players) bouncing a smaller dot (the ball) into two “hoops” on both sides of a court. The game had a static image laid over the dots to simulate an ongoing basketball game. It was so basic that it didn’t even have a computing system for point. Players had to manually tally scores on their own based on where the small dot lands.

If it’s hard for you to imagine just how long today’s Knicks fans have waited for a championship, this was the state of gaming when they got their last ring.

SEE ALSO: NBA 2K26 review: Pick and pop maestro