Laptops
Apple could reveal a new MacBook Pro at WWDC 2021
Will it be the 16-inch MacBook Pro M1?
When is the updated MacBook Pro coming? It’s the question that’s on everyone’s mind. And, the recent invite Apple sent out for WWDC 2021 conference could hold the answer.
According to Jon Prosser, Apple is all set to unveil the new MacBook Pro at the event. WWDC stands for Worldwide Developer Conference and is an annual event dedicated to the Apple ecosystem developers. It’s the event where Apple walks us through its latest iteration of all operating systems — iOS 15, macOS 12, and iPad OS 15.
Though, Apple could use the stage for a hardware launch as well. Jane Manchun Wong has shared a mirrored image of the WWDC 2021 invite, and it reveals a few easter eggs embedded in the woman’s glasses. The first one is a fork and knife, followed by Apple Sleep, and finally, MacBook. The eating and sleeping icons could indicate a new feature added on watchOS, but did the MacBook mean a software upgrade or a new laptop?
WWDC 2021 products:
🍴 Apple Fork and Knife
😴 Apple Sleep
💻 MacBookhttps://t.co/6jlml3YvOl pic.twitter.com/bzYo0Uikw7— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) May 24, 2021
Considering Apple’s past launches, it has unveiled hardware products at WWDC in 2009, 2012, 2013, 2017, and 2019. The past two launches happened with a two-year interval, and if the trend continues, 2021 will also be special.
Rumors and predictions state that the new MacBook Pro 16-inch could get the latest Apple M1X chip. The company could also give the MacBook Pro 13-inch a new look since it only received internal upgrades last year.
Hey, remember when Apple launched the MacBook Neo, and it had the most attractive price for an Apple-branded laptop? Those were good times. Unfortunately, it was too good to be true. Responding to the ongoing RAM crisis, Apple has now increased the prices of its hardware, starting with the MacBook and the iPad lineups (via Reuters).
The “highlight” here is the price of the MacBook Neo. To be fair, the affordable MacBook is still the cheapest one of the lot, but that’s not saying much. From a starting price of US$ 599, the Neo now costs US$ 699.
Now, we’d love to say that a US$ 100 price hike is the most you can expect across the board. But that’s not true at all. Most will bring up the price by a few hundreds and up to a whopping US$ 1,300. Here’s a list of devices you’re going to see changes for:
| Model | Original price | New price |
| MacBook Neo | $599 | $699 |
| MacBook Air (13-inch) | $1,099 | $1,299 |
| MacBook Air (15-inch) | $1,299 | $1,499 |
| MacBook Pro (M5) | $1,699 | $1,999 |
| MacBook Pro (M5 Pro) | $2,199 | $2,499 |
| MacBook Pro (M5 Max) | $3,599 | $4,099 |
| iMac | $1,299 | $1,499 |
| Mac Studio (M4 Max) | $1,999 | $2,499 |
| Mac Studio (M3 Ultra) | $3,999 | $5,299 |
| iPad | $349 | $449 |
| iPad mini | $499 | $599 |
| iPad Air (11-inch) | $599 | $749 |
| iPad Air (13-inch) | $749 | $949 |
| iPad Pro (11-inch) | $999 | $1,199 |
| iPad Pro (13-inch) | $1,299 | $1,499 |
| Vision Pro | $3,499 | $3,699 |
The current price hikes do not include the iPhone lineup. It might only be a matter of time, though. Recently, Tim Cook confirmed that Apple can no longer shoulder the expenses of the RAM crisis by themselves, essentially signaling a huge wave of price hikes. The brand will likely continue the increases heading into the iPhone launches in September.
Gaming
ASUS brings 2026 ROG Zephyrus Duo, G16, and G14 to the Philippines
New Zephyrus laptops arrive
ASUS Republic of Gamers has announced the Philippine availability and pricing of its 2026 ROG Zephyrus lineup.
Headlining the range is the new ROG Zephyrus Duo, joined by refreshed versions of the Zephyrus G16 and Zephyrus G14. The latest models feature Intel Core Ultra processors, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series Laptop GPUs, upgraded cooling systems, and ROG Nebula HDR OLED displays.
The lineup is available through authorized retailers starting June 24, 2026.
ROG Zephyrus Duo introduces dual-screen gaming
The 2026 ROG Zephyrus Duo (GX651AX) is billed as the world’s first 16-inch dual-screen gaming laptop.
It features two 16-inch 16:10 touch displays with 120Hz refresh rates. Together, they provide up to 32 inches of combined screen space for multitasking, content creation, streaming, and gaming.
The primary display is a 3K ROG Nebula HDR OLED panel with up to 1,100 nits peak brightness, Dolby Vision HDR support, and 100 percent DCI-P3 color coverage.
A new 320-degree kickstand hinge enables multiple usage modes, including Laptop Mode, Dual-Screen Mode, Book Mode, Tent Mode, and Sharing Mode. ASUS ScreenXpert software manages display layouts and transitions between modes.
Powering the device are an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU, 64GB LPDDR5X memory, and 2TB SSD storage.
ROG Zephyrus Duo price in the Philippines
ROG Zephyrus Duo GX651AX-SR071WSM (RTX 5090, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — PhP 559,995
The laptop comes bundled with an ASUS Pen 3.0, ROG Universal Backpack, ROG Gladius III Gaming Mouse, and ASUS warranty package.
ROG Zephyrus G16 gets RTX 5090 option
The refreshed ROG Zephyrus G16 (GU606) retains its slim aluminum chassis, measuring 1.49cm thick and weighing 1.85kg.
Configurations include up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU with up to 160W TGP. ASUS says the laptop supports NVIDIA DLSS 4 and Multi-Frame Generation technologies.
The 16-inch display uses a 2.5K ROG Nebula HDR OLED panel with a 240Hz refresh rate, VESA DisplayHDR True Black certification, and NVIDIA G-SYNC support.
Battery life is rated at up to 22 hours of video playback, while ROG Intelligent Cooling combines Tri-Fan Technology, liquid metal, and expanded ventilation for sustained performance.
ROG Zephyrus G16 prices in the Philippines
- ROG Zephyrus G16 GU606AR-TB061WSM (RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — PhP 289,995
- ROG Zephyrus G16 GU606AX-TB084WSM (RTX 5090, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — PhP 429,995
Both variants include an ROG Exclusive Sleeve and ROG Strix Impact Gaming Mouse.
ROG Zephyrus G14 focuses on portability
The ROG Zephyrus G14 (GU405) continues to target gamers who want a more compact machine.
It measures 1.59cm thin and weighs 1.5kg. Despite its size, ASUS equips the laptop with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU with up to 130W TGP.
The device sports a 14-inch 3K ROG Nebula HDR OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, NVIDIA G-SYNC support, and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 1000 certification.
ASUS also redesigned the thermal system with thicker heat pipes, additional copper fins, and improved ventilation to boost cooling performance.
ROG Zephyrus G14 prices in the Philippines
- ROG Zephyrus G14 GU405AP-SY057WSM (RTX 5070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — PhP 224,995
- ROG Zephyrus G14 GU405AW-SY069WSM (RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — PhP 324,995
Each model ships with an ROG Exclusive Sleeve and ROG Strix Impact Gaming Mouse.
Warranty and launch promos
All 2026 ROG Zephyrus laptops sold locally come with ASUS’ No. 1 Quality & Service Program. This includes a three-year international and local warranty, one-year accidental damage protection, and Premium Care support.
Buyers also receive a gaming mouse, three months of PC Game Pass, an Office 2024 lifetime license, one year of Microsoft 365 Basic with 100GB cloud storage, and up to 700GB of ASUS Cloud Storage.
Meanwhile, the new ROG Slash Collection 4.0 accessories, including the Slash Backpack 4.0 and Slash Sling Bag 4.0, will arrive in select ROG stores starting July 2026.
The 2026 ROG Strix gaming laptops have officially arrived. They are available in the latest Strix G16 and G18 variants, as well as the Strix SCAR 18.
The latest gaming notebooks represent the pinnacle of gaming experiences, combining upgraded ROG Nebula Display technologies, refinements to ROG Intelligent Cooling, expanded high-speed connectivity, and a tool-less, upgrade-friendly chassis.
The 2026 ROG Strix G series raises the bar for mainstream gaming laptops. Both 16-inch and 18-inch models come with 2.5K Nebula Displays, now upgraded with ultra-fast 300Hz refresh rate.
Both models are capable of ultra-high framerates for the latest AAA games, thanks to the latest Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 290HX and up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080.
Their chassis can accommodate up to 32GB DDR5 memory and up to 1TB SSD storage.
The performance is complemented by advanced ROG Intelligent Cooling, featuring end-to-end vapor chambers, Tri-Fan technology, and Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal.
The ROG Strix G series ranges from PhP 159,995 to PhP 319,995.
On the other hand, the 2026 ROG Strix SCAR continues ASUS ROG’s pursuit of uncompromised gaming performance.
The Strix SCAR 18 comes with the first 18-inch 4K 240Hz Mini LED laptop panel, with over 2,000 dimming zones. ROG Nebula ELMB provides up to 16x greater motion clarity. The panel also features 1,600 nits peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3, and AGLR technology.
This laptop similarly comes with Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 290HX Plus, and up to GeForce RTX 5090 graphics. The graphics side is also enhanced by DLSS 4, Multi-Frame Generation, and GPU-accelerated technologies specially for the latest AAA titles.
New on the 2026 release is up to a 320W total system power. It also has a 20% thicker vapor chamber, as well as Upgraded Liquid Crystal Polymer fans to increase total airflow by 91%.
The ROG Strix SCAR 18 costs PhP 439,995.
-
News2 weeks agoTECNO’s SPARK 50 Pro is the latest budget smartphone battery beast
-
Buyer's Guide1 week agoBuyer’s Guide: TECNO SPARK 50 Pro vs SPARK 50 5G
-
News1 week agoBudget smartphone realme C100 Series launches
-
Reviews5 days agovivo X300 Ultra review: A “Whole Different Animal”
-
Reviews1 week agoHONOR Watch 6 Review: Less guessing, more knowing
-
Laptops2 weeks agoROG launches 2026 Strix gaming laptop series
-
Reviews1 week agoThe realme P4 Power: realme’s midrange power play?
-
Entertainment1 week agoSamsung brings the Galaxy Z series into Spider-Man: Brand New Day

