Computers

ASUS ROG GR8 II Review

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When you think of gaming PCs, large immobile machines come to mind. ASUS has other plans with its ROG-branded GR8 II, which is smaller than Sony’s PS4 Pro but with the might to take on the latest AAA titles.

And it’s not an ugly sight either; in fact, I’d say it’s the most attractive gaming PC in the market right now.

See for yourself:

This is as compact as a gaming PC can get

Dimensions: 88 x 299 x 281.3mm; weight: 4kg

And is slim enough to fit into cramped spaces

Standing it up is the only practical position, though

You get basic ports in front

Two USB 3.0 ports and audio outputs, plus gorgeous RGB lighting

And all the rest at the back

1x USB 3.1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C, 2x USB 3.0, 2x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, Ethernet, Optical S/PDIF out

Most of the heat comes out from the top vent

Be sure not to place anything like headphones on top

You need a single Philips screwdriver to open it up

Only four screws need to be removed to remove the side panel for upgrades

Once set up, it looks especially nice with matching ROG equipment

The 24-inch Full HD ROG Swift PG248Q with its 180Hz refresh rate is perfect for high-speed games

How well does it perform?

What’s a good-looking gaming PC without fitting specs to back it up? The GR8 II isn’t going to impress you with Zephyrus-like numbers, but it’s definitely good enough for gaming on high settings at 1080p.

We have an Intel Core i7-7700 processor, a single stick of 8GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB HDD, and NVIDIA’s midrange GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card. These all connect to a custom H110 motherboard.

Playing DOOM on Ultra graphics settings consistently gave us over 90fps on our 1080p monitor; and as expected, Overwatch was an absolute cinch, providing us with over 150fps on optimized graphics settings to maximize the same monitor’s G-Sync-enabled 180Hz refresh rate.

The only game that pushed the GR8 II during our tests was Rise of the Tomb Raider. Although it got 68fps according to the built-in benchmark on the highest settings, actual gameplay wasn’t as smooth. It was only when we lowered some of the more intensive settings like hair effects and texture rendering that the game became playable on high settings.

What else is there to know?

A common concern with cramming so much power into a tiny frame is noise and heat build-up. We were expecting the GR8 II to get loud and warm under heavy load because of its lack of ventilation and relatively small fans, but the results were still pleasant.

Thanks to some strategic chopping up of the motherboard, vents and fans are placed where they need to be. It was only while playing games in an absolutely quiet room when we’d hear the roaring of the fans. Definitely nothing that would wake up a sleeping baby, so you can game with peace of mind.

Speaking of the custom motherboard design, it sadly holds back the upgradability of the GR8 II. You can only swap the RAM and HDD, and add an SSD to the lone M.2 slot. The CPU, GPU, and motherboard would need assistance from an ASUS service center for replacements.

The other drawback is the separate 230W power adapter that acts as the unit’s power supply. This is ASUS’ trick to lowering the weight and size of the GR8 II, but this just means more things to carry with you when you transfer battle stations for LAN parties.

Why choose this over a gaming laptop?

This is the question that went through our minds as we used the GR8 II: Doesn’t an equally priced gaming notebook offer a more complete experience with added mobility?

It’s definitely something to ponder over. A gaming laptop owns the same expandability (user-replaceable storage and memory components), wireless connectivity (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth), and an external power supply, but comes with a built-in monitor, keyboard, and battery for short trips. However, what the GR8 II does better is port selection and saving space on a tight desk.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

It all boils down to your gaming needs. While there’s no doubt the GR8 II is more than enough for 1080p gaming at high frame rates, the previous question establishes the compact PC’s position in the market.

The GR8 II feels like a gaming laptop in the body of desktop PC, with the limited upgradeability of the former and immobility of the latter. At the same time, it also doesn’t have the mobility of a notebook nor the sheer possibilities of a true PC tower.

Considering all those factors, it’s clear the GR8 II is somewhere in between the two segments. You’re buying into the idea of a sleek gaming machine that’s designed to look good and deliver respectable performance beyond the minimal physical space it consumes.

Price relies heavily on what configuration you choose; the setup we reviewed costs PhP 69,990 (US$ 1,375) in the Philippines, but you can find a cheaper setup with a Core i5 processor and less storage for around US$ 1,000.

SEE ALSO: ASUS ROG Strix GL702VM Review: Portable gaming powerhouse

Computers

3D printing made accessible: Bambu Lab moves closer to everyday consumers

Empowering consumers to create tangible objects

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Photos from Rodneil Quiteles

China-based brand Bambu Lab makes an effort to move closer to everyday consumers in the Philippines with a new retail partner by holding a media and creators roundtable in the Philippines. This was a bid to reshape how consumers perceive and use 3D printing technology.

Established in Shenzhen, China in 2020, Bambu Lab aims to make 3D printing more accessible, practical, and relevant to daily life through printers and other supplies.

The goal is to support practical home use, creative hobbies, product design, and even specialized tools, while putting emphasis on ease of use.

With such optics, Bambu Lab is trying to make consumers feel that there is less deep technical knowledge required and that they can actually create physical objects with 3D printing.

One of their products is the entry-level Bambu Lab A1 mini, which is compact enough to fit on a small desk.

The brand also has more advanced models which are capable of printing multiple colors and materials on a single run.

To complement the hardware ecosystem, Bambu Lab’s open platform MakerWorld lets users browse, select, and print from an extensive library of shared 3D designs directly from their own desktops.

The platform features a wide variety of objects across multiple categories. There’s household items, DIY tools, children’s toys, props, and educational materials.

In the Philippines, Bambu Lab will open its first concept store at One Ayala, Makati City. The concept corner will give mallgoers the opportunity to see the range of 3D printers and consumables firsthand.

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Computers

Next-gen AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D desktop processor out soon

Built for the most demanding titles

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The next-generation AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D desktop processor will be available for sale starting January 29. It has a standard pricing of US$ 499.

Built for enthusiasts, the latest AMD Ryzen 9000 series processor features a +400MHz improvement to the boost clock, building on the legacy of the 9800X3D.

This makes the “world’s fastest gaming processor” even faster. AMD says their offering boasts of an average 27% gaming performance improvement over the Intel Core Ultra 9 285k.

On paper, the Ryzen 7 9850X3D has a maximum boost clock speed of up to 5.6GHz, and a base clock speed of 4.7GHz.

The new 8-core, 16-thread processor is aided by 2nd Gen 3D V-Cache technology, so a high-frequency memory is not required.

Across an average of more than 30 games played, the FPS difference between a DDR5-4800 and a  DDR5-6000 was below 1%.

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is ideal for running demanding titles, i.e. AAA games, at maximum FPS. Initial checks also suggest the processor stays efficient in spite of higher speeds.

For connectivity, the processor has two memory channels for a maximum 192GB of DDR5 memory. It can also support four USB 3.2 Gen 2s and a USB 2.0.

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Computers

Acer introduces Ryzen AI Max-powered Veriton mini workstation

Built to support the heaviest workloads

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Acer has officially expanded its lineup of Veriton desktop computers with the release of the Acer Veriton RA100 AI mini workstation.

This Copilot+ PC is powered by AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processors to support even the heaviest of workloads for gamers, creators, and other professionals.

Armed with AMD Radeon 8060S graphics, 50 TOPS NPU, and 60 TFLOPS, the Veriton RA100 delivers up to 120 billion parameters for demanding workloads.

These include running AI models, developing and deploying generative AI applications, 3D design, and content creation at high resolutions.

The RA100 accelerates such tasks, and optimizes design, coding, and even gaming with the help of AI.

In addition, the RA100 also supports ultra-fast and high storage capacity. It has a four channel memory of up to 128GB DDR5 and up to 4TB SSD storage.

The workstation comes with adaptive performance modes to allow users to adjust the power. There’s Silent Mode for general tasks, balanced Mode for lightweight multitasking, and Performance Mode for the extra juice for AI computing and AAA gaming.

For connectivity, the RA100 comes with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, plus an RJ45 port and Kensington lock slot.

Acer Veriton desktops also launched

Acer has also launched new Acer Veriton AIO desktops — the Vero 4000 and Vero 6000 — alongside the RA100.

These all-in-one desktops blend strong AI performance with robust security in a sleek design for modern workplaces.

They are powered by Intel Core Ultra 9 Series 2 processors, with up to 64GB memory and up to 2TB storage.

The Veriton Vero 4000 sports Intel Graphics, while the Vero 6000 comes with Intel vPro for enhanced capabilities.

Both AIOs feature a 23.8-inch 144Hz FHD touch display. The ergo stand and VESA mount support flexible workspace setups as well.

Additional features include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, RJ45, and a 5MP infrared webcam.

Acer Veriton 2000 large tower, AIO

Lastly, Acer has also introduced the Veriton 2000 Large Tower and Veriton 2000 All-In-One for further options.

The large tower likewise comes with Intel Core Ultra 9 Series processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 graphics, making it a high-performance desktop PC.

It is designed to streamline AI-assisted content creation and other everyday productivity tasks. With NVIDIA Blackwell, the GeForce RTX 50 series GPUs bring game-changing capabilities to gamers and creators.

Meanwhile, the Veriton 2000 AIO has Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 processors, Intel Graphics, and ample memory and storage.

It has a 23.8-inch FHD display as well, with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 250 nits brightness.

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