Computers

HP’s new line puts premium on office productivity

Published

April 2, 2017

Michael Sy

When people talk about the future of technology, a lot of things come to mind. It might be flying cars, hover boards, hologram computers, or even life-like robots. And while these ideas seem to be getting closer to reality, we’ve still got a long way to go to get there.

HP, on the other hand, has a more grounded vision of the future — more specifically, the office of the future.

Earlier this month in Singapore, HP announced a host of new devices meant for enterprise users, specifically products designed from the ground up to be more efficient, secure, and built for collaboration.

From a tech innovation standpoint, none of these new products are necessarily groundbreaking, but they could just be what we need.

Don’t be too quick on thinking these devices just belong in an office, HP assures us that these products were made with its everyday consumers in mind, whether it be the average Joe looking for a daily driver, or the small business looking to set up its first computer. The brand believes the unique features it puts in its products are a differentiator from competitors rather than a feature the customer actually pays for.

Letʻs take a look at some of the products and services HP introduced in its live office showcase, and how they fit into its vision of the future.

HP ELITE X3

While Windows 10 for mobile hasn’t really caught on for most consumers, HP is targeting those who would want to be able to efficiently work with their files on a mobile device. With the Elite x3 smartphone, just connect it to a monitor and itʻll power up a close-to-desktop experience — a Windows 10 mobile function more popularly known as Continuum.

HP also introduced a case for the Elite x3 with a built-in barcode scanner, which is a mobile scanning solution enabling users to check product prices and other related information on the fly.

HP ELITE SLICE

Another device announced was the HP Elite Slice, a clever approach to the modular PC. With different modules that snap on top of each other, this may be one of the cleanest implementations of adding capabilities to an already existing desktop system I’ve ever seen. A wireless charging cover for your phone, a speaker module, and an optical disk drive are some of the existing slices available, all of which could be installed in a couple of seconds. With this much flexibility paired with its compact size, I can see how this could become the centerpiece of every desktop system in an office.

HP Z2 Mini

Similar to the proportions of the HP Elite Slice, the HP Z2 Mini is a workstation-class PC packing an NVIDIA Quadro graphics card in a tiny package. It was shown powering six high-resolution monitors side by side during the showcase, all of which were shown running various tasks from media playback to 3D animation. NVIDIA Quadro cards are known to be great for digital design software but fall short in gaming when compared to their consumer-friendly GeForce counterparts.

OTHER DEVICES

HP also announced a slew of new laptops across its entire range. The HP Elitebook series comes with a function that reduces 95 percent of visible light coming from the display at angles beyond 35 degrees at a press of a button; this is helpful in cases where you wouldnʻt want the person beside you on the plane or bus ride to be snooping into what youʻre working on.

Other devices consist of 2-in-1 convertibles, flip-outs, and even a detachable point of sale system. Who knows, the next fast food establishment you go to might be the one coming to your table to take orders.

All its new devices come with different security solutions. Some of these include the ability to always boot the device on its last good state; BIOS level security to make sure your computer is protected from the moment itʻs turned on; multi-factor authentication that requires a passcode, fingerprint, and face scanning; and many more.

The gadgets also come with features for collaboration, such as Bang and Olufsen-powered speakers, noise cancellation software, and various wireless solutions for better communication across team members.

While prices and availability arenʻt available in all regions at the moment, HP will be rolling out the devices across Asia in the following months.

[irp posts=”6891″ name=”HP spices up its Spectre x360 and Envy 13 notebooks”]

Computers

Lenovo Innovate: Smarter Yoga, Legion, LOQ lineups unveiled

Unlocking smart technologies

Published

March 27, 2024

GadgetMatch

Tech companies continue to harness the power of AI to help provide consumers with better devices that are tailor-fit for today’s demands. Lenovo is no exception. At Lenovo’s Innovate 2024 event, the company gave its consumers a glimpse of its future lineup of Yoga, Legion, and LOQ devices for the Asia-Pacific market.

In a nutshell, Lenovo calls these new devices the new standard in terms of what they can offer. The latest computers are all smarter and come equipped with the latest Intel Core Ultra processors (select models) and Copilot in Windows 11.

So, what’s new?

Basically, Lenovo has added even more innovative features, mostly AI-enabled, for all lineups. These enhancements make them even more exceptional. Lenovo consumers know by now what each specific lineup is exceptional at. For instance, the Lenovo Yoga lineup is mainly engineered to help creators. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion devices are meant to handle gaming effortlessly, on top of other tasks.

Empowering creators

To set the latest Yoga devices apart, Lenovo has equipped them with PureSight Pro and Puresight OLED displays. These color-calibrated screens deliver greater brightness, contrast, and accuracy that meet the demands of creators for precise visual work — whether it’s graphic design, photo editing, or video production.

The Yoga laptops also have a Copilot key shortcut to assist users right away with the help of AI. Specifically, the Yoga 9i 2-in-1 and Yoga Pro 9i incorporate Lenovo AI Engine+ driven by Lenovo’s LA AI Core chips. This utilizes software machine learning algorithms, leading to a more optimized system performance.

Lastly, the Yoga lineup is enhanced with Lenovo Creator Zone. This generative AI software turns text or sketches into visuals to aid creators. Select Yoga Pro laptops will also support image training, where creators can train a personalized model that learns and creates images that match their preferences.

Advanced gaming performance

On the gaming side, Lenovo’s Legion and LOQ products likewise now harness the capabilities of Lenovo LA AI Core chips. These allow higher FPS and improved power efficiency to handle titles better and provide gamers the top-tier experience.

Furthermore, Lenovo has introduced the Legion Coldfront: Hyper thermal solution exclusively for the Intel-based Legion 7i and Legion 5i. This new cooling system transforms the airflow within the chassis, channeling hot air from the chips to optimize heat exchange.

LOQ laptops, meanwhile, debut the new hyperchamber thermal technology to keep processors cooler. This technology draws out up to an additional 25W power in Extreme Mode, while keeping temperatures lower.

New PCs

Here are the new Lenovo PCs to be introduced to the Asia-Pacific market, for your perusal.

The new Lenovo Yoga lineup includes:

Lenovo Yoga Book 9i (13-inch, Gen 9)
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i (16-inch, Gen 9)
Lenovo Yoga Pro 7i (14-inch, Gen 9)
Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 (14-inch, Gen 9)
Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 (14 and 16-inch, Gen 9)
Lenovo Yoga Pro Bluetooth Mouse, Yoga 600 Bluetooth Silent Mouse, Yoga True Wireless Stereo Earbuds, and Lenovo Yoga Sleeve

Meanwhile, the latest generation Lenovo Legion and LOQ models include:

Lenovo Legion 7i (16-inch, Gen 9)
Lenovo Legion 5i (16-inch, Gen 9)
Lenovo Legion Slim 5 (16-inch, Gen 9)
Lenovo Legion 9i (16-inch, Gen 9)
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (16-inch, Gen 9)
Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (16-inch, Gen 9)
Lenovo Legion Tower 7i
Lenovo Legion Tower 5i

Computers

Computex 2024: AMD CEO to deliver opening keynote

Computex 2024 in Taiwan

Published

March 15, 2024

GadgetMatch

File Photo: AMD Ryzen Pro

AMD Chair and CEO, Dr. Lisa Su will deliver the opening keynote at the Computex 2024 in Taiwan, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) announced.

Computex 2024 will be held from June 4 to 7 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Halls 1 and 2. Dr. Su will have her keynote address a day before the event’s proceedings.

As her company is known for being a leading developer of computer processors and more, she is expected to discuss the next generation of AMD products, breakthrough AI capabilities, and intelligent devices.

Dr. Su recently received the highest semiconductor honor from IEEE: the Robert N. Noyce Medal.

Computex 2024 and the AI era

A leading global technology exhibition, this year’s Computex will fittingly focus on the AI PC era. The event will cover six major themes:

AI computing
Advanced Connectivity
Future Mobility
Immersive Reality
Sustainability
Innovations

Computex 2024 will also feature partners like Acer, ASRock, ASUS, Delta, Gigabyte, G.Skill, Intel, MSI, Pro Gamersware, and more. Furthermore, there will be an InnoVEX exhibit for startups to connect teams from around the world.

The event will be the 24th staging of the mid-year tech show in Taipei.

Computers

ASUS announces 2024 ROG Strix laptops with 14th Gen Intel Core

New lineup includes the Strix SCAR 18

Published

February 15, 2024

GadgetMatch

ASUS has officially unveiled the latest ROG Strix SCAR and Strix G laptops powered by 14th Gen Intel Core processors.

The 2024 ROG Strix laptop series includes the Strix SCAR 18, the first 18-inch ROG gaming laptop. It comes equipped with a Mini LED ROG Nebuula HDR display and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU.

All new ROG Strix models also feature the latest Intel Core i9 14900HX processor. They’re also paired with the latest intelligent cooling improvements, like the Tri-Fan technology and Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal.

Incredibly vivid HDR performance

The series headliner, the Strix SCAR 18 becomes the first ROG laptop with an 18-inch display powered by Mini LED.

It has an exclusive Nebula HDR Display supports HDR content and games. It boasts over 2000 discrete dimming zones and 1,100 nits of peak brightness.

This display is complemented by the ROG Nebula HDR Engine that minimizes blooming and haloing.

Visually stunning displays

Meanwhile, other Strix SCAR laptops feature 2.5K displays with 240Hz refresh rate and 3ms GTG response time.

The screens have a 16:10 aspect ratio and 100% DCI-P3 color space. Furthermore, these panels support Dolby Vision for accurate colors.

Aside from the displays, the SCAR and Strix G have received facelifts, sporting reimagined ROG cyberpunk design elements.

Flagship performance

When it comes to performance, the new ROG Strix laptops all come with the latest Intel Core i9 14900HX processor. This processor can handle heavy rendering projects, as well as AAA game titles.

To make sure usage is seamless, the laptops also have up to 32GB of DDR5 memory and up to 2TB of PCIe Gen 4 storage.

In the graphics department, the Strix SCAR 16 has a GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, while the SCAR 18 offers up to a GeForce RTX 4090 GPU.

These GPUS assure that the new laptops are prepared for even the most intense gamign sessions.

Meanwhile, the Strix G16 comes equipped with up to a GeForce RTX 4060 GPU while the Strix G18 features a GeForce RTX 4070 GPU.

Cooler than cool

Lastly, ROG Strix laptops have improved intelligent cooling systems. Both the Strix SCAR and Strix G models utilizes Tri-Fan techology, a system that uses a third auxiliary fan to increase flow to the motherboard. It also helps reroute excess heat from the GPU towards the heatsink.

Furthermore, the 2024 lineup features a high-performing Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal that reduces temperatures better than traditional thermal pastes.