Laptops

Microsoft is bringing the feature we’ve always wanted to Windows

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The dream of a Windows 10 smartphone running desktop apps is apparently alive and well. And perhaps next year, it might arrive at a store near you.

Microsoft today announced a partnership with top mobile chip maker Qualcomm at a hardware developer conference in Shenzhen, China that will basically allow next-generation ARM chips to deliver a full-fledged Windows 10 experience, support for peripherals and mainstream applications included. So, yeah, we’re talking a better execution of Windows RT, which tried but ultimately failed to make ARM devices play nicely with Windows.

[irp posts=”7256″ name=”Microsoft Surface Studio is the all-in-one PC of our dreams”]

Microsoft says it is building an emulator into Windows 10 that will allow forthcoming Snapdragon-powered phones and tablets to run Adobe Photoshop, Google Chrome, Microsoft Office, or any of the million existing desktop apps right now. They should even be able to have a go at Crysis 2 without problems.

It is said the Snapdragon 835 will be the first Qualcomm chipset to offer hardware emulation, but it won’t be the last, and that the first ARM-based PCs aren’t due for release until the second half of next year.

Microsoft isn’t keen on explaining how the technology works, and, unfortunately, the emulator won’t run on today’s hardware, so we’ll have to wait until next year to find out. You can bet, though, that Snapdragon PCs should sell at lower price points and easily outlast their Intel and AMD counterparts, which is what Microsoft is pushing for here.

Think how much more compelling Windows 10 ultraportables would be if they were more affordable and offered all-day battery life without asterisks. It would have been the final nail in the coffin for Intel’s Atom family of processors, except the company had already thrown in the towel not too long ago.

Where does the Surface phone fit into all of this? Your guess is as good as ours; Microsoft is still mum on the fabled Windows 10 device. But it’s likely that — fingers crossed — when it does show up, it will have a Qualcomm chip under its bonnet.

[irp posts=”125″ name=”10 Best Features of Windows 10″]

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Gaming

ASUS brings 2026 ROG Zephyrus Duo, G16, and G14 to the Philippines

New Zephyrus laptops arrive

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June 24, 2026

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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.

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Laptops

ROG launches 2026 Strix gaming laptop series

The pinnacle of gaming experiences

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June 16, 2026

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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.

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Computers

Rewind: WWDC 2026

The Siri Update We’ve Been Waiting For?!

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June 10, 2026

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At WWDC 2026, Apple unveiled Siri AI, a smarter version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence, with personal context, onscreen awareness, deeper app integration, and a brand-new experience across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro.

Apple also announced new Apple Intelligence features, Google Gemini-powered foundation models, smarter photo editing tools, improved parental controls, faster performance across iPhone and iPad, and the next version of macOS: Golden Gate.

In this WWDC 2026 Rewind, Michael Josh breaks down the biggest announcements, what actually matters. And, whether Apple finally delivered on the promises it made last year.

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