Gaming
ROG launches upgraded 13th Gen gaming laptops: Price, availability
Better design, displays, cooling
ROG has released its upgraded line of gaming laptops which now all have 13th Gen Intel Core processors and a slew of significant updates on their graphics, chassis, cooling design, and displays.
These are the Zephyrus M16, Strix series, and TUF Gaming F15 laptops, available via ASUS and ROG concept stores nationwide. Purchases made will also have corresponding freebies, such as backpacks, gaming mice, and adapters.
Zephyrus M16
Redesigned for a more refined feel and performance, the Zephyrus M16 has a new chassis design that allows for more efficient cooling when paired with ROG’s Tri-Fan Technology.
The laptop sports up to an Intel Core i9-13900H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU.
It has a 16-inch Nebula HDR display capable of QHD resolution at up to 240Hz, along with a Mini LED backlight. The Zephyrus M16 is only the second laptop ever to have ROG’s iconic AniMe Matrix Display.
Price
- 16GB (*2)+ 1TB – PhP 169,999
- 16GB (*2) + 2TB – PhP 249,999
- 32GB (*2) + 2TB – PhP 339,999
- Strix series
Meanwhile, the Strix and SCAR lineups has been powered by the latest chips from Intel and NVIDIA, with up to an Intel Core i9-13980HX CPU and a GeForce RTX 4090 GPU.
Along with its MUX Switch and NVIDIA Advanced Optimus, the Strix SCAR 18 ensures optimal frame rates when plugged in.
The Strix G16 and Strix G18 are likewise powered by the same processors, with up to GeForce RTX 4070 graphics. They, too, support MUX Switch and Advanced Optimus, while Dynamic Boost gives them extra power.
When it comes to displays, all support Dolby Vision. The 18-inch SCAR has up to a WQXGA 240Hz display while the G16 and G18 have WUXGA 165Hz screens.
Price
- Strix SCAR 18 (16GB*2 + 1TB) – PhP 294,995
- Strix G18 (8GB*2 + 1TB) – PhP 149,995
- Strix G16 (8GB*2 + 1TB; RTX 4060 6GB) – PhP 109,995
- Strix G16 (8GB*2 + 1TB; RTX 4060 8GB) – PhP 119,995
TUF Gaming F15
Lastly, the 2023 iteration of the TUF Gaming F15 laptop has up to a 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13700H processor, along with the latest GeForce RTX 40 series GPUS which support G-SYNC and Dynamic Boost.
Like the Strix series, a new feature for the TUF Gaming F15 are the MUX Switch and Advanced Optimus for reduced latency and next-level performance.
When it comes to its cooling system, the device is equipped with a pair of 84-blade Arc Flow Fans which offer 13% more airflow than its predecessor and is quieter than the previous design.
Price
- TUF Gaming F15 (8GB + 512GB) – PhP 89,995
The trifecta is complete. Almost a year after announcing their new hardware, Valve has finally unveiled the price tag of the Steam Frame, complementing the Steam Machine and Steam Controller revealed a few months ago.
Whereas the Steam Machine is a console of its own, the Steam Frame is a traditional VR headset with a pair of controllers for both hands. Unfortunately, despite being in a different segment, the headset is not immune to the rising prices of technology. The Steam Frame will start at US$ 1,059 for a 256GB model and can go up to US$ 1,299 for the 1TB model. On the plus side, each box will come Half-Life: Alyx packaged along with the headset.
Here’s a more detailed rundown of what you’re getting. The Steam Frame will ship with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, paired with 16GB of RAM. Each eye comes with a 2160 x 2160 LCD screen, putting out images at up t0 a 144Hz experimental refresh rate. As mentioned above, the headset will start with 256GB of storage but can go up to 2TB. It will come packaged with SteamOS 3 and a rechargeable 21.6Wh battery.
This might be a hard buy for some. The industry currently has more affordable options, for one. Also, virtual reality isn’t the most thriving segment of gaming today.
If you’re still decided on buying one, however, Valve is using its lottery system. Interested customers can sign up from now until September 17. The company will then randomize the purchasing order. Those who draw the first ones in the lottery can get a purchase email as soon as September 18. Meanwhile, anyone who registers after September 17 will automatically be put at the back of the queue.
SEE ALSO: Valve announces its own console called the Steam Machine
Gaming
BlizzCon 2026 announces World of Warcraft: Forever and Diablo V
StarCraft, Overwatch, Hearthstone, and more also get news
Blizzard Entertainment kicked off BlizzCon 2026 with a packed Opening Ceremony featuring new games, major expansions, updates, and other announcements across its biggest franchises.
Blizzard Entertainment President Johanna Faries opened the event at the Anaheim Convention Center, celebrating the community behind the company’s games and the teams that bring its worlds to life.
World of Warcraft: Forever and Diablo V
The biggest announcement was World of Warcraft: Forever, a new World of Warcraft experience launching November 5 AEDT, with its beta beginning September 18 AEST. The new experience will feature three zones, more than 1,000 quests, nine dungeons, two raids, and a new Skyborne race.
Blizzard also officially announced Diablo V, marking the next era of the franchise. The game is set to launch in North America in Spring 2029, with Sanctuary having fallen and Diablo having won.
StarCraft is also returning with a new story-driven, open-world shooter. The game is currently planned for a Spring 2030 release in North America.
Beyond games, Blizzard revealed that an animated series set in the Diablo universe is in development with Netflix. The company says this is only the beginning of its plans to expand its universes beyond gaming.
For Warcraft III Reforged, the new Forsaken Kingdom campaign is available today. It marks the Warcraft RTS series’ first new storyline in more than 23 years and explores the fall of Lordaeron and the origins of the Undercity. The accompanying 3.0 update also brings graphical improvements and a revamped World Editor.
Heroes of the Storm is adding Xal’atath as its newest Hero. She arrives in the Nexus on September 29 AEST, with her PTR release scheduled for September 15 AEST.
Existing games updates
Meanwhile, Diablo IV is preparing for its next major content drop. Season of Hell’s Legacy begins September 16 AEST and celebrates the franchise’s 30-year history with the return of the Prime Evils and Deckard Cain, alongside themed rewards and gear.
The legendary Amazon class will also arrive in the first half of 2027 as part of Diablo IV’s first class pack. The Diablo IV: Age of Hatred Collection is additionally coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on September 16 AEST with cross-platform play and cross-progression.
For World of Warcraft, Blizzard teased the next major update for Midnight. Eclipse (12.2) will see Xal’atath move closer to her goal of claiming Azeroth’s Worldsoul. Blizzard also offered another look at The Last Titan, the next expansion in the Worldsoul Saga and a major culmination of more than two decades of Warcraft storytelling. More information is coming early next year.
Overwatch is getting a major update with Season 5. The season introduces new Support Hero Doctrine, reworks for Sombra and Roadhog, and the new Watchpoint: Grimsvötn map. It will also conclude The Reign of Talon, Overwatch’s first year-long narrative arc.
LE SSERAFIM & YOASABI
BlizzCon also featured performances from YOASOBI and LE SSERAFIM. YOASOBI will perform during the first-ever esports halftime show at BlizzCon, while LE SSERAFIM will return to the Main Stage to close the weekend. A new LE SSERAFIM in-game collaboration is available now, with another Overwatch Spotlight scheduled for February 2027.
Finally, Hearthstone is getting its first new class in more than six years. The Monk arrives in 2027, while the upcoming Reign of the Black Empire expansion takes players back to the earliest age of Azeroth. It introduces the Assemble keyword, which combines two cards into a new one. Battlegrounds is also adding Aberrations as a new minion type.
BlizzCon 2026 is now underway, with Blizzard promising more announcements and details throughout the weekend.
Gaming
Xbox saves Kojima’s PHYSINT after PlayStation drops support
PlayStation says the separation was mutual, but Kojima hints otherwise.
Things aren’t going well in the PlayStation camp. After two months of frankly questionable decisions, the company adds another to the pile by dropping support for Hideo Kojima’s PHYSINT.
For a while now, Kojima and PlayStation were in a very productive relationship with the Death Stranding duology, a critically acclaimed collection of titles for the platform. When things looked like they were going well, Kojima announced PHYSINT, an espionage-themed game which reminded fans way too much of Metal Gear Solid.
If you were investing in a PlayStation 5 to play Kojima’s latest thriller, you might want to move your chips elsewhere now. PlayStation has just dropped support for the espionage game, meaning PHYSINT will no longer be a first-party title for the platform.
Though PlayStation claims that the decision came after “careful consideration,” Kojima himself has said that the move was “unexpected,” going against PlayStation’s assurance of a mutual separation.
Very quickly, Xbox has announced that their platform will support PHYSINT instead. It’s a big get for the competing brand because Xbox Game Studios is already supporting OD, Kojima’s other upcoming horror project starring Sophia Lillis.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to say more. As is tradition, Kojima will not explain much more about his upcoming titles. In fact, OD’s trailer barely says anything. One thing’s for sure, though: we’re all in for quite a ride.
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