CES 2019: ASUS ROG Mothership reimagines the desktop replacement laptop

If we bulked up and branded the Microsoft Surface Pro as a gaming device, the ASUS Republic of Gamers Mothership is what it’s going to look like. There’s no denying the visual impact of this desktop replacement laptop. The screen and keyboard can come apart and make it seem like some sort of really bulky laptop but smaller all-in-one PC. The 17.3-inch 144Hz G-Sync screen stands on its own in a similar way as the Nintendo Switch does and it’s important because ASUS says this helps facilitate the flow of “more air into its advanced cooling system.” ASUS pairs this with powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 and an Intel Core i9-8950HK processor.

ASUS opted to try out this design because based on its observation and research gamers liked to connect external keyboards to existing laptops and play games. According to their study, “gamers prefer their keyboards off to the side and at an angle.” Cooling is the other important consideration. ASUS wanted this beast of a laptop to be somewhat portable and to do that, the company opted out of liquid-cooling. Having an upright design increases the effectiveness of its air-cooling system. There’s no word on price and availability just yet but don’t expect this to be a cheap device.

Source: IGN

CES 2019: ASUS reverses the notch in its laptop with slimmest display bezel

Bezels aren’t just shrinking in smartphones, laptops have also started to lose them. ASUS’s latest attempt has the company reversing the notch and hiding its bottom bezel beneath the keyboard. The ZenBook S13 introduces the “world’s slimmest bezel” with a 97 percent screen-to-body ratio. ASUS achieved this by creating what can be considered a reverse notch (the webcam sticks out at the top of the screen) and hiding the bottom bezel below the keyboard when the laptop is open. On either side of the 13.9-inch 1080p display, the bezels are at 2.5mm, which means the overall footprint of this laptop is less than most 13-inch laptops.

The ZenBook S13 is powered by an 8^th-gen Intel Core i7 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of PCIe SSD storage. Impressively, ASUS was able to squeeze in NVIDIA’s GeForce MX150 GPU. These slim laptops usually rely on integrated graphics, so putting in discrete graphics is a great addition. Letting games like Fortnite can even run at the display’s native 1080p in 30fps. It comes with two USB-C ports, one USB-A port, and a microSD card reader. There’s also an integrated fingerprint sensor in the trackpad. The laptop is expected to launch in Q1, but no word on pricing just yet.

Source: The Verge

ASUS expands Chromebook Education Series with new laptops

Aside from introducing its first Chrome OS tablet, ASUS also has new laptops to add to its Chromebook Education Series, which have access to G Suite for Education a.k.a. Google’s suite of cloud-based education apps.

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ASUS introduces first Chrome OS tablet

ASUS recently unveiled its Chromebook Education series and part of that line is a new form factor: a 9.7-inch ASUS Chromebook Tablet CT100. It’s the first ASUS Chrome OS tablet. This line of devices are designed to handle the wear and tear students will place on them, while making sure they stay creative and productive. The CT100 gets the same Chrome OS version available on the notebooks and Chromebox desktops, but helps introduce the technology to the kids. It features a rubberized chassis that’s less than 10mm thick, making it easier for small hands to grasp. If kids accidentally drop them, it’s rated for drops of up to 100cmm, which is around the height of most desks.

The screen is a QXGA display covered in strong tempered glass. It also comes with a stylus that hides into the tablet frame when it isn’t in use. It’s powered by a hexa-core OP1 processor, designed specifically for Chromebooks, and 4GB of RAM. Onboard storage is at 32GB and it comes with a 35Wh lithium-polymer battery, which ASUS claims is enough for a full school day. It charges via USB Type-C. ASUS hasn’t announced pricing or availability yet but it’ll be arriving in the coming months.