Computex 2017: what to anticipate from the best (PC tech) present on earth

24.05.2017

The greatest noises popping out of Taipei subsequent week will come from the AMD facet of the hardware divide and largely revolve across the upcoming RX Vega graphics cards. The firm not too long ago introduced the primary Vega GPU, the Frontier Edition will launch on the finish of June, however the gaming-centric variations of the brand new structure, the RX Vega playing cards, would seem later within the 12 months.

Raja Koduri, AMD’s Mr. Graphics, has although mentioned they are going to be exhibiting off these GPUs at Computex subsequent week and with their massive press convention taking place on Wednesday May 31 we’d anticipate to see a full announcement then.

It’s going to be a packed presser too as a result of AMD are additionally more likely to have extra particulars about their fats new processors making up the Ryzen Threadripper vary. This is AMD’s first go at a separate shopper high-end desktop platform and is taking goal at Intel’s upcoming Skylake-X and Kaby Lake-X Core i9 chips. The massive information is that it’s going to return with a 16-core, 32-threaded monster processor as its flagship chip, which might be going to be solely irrelevant for many of us, however rattling… teh corez. AMD have mentioned they’re going to be launching the brand new platform this summer season and Computex seems like place to get that ball (chip?) rolling.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper Specs

And it ain’t stopping there for AMD both. The massive purple workforce tech revival can be taking place on the cellular facet too as we must always get our first tastes of the Ryzen Mobile processors too. The thrilling a part of these new chips isn’t simply the very fact they’re utilising the Zen CPU structure, it’s as a result of they’ll be utilizing the Raven Ridge APU which mixes the Zen and Vega GPU silicon. That means it ought to have some critical graphical grunt popping out of a single processor with out the necessity for a discrete graphics card jammed into the laptop computer too.

Of course there are more likely to be Ryzen Mobile notebooks which additionally present Polaris-based GPUs too, however the promise of real 1080p gaming efficiency from a skinny ‘n’ gentle laptop computer with respectable battery life has acquired me relatively excited.

Intel’s Computex

Core i9 and X299 launching… kinda

Computex is trying prefer it’s set to be an actual CPU battleground between AMD and Intel, with each set to unveil their new high-end desktop ranges on the present. AMD could have their Ryzen Threadripper chips on show, and due to the purple workforce’s resurgence Intel seem like they’re bringing ahead the discharge of their Skylake-X and Kaby Lake-X processors.

The Skylake-X lineup shall be crammed by a new class of Intel chip, the Core i9, and can peak at twelve cores of 14nm Skylake-X magic. There may also be 10, eight and 6-core variations popping out, however I doubt Intel will actually be going into an excessive amount of element, even with the Intel Developer Forum now being cancelled indefinitely.

The Kaby Lake-X chips will characterize a type of bizarre stepping stone between the usual Core i7 chips within the straight Kaby Lake lineup and the mega-core Skylake-X elements. There are reportedly solely two SKUs coming, each with 4 cores, however just one with HyperThreading turned on. And neither of them get to make use of the quad-channel reminiscence of the X299 platform.

Both the brand new CPUs will drop into that new X299 motherboards and, it’s protected to say, the present shall be awful with boards from the numerous producers lining cubicles throughout Taipei. There are more likely to be extra X299 than Threadripper boards, however the surge in new chipsets can solely imply good issues for the mobo gang. They’re going to be rubbing their palms with glee at such a glut of recent boards.

But whereas there’ll undoubtedly be some massive chip bulletins it doesn’t seem like both are going to really be launched at Computex. The present hearsay mill is grinding away on E3 in the meanwhile with Intel now an enormous sponsor on the gaming present.

Nvidia’s Computex

More unattainable Volta and G-Sync HDR

Nvidia are literally kinda kicking off the Computex present this 12 months with their effusive CEO, Jen-Hsun Huang holding the opening keynote of the week on the morning of Tuesday May 30. You can anticipate all the standard Nvidian matters to be lined, like autonomous automobiles, synthetic intelligence, machine studying, digital actuality and,in fact, gaming.

Given it’s taking place so quickly after their very own GPU Technology Conference, there’s unlikely to be something startlingly new taking place at Computex, so I’m anticipating some hockey-playing robots, automotive porn from Nvidia’s Project Holodeck and perhaps a visitor look from the large Volta-based V100 GPU.

Will we see any consumer-focused Volta cards showing at Computex? Well, I’m pondering in all probability not. Volta continues to be some time away from slipping into our gaming rigs, with a practical launch (regardless of what a few of saltier rumours would possibly say) in all probability in early 2018.

What we’d get to see although is extra particulars and demos of G-Sync HDR. There have been a few displays on show at CES in January so I anticipate each Asus and Acer to have their retina-searing panels on present.

MSI’s Computex

Award-winning laptops and VR backpacks

Award-winning? Yeah, Computex’s Best Choice Awards have already been chosen and MSI have walked away with three awards for its PC gaming gear. They’ve picked up the Golden Award for the GT83VR Titan SLI for its engaging design (regardless of being an absolute monster) and the very fact it is acquired insane efficiency in addition to a full mechanical keyboard.

They additionally picked up a Best Design award for his or her VR ONE Gaming Backpack. Personally I am not a fan of those VR backpacks; they appear to supply extra issues than options as I found with Zotac’s version.

MSI’s Vortex G25VR additionally picked up the an award within the Computer & System class. It’s a small type issue VR-capable PC, with spectacular efficiency and a cooling answer that retains the part chat to a minimal too.

As nicely as these li’l beauties MSI could have their fair proportion of X299 motherboards on show and I would not wager on a couple of AMD X399 boards being hidden away behind closed doorways too. Maybe even a Coffee Lake Z370 too…

Asus’ Computex

Ryzen laptops and attractive screens

Asus shall be exhibiting off some phone-y stuff and possibly some slimline, non-gaming laptops, however you possibly can wager they’ll even have a bunch of motherboards and various Republic of Gamers goodies to indicate off too.

As one of many greatest motherboard producers on this planet they’ll have a complete slew of X299 motherboards on show, and I wouldn’t low cost them from having working Threadripper boards someplace in downtown Taipei too.

But they’re additionally doubtlessly going to be demoing AMD Ryzen Mobile laptops too. They not too long ago teased a picture of an ROG gaming laptop computer in opposition to a Ryzen brand backdrop with the strapline, “Something has awakened.” Republic of Gamers machines at all times characterize the high-priced, high-performance finish of Asus’ laptop computer lineups, so I doubt that is going to be some slimline shrinking violet of a pocket book.

It’s extra probably the ROG Ryzen Mobile machine shall be sporting each the Raven Ridge quad-core Zen CPU with a Vega GPU core and a discrete graphics processor of the cellular Polaris vary. Though an attractive gaming ultrabook would undoubtedly make me a really excited nerd.

The ROG vary may also have some new HDR panels at their disposal. They’ve already received one among Computex’s Best Choice awards for the 4K ROG Swift, choosing up a Golden Award due to its mixture of 4K and 144Hz refresh charge with the HDR goodness. There may additionally be different new G-Sync HDR screens on present too; doubtlessly all sporting 1,000 nits of peak luminance they need to be fairly apparent making one finish of the exhibition corridor glow brighter than the remainder… But whether or not there’ll be any signal of FreeSync 2 I actually don’t know.

Gigabyte’s Computex

Boards, boards and… oh wait, there’s a cooler

The massive information from the Gigabyte camp will largely revolve round new high-end motherboards for the most recent AMD and Intel processor platforms. As traditional they’re tenting out within the higher flooring of vertiginous Taipei 101 tower the place there shall be wall-to-wall boards and possibly a concerted effort to get their Aorus model aimed instantly at Asus’ ROG.

It appears to be working although as they’ve additionally picked up a Computex Golden Award for his or her Aorus Z270X-Gaming 9 board. It’s a board with all the LEDs.

That means in addition to the motherboards, and probably new laptops, there may also in all probability be a couple of new Aorus goodies on show too. One of these goes to be a brand new cooler, as reported by Guru3D. The Auros ATC 700 CPU cooler is a monstrous tower of an air-cooler, with a pair of followers arrayed in a push-pull configuration throughout the chunky heatpipes.

🙂 (Y) Don’t let warmth restrict the efficiency of your M.2 SSD.#somethingnew #aorus #seeyouatcomputex pic.twitter.com/UMJnkBcgFC

— GIGABYTE (@GIGABYTE_GBT) May 4, 2017

It additionally seems like Gigabyte are following the MSI line of providing cooling on their M.2 SSD sockets with their Aorus motherboards. They tweeted out a picture of the Aorus M.2 Thermal Guard firstly of May, teasing #seeyouatcomputex.

Corsair’s Computex

RGB all the things, gaming chairs and putting chassis

Ever the masters of re-invention Corsair have moved on from being a pure reminiscence producer to being one of many greatest names in PC gaming peripherals. They’re keyboard, instances and mice are a few of the finest round… and now they’ve moved on to gaming chairs.

The T1 Race Gaming Chair is their first critical seat for avid gamers and comes backed with a full two-year guarantee and a $350 price ticket.