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SALTZMAN: Computer gamers, rejoice – latest gear unveiled at Computex 2025
SALTZMAN: Computer gamers, rejoice – latest gear unveiled at Computex 2025

Toronto Sun

time24-05-2025

  • Business
  • Toronto Sun

SALTZMAN: Computer gamers, rejoice – latest gear unveiled at Computex 2025

The 44th annual tech convention delivered the goods for PC players Taiwan's Computex 2025 recently showcased the latest in computer hardware. Photo by Marc Saltzman / Postmedia Network That's a wrap! Taiwan's Computex 2025 – the biggest tech trade show in Asia and one of the largest on the planet – once again showcased the latest in computer hardware. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Now in its 44th year, much of the focus was on gaming gear, as well as artificial intelligence (of course), and a few ancillary industries like robotics, IoT (Internet of Things) trends, and the future of mobility. The only Computex attendee that could upstage the Taiwanese President, Lai Ching-te, was Taipei-born Jensen Huang, president and CEO of Nvidia and one of the richest men in the world. The crowd went nuts in his presence, but Jensen still took the time to shake hands with showgoers – including yours truly. Postmedia was at Computex to kick the proverbial tires on these upcoming devices. The following is a look at a few highlights. Taiwan's Computex 2025 recently showcased the latest in computer hardware. Photo by Marc Saltzman / Postmedia Network BIG POWER, SMALL PRICE With tariffs hitting the PC space, gamers are bracing for much higher prices. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Thankfully, ASUS is bucking the trend with its just announced TUF Gaming T500, a gaming desktop, which – in a unique twist – houses a laptop processor instead. To handle most of the heavy lifting for today's games, ASUS says it packs a full-size graphics card. While the Canadian price is still to be determined, this machine starts at only $1,299 USD, with a powerful Nvidia RTX 5060 Ti GPU, when it launches this summer. The ASUS TUF Gaming T500 is a gaming desktop that houses a laptop processor. Photo by Supplied / ASUS Designed for a more budget-conscious player, this compact tower (18.9 x 9.5 x 20.1 inches) offers some visual flare, too, with a window to the interior of the desktop on the left side, along with chassis lighting. As for specs, it'll be powered by a mobile-class 13th Gen Intel Core processor (up to Core i7-13620H) and will support up to 64GB of RAM (system memory) and up to 2TB of storage (PCIe Gen 4). Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The ROG Falcata mechanical keyboard splits in half so you can position it on a desk however you like. Photo by Supplied / ASUS Forgive the geek speak. ASUS also showed off impressive peripherals, such as its ROG (Republic of Gamers) 'Falcata' mechanical keyboard that quite literally splits in half so you can position it on a desk however you like. As for monitors, the 24-inch ROG Strix II Ace XG248QSG is billed as the world's fastest esports monitor delivering an incredible 610Hz refresh rate (and 0.1 millisecond response time) for smooth and fluid gameplay. The iGame Neptune Series PC is a tall and futuristic-looking desktop. Photo by Supplied / Colorful FUTURISTIC TOWER HAS PRACTICAL PURPOSE Garnering a big crowd at Computex 2025, Chinese brand Colorful had a big booth to display several laptops and innovative desktop designs – including one that looked like a motorcycle helmet – but it was a monster of a tower that caught my eye. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The iGame Neptune Series PC is a tall and futuristic-looking desktop that introduces a dual 360mm radiator stack for CPU and GPU cooling. It's a unique design that's both pretty and practical, as it enhances airflow. In fact, the graphics radiator can pivot outward to prevent air duct conflicts and improve overall thermal efficiency (and unnecessary noise) during heavy gaming sessions. The computer itself is powered by the company's own iGame Z790D5 Neptune motherboard, paired with an Intel Core i9-14900K processor, 2TB of storage (NVMe SSD), and an iGame GeForce RTX 5080 Neptune graphics card. The Gigabyte A16 Pro is an impressive gaming laptop. Photo by Supplied GAMING TO GO Don't be fooled by its mediocre looks: the Gigabyte A16 Pro is one of the most impressive gaming laptops at Computex as it packs a lot of power under the hood: up to Intel Core i7 240H processor, 32GB of RAM, up to 4TB of storage, and a graphics card up to NVIDIA RTX 5080. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The IPS display on the 16-inch Gigabyte A16 Pro boasts WQXGA resolution (2560×1600 pixels), with 300 nits brightness and with a 165Hz refresh rate (and 3ms response time). Gigabyte's proprietary Windforce Infinity EX is an advanced cooling system that offers smart heat dissipation and performance – thanks to its quad-fan design with 158 asymmetric blades, a vapor chamber, and 3D airflow channels. Available this summer, no doubt this helps Gigabyte's claim of up to 14 hours of battery life. The MateBook Fold Ultimate Design Laptop folds in half. Photo by Supplied / Huawei INTO THE FOLD While not necessarily for gamers, Huawei bowed an innovative and impressive device at Computex 2025. It's an 18-inch 3K OLED display that can literally fold in half, allowing users to type on a digital QWERTY keyboard illuminated on the bottom portion when flush on a flat surface, like a desk or table. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Or you can use a physical Bluetooth keyboard, as it includes an integrated kickstand. Read More Called the MateBook Fold Ultimate Design Laptop, it's ridiculously thin, too, at just 7.3mm thick – even thinner than an iPhone 16 (7.8mm). While unique, this MateBook Fold Ultimate won't be cheap – starting at ¥23,999 in China, which works out to be about $4,600 Canadian for those who want to order it online. Yikes. ASUS headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, employs more than ten thousand people and features 20 restaurants, swimming pools and hot tubs, two huge gyms (including a basketball and badminton court, and exercise equipment), and Japanese gardens. Photo by Marc Saltzman / Postmedia Network VISITING ASUS HQ IN TAIPEI While ASUS is extremely popular in Canada – number one in consumer Windows laptops, gaming laptops, consumer Chromebooks and gaming desktops – many might not know the company is headquartered in Taipei, the city that hosts Computex. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. And so, I paid a visit to the company's swank HQ, a pair of adjacent buildings, to get a sense of its work culture. During working hours, more than ten thousand employees toil away in various departments, such as design, engineering and lab testing. ASUS headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, employs more than ten thousand people and features 20 restaurants, swimming pools and hot tubs, two huge gyms (including a basketball and badminton court, and exercise equipment), and Japanese gardens. Photo by Marc Saltzman / Postmedia Network Hungry? Employees can hit up one of 20 restaurants (including a Starbucks, bubble tea joint and a 7-Eleven). ASUS employees receive up to 80 NT (Taiwanese currency) per lunch, which is usually enough to cover the entire meal. There are swimming pools and hot tubs, two huge gyms (including a basketball and badminton court, and exercise equipment), and Japanese gardens for when you need a moment of Zen. ASUS headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, employs more than ten thousand people and features 20 restaurants, swimming pools and hot tubs, two huge gyms (including a basketball and badminton court, and exercise equipment), and Japanese gardens. Photo by Marc Saltzman / Postmedia Network If you're not feeling well, there's an on-site medical clinic. Globally, ASUS has roughly 16,000 employees, of which about 5,000 are engineers, which explains the innovative designs in their PCs, accessories and other gear. ASUS Canada employs 90 people in Canada, most of whom are based out of its facility in Markham, Ont. – Marc Saltzman is the host of the Tech It Out podcast and author of 17 books, including Apple Watch For Dummies (Wiley)

Apple delivers a near-perfect ultraportable with the 13-inch MacBook Air M4
Apple delivers a near-perfect ultraportable with the 13-inch MacBook Air M4

USA Today

time10-04-2025

  • USA Today

Apple delivers a near-perfect ultraportable with the 13-inch MacBook Air M4

Pros Solid performance, sleek design Great battery life Starts at $999 ($899 for education) Cons Base model's 256GB is not enough storage, upgrades are pricy AI not yet realized, behind competitors Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Their Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ About Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 (2025) Base Price: $999 ($899 with educational discount) SoC: 10-Core CPU 8-Core GPU | 10-Core CPU 10-Core GPU Memory: 16GB Unified Memory | 24GB Unified Memory (options for up to 32GB) Storage: 256GB SSD | 512GB SSD (options for up to 2TB) Display: 13.6-inch IPS LED Display Resolution: 2560 x 1664 native resolution at 224 pixels per inch Ports: MagSafe 3 charging port, 3.5-mm headphone jack, 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3 Battery: Built-in 53.8‑watt‑hour lithium‑polymer Weight: 2.7 pounds (1.24 kg) Dimensions: 0.44 inches x 11.97 inches x 8.46 inches Webcam: 12MP Center Stage camera with support for Desk View, 1080p HD video recording Warranty: 90 days of complimentary technical support and a one‑year limited warranty Credit: Marc Saltzman / Reviewed The exterior design of the M4 is largely unchanged from the M3: same great keyboard, but the 13.6-inch LCD screen is outclassed by the optional anti-glare screen for the Pro M4 as well as OLEDs on competing laptops. The Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 comes in three basic configurations starting at $999, $1,199, and $1,399, each with options to upgrade the SoC, memory, and storage. Apple users are of course familiar with the brand's predilection for discouraging post-purchase mods, so it's recommended that you think ahead when spec'ing out your Mac. Upgrading the memory, in particular, can be a great long-term investment, though the new 16GB baseline might be enough if you're on a tight budget. The most significant upgrade from the M3 is the processing power. The M4 has a 10-core CPU, versus an 8-core on the M3. While Apple states that the M4 is twice as fast as the M1, the performance gap between the M4 and M4 is less dramatic. The new chip also powers the Neural Engine, which they call Apple Intelligence, to accelerate AI-based tasks. Apple lags the competition in built-in AI features, but expect them to build out these tools in the coming years. An improved 12MP webcam is one of the other upgrades from the M3. It uses a wide-angle lens and some smart processing to follow your image as you move around the field of view. The fanless cooling—one of the key differences from the MacBook Pro—has its upsides and downsides While it makes for near-silent operation, you could experience throttling during CPU- and GPU-intensive applications. The exterior design is nearly identical to the M3: super slim and lightweight. It's a commuter's dream that, unfortunately, leaves little room for ports. The LED-backlit 13.6-inch screen gets the job done, but is outpaced by competitors and makes one wonder when Apple will make the switch to OLED. All versions of the M4 Air 13-inch are identically spec'd with a MagSafe 3 power port, a headphone jack, and two Thunderbolt ports. Color options include Silver, Starlight, Midnight, and (new for the Air) a very subtle Sky Blue color. What We Say Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Thin is in with the latest MacBook Air M4 (2025), the 0.45-inch thin yet impressively powerful laptop powered by Apple's own M4 chip. If my hands-on time with the hardware is any indication, it's super comfortable, quiet, and with battery life that's very close to the estimated 18 hours. Just don't fall for the touted Apple Intelligence features, as the AI isn't fully realized—yet. That, and 512GB should be the minimum storage configuration instead of 256GB (which really isn't enough these days). But at $100 less than the previous MacBook Air, this middle-of-the-road machine is a worthy consideration for those itching for an upgrade. Available in 13- or 15-inches and a new color (metallic light blue), longtime Mac users will appreciate the familiar look and feel (which is cool to the touch), but with peppier performance than you might expect. Granted, content creators may opt for a MacBook Pro, but this M4-powered MacBook Air proved surprisingly capable, evident in first- and third-party apps, like iMovie and Adobe Photoshop, respectively. Given the entry-level price—starting at $899 for education pricing on the 13-inch model (before any trade-ins)—students in particular will get a lot out of this MacBook. Plus, there's an upgraded Center Stage camera for crisp FaceTime video calls, support for multiple monitors, and several useful MacOS Sequoia features. Offering good bang for the buck, I can attest MacBook M4 (2025) is a stellar pick for Apple fans who want more for less. What Other Reviewers Say Average Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ Across the board, professional reviewers love the Apple MacBook Air 13 M4. Several reviews name it as a best-in-class laptop. At worst, you'll find some chiding of Apple iterating rather than innovating—a fair criticism, in our opinion, though one that hardly detracts from the value of the M4. ArsTechnica: 'I have no notes' ArsTechnica did not hold back on its praise of the MacBook Air M4, boldly proclaiming 'I have no notes' in the headline. Their benchmark testing showed that the Air M4 performed identically to the Pro M4 in lighter tests, only slowing in longer-running tests due to throttling. They ultimately conclude that 'For anyone other than people who absolutely need or require an operating system that isn't macOS, this is the default laptop.' Tom's Guide: 'The top laptop value' Tom's Guide gave the Air M4 all its laurels, topping their list of the Best Laptops. Praising its performance, portability, battery life, and low entry price, the only sticking point (shared by other reviewers) was the outdated display. While the screen is bright and colorful, they write, 'The bezels are starting to look a bit thick after a few generations. I also wouldn't mind a slightly smaller notch at the top of the display.' Credit: Apple RTings dubs the MacBook Air 13 M4 as best for students. Apple's own marketing materials appear to agree. RTings: 'Isn't ideal for gaming' Rting's extensive benchmark testing highlighted one notable weak spot for the MacBook Air M4: GPU-intensive applications, especially gaming. The fanless design means that performance is sometimes throttled to prevent overheating. 'If you want the smoothest experience or the fastest render times, it's best to get an Apple MacBook Pro with more GPU cores or a Windows laptop with an NVIDIA dedicated GPU that supports Optix.' The 60Hz refresh rate also caused noticeable ghosting. Among several possible use cases, RTings final verdict is that the MacBook Air 13 M4 is best for students and business. PCMag: 'A better Air than ever, but here come the PCs' PCMag declared the Air 13 M4 as the MacBook that's right for most people. 'But why not a higher Editors' Rating than last year's M3 Air earned? Its Windows-ultraportable competition has been hitting the gym double-time.' They praise all the same points as other reviewers, and uncover the same strengths and weaknesses in benchmark testing, but emphasize the pressure that competing AMD- and Intel-based Windows notebooks have put on Apple to make bigger improvements in the next-gen model. What Owners Say The Apple MacBook Air M4 13-inch is relatively new, so at this time there are more user comments that speculate or opine than those that give a first-person account of ownership. MacRumors Forums For MacRumors forum members, the question is rarely Should I buy a Mac? It's Which Mac should I buy? The MacBook Air M4 will miss this thread does a particularly good job of breaking the differences between the Air M4 and the Pro. It comes down, of course, to personal preferences and budget. Incidentally, a user poll for MBA M4 color choice puts Sky Blue in a commanding lead over other colors. Reddit On the r/hardware subreddit, in a conversation about the Air M4, one of the top-rated comments highlights that the laptop is now able to run two external monitors at the same time while also running the built-in display—a practical but narrow use case. Further down the page, however, I saw a particularly savvy observation from user fntd. 'I think there is a very huge percentage of people who simply need a laptop that runs their web browser as good as possible. In theory that's the market where competition should happen because the underlying OS really doesn't matter that much.' If true, the M4 is bang on the money for that market. Over on the r/apple subreddit, user Izian summarizes the Air M4 nicely. 'Price cut. Better chip. Better cam. 2 external displays plus the MacBook display? I mean, right now I think I ran out of excuses to point any family members at anything else for their needs. Should you buy the Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 (2025) Yes, this is the best Mac for most users right now When compared to all available MacBooks right now, the MacBook Air M4 offers a stunning value prop: great performance, incredible battery life, and a light and quiet design—all for under $1,000. Zooming out and looking at it in the context of all ultraportables, there is quite a bit of competition from Windows notebooks, which can beat the MacBook Air M4 on various points, including AI integration, screen quality, and sheer performance. Of course, most Mac users are entrenched in the Apple ecosystem and won't even consider peaking over the fence, but for those that might, ultraportables from Dell, Acer, and Lenovo may be worth checking out. Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time. The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews, and more. Meet the testers Marc Saltzman Contributing Writer @marc_saltzman Along with Reviewed and USA TODAY, Marc has been a freelance journalist for more than 20 publications, is a 16-time author (including Apple Watch For Dummies and Game Design: Secrets of the Sages), hosts the syndicated Tech It Out radio (and podcast), and is host of Tech Impact television show (on Bloomberg TV and FOX Business). Based in Toronto, Marc specializes in consumer electronics, games and apps, smart home innovations, automotive tech, and future trends. See all of Marc Saltzman's reviews David Kender Editor in Chief / Business Lead @davekender David Kender oversees content at Reviewed as the Editor in Chief. He served as managing editor and editor in chief of Reviewed's ancestor, helping to grow the company from a tiny staff to one of the most influential online review resources. In his time at Reviewed, David has helped to launch over 100 product categories and written too many articles to count. See all of David Kender's reviews

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