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Geek Culture
an hour ago
- Business
- Geek Culture
GIGABYTE AORUS MASTER 16/18 Series Harnesses AI Excellence For Powerhouse Gaming On The Go
Be it a gaming laptop or desktop battlestation, there are always fixed prerequisites that users look out for to get the best out of the experience. The first is powerful hardware, offering the punch needed to run graphically-demanding games smoothly, followed by an excellent display that enhances the viewing experience through striking visuals and sharp detail. Cooling is another, proving important in preventing heat build-up and performance throttle issues. The GIGABYTE AORUS MASTER 16/18 Series touts all of that, but raises the bar with its mastery over various artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Representing the ultimate work and play experience, the combined competence starts with top-line hardware, of up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX5090 GPU and an Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 275HX, alongside a starting 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage (upgradable to 64GB and 4TB, respectively). As the RTX 50 Series of graphics cards supports ray-time ray tracing, users can expect more photorealistic visuals, greater clarity, and truer-to-life shadow and reflection effects. On its exterior, the AORUS MASTER 16/18 has achieved its deepest black ever, at 5° Black, which contrasts beautifully with RGB lighting in the dark. A 16-inch OLED display feeds into the immersion, boasting WQXGA resolution (2,560 x 1,600 pixels), a 240Hz refresh rate, and a 100 percent coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. Coupled with Dolby Vision and Display HDR1000 compatibility, it works to deliver vibrant images, deep blacks, and rich contrast. Fluid and responsive gameplay is also part of the package – a welcome treat from NVIDIA's own suite of tools such as G-Sync, which eliminates stutter and artefacts on the screen. While the refresh rate remains unchanged on the 18-inch models, their panels are swapped out for the mini-LED QHD option (2,560 x 1,440 pixels). The cinematic delight is accompanied by audio mastery. Sporting up to six speakers with dual-force woofers, the device promises 1.58 times louder volume and deeper bass, as well as Dolby Atmos support. Additionally, a smart amplifier, intelligently matched to the speaker's physical capabilities, ensures distortion-free audio at any volume level and reliable long-term operation. There are trade-offs to heavyweight gaming, however. Overheating may be easily glossed over by some, but it can be damaging in the long run, especially for laptops and their limited ventilation capabilities. To that end, the AORUS MASTER 16/18 comes with fortified WindForce Infinite EX cooling, comprising a frost fan, a quad-fan design, a vapour chamber, and 3D VortX air channelling that work together to support up to 270-watt total thermal power for sustained high-performance output. Here's how the magic works – the frost fan adopts 158 asymmetric blades to increase airflow density, while the quad-fan setup reduces core component temperatures by up to 4.7 degree Celsius and noise levels by seven per cent. Then comes the vapour chamber, boosting coverage by 50 per cent for more efficient thermal performance, with 3D VortX technology improving the heat exchange process via four exhaust outlets and 3D air channelling. The enhanced cooling efficiency is designed to last, too, so users can enjoy hours-long gaming sessions in peace without their hand feeling warm. All of these capabilities are further optimised by a GIGABYTE special (and arguably its biggest draw), the GiMATE. Featuring an intuitive interface that extends more personal control to users, the AI-powered smart assistant is rooted in two key implementations – embedding advanced large language models (LLM) to understand and anticipate needs without encroaching on data privacy, and G-Cell, a suite of proprietary tech that optimises hardware based on user experiences. Here's how each of them works: AI Power – Smart GPU switching for up to 15 percent longer battery life – Smart GPU switching for up to 15 percent longer battery life AI Performance – One-click overclocking for GPU and fan tuning to balance performance with efficiency – One-click overclocking for GPU and fan tuning to balance performance with efficiency AI Cooling – Adapts to surroundings for silent operation – Adapts to surroundings for silent operation AI Audio – Auto-calibrates based on laptop positioning – Auto-calibrates based on laptop positioning AI Voice – Advanced noise cancellation and voice recognition – Advanced noise cancellation and voice recognition AI Privacy – Automatically detects when authorised viewers approach and obscures screen Other notable features of GiMATE include Press and Speak, which responds to user requests, query, needs, and more, and GiMate creator, an image generator that imports the latest AI models from Hugging Face and has snagged the honour of being the industry's first mobile design hub ready for AI experimentation and deployment. Amid the continued growth of AI, the AORUS MASTER 16/18 presents a strong case for how the tech can be neatly integrated into existing capabilities, focusing on value-added functionality instead of flashy action – such that it won the Computex 2025 Best Choice Award for Industry-Leading Innovation. The 16-inch model retails for S$7,499 with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of ROM, whereas its 18-inch sibling starts at S$6,069 for 32GB of RAM and 2TB of ROM. Meanwhile, the 64GB RAM and 2TB storage variant costs S$8,388. Both models are available for purchase now via Techyard and GamePro. Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth's theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia's greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really. Advertorial Aorus gigabyte Gigabyte Aorus laptop
Digital Trends
8 hours ago
- Business
- Digital Trends
Torn between a Macbook Air and Pro? I'd recommend something totally different
Earlier this year, Dell went for a rebrand that axed some of its most recognizable product families, such as XPS and Latitude. Instead, the company went with a simplified naming scheme, which is still a tad confusing. The makeover ran deeper than the surface, though. The sharp XPS charm rode into the sunset, and so did a bunch of other aesthetic elements that helped Dell machines stand out. Instead, the company is now riding with a more generalist industrial look that focuses more on productivity instead of setting new heft and thickness records. Recommended Videos One of the first products to come out of the 'new' identity was the Dell Plus 16, which earned praise for its solid performance, clean design, and fantastic keyboard. I recently got my hands on the Dell Pro 14, which starts lower than its Plus sibling, but can eclipse it as you take the internal upgrade route. After giving it a run as my primary workhorse for a couple of weeks, it emerged as a solid workhorse that serves plenty of firepower and practical perks. But most importantly, it sits at the sweet middle-ground spot where it surpasses the MacBook Air without the high premium of a MacBook Pro. A practical workhorse The Dell Pro 14 Pro configuration I tested comes armed with 32GB of RAM, 512GB storage, and AMD's Ryzen AI 7 Pro (350) processor. That kind of memory upgrade would set you back by $1,480 on the MacBook Air, while the baseline MacBook Pro with the entry-level M4 processor will have you spending $2,000 at the very least. For comparison, the Dell machine I tested will cost you around $1,400 while doubling the internal storage to 1 TB. Now, saving a few hundred dollars is a relief in itself. In addition to the cost savings, you also get a handful of other benefits, and the most notable among them all is a diverse port selection. None of Apple's laptops go beyond a typical USB-C input and an HDMI port, which is exclusive to the MacBook Pro. On the Dell Pro, you get a pair of USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4.0 ports with power delivery and display-out capabilities. Additionally, the Dell machine also offers an equal number of USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports with PowerShare. Finally, you also get a dedicated HDMI 2.1 port and a gigabit-class Ethernet port, too. The USB-C ports are special as they ditch the soldered format and adopt a screwed aproach. The result is a modular design that offers four times higher twist resistance and nearly 33 times better impact resistance compared to the erstwhile Latitude series business laptops. The modular engineering also opens the doors for better repairability, too. I also love the privacy and security kit on this one. In addition to a fingerprint sensor, you also get an IR camera array at the top for Windows Hello facial recognition. In my time with the laptop, both the authentication measures worked just fine. I prefer face unlock to be the more seamless approach for identity verification on laptops, especially when you are dealing with features such as Windows Recall or other workflows where you often run into the authentication firewall. For a business laptop that is running enterprise software, such conveniences matter a lot. There's also a physical privacy shutter at the top to cover the FHD webcam for extra security. Plenty of silicon firepower Dell has made a rather curious choice with the processor inside its 14-inch business laptop. The variant I had for testing comes armed with an AMD Ryzen AI 7 Pro 350 processor. Now, this family of processors was introduced earlier this year, but they don't offer the best or latest from AMD's inventory. That distinction goes to the AMD Ryzen AI Max family of processors in the Strix Point series, while the AMD Ryzen AI and its Pro variations fall within the older Krackan Point family. That doesn't mean the Krackan Point silicon is a laggard, even though it sticks with a slightly less powerful integrated graphics chip. On the Ryzen AI 7 Pro 350, you get four Zen 5 cores and an equal number of Zen 5c efficiency cores. The peak clock speed goes up to 5GHz, while graphics performance is handled by the Radeon 860M iGPU. The NPU can deliver over 50 TOPS, higher than the baseline Microsoft has set for offering next-gen AI features on Copilot+ PCs. The performance chops are worth a note. On Cinebench (R24), it fared better than Intel's Core Ultra 7 258V Lunar Lake processor by a margin of around 12%, though it can't quite match the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite or Apple's M4 silicon. On Geekbench, it again performed better than its Intel rival access the single-core and multi-core metrics, and even surpassed Qualcomm's silicon. However, the Zen 5 series is still over 20% slower compared to Apple's M4 silicon. At multi-core output, the gap is much smaller and falls within the 7% performance gap. Running a mixed workload at the Blender BMW27 rendering test, the AMD silicon fared much better than Intel's Core Ultra 7 258V, while the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite lags further behind due to the weak onboard Adreno GPU. On 3DMark, however, Intel's Arc graphics took the lead over AMD's Radeon 860M unit. As far as practical workflows go, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 Pro 350 is a fairly capable processor. For business consumers, it offers more firepower than they would need for handling Office and Workspace chores. It should also handle coding workflows fairly well and short-form video edits. My work was separated across Chrome (three windows, 12-15 tabs each), Slack, Trello, Teams, Photoshop, and Spotify. The Dell Pro 14 barely ever stuttered. Moreover, I never had to shift gears and raise the fan speed for an extra dash of cooling or contend with throttling issues. With the same workflow, the upper portion of my M4 MacBook Air's keyboard regularly runs hot and stutters are felt, especially with Chrome hogging the system resources. A few hits and misses The most perplexing element of the Dell Pro 14 is its chassis. The keyboard is fantastic, with lovely spacing, good travel, and a fantastic springy feedback. It's a joy to type a few thousand words without feeling any fatigue. The clicky trackpad gets the job done, but I wish it were the haptic type. The full-HD display is also acceptable, but not as sharp as its Apple competition. What I love about it is the anti-glare coating on top, though the machine is also available in touch-sensitive display variants. I wish it were brighter, but in a closed space, I was able to comfortably work on it at roughly 40% brightness levels. The Dell Pro 14 comes with up to a 55-Whr battery, which delivers good mileage paired with a 14-inch FHD display and a fairly power-efficient processor. Dell says the laptop should last up to 15 hours on a single charge, while fast charging ensures that you get up to 80% juice with an hour of plugged-in time. During my tests, it went up to 11.5 hours of sustained work, which is not bad, though still a fair bit behind Windows on Arm machines like the Asus ZenBook A14 or the MacBook Air. The power draw is worryingly high, however, when the fan profile has been set to its peak value under load and brightness levels are set above the 70% mark. Then there's the build quality. The Dell Pro 14 weighs slightly above the MacBook Air, but it's much lighter than the MacBook Pro. It's a joy to carry around, but keep in mind it's thicker than its Apple or Windows competition in the segment. The industrial looks are married to a polycarbonate shell. But there is a worrying amount of flex. Though it doesn't hurt the typing experience, you can easily press the deck. The same goes for the top lid, and you can even feel the hinge area pressing down. The Dell Pro 14 doesn't feel cheap. Far from it, actually. But I wish Dell went with a slightly stiffer material, or even a metallic shell to give it a more premium material befitting the sticker price. Overall, if your primary concern is a productivity workhorse that handles performance and practicality, but can't quite absorb the Apple tax, the Dell 14 Pro is a great choice. And for its target business audience, it's almost a no-brainer.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tech leader unveils groundbreaking laptop concept that runs on sunlight and folds flat like a book: 'Worth keeping an eye on'
Lenovo has been known to push the boundaries of laptop design, and its latest concept devices continue to deliver fresh innovations that include solar power. At Mobile World Congress 2025, the laptop maker revealed both the Lenovo ThinkBook Flip AI PC and Yoga Solar PC concepts, which could inform the next generation of consumer laptops. CNBC said that given the company's track record of bringing these innovative designs to market, "it's worth keeping an eye on what the Chinese technology giant is up to." The ThinkBook "codename Flip" AI PC, as the company called it, showed off an outward folding OLED display that can provide 18 inches of visual workspace or be folded over for a tablet-style interface. Workflows powered by artificial intelligence, split-screen multitasking, and smart workspace adaptation are being tested in this unique design. Sustainable power is also on the mind of Lenovo engineers, who worked up the Yoga Solar PC proof of concept to help capture the power of the sun to extend the device's runtime. This model includes a photovoltaic cell with 24% energy conversion efficiency, which is one of the best ratings available on the market, the company said. It's achieved through its Back Contact Cell technology, which places brackets and gridlines behind the solar cell for maximum absorption. Its Dynamic Solar Tracking system monitors the panel's current and voltage, working alongside the Solar-First Energy system for prioritizing the sun's rays for energy savings and stability. It can even generate power in low-light conditions while the PC is idle. The Yoga Solar PC can convert enough direct sunlight in 20 minutes to power up to one hour of video playback, according to the company. Measuring just 15 millimeters thin and weighing approximately 2.7 pounds, it's being called the world's first ultra-slim solar-powered PC. This improves upon Samsung's NC215S, which was reportedly the first laptop to include an integrated solar panel in 2011 and needed two hours of sunlight to run for one hour. Engineers and designers are realizing the potential of harnessing the sun's rays to power devices big and small across a variety of applications. What kind of solar tech would you be the most willing to use? Rooftop panels Community solar A portable solar generator None of the above Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. By leveraging renewable energy sources at every opportunity, we can more rapidly eliminate the use of dirty fuels and promote a cleaner, safer environment. Aptera's battery-powered electric vehicle includes solar panels on much of its exterior that help extend its runtime, while other companies have designed portable solar cells to help charge electric vehicles while parked. Lenovo has a track record of sustainable endeavors, championing repairs when possible to reduce waste, and offering cash for trade-ins so they can handle old devices more responsibly. Mary Jacques, Lenovo's executive director of Global ESG and Regulatory Compliance, told The Cool Down last year: "Our customers are really hungry for more and more information about not just the products that they're buying, but the impact that we can have on their sustainability journey." Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Gizmodo
a day ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
This HP 17″ Laptop (64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) Is Nearly Free, Amazon Slashes 75% Off and Adds $400 in Free Bonuses
Amazon lets you save $3,500 on a super powerful HP laptop and it's hard to believe. When it comes to finding the best value for your money on a premium laptop, deals like the one currently available on Amazon for the HP touchscreen laptop (17-inches, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD and Intel Core i7) are rare and truly game-changing. This is maybe the deal of the century for anyone in the market for a powerhouse portable as it let you save more than $3,500 on one of the most capable laptops available today. Not only does this laptop boast a massive 75% discount – dropping its price from a typical $4,699 to just $1,159 – but it also comes packed with valuable bonuses that when factored in, make the effective price even lower than $1,000. With extras like a lifetime Microsoft Office Pro license, Windows 11 Pro, and even a mouse included, this package is designed to supercharge your productivity. See at Amazon Perfect Laptop For All This 2025 HP laptop is designed to power through anything you throw at it in office tasks, multitasking, remote learning, and light creative work. The machine has an Intel i7-1355U processor that has 10 cores and can turbo boost to 5.0GHz. It will run exceedingly well with various applications while giving superior battery life. You can use this laptop for either work or play, with Intel Iris Xe Graphics and useful power management. One of the great features of this laptop is the 64GB of DDR4 RAM: It provides you with high-bandwidth memory (even for the most demanding tasks) so you can open dozens of browser tabs, large spreadsheets, and graphics and creative apps all on one system without slowdowns or hiccups. The storage options are equally impressive with a 2TB PCIe SSD providing ultra-fast boot speeds. The laptop's HD+ 17.3-inch touchscreen display makes colors pop and images sharp and crisp for presentations and media consumption but is also a fun way to watch your favorite shows and movies after a busy week of working hard. The touchscreen provides an efficient way to interact with your content in an engaging and intuitive manner. The display has a resolution of 1600 x 900 and is perfectly suited for both productivity and relaxation. This laptop also includes several ports: HDMI 2.1, two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, one USB 3.2 Type-C port, and a headphone/microphone combo jack. It also has a dedicated numeric keypad to speed up data entry. There's a built-in fingerprint reader so you can feel secure when signing in or handling sensitive information. Wi-Fi 6 ensures robust and fast internet connectivity anywhere you go! The software package that comes with this deal might be most remarkable of all. Your laptop comes pre-loaded with Windows 11 Pro, which adds productivity and security features to make your data more secure and your workflow more efficient. You are also getting a lifetime license for Microsoft Office Professional: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and more are installed on your computer, forever, at no additional cost. And a mouse is included as an added bonus. We suspect that this deal won't last on Amazon for long. See at Amazon
Entrepreneur
a day ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
This $200 MacBook Air Handles Your Hustle Without Complaints
Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you'll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. One thing to keep in mind when getting a laptop to support your professional needs is that not every job needs the latest M-series MacBook. If your goal is reliable performance, decent battery life, and that always-satisfying Apple experience—without obliterating your tech budget—this refurbished Apple MacBook Air 13.3″ (from 2017) might be exactly what you're looking for. At just $199.97, it's a compelling option for entrepreneurs, frequent flyers, remote teams, or anyone needing a no-fuss, high-functioning laptop. Whether you're outfitting new hires, building a small remote team, or just need a travel-friendly workhorse for flights and coworking spaces, this deal checks all the right boxes. Powered by a 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor with 128GB SSD and Intel HD Graphics 6000, this MacBook Air can easily handle productivity apps, video calls, and browser-based work. The 13.3-inch Retina display (1440×900) gives you enough screen real estate for spreadsheets, docs, or Netflix—no judgment here. And with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a 12-hour battery, you've got the flexibility to work wherever you find a signal and a seat. A business-savvy no-brainer Sure, it's not the newest model, but at this price, it's a smart choice for businesses that are looking to scale or support remote productivity without buying into another $1,000 machine. It's also ideal as a reliable secondary laptop for traveling professionals who'd rather not risk their $2,000 daily driver at airport security. It's been cleaned and inspected, and arrives with the possibility of some light scratching or minor blemishes. All in all, it's a legit Apple laptop with great performance, for just $200. You'll get what you need, save what you don't, and maybe even impress a client or two with how resourcefully you roll. Get a top-quality refurbished Apple MacBook Air for just $199.97 (reg. $999) with free shipping when you order through July 20. Apple MacBook Air 13.3″ (2017) 1.8GHz i5 8GB RAM 128GB SSD Silver (Refurbished) See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.
